SCIENTIFIC TALKS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2246, 4 September 1914, Page 7

SCIENTIFIC TALKS

"' —♦ DR. THORNTON AT VICTORIA COLLEGE. A lecture on heat insulation was given by Mr. W. -M> Thornton, Professor of Engineering in Armstrong College, iNew-casile-on-TynC, at Victoria College last night. Tho lecture, which was given under the auspices of the Soience Congress, attracted a number of representatives of the engineering profession. Dr. Thornton said that there were two problems in regard to heat. The first was to keep heat in, as in the case of boilers, and the other to kceD it out, as in the case of cool storage. Tho speaker wont on to elaborate on these two problems. Thermal conductivity was the quantity of heat flowing through a certain thickness in a certain time. In applying experiments in this respect there were two methods, and it had lo ho noted that timo played an important part in making observations. What; was suitable for heat in boilers was not suitable for insulation in cool storage. Dr. Thornton demonstrated by diagrams that "slab" .wool was the best material for boiler insulation, and cork for cool storage insulation. _ An interesting discussion took "place at the conclusion of the lecture on the insulating properties 1 -of pumice stone. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to. Dr. Thornton on the conclusion of his address. Subsequently Professor Laby delivered an interesting lecture on tho | "Conductivity i>f Air."