Summary

An experimental analysis of the heat and mass transfer phenomena was made for an artificial soil, commonly used for high tension underground cables. The experiment was made in a reduced scale which allowed to dissipate powers, both constant as periodic. The scale of the experiment allowed to control with a certain rigidity the properties in the center of the soil end the characteristics of the experiment such as density, initial moisture, temperatures and dissipated heat fluxes. The results obtained allowed to profundize in the heat and mass transference phenomena in an artificial soil commercially used. In fact, it is observed that the backfill is a "favorable termic" soil who efficiently dissipates heat and retains moisture easily. The results in the termic aspect showed the great capacity of the soil to react quickly in front of environment variations or in front of internal variations of the dissipated power within. In this way, it was proved that the soil, in front of variation in the dissipated power by the heat source, perceives immediately such variation near cable (3 diameters approximately). In the same way, the strong dependence of the surrounding temperature was made evident in the experiment, showing that in installation of underground cables in this type of soil, the sidewalk has an important role. The establishment of asymmetric temperatures over and under the heat source (superior temperature greater than inferior temperature) show that the surrounding conditions of the surface is fundamental in this difference. [...]

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