Designation: C835 −06 (Reapproved 2020)
Standard Test Method for
Total Hemispherical Emittance of Surfaces up to 1400°C
1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C835; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This calorimetric test method covers the determination
of total hemispherical emittance of metal and graphite surfaces
and coated metal surfaces up to approximately 1400°C. The
upper-use temperature is limited only by the characteristics (for
example, melting temperature, vapor pressure) of the specimen
and the design limits of the test facility. This test method has
been demonstrated for use up to 1400 °C. The lower-use
temperature is limited by the temperature of the bell jar.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
standard.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
For specific hazard statements, see Section 7.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2
C168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulation
E230 Specification for Temperature-Electromotive Force
(emf) Tables for Standardized Thermocouples
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—The terms and symbols are as defined in
Terminology C168 with exceptions included as appropriate.
3.2 Symbols:
e
i
= error in the variable i,6%,
ε
1
= total hemispherical emittance of heated specimen,
dimensionless,
ε
2
= total hemispherical emittance of bell jar inner surface,
dimensionless,
σ= Stefan-Boltzmann constant,
= 5.669 × 10
−8
W/m
2
·K
4
,
Q= heat flow rate, W,
T
1
= temperature of heated specimen, K,
T
2
= temperature of bell jar inner surface, K,
A
1
= surface area of specimen over which heat generation is
measured, m
2
,
A
2
= surface area of bell jar inner surface, m
2
,
F= the gray body shape factor, which includes the effect
of geometry and the departure of real surfaces from
blackbody conditions, dimensionless, and
Pa = absolute pressure, pascal (N/m
2
). One pascal is
equivalent to 0.00750 mm Hg.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 A strip specimen of the material, approximately 13 mm
wide and 250 mm long, is placed in an evacuated chamber and
is directly heated with an electric current to the temperature at
which the emittance measurement is desired. The power
dissipated over a small central region of the specimen and the
temperature of this region are measured. Using the Stefan-
Boltzmann equation, this power is equated to the radiative heat
transfer to the surroundings and, with the measured
temperature, is used to calculate the value of the total hemi-
spherical emittance of the specimen surface.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The emittance as measured by this test method can be
used in the calculation of radiant heat transfer from surfaces
that are representative of the tested specimens, and that are
within the temperature range of the tested specimens.
5.2 This test method can be used to determine the effect of
service conditions on the emittance of materials. In particular,
the use of this test method with furnace exposure (time at
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C16 on Thermal
Insulation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C16.30 on Thermal
Measurement.
Current edition approved March 1, 2020. Published March 2020. Originally
approved in 1976. Last previous edition approved in 2013 as C835 – 06 (2013)
ε1
.
DOI: 10.1520/C0835-06R20.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.