In this publication, experimental results for the radial two-phase thermal conductivity and the wall heat transfer coefficient of different ceramic sponges (variation of material, porosity and pore size) are presented, revealing a strong influence of the superficial air velocity and of the porosity of the ceramic sponges on both the radial two-phase thermal conductivity and the wall heat transfer coefficient. The experimental data are correlated in dimensionless form to offer a "universal" correlation for estimating the radial two-phase thermal conductivity and the wall heat transfer coefficient of sponges in the future. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.