School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

Name: Huzaifa Zain

CMS :348419
Section: ME-12A

Exp. 4: Convection Heat Transfer:

Objectives:
1. To demonstrate the relationship between power input and surface temperature in
free and forced convection.

Learning outcomes:
• To show the effect of increasing fluid speed on heat transfer
• To demonstrate the difference between free and forced convection.

Procedure:
Free Convection:
• Place the finned/flat plate heat exchanger into the test duct.
• Make sure the fan above the test section is off
• Set the heater power control to 60 Watts (clockwise) until the temperature of base plate (𝑇) reaches 30
C. Then reduce the power to 20W.
• Allow sufficient time to achieve steady state conditions before recording the heated plate temperature
(𝑇) and ambient temperature (𝑇).
• Similarly record the reading for other power inputs e.g. 30, 40 etc.

Forced Convection:
• Using the same plate (used in free convection), repeat the above procedure with same power inputs.
• Make sure to turn on the fan at maximum speed to save time to reach the stable state.

NOTE: After each change, sufficient time must be allowed to achieve steady state conditions.
NOTE: MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF THE HEATER SUPPLY BEFORE CLOSING THE
MAIN POWER SWITCH AFTER PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT.
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

Data Recording:
• Keep all temperatures in Celsius unit.
Test Plate: ___Flat Plate__________________ (Circular Fins/Triangular Fins/Flat Plate)

Free Convection: (Keep the fan off)

Heater Power (W) T4 (TA) (℃) T5 (TH) (℃) TH – TA (℃) h (W/m2 ℃)

5 20 47.8 27.8 4.50

10 20 52.7 32.7 7.65

15 20 59.5 39.5 9.49

20 20 67.5 47.5 10.53

Average Convection Heat Transfer Coefficient: 8.04 𝑊 ⁄𝑚2 ℃

Calculations:
This experiment is carried out on a flat plat, through which the heat transfer is given by:
𝑄̇ = ℎ𝐴(𝑇𝐻 − 𝑇𝐴 )
Here, 𝑄̇ is defined as the net power input, h is the convection heat transfer coefficient, A is the surface area
and 𝑇𝐻 and 𝑇𝐴 are the surface and ambient temperatures respectively. To solve for the heat transfer coefficient,
make h the subject and then substitute values to get the heat transfer coefficient.
𝑄̇
ℎ=
𝐴(𝑇𝐻 − 𝑇𝐴 )
Substitute values from the first row gives us:
5
ℎ=
0.04(47.8 − 20)
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

5
ℎ=
0.04(27.8)
ℎ = 4.50 𝑊 ⁄𝑚2 ℃
Similarly calculate values of other rows and take the average as:
4.50 + 7.65 + 9.49 + 10.53
= 8.04
4

Forced Convection:

Velocity of air in the test section: _1_ m/s

Heater Power(W) T4 (TA) (℃) T5 (TH) (℃) TH – TA (℃) h (W/m2 ℃)

5 18.8 41.8 23 5.43

10 18.8 43.4 24.6 10.16

15 18.8 51.7 32.9 11.39

20 18.8 64.8 46 10.87

Average Convection Heat Transfer Coefficient: 9.46 𝑊 ⁄𝑚2 ℃

Calculations:
This experiment is carried out on a flat plat but now the convection is forced, through which the heat transfer
is given by:
𝑄̇ = ℎ𝐴(𝑇𝐻 − 𝑇𝐴 )
Here, 𝑄̇ is defined as the net power input, h is the forced convection heat transfer coefficient, A is the surface
area and 𝑇𝐻 and 𝑇𝐴 are the surface and ambient temperatures respectively. To solve for the heat transfer
coefficient, make h the subject and then substitute values to get the heat transfer coefficient.
𝑄̇
ℎ=
𝐴(𝑇𝐻 − 𝑇𝐴 )
Substitute values from the first row gives us:
5
ℎ=
0.04(41.8 − 18.8)
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

5
ℎ=
0.04(23)
ℎ = 5.43 𝑊 ⁄𝑚2 ℃
Similarly calculate values of other rows and take the average as:
5.43 + 10.16 + 11.39 + 10.87
= 9.46
4

Q no 1: Draw the graph between power input (y-axis) and temperature difference (x-axis) for both free and
forced convection (Two lines on same graph). (Attach the graph)

Comparision between Free and Forced

Convection
Free Forced

25

20
POWER INPUT (W)

15

10

0
20 25 30 35 40 45 50
TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE (℃)

Q no 2: Draw the graph between power input and convection heat transfer for both free and forced convection.
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

Comparision between Free and Forced

Convection
Free Forced

25

20
POWER INPUT (W)

15

10

0
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
CONVECTION HEAT TRANSFER (W/M2 ℃)

Read the following Article Carefully:

Hot wire anemometer:

The Hot Wire Anemometer is a device used for measuring the velocity of the fluid. It works on the principal
that when an electrically heated wire is placed in a flowing gas stream, heat is transferred from the wire to the
gas and hence the temperature of the wire reduces, and due to this, the resistance of the wire also changes. This
change in resistance of the wire becomes a measure of flow rate.

Parts:

The hot wire anemometer consists of two main parts:

1. Conducting wire

2. Wheat stone bridge.

 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

The conducting wire is housed inside the ceramic body. The wires are taking out from the ceramic body and
connecting to the Wheatstone bridge. The wheat stone bridge measures the variation of resistance.

Types of Hot wire Anemometer:

There are two methods of measuring flow rate using an anemometer bridge combination namely:

Constant current method

Constant temperature method

1. Constant current method Hot wire Anemometer:

The bridge arrangement along with the anemometer has been shown in diagram. The anemometer is kept in
the flowing gas stream to measure flow rate. A constant current is passed through the sensing wire. That is, the
voltage across the bridge circuit is kept constant i.e. not varied.
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

Due to the gas flow, heat transfer takes place from the sensing wire to the flowing gas and hence the
temperature of the sensing wire reduces causing a change in the resistance of the sensing wire. (This change
in resistance becomes a measure of flow rate).
Due to this, the galvanometer which was initially at zero position deflects and this deflection of the
galvanometer becomes a measure of flow rate of the gas when calibrated.

2. Constant temperature method Hot wire Anemometer:

The bridge arrangement along with the anemometer has been shown in diagram. The anemometer is kept in
the flowing gas stream to measure flow rate.

A current is initially passed through the wire. Due to the gas flow, heat transfer takes place from the sensing
wire to the flowing gas and this tends to change the temperature and hence the resistance of the wire. The
principle in this method is to maintain the temperature and resistance of the sensing wire at a constant level.
Therefore, the current through the sensing wire is increased to bring the sensing wire to have its initial
resistance and temperature. The electrical current required in bringing back the resistance and hence the
temperature of the wire to its initial condition becomes a measure of flow rate of the gas when calibrated.

Q no 3: Is hotwire anemometer is an active instrument or passive instrument? Justify

The hotwire anemometer is classified as an active instrument since it needs an external power source to operate.
This instrument is used to determine fluid flow velocity by heating a wire to a high temperature and then
detecting the cooling effect of the fluid on the wire. The heating process necessitates the use of an electrical
current as a power source. Conversely, passive instruments do not require an external power source to function
and rely solely on the properties of the fluid or environment being measured. Examples of passive instruments
include pitot tubes, which utilize the pressure difference between a stagnation point and a downstream point
 School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-332 Heat Transfer & HVAC Lab (Spring 2023)

to measure fluid flow, and thermocouples, which use the thermoelectric properties of different metals to
determine temperature.

Q no 4: What is the purpose of variable conversion element (Wheatstone bridge in hot wire anemometer)?

The variable conversion element, typically a Wheatstone bridge, is an important component of a hot wire
anemometer. The purpose of this element is to convert the resistance changes of the hot wire caused by the
cooling effect of fluid flow into an electrical signal that can be measured and recorded. The Wheatstone bridge
is a type of electrical circuit that consists of four resistive arms with an input voltage applied across two
opposite arms and an output voltage measured across the other two opposite arms.

In a hot wire anemometer, one of the arms of the Wheatstone bridge is made up of the hot wire, which is heated
by an electrical current. As fluid flows across the wire, it cools the wire and changes its resistance, causing an
imbalance in the bridge circuit. This change in resistance is detected as a change in the output voltage of the
bridge, which can be measured and used to determine the velocity of the fluid flow. The variable conversion
element plays a crucial role in the operation of a hot wire anemometer, allowing it to accurately measure fluid
velocity in a range of applications.

Marks Distribution:
Data Recording 4

Question 1 2

Question 2 2

Question 3 1

Question 4 1