Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

2022
HMT LA REPORT

WAHEED
HMT LAB
10/13/2022
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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Lab Session:07
To Demonstrate the Relationship Between Heat Transfer and
Surface Temperature for Free & Forced Convection and
Determine Heat Transfer Convective Coefficient of Finned Plate
Objectives
➢ In this lab session, we are going to demonstrate relationship between power input and
surface temperature in free and forced convection.
➢ To determine convective heat transfer coefficient for a finned plate.
Apparatus
➢ Free and Forced Heat Convection Unit
• Wattmeter
• Finned Plate
➢ Thermocouple

Figure 1. apparatus

Introduction:
In this experiment our main focus was to learn the fundamentals of heat and mass transfer. There
are three modes we have conduction, convection and radiation. We will demonstrate the relation
between heat transfer (power input) and surface temperature for forced convection. Convection is
a macroscopic property and bulk movement of molecules takes place. Convection is further
classified into free and forced convection. In this experiment, our concern is free and forced
convection. Surface temperature of finned plate will be measured by using thermocouple at
different power inputs and we will also determine the value of convective heat transfer coefficient.

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Theory:
Convection:
Convection (or convective heat transfer) is the transfer of heat from one place to another due to
the movement of fluid. Although often discussed as a distinct method of heat transfer, convective
heat transfer involves the combined processes of conduction (heat diffusion) and advection (heat
transfer by bulk fluid flow). Convection is usually the dominant form of heat transfer
in liquids and gases.

Figure 2 Convection Heat Transfer

Convection currents transfer heat from one place to another by mass motion of a fluid such as
water, air or molten rock. Convection is different from conduction, which is a transfer of heat
between substances in direct contact with each other. Convection currents form because a heated
fluid expands, becoming less dense. The less-dense heated fluid rises away from the heat source.
As it rises, it pulls cooler fluid down to replace it. This fluid in turn is heated, rises and pulls down
more cool fluid. This cycle establishes a circular current that stops only when heat is evenly
distributed throughout the fluid. For instance, a hot radiator heats the air immediately around it.
The air rises toward the ceiling, pulling cooler air down from the ceiling into the radiator to be
heated. This process repeats until the air in the room is evenly heated.

Advection:
Advection is the transport of a substance or quantity by bulk motion of a fluid. The properties of
that substance are carried with it. Generally, the majority of the advected substance is a fluid. The
properties that are carried with the advected substance are conserved properties such as energy.
An example of advection is the transport of pollutants or silt in a river by bulk water flow
downstream.
Types of Convection:
➢ Free Convection
➢ Forced Convection
Free Convection:
Free or natural convection is when fluid motion is caused by buoyancy forces that result from the
density variations in the fluid. In the absence of an internal source, when the fluid is in contact
with a hot surface, its molecules separate and scatter, causing the fluid to be less dense. As a
consequence, the fluid is displaced while the cooler fluid gets denser and the fluid sinks. Thus, the
hotter volume transfers heat towards the cooler volume of that fluid. Familiar examples are the

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

upward flow of air due to a fire or hot object and the circulation of water in a pot that is heated
from below

Figure 3 Natural Convection

Forced Convection:
The term forced convection refers to an artificially induced convection current produced by
moving a fluid over the surface using fans, stirring, or pumps. In many real-life applications e.g.,
heat losses at solar central receivers or cooling of photovoltaic panels the natural and forced
convection occur at the same time (mixed convection).

Figure 4 Forced Convection

Newton’s Law of Cooling:

Newtons law of cooling states that,
The rate of heat loss of a body is directly proportional to the difference in the temperatures between
the body and its surroundings provided the temperature difference is small and the nature of
radiating surface remains same.”

⇒ 𝑸 = 𝒉𝒄 𝑨( 𝑻𝒘 − 𝑻𝒂 ) … … … (1)
Where:
ℎ𝑐 =Convection heat transfer coefficient
𝐴 =Area for convection
𝑇𝑤 =Surface temperature
𝑇𝑎 =Ambient temperature

Eq. 1 is known as Newton’s law of cooling.

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient

The convective heat transfer coefficient, h, can be defined as:
“The rate of heat transfer between a solid surface and a fluid per unit surface area per unit
temperature difference.” It,s unit is W/(m2K)

𝒒
𝒉𝒄 =
𝑨∆𝑻
Heat Transfer Through Finned Surface
When the temperatures 𝑻𝒔 and 𝑻∞ are fixed by design considerations, as is often the case, there are
two ways to increase the rate of heat transfer: to increase the convection heat transfer coefficient
𝒉 or to increase the surface area 𝑨𝒔. Increasing h may require the installation of a pump or fan, or
replacing the existing one with a larger one, but this approach may or may not be practical. Besides,
it may not be adequate. The alternative is to increase the surface area by attaching to the surface
extended surfaces called fins made of highly conductive materials such as aluminum. Finned
surfaces are commonly used in practice to enhance heat transfer, and they often increase the rate
of heat transfer from a surface several fold.

v
Figure 5 General representation of a finned surface

One of most crucial parameters in designing heat sinks is the fin spacing, S. Closely packed fins
will have greater surface area for heat transfer, but a smaller heat transfer coefficient (due to extra
resistance of additional fins). A heat sink with widely spaced fins will have a higher heat transfer
coefficient but smaller surface area. Thus, an optimum spacing exists that maximizes the natural
convection from the heat sink.

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Procedure:
i. Make sure that the main switch is initially off.
ii. In this experiment, finned plat is considered. Firstly, we will insert finned plate into duct.
iii. Power supply is turned on. Since, we are observing firstly free convection case, so fan is
turned off.
iv. Power input is given and then wait for nearly about five minutes so that finned plate is
properly heated and to achieve steady state condition.
v. Now, by using the thermocouple measure the temperature by inserting the wire inside hole
properly.
vi. Same phenomenon is repeated for other power inputs.
vii. Now for forced convection fan is turned on and fan speed is adjusted at 0.5 m/s,1m/s and
at 1.3 m/s and we will measure the surface temperature at different power inputs.
viii. Write down the values of temperature at different power inputs.
ix. Plot the graph between change in temperature and power supplied.
x. Find out the values of convective heat transfer coefficient at different power inputs
for finned plate.

Observations and Calculation:

Calculation of Area
Area of Fin = Af
Area of Base Plate = Abp
Area of 1 fin = 100 × 65 = 6500 𝑚𝑚2
Area of 18 fins = 117000 𝑚𝑚2
There are also 12 circular holes in fin, so
𝐴𝑓 = 117000 − 12(𝜋(5)2 ) = 116058 𝑚𝑚2
Now,
(5 + 2)
Area of 1 edge = × 65 = 227.5 𝑚𝑚2
2
Area of 18 edge = 𝐴𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 = 18(227.5) = 4095 𝑚𝑚2
For the base plate just subtract the fins base area,
𝐴𝑏𝑝 = (110 − 45) × (100) = 6500 𝑚𝑚2
And,
𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝐴𝑓 + 𝐴𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 + 𝐴𝑏𝑝
𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 116058 + 4095 + 6500 = 126653 𝑚𝑚2
𝑨𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐𝟕 𝒎𝟐
Collected Data
𝑇∞ = 30℃
𝑙 = 110 𝑚𝑚
𝑤 = 100 𝑚𝑚

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Table 1. Data collected from the apparatus.

q(W) T1(℃) T2(℃) T3(℃) T4(℃) 𝑻𝟏 − 𝑻∞ 𝑻𝟐 − 𝑻∞ 𝑻𝟑 − 𝑻∞ 𝑻𝟒 − 𝑻∞

(Free (℃) (℃) (℃) (℃)
Conv.)
(0 ms-1) (0.5 ms-1) (1 ms-1) (1.3 ms1) (0 ms-1) (0.5 ms-1) (1 ms-1) (1.3 ms-1)
30 43 41 40 39 13 11 10 9
35 48 45 43 42 18 15 13 12
40 53 50 47 46 23 20 17 16
45 56 53 50 49 26 23 20 19

Graph:
MATLAB is used for graphs.

Figure 6. Plot b/w Power Input and Temperature Difference.

Results:
In this experiment we have found the value of convective heat transfer coefficient for finned plate
at the variable velocities. We measured the temperature of plate and ambient temperature and then
calculate the convective heat transfer coefficient with the temperature difference and cross-
sectional area of plate. One of the major causes of free convection is density difference. The part
of the fluid that is in contact with heat source has relatively high temperature, and due to high

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

temperature, its density increases, hence, it tends to rise up and denser fluid settles down and
resulting in free convection.
According to Newton’s Law of cooling, the rate of heat transfer is directly proportional to
temperature difference and convective heat transfer coefficient at constant cross-sectional area.
The equation is given by:
Q = hAT
Q
h
T
We can see the temperature difference variation w.r.t power supplied from |Figure 6. There is
direct relation between both parameters. Obviously, greater the energy supplied to the plate,
greater will be temperature of plate. Since surrounding temperature is essentially constant, an
increase in temperature of plate will results in the increase of temperature difference.

Table 2. Data collected from the Results

Heat Transfer Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient (𝒉𝒄 )
Rate (𝒒̇ )
(W/m2 K)
(W)
V = 0 m/s V = 0.5 m/s V = 1 m/s V = 1.3 m/s
30 18.17 21.47 26.25 29.53
35 13.78 16.21 19.68 21.20
40 12.60 15.75 19.68 20.99
45 11.81 13.62 16.11 16.87

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Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

Figure 7. Plot b/w Convective Coefficient and Temperature Difference.

From the table and Figure 7, it is clear that with the increase in temperature, value of convective
heat transfer coefficient decreases. Increasing the value of convective heat transfer coefficients
causes decrease in the value of temperature.
As there is an inverse relation between hconv, area and temperature difference. Hence, convective
heat transfer coefficient decreases. In case of finned plate, surface area has increased. Now, large
area has to be covered in order to transfer heat so the transfer of heat will be slow.
Convective heat transfer coefficient is directly proportional to heat supplied and temperature
difference. we can conclude that there is little deviation from direct linear trend. This deviation is
may be due to:
➢ Faulty Apparatus
➢ Unsteady conditions mean we are not giving sufficient time to achieve the steady state.
➢ Error in the measuring the temperature due to digital multimeter.
So, there must be proper temperature measurement device and proper time must be given to
achieve steady state.

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