EXPERIMENT 6

Natural Convection and Radiation

MECH 3120.104
Group 3B

Jasmine Miller
Nicholas Walker

Date of Experiment
04/22/2022
Date of Report Submission
05/06/2022

Contribution of each member:

Jasmine Miller: Abstract, Nomenclature, Methods, Experimental Apparatus,Results, References
Nicholas Walker: Sample Calculations, Graphs, Discussion, Results
Abstract:
Heat loss occurs through three forms; radiation, convection, and conduction. In this experiment
students will analyze the forms of convection and radiation. The experiment utilizes the TE85
Natural Convection and Radiation Apparatus that demonstrates the heat transfer from the device
to its natural surroundings through two methods that consist of free / natural convection and
radiation. The heat transfer by these two methods will be determined to calculate the emissivity.
Convection involves the movement caused within a fluid through the tendency of a hotter and
less dense material that is used to rise and a colder and more dense material that is used to sink;
thus resulting in the transfer of heat. In the experiment the Nusselt number is correlated to
convection as a function of the product of the Grashof and Prandtl numbers. Radiation is the
emission of energy that comes from a source in the form of photons or electromagnetic waves.
The heat loss through this method is due to a body at a specified temperature in the experiment,
and is located in a space of dimensions that are larger than that of the body at the temperature of
the apparatus vessel. This value is given by the Stefan-Boltzmann equation which is verified in
the experiment. Overall, the apparatus uses electricity and compressed air to demonstrate how
various types of heat can transfer over a range of pressures. The elements of the apparatus
include three main parts; a steel pressure vacuum, a vacuum pump, and a control cabinet.

Nomenclature:

Variable Variable Name Dimension

𝑑 Diameter of Heated Element 𝑚

𝑙 Length of Heated Element 𝑚

𝐴 Surface Area of Heated 𝑚

3
Element

𝑄 Power to Element watts

𝑇1𝑜𝑟 θ𝐸 Temperature of the element ℃

𝑇𝑣 K

𝑇2𝑜𝑟 θ𝑉 Temperature of the vessel ℃

 𝑇𝑣 K

𝑇𝑚 Mean Temperature K

𝑃 Pressure Pa

𝑄𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑄𝐶 Heat Transfer by Radiation Watts

and Convection

σ Stefan Boltzmann Constant −8

5. 67 * 10 𝑊. 𝑚 𝐾
2 −4

ɛ Emissivity 𝑊. 𝑚 𝐾
2 −4

𝑔 = 9. 81 Acceleration due to gravity 𝑚. 𝑠

−2

α Heat Transfer Coefficient 𝑊. 𝑚 𝐾

−2 −1

𝝆 Density 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚
−3

𝐶𝑝 Specific Heat at Constant −1 −1

𝐽. 𝑘𝑔 𝐾
Pressure

𝛾 Ratio of Specific Heats Unitless

𝛽 Coefficient of Expansion (1/ Unitless

𝑇𝑚)

𝑘 Thermal Conductivity 𝑊/𝑚. 𝑘

μ Dynamic Viscosity −1
𝑘𝑔. 𝑚 . 𝑠
−1

R Gas Constant Pa

s Mean Free Path m

Experimental Apparatus:
The TE85 Apparatus consists of a steel pressure vessel, a vacuum pump, and a
control cabinet that are all utilized to study heat transfer by natural convection and
radiation at different pressures. The differences between radiation and natural convection
are shown in the system, the emissivity of a surface is demonstrated, and the
Stefan-Boltzmann equation is able to be verified.
 The pressure vessel is a steel container with a steel disc welded to the bottom and
a flange welded at the top, that allows pressure values above and below the atmospheric
pressure to be evaluated. For pressures below atmospheric pressure an isolating valve
connected to the vacuum pump can be activated. For the pressures above an external air
line for the connector can be utilized, which is located on the control cabinet. An o'ring is
located along the grove of the vessel to seal the lid onto the flange. There are two
insulated conductors that store a heated element under the vessel lid. There are two
pressure gauges, an air inlet and outlet, and an air temperature thermocouple located on
the wall of the pressure vessel.
The control cabinet contains the on and off switches for the vacuum pump and
heater element, the element power control, a display system for the values determined
during the experiment, the pressure controls, and an external connection for a compressed
air supply for the pressures above atmospheric pressure.

Methods:
1. Turn on the system apparatus.
2. Switch on the vacuum pump and open the vacuum pump isolator pump and wait until the
pressure drops below 2000 in “Pirani” units for the P2 value.
3. Shut the vacuum pump isolator valve and switch off the vacuum pump.
4. Turn on the heater and set the power to a value between 3-5 watts.
5. Wait at least two minutes for the system to stabilize.
6. Slowly open the air release valve to allow the pressure in the vessel to increase (to obtain
free convection) to 0.05 kPa or 2334 in “Pirani” units then shut the valve.
7. Wait two minutes for the system to stabilize and then record the data.
8. Repeat step 6 for values 5, 10, 25, 50 kPa and the local atmospheric pressure. For
pressure values 25 kPa and above switch to the P2 values.
9. After recording the pressure values for the experiment fully open the air release valve,
turn off the heater, and switch off the system.

Sample Calculations:
We can first start by determining our average temperature for when P = 0.01 kPa, in Kelvin, by
the equation below

𝑇𝐸+𝑇𝑉 426.6+297.4
𝑇𝑚 = 2
= 2
= 361.95 K

Next we can calculate the value for GrashofNumber Gr for when P = 0.01 kPa:
3 2
𝑔β(𝑇𝐸−𝑇𝑉)𝑑 ρ −3
(9.81)(2.7906·10 )(426.6−297.4)(0.00625) (9.7214·10 )
3 −5 2
−5
𝐺𝑟 = 2 = −5 2 = 1.8204 · 10
µ (2.1173·10 )

Using the value above, we can now calculate for our Nusselt number:

0.25 −5 0.25
𝑁𝑢 = 0. 47(𝐺𝑟𝑃𝑟) = 0. 47(1. 8204 · 10 · 0. 70620) = 0.02814

Now, we can look at calculating for our thermal conductivity value, k when P = 0.01 kPa:

µ𝐶𝑝 −5
(2.1173·10 )(1000)
𝑘= 𝑃𝑟
= 0.70620
= 0.02998 W.m-1K-1

Using our Nu and k values, we can now calculate for our heat transfer coefficient, α:

𝑘𝑁𝑢 (0.02998)(0.02814)
α= 𝑑
= (0.00625)
= 0.13500

Next, we can use the heat transfer coefficient, α, to find our convected heat, QC, value:

𝑄𝐶 = α𝐴(𝑇𝐸 − 𝑇𝑉) = (0. 13500)(0. 00306)(426. 6 − 297. 4) = 0.05343 W

We can now calculate for our radiated heat value for when P=0.01:

𝑄𝑅 = 𝑄 − 𝑄𝐶 = 4. 0 − 0. 05343 = 3.94657 W

Lastly, we can then calculate for our emissivity value when P = 0.01.

𝑄𝑅 3.94657
ϵ= 4 4 = −8 4 4 = 0.832792
𝐴σ(𝑇𝐸 −𝑇𝑉 ) (0.00306)(5.67·10 )(426.6 −297.4 )

Raw Data & Results:

 Table 1. Raw Data

Pressure (kPa)
(Local
(Lowest you Atmospheric)
can get) = 0.01 0.05 0.5 5 10 25 50 = 100
Element
Temperature
T1 (°C) 153.4 151.6 148.0 136.2 130.0 116.8 106.2 96.8
Vessel
Temperature
T2 (°C) 24.2 24.4 24.6 24.6 24.6 24.6 24.6 24.6

Table 2. Calculations Table

 Figure 2: Plot of ∆T vs P0.25

Figure 3: Plot of emissivity vs Pressure

Discussion:
The first observation that we made from our calculated data was that the convective heat first
started out less than the radiation heat but as the pressure increased, the convective heat
increased and the radiation heat decreased. We also noticed that as the pressure was increased,
the temperature would decrease. This could be due to the system having a vacuum and as the
pressure is increased, this would decrease the oxygen, in turn decreasing the temperature. From
our graphs, we were able to conclude that as pressure decreases, emissivity increases, and vice
versa. We obtained an emissivity value of 0.832792, which is a little lower than the nominal
value of 0.95. This small difference could be due to error in measurements and preciseness as
small amounts of the air pressure is still in the vessel.

References:
[1] MECH 3360 Experiment 6 Lab Manual