ANNASAHEB DANGE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERINGAND TECHNOLOGY, ASHTA

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

(An Autonomous Institute)
Course:-Heat and Mass Transfer (2MEPC317) Academic Year: - 2024-25

Name:____________________________________ Class:_______________ Roll No:_________

Batch:___________________ Date:___________________

Heat Transfer in Forced Convection

AIM: - To Study Heat Transfer in Forced Convection

OBJECTIVE: - To determine the heat transfer coefficient in forced convection.

INTRODUCTION:
Forced convection is present in many process equipments where the fluid flow is
caused by an external agency like pump or blower and the fluid is either getting heated
or cooled. A few examples of Forced Convection are listed below -

1) Flow of air over a condenser in window air conditioner

2) Flow of brine in ice plant
3) Cooling water flow in a shell and tube condenser
4) Flow of oil in an oil cooler
5) Flow of cooling water in an oil cooler
6) Flow of water through a car radiator
7) Flow of air over a car radiator
8) Flow of air in an Air Preheater
The forced convection situation has a variety of configurations and fluid flow arrangements.
A few commonly used arrangements are as listed below -

1) Flow through circular pipes

2) Flow through ducts
3) Flow over flat surface
4) Flow over tube bundles
5) Flow through annular section
6) Flow over finned surfaces
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:
Experimental set up consists of a centrifugal blower forcing air through a circular
pipe, a part of which forms the test section. Electric heater is used to cover the length of
test section and heat the pipe wall from outside. A part of the heat given to the heater is
transferred by conduction through the pipe wall of the test section and is given to the air
flowing through the pipe by forced convection.

Thermocouples T2, T3, T4 and T5 are embedded in the pipe wall to measure the
pipe wall temperature. Thermocouples T1 & T6 are placed in the air stream before and
after the test section to record the air temperatures at inlet and exist from the test section.
The flow rate of air is measured by using an orifice meter. A valve is used to control the
flow rate of air. The heater is insulated from outside to minimize the leakage of heat to
surrounding. A dimmerstat is used to control the heater input and a temperature indicator
is used to measure the thermocouple output. Figure shows the schematic arrangement of the
set up.

SPECIFICATIONS:
1) Centrifugal blower
2) Test section length (L) = 525 mm
3) Inside diameter of the test section (Di) = 28 mm
4) Outside diameter of the test section (Do) = 32 mm
5) Orifice diameter (d) = 14 mm
6) Electric heater fitted on the test section
7) Dimmerstat: 0 – 230 V, 2 A
8) Thermocouples T1 & T6 at the entrance and exit of test section to read air temperatures.
9) Thermocouples T2, T3, T4, T5 embedded on test section wall to read surface temperatures.
10) Temperature indicator – digital single channel type with cold junction compensation suitable
for Copper Constantan Thermocouples.
11) U-tube water manometer.
12) Air Control valve attached at the end of test pipe.
13) Coefficient of discharge for orifice meter, Cd = 0.64
14) Density of water =ρw =1000 Kg/m3
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
1. Switch ON the mains system

2. Switch ON blower.

3. Adjust the flow by means of gate valve to some desired difference in the
manometer level.

4. Switch ON heater

5. Start the heating of the test section with the help of dimmerstat and adjust desired
heat input with the help of Voltmeter and Ammeter.

6. Take readings of all the six thermocouples at an interval of 10 min until the steady
state is reached.

7. Note down the heater input.

Precaution:

1. Keep the dimmer stat at zero position before switching ON the power supply.

2. Increase the voltmeter gradually.

3. Do not stop the blower in between the testing period.

4. Do not disturb thermocouples while testing. Operate selector switch of the thermocouple
gently. Don’t exceed 200 watts

5. Operate selector switch of the temperature indicator gently.

THEORY:
Ao = Area of Cross Section Orifice in m2

𝑉̇ = Volume flow rate in m3 / sec

𝐶𝑑 𝐴0 𝐴1 √2 𝑔 𝐻
𝑉̇ =
2 2
√ 𝐴1−𝐴0
Where,
Cd = Coefficient of discharge of orifice = 0.64
Ao = area of cross section of orifice in m2
A1 = area of cross section of orifice in m2
H = manometer reading in meter
ma = mass flow rate of air in Kg / sec
ma = 𝑉̇ x ρa
Where,
ρa = Density of air Kg/m3
∆T = Temperature rise in air in °C or °K
∆T = (T6 – T1)
Qa = Heat carried away by Air in kJ / sec or Watts
Qa = ma x Cp x ∆T
Where,
Cp = specific heat of air= 1.005 KJ / Kg. K
Ta = Average Temperature of Air in °C

Ts = Average Surface Temperature in °C

As = Test Section Surface Area in m2

Where,
Di = Inner diameter of the test pipe in meter
L = Length of the test section in meter
h = Heat Transfer Coefficient in W / m2K
OBSREVATION TABLE:-
1. Set Up is properly & enough Intact.
2. Adjust the flow by means of gate valve to some desired difference in the manometer level.
3. Now adjust Dimmer in Clock wise direction so as to set some Voltage for Heater – for e. g.
60V. See that related current reading appears on Ammeter. This means Heater is getting Hot now.

Voltage Current Temperature in 0C Manometer

Set Time (V) (I) T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 reading of water
No. Volts Amps (H in m)
1
2
3
4
CALCULATIONS:

Heat transfer coefficient ( h ) can be calculated by using the following procedure.

Q = h . A. ΔT --------------------------> [1]
where, Q = The rate of heat transfer to air
= m . Cp . ( T6 - T1 ) ----------------------------> [2]
Cp = Specific heat of air
= 1005 J / Kg K
m = mass flow rate of air
= ρ air . Volume flow rate

𝐶𝑑 𝐴0 𝐴1 √2 𝑔𝐻𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑉̇ = = Volume flow rate of air -------------> [3]
2 2
√ 𝐴1−𝐴0
H = head across orifice in m of air

ρ water
= Hwater ------------------ ( H in m of water column )
ρ air
ρ air= kg / m3 -------------- at bulk mean temperature

ρ water= 1000 kg / m3
A= Test section surface area

= π. Di. L m2
 ΔT = ( Ts - Ta )
Where Ts = Average surface temperature of the test section

T2 + T3 + T4 + T5
= --------------------------------------- = 0C
4

Ta = Average air temperature

T1 + T6
0
= --------------- = C
2
Using the above procedure h is to be calculated for all the four sets of readings and the
results are tabulated as under in their dimensionless form:

Ob. h
NuDi ReDi Pr
No. (W/m2-k)

h. Di
where, NuDi = ------------- = Nusselt number
K
Vol Di
ReDi = (-------------- x ------------- )
π Di 2 / 4 γ

= Reynolds number
Cp . μ
Pr = Prandtl number = ------------
K

Properties k, Cp , μ , γ are to be calculated at the Bulk mean temperature of

T1 + T7
(----------------)
2

Dittus- Boelter Correlation is very widely used correlation for closed Conduit Turbulent
flow situations.

Nu = 0.023 Re0.8 Pr 0.4

h.L
Nu = ---------------------------
k
CONCLUSION:
The heat transfer coefficient in forced convection (Practical) = ...... W/m².K.

The heat transfer coefficient in forced convection (Theoretical) = ...... W/m².K.

Heat transfer rate in forced convection is more than natural convection. As flow rate of
fluid increases, the value of heat transfer coefficient also increases. Further, due to
decrease in fluid density with the temperature rise, the turbulence increases in the flow,
which causes an increase in heat transfer coefficient.

EPILOGUE:

a) Explain the significance of Reynolds number and Prandtl number in force convection heat
transfer.

b) Explain Nusselt number and its significance.

VIVA QUESTIONS:

1. What is forced convection, and how does it differ from n convection?

Why does the heat transfer rate increase with fluid flow velocity in forced
2.
convection?
Explain the significance of the Dittus-Boelter correlation in forced convection
3.
heat transfer
How does the specific heat capacity influence the heat transfer rate in forced
4.
convection?