UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

HEAT TRANSFER LAB (MEP-305)

Experiment No. 7

Student Name: GURPREET SINGH Section: 5 ME-2/G-B

UID: 19BME8014 Subject Name: Heat Transfer Lab

Branch: Mechanical engineering Subject Code: MEP-305

Aim: To study the temperature distribution along the length of a pin fin under free and forced
convection heat transfer.

Apparatus required:

Duct size                                                             = 150 mm x 100 mm x 1000 mm

Diameter of the fin                                              = 12.7 mm, Length of the fin: 150 mm

Diameter of the Orifice                                       = 26 mm

Diameter of the delivery pipe (Int.)                     = 52 mm

Temperature Indicator                                         = 0-200oC, RTD PT-100 type

RTD PT-100 type Sensors                                 = 6 Nos.

Temperature Sensor No.6 reads ambient temperature in the inside of the duct.

Thermal conductivity of fin material (Brass)      = 95 Kcal /hr- m- °C

Centrifugal blower with Single-phase motor.

Dimmerstat for heat input control 230 V, 2 Amps.

Heater suitable for mounting at the fin end outside the duct.

Voltmeter 0- 500V.
Ammeter 0- 2 A.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

NATURAL CONVECTION:

1.     Start heating the fin by switching on the heater element and adjust the voltage on
dimmerstat (Increase slowly from 0 onwards)

2.  Note down the Temp. Sensors readings No.1 to 5.

1. When steady state is reached, record the final readings of Temperature Sensor No.1 to 5
and also the ambient temperature reading Temperature Sensor No 6.
2. Repeat the same experiment at different heat input.

FORCED CONVECTIONS:

1. Start heating the fin by switching on the heater and adjust dimmerstat voltage.
2. Start the blower and adjust the flow rate of air with the help of fly valve provided on the
pipe.
3. Note down the Temperature Sensor readings (1) to (5) at a time interval of 5 minutes.
4. When the steady state is reached, record the final readings (1) to (5) and also record the
ambient temperature readings by (6)

5.     Repeat the same experiment at different heat input and at different flow rate of air.

Observation (Table if any)

S.no V I T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 X
1 95 1.621 37.1 57.2 61.1 63.4 66.2 32.3 50

Calculation:

Free Convection:

Mean temp. of the fin, Tm                             =         (T1 + T2 + T3 + T4 + T5) / 5 = 57oC

Ambient air temp., T6                                    =        Tf = 32.3 oC

Mean fluid temp., Tmf                                   =        (Tm + Tf) /2 = 44.65

b                                                                     =         1/ (Tmf + 273.15)   = 0.003    

DT                                                                 =         Tm - Tf  = 24.7

Fin dia., D                                                      =         12.7 X 10-3 m

Grashoff No. Gr                                                          =         (g b D3 DT) / n2 = 0.0415

Prandtl number, Pr                                         =         .698

Using the correlation for free convection:

Nusselt No., Nu                                              =         0.53 (Gr * Pr )1/4           =  0.22

Free convective heat transfer coeff. h                       =         Nu * kair / D, Watt/m2-OC = 0.489       

Fin parameter, m                                           =         Ö hC / k b A, m = 1.36

Perimeter, C                                                   =         pD, m  = 0.039

Cross- sectional area of fin, A                                   =         pD2 / 4 , m2  = 0.0001267 

Fin dia., D                                                      =         12.7 X 10-3 m

Fin length, L                                                  =         125 X 10-3 m 

Fin effectiveness, e                                        =         tanh mL / m L = 9.928*10-3

Parameter, H                                                  =         h / k b m = 0.00325

Theoretical temperature profile within the fin          =

q / q0 = (T– Tf) / (Tb – Tf) = [Cosh m (L – x) + H Sinh m (L – x)] / [Cosh mL+ H Sinh mL]

T=39.068oC

Taking base temp., Tb = T1

Forced convection:

Orifice coefficient       Co                             =         0.64

Co (p/4) DP2DO2 Ö [2g DH]

Volumetric flow rate of air, Q                      =      0.000948, m3/s

                                                                                      Ö [DP4-DO4]

DH                                                                  =         [h (r w /ra - 1)] /100, m of air = 52.58 

Velocity of air, V                                         =         Q / a   (at ambient fluid temp.), m/s = 0.0632

Velocity of air at mean fluid temp. ( Tmf ), V1= V x ( Tmf +  273.15 ) / ( Tf + 273.15 ), m/s = 0.066

Re                          =         D V1 r / m = 0.00067     

Using the correlation for force convection:

Nusselt No.,                          Nu                   =         0.615 (Re )0.466  = 0.02          

Nu                   =         h D / kair

 Heat transfer co-eff.             h                     =         Nu*kair / D, Watt/m2-OC  = 0.000177        

Fin parameter,                       m                   =         Ö hC / k b A, m = 1.36

Results and discussions

Fin effectiveness=9.928*10-3

The temperature profile within a pin fin is given by:

q / qo = [T-Tf] / [Tb – Tf] = [cosh m (L-x) +H sinh m (L-x)]/ [cosh mL + H sinh mL]

Where Tf is the free stream temp. of air; Tb is the temp. of fin at its base; T is the temp. Within
the fin at any x; L is the length of the fin and D is the fin diameter. m is the fin parameter

T=39.06oC

It is obvious that a fin surface stick out from primary heat transfer surface. The temperature
difference with surrounding fluid will steadily diminish as one moves out along the fin. The
design of the fins therefore requires knowledge of the temperature distribution in the fin

Learning outcomes

1. Learn about the temperature distribution along the length of a pin fin

2. Learn about free and forced convection heat transfer.

3. Able to find out Fin effectiveness.

Sources of error

1. Use the stabilize A.C. Single Phase supply only.

2. Never switch on mains power supply before ensuring that all the ON/OFF switches given on
the panel are at OFF position.
3. Voltage to heater starts and increases slowly.

Signature of Student Signature of Teacher