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

Lab Session:04
To Examine the Temperature Profile and Determine the Rate of
Heat Transfer Resulting from Radial Steady Conduction
Through Wall of Cylinder
Objectives
• In this lab session, we are going to examine the temperature profile and determine the rate
of heat transfer resulting from radial steady conduction through the wall of cylinder.
Apparatus
➢ Heat Conduction Unit
• Wattmeter
• Brass Cylinder
➢ 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. Conduction is the primary mode
of heat transfer in solids and is explained by Fourier’s law. In conduction heat is transferred for
one particle to another through direct contact, hence it is also affected by certain factors like
material thickness and cross-sectional area. In this experiment our main focus is on the effect of
radial steady conduction on the rate of heat transfer.

Theory:
Conduction:
Conduction heat transfer is the transfer of heat through matter (i.e., solids, liquids, or gases)
without bulk motion of the matter. In another words, conduction is the transfer of energy from the
Waheed ul Hassan Rasheed 2019-ME-22 Heat and Mass Transfer Lab

more energetic to less energetic particles of a substance due to interaction between the particles.
Conduction heat transfer in gases and liquids is due to the collisions and diffusion of the molecules
during their random motion. On the other hand, heat transfer in solids is due to the combination of
lattice vibrations of the molecules and the energy transport by free electrons.
For example, heat conduction can occur through wall of a vein in human body. The inside surface,
which is exposed to blood, is at a higher temperature than the outside surface.

Figure 2: Modes of Heat Transfer

Fourier’s Law of Thermal Conduction:

Fourier’s law of thermal conduction states that,
The time rate of heat transfer through a material is proportional to the negative gradient in the
temperature and to the area.
∆𝑇
𝑞̇ ∝ − ⋅𝐴
∆𝑥
∆𝑇
⇒ 𝑞̇ = −𝑘𝐴 … … … (1)
∆𝑥
Where:
q̇ is the rate of heat transfer
A is cross sectional area
T is the temperature difference
x is the distance between faces
k is the thermal conductivity of the material
Eq. 1 is known as Fourier’s law. The minus sign accounts for the fact that heat flows from a higher
temperature to a lower temperature. Thus, for example, in heat flows in the positive x-direction.
For this to happen the temperature must decrease as x increases. Thus, ΔT is negative.

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

Conduction Factors:
➢ Temperature difference
➢ Materials
➢ Area
➢ Thermal conductivity
Conduction Through Cylinder Wall:
In this experiment cylindrical coordinates are to be used. Cylindrical coordinate system uses three
major axes i.e., radial (r), tangent (θ) and normal (z).
Now consider a heat emitting body in the center of a cylinder i.e., at (0,0,0). It’ll dissipate heat in
every direction including through it’s the walls. Cylinder has an inner radius r1 and outer radius
r2, thermal conductivity k and surface area A which is 2πrl, as shown in the Figure 3.

Figure 2. A cylinder with inner and outer radius r1 and ro, length L having Ti and To temperatures respectively.

In a cylindrical coordinate system, conduction happens in the very same manner in radial direction
as in cartesian for linear conduction and the general trend of temperature, decreasing with the
increase in distance, is same. However, the temp. profile is very different and unique for both
cases, as shown below,

Figure 3. Temperature profiles for (left) linear and (right) radial direction.

For linear conduction Temp. profile is also linearly decreasing while for radial conduction is
decreasing logarithmically i.e., non-linearly.
In order to find heat transfer rate, two methods are used mostly,

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

Standard Method:
Here,
𝑑 𝑑𝑇
∫ (𝑘𝑟 ) = ∫ 0 … … … (1)
𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟
𝑑𝑇 𝑑𝑇 𝑐
𝑘𝑟 =𝑐⇒𝑟 =
𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑘
Put right side equal to c1,
𝑑𝑇
𝑐1 = 𝑟
𝑑𝑟
Rearranging the equation,
1
𝑑𝑇 = 𝑐1 . 𝑑𝑟
𝑟
Integrate again on both sides,
1
∫ 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑐1 ∫ 𝑑𝑟
𝑟
𝑇(𝑟) = 𝑐1 𝑙𝑛𝑟 + 𝑐2 … … … (2)

Applying following Boundary Conditions on Eq. 2 yields:

• At r = r1, T = T1
• At r = r2, T = T2
𝑇1 = 𝑐1 ln 𝑟1 + 𝑐2 … … … (𝑎)
𝑇2 = 𝑐1 ln 𝑟2 + 𝑐2 … … … (𝑏)
Solving for c1 and c2,
(𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ) (𝑇1 − 𝑇2 )
𝑐1 = 𝑟 and 𝑐2 = 𝑇1 − 𝑟 𝑙𝑛 𝑟1
ln (𝑟1 ) ln (𝑟1 )
2 2

Eq. 2 now becomes,

(𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ) ln 𝑟 (𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ) ln 𝑟1
𝑇 = 𝑇1 − 𝑟 + 𝑟 … … … (3)
ln (𝑟2 ) ln (𝑟2 )
1 1

Now, Heat transfer through the pipe of Length L:

𝑑𝑇
𝑞̇ = −𝑘𝐴 … … … (4)
𝑑𝑟
Differentiating Eq (3) with respect to r:

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

𝑑𝑇 1 (𝑇1 − 𝑇2 )
=− … … … (5)
𝑑𝑟 𝑟 ln (𝑟2 )
𝑟1
Put A = 2πrL & Eq. 5 in Eq. 4, we get:

(𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ) (𝑇1 − 𝑇2 )
𝑞̇ = ⇒ 𝑞̇ =
1 𝑟 𝑅𝑐𝑐
× ln (𝑟2 )
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 1

Alternative Method:
This expression represents the Heat transfer through the pipe of Length L:
𝑑𝑇
𝑞̇ = −𝐾𝐴 … … … (1)
𝑑𝑟
Here A is the surface area of the cylinder and is given as,
𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟𝐿
Now, Eq (1):
𝑑𝑇
𝑞̇ = −𝑘(2𝜋𝑟𝐿)
𝑑𝑟
𝑞̇ 1
( ) 𝑑𝑟 = −𝑑𝑇
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 𝑟
𝑟2 𝑇2
𝑞̇ 1
∫ 𝑑𝑟 = − ∫ 𝑑𝑇
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 𝑟1 𝑟 𝑇1

𝑞̇
[ln 𝑟2 − ln 𝑟1 ] = −[𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ]
2𝜋𝑘𝐿
𝑞̇ 𝑟2
ln ( ) = 𝑇1 − 𝑇2
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 𝑟1

(𝑇1 − 𝑇2 )
⇒ 𝑞̇ = 𝑟 × 2𝜋𝑘𝐿
ln (𝑟2 )
1

Re-arranging the above equation,

𝑟
ln (𝑟2 )
1
⇒ 𝑅𝑡ℎ =
2𝜋𝑘𝐿

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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. Then take a cylindrical bar of brass with r1 = 4 mm, r2 = 54mm.
iii. Switch on the power supply and main switch.
iv. Adjust the knob of power supply and make it 10 W.
v. Note down the readings of all 6 temperatures by inserting the thermocouple probe into the
holes on the side of bar.
vi. Change the power supplied (10W, 15W,20W,25W) and repeat the procedure.
vii. Plot the graph of temperature variation vs distance for all power values.
viii. Generate a curve using Temperature (°C) on y-axis and distance (mm) on the x-axis.
ix. Find the experimental heat transfer rate qexp by using the expression below and then
compare it with the actual q.
(𝑇1 − 𝑇2 )
𝑞̇ = 𝑟 × 2𝜋𝑘𝐿
ln (𝑟2 )
1

x. Repeat the process for different values of q i.e., 10, 15, 20 ,25W and take the average for
the value of k.

Observations and Calculation:

Material = Brass

𝑘 = 110 𝑊/𝑚𝐾i
𝑟1 = 4 𝑚𝑚
𝑟2 = 54 𝑚𝑚
𝐿 = 3 𝑚𝑚
𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟2 𝐿 = 1.02 × 10−3 𝑚2
Table 1. Data collected from the apparatus.

Radial Distance (mm) 4 14 24 34 44 54

Sr. No Heat Supplied T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

(W) (°C) (°C) (°C) (°C) (°C) (°C)

1 10 38 34 33 33 32 32
2 15 39 37 36 34 33 32
3 20 43 39 36 35 34 33
4 25 46 39 37 36 34 33

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

Graphs:
MATLAB is used for graphs. All graphs are Temperature (degree centigrade) vs. Distance (mm)

Figure 5. This plot is for 10 watts.

Figure 6. This plot is for 15 watts.

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

Figure 7. This plot is for 20 watts.

Figure 8. This plot is for 25 watts.

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

Results:
In this experiment we have developed the temperature profile and rate of heat transfer for radial
steady conduction through wall of cylinder. We have 6 different radial points and distance ranging
from 4 to 54 mm. Temperature at different powers at all six points have been measured and then
temperature gradient has been calculated from that.
We can see the trend of temperature w.r.t radial distance. There is non-linear decreasing pattern
of temperature as the radial distance increases from 4 to 54 mm, which means that at the minimum
radial distance we would have maximum temperature. But this also shows that with increase in q,
temperature profile shows less deviation from the actual path i.e., a decreasing logarithmic curve.
Values are represented in the table below:
Table 2. Data collected from the apparatus

Obs. Qactual Qexp Qest

(W) (W) (W)
1 10 4.7465 4.0684
2 15 5.5376 5.5376
3 20 7.9108 7.4588
4 25 10.284 9.1539

we can see the trend of power w.r.t temperature, here we have direct relation of power and
temperature. As the power increases from 10 W to 20W the temperature also increases from 38oC
to 43oC. Surface plot has been generated to study the combined effect of temperature on heat
supplied and radial distance.
We have to study the effect of power supplied and radial distance on temperature gradient. There
is inverse relation between the radial distance and temperature gradient. Moreover, we have
increase in temperature gradient with the increase in heat supplied.
To get the maximum temperature gradient we should have:
• Maximum Power Supplied
• Minimum Radius
Besides, if we want to improve our thermal insulation then we would have to increase the
insulation in systematic way. Keep in mind, with the increase in the thickness we also increase the
convective heat transfer area which causes more heat transfer. So, try to find the critical thickness
before increasing the thickness randomly.

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