Heat transfer

Conduction – Convection Systems

Al-Mustaqbal University College

Chemical and Petroleum Industries
Engineering Department
Ass. Prof. Dr. Malik Al-Taweel
Conduction-Convection Systems
In heat-exchanger applications a finned-tube arrangement might be used to remove heat
from
a hot liquid. The heat transfer from the liquid to the finned tube is by convection.
Consider the one-dimensional
The extended-surface problem finis exposed
a simpletoapplication
a surrounding at a temperature T∞ as
of a conduction-convection
fluid
systems.
shown in Figure below. The temperature of the base of the fin is T0.

Let P = perimeter = 2(Z + t)

The energy balance on an element of the fin of thickness dx

is

 dT d 2 T 
  kA dT  kA  dx   hPdx(T  T ),  dx 
dx dx dx 2

 dT d
let   T  T ,  
dx dx

d 2T d 2

dx 2 dx 2

Let m2 = hP/kA
2
d
 m 2  0
dx 2

(D-Operator)

D210  D
1
 The roots of the equation above are:
m1  1, m2  1

The general solution is

Several cases may be considered:

CASE 1: The fin is very long.

B.C.1 at x  0 T  T0  0
B.C.2 at x   T  T   0

By applying the boundary conditions on the general equation above, we

get

CASE 2: The end of the fin is insulated so that dT/dx = 0 at x =

L.
B.C.1 at x  0 T  T0    0
B.C.2 at x  L dT / dx  0 d / dx 
0
From B.C.1  0  C1  C 2  C1   0  C 2
dT  mL
From B.C.2  mC1 e mL  mC 2 e 0
dx

Subs. B.C.1 in B.C.2, we get

  e  mL  e  mL
C2  C1  0
 e mL0  e mL  e mL0  e mL

Subs. C1&C2 in the general equation, we obtain

CASE 3: The fin is of finite length and loses heat by convection from its
end.
B.C.1 at x  0 T  T0    0
d
B.C.2 at x  L k  h
dx

From B.C.1  0  C1  C 2  C1   0  C 2

From B.C.2 
 k  mC1 e  mL  mC2 e mL   h C e
1
 mL
2 e mL 
By applying C1&C2 in the general
C equation, we get,

Calculation of Heat Lost by the Fin

The heat lost by the fin can be calculated either
by

or by
FOR CASE 1:

 d d
 e  mx ,  m 0 e mx
,  m 0
0 dx dx x 0

hP
  kA( m 0 )  kAm 0 , For q  kA 0 
kA
q hPkA  0

FOR CASE 2:
mx
me
 cosh[m(L  x)] d   me  mx 

 ,   0  2mx
 2mx
0 cosh mL dx 1e 1e 
d  1 1  d  e mL  e  mL 

  0 m   2 mx 
   0 m 
dx x 0 1e
2 mx
1e  dx
mx
 e e
 mL

 emL e  mL 
 q  kA 0 m  
 mx mL 
 e e 
q hPkA  0 tanh mL

FOR CASE 3:

The heat flow for this case is