Extended surfaces

Examples

1. A fluid at 120 ° C flows through a mild steel tube (k=45W/mK), internal diameter
oP
P

50mm, external diameter 56mm, and is cooled by a fluid °at 30 C flowing over the
oP
P

tube. The internal and external heat transfer coefficients are 1000W/m2 K and
2P

2500W/m2 K 2P

P P

respectively. Calculate the rate of heat loss per meter length of pipe. Estimate the
percentage change in the rate of heat transfer for the following cases:
a) If fouling occurs resulting in internal and external fouling resistances of
0.0002m2 K/W and 0.0004m2 K/W, respectively
2P

P P
2P

b) If the steel tube is replaced with a copper tube (k=410W/mK) with the same
internal diameter and a wall thickness of 2mm.

(a) With fouling

(b)

Extended surfaces
 2. Evaluate the fin efficiency for the rectangular fins listed in Table Q2.

Thermal Conductivity: Copper =410W/mK

Aluminium = 200W/mK
Carbon steel = 45W/mK
In each case, if the base temperature is 75 C and the temperature of the fluid passing
oP
P

over the fin is 20 C, calculate the rate of heat transfer for one fin having axial length
oP
P

50cm.
It is suggested you draw up an excel spreadsheet – the purpose of this question is to
demonstrate the effect of changing parameters, not to increase your skill with a calculator! Try
your own variations.

Extended surfaces
 3. The inner pipe of a double-pipe counterflow heat exchanger is a thin walled copper
tube with 16 axial copper fins (k=401W/mK) of rectangular cross section attached
to it. Each fin is 60mm high and 1mm thick. Gas flows through the annulus and water
flows inside the tube. The heat transfer coefficient on the gas side is 115W/m K and
P

on the water side of the heat exchanger is 2649W/m K. Calculate the

2P 2P
P

overall heat transfer coefficient for the heat exchanger based on the area of the
smooth tube.

Extended surfaces
 4. A 25mm OD tube has a surface temperature of 100 C and has air passing over it
P
oP

at 25 C. The heat transfer coefficient between the tube and the air is
P

65W/m K. P

oP 2 2P

Calculate the rate of heat loss per meter length. Circumferential fins made of Aluminium
(k=200W/mK) are then attached to the tube. The fins are 1mm thick and have an
outside diameter of 55mm. There are 200 fins per meter length of tube. If the heat transfer
coefficient remains 65W/m2K, calculate
a) The rate of heat loss from one fin
b)The rate of heat loss from 1m length of finned tube.
SOLUTION

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Extended surfaces