EXPERIMENT NO: 3

OBJECTIVE:

To demonstrate the relationship between power input and surface temperature in

free convection and forced convection.

ABSTRACT:
INTRODUCTION:

DESCRIPTION OF THE EQUIPMENT:

The apparatus consists of a vertical rectangular duct supported by a bench mounted

stand. A finned plate, pinned, or flat exchanger maybe installed in the duct. Each
exchanger incorporates an electric heating element with thermostatic protection
against overheating. Fins are deliberately provided protrusions on metallic surfaces
to increase the heat transfer area. At the base of each exchanger, the temperature is
measured by a thermistor sensor. The exchanger in use can be seen through an
acrylic window in the wall of duct. For forced convection, with the help of a variable
speed fan placed at the top, an upward now of air is generated. A portable
anemometer is used to measure the air velocity. A thermistor probe allows
measurement of the in-going and out-going temperatures together with the surface
temperature of the exchanger pins and fins. The exchanger is connected to the
console through the supply lead. A variable low voltage D.C. supply is provided for
the fan via the supply lead.

THEORY:

Convection is the mechanism of heat transfer through a fluid in the presence of

bulk fluid motion. Depending on how the fluid motion is initiated, there are two
types of convection.

Natural (Free) Convection

Forced Convection

NATURAL (FREE) CONVECTION:

When air comes in contact with the hot surface, it is heated by the surface and rises
due to a decrease in density. The heated air is replaced by cooled air which is in turn
heated by the surface and rises. This process is called free convection. The higher
the temperature of the surface, the greater the convective currents and the more heat
(power) will be dissipated. If more power is supplied to a surface, the temperature
of the surface must rise to dissipate this power. Free convection is the principle mode
of heat transfer from pipes, transmission lines, refrigerating coils, hot radiators etc.

FORCED CONVECTION:

In free convection, the heat transfer rate from the surface is limited due to small
movements of air, generated by this heat. More heat is transferred if the air velocity
is increased over the heated surface because it increases the turbulence in the fluid.
This process of assisting the movement of air over the heated surface is called forced
convection. Therefore, a heated surface having forced convection will have a lower
surface temperature than that of the same surface in free convection for the same
power input. In forced convection, fluid motion is principally produced by some
superimposed velocity fluid like a fan, blower or a pump.

PRINCIPLE:

This mechanism is based on the principle of Newton’s law of cooling which states
that the rate of heat loss of a body is directly proportional to the temperature
difference between the body and its surroundings.

Q/t convection = hAs(TS-T∞)

PROCEDURE:
FOR FREE CONVECTION:
 To make natural convection firstly, the plate, was heated up by setting the heater power control to
10 Watts.
 The ambient air temperature (TA) was recorded.
  Sufficient time was allowed to achieve steady state conditions before noting the heated plate
temperature (TH).
 This procedure was repeated at different power inputs.

FOR FORCED CONVECTION:

 For forced convection, the plate was heated up by setting the heater power control to 60 Watts.

 The ambient air temperature (TA) was recorded.

 Sufficient time was allowed to achieve steady state conditions before noting the heated plate
temperature (TH).

 The fan speed control was set to give a reading of 1.0m/s on the thermal anemometer. Sufficient
time was given to achieve steady state conditions.

 The heated plate temperature was recorded.

 This procedure was repeated at different air velocities.

OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS:

FOR FREE CONVECTION:

Ambient temperature (TA) = 25ºC

Input Power (W) Heater Temperature (TH) (ºC) TH – TA (ºC)

10 164.9 139.9
23 270.4 245.5
36 355.6 330.6
62 485.5 460.5

TYPICAL GRAPH OF POWER AGAINST SURFACE TEMPERATURE:

 70

60

50
Input power (W)
40

30

20

10

0
0 100 200 300 400 500
TH - TA (ºC)

FOR FORCED CONVECTION:

Ambient temperature (TA) = 25ºC

Power input watts = 62W

Air Velocity (m/s) Heater Temperature (TH) TH – TA (ºC)

(ºC)

1.06 387.8 362.8

4.01 276.1 251.1

7.01 223.5 198.5

TYPICAL GRAPH OF AIR VELOCITY AGAINST SURFACE TEMPERATURE:

 8

Velocity (m/s)
5

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
TH - TA (ºC)

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION:

For free convection, it is evident from the grap that when the power input of heater
was increased, the surface temperature of the plate also increased. By changing the
geometry of the heating surface, thr rate of heat coefficient also varies. Hence, it is
concluded that by increasing the power input, the temperature of the surface rises
which in turn increase the convectional currents of the air.

On the other hand, for forced convection, it can be seen that by varying the speed of
the centrifugal fan, the turbulence in the fluid also changes. The more the turbulence,
the higher the rate of heat transfer. Therefore, it is inferred from the graph that the
heated surface temperature is less in case of forced convection.

REFERENCES:

 Çengel, Yunus A. Heat and Mass Transfer: A Practical Approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill,
2007.

 HT14C Instruction Manual

 HT11C Instruction Manual

 Theodore, Louis, and Francesco Ricci. Mass Transfer Operations for the Practicing
Engineer. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2010.