HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Experiment No 5: FORCED CONVECTION APPARATUS

AIM:
To determine the forced convection heat transfer coefficient for the flow through the horizontal tube
INTRODUCTION
Convection is heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is
caused to move away from the source of heat, carrying energy with it. Convection above a hot surface
occurs because hot air expands, becomes less dense, and rises. Convection can either be Natural or
Forced
Forced convection involves the transport of fluid by methods other than that resulting from variation
of density with temperature. Movement of air by a fan or of water by a pump are examples of forced
convection.
DESCRIPTION:
The apparatus consists of Blower unit fitted with a test pipe. The test section is surrounded by
Nichrome band heater. Four thermocouples are embedded on the test section the thermocouples are
placed in the air stream at the entrance & exit of the test section to measure the temperature. Test
pipe is connected to the delivery side of the blower along with an orifice to measure flow of air
through pipe. Input to the heater is given through a dimmerstat & measured by meters. It is to be
noted that only a part of the total heat supplied is utilized in heating the air. A temperature indicator
with cold junction compensation is provided to measure temperature of pipe wall at various points in
the test section. Air flow is measured with the help of orifice meter & the water manometer fitted on
the board.
SPECFICATIONS:
1. Pipe Dia. (D)
2. Length of Test Section ( L )
3. Orifice Dia. ( d )

: 38 mm.
: 400 mm.
: 11.2 mm.

Control Panel and Instrumentation Specifications:

Digital Temperature Scanner: Micro-Controller based 8
Channel Scanner for K type Sensor with knob Switch.
Make: Multispan, India
Digital Voltmeter: Single Phase Range 0-300 V AC. Size:
48(H)x 96(W) x 130mm(D) Make Nutronics, India

Heat & Mass Transfer

Semester 6

161906

HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Digital Ammeter: Single Phase Range 0-2 Amp AC. Size: 48(H)x 96(W) x 130mm(D) Make
Nutronics, India
Cam Operated Rotary Switch with ON/OFF Switching Position For Heater Operation and
Mains Supply
LED Main Supply Indicator
Continuously Variable Autotransformer : Single Phase - 2 Amp, Open Type Air Cooled
Heater: 300 Watt Cartidge Type Heater
Thermocouple: K Type 5 Nos.
Manometer: 150-0-150 mm with plain Mercury as Manometric Fluid
Blower: Compact Electric Blower; Max 10000 rpm - 2.8 m3/min; 600 Watt with Variable
Speed Regulator
Orifice Meter: Orifice Diameter 11.2 mm with pressure tapping ends welded in pipe

PROCEDURE:
1. Start the blower & adjust the flow by means of gate valve to some desired difference
in manometer level.
2. Start the heating of test section with help of dimmerstat & adjust desired input with
the help of Wattmeter
3. Take readings of all thermocouples after an interval of 10 min until steady is reached.
4. Note the heater input.
OBSERVATION TABLE:
Sr.
No

Volt

Current

T1
Air
Inlet

T2

T3

T4

T5
Air
Outlet

Manometer reading
difference H in m of
Hg

1
2
3
4
5

CALCULATIONS:
1. Air flow rate (Q):
Q = Cd *

Heat & Mass Transfer

*d2 *

2 g HgH

air

Semester 6

161906

HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Where,
d
= dia. of orifice
= 0.64
Cd = Co-efficient of discharge
H
= Difference of water level in manometer
pHg = Density of Mercury = 13600 kg/m3
g = Gravitational Acceleration = 9.81 m/s2
T1+T 5
pair = Density of air at mean bulk Temp
2
2. Mass flow of air ( m )
m = Q x pair
Where,
p a = Density of air at mean bulk Temp.
3. Heat Gain by air ( q a )
qa = m . Cp . T
where, Cp = Specific heat of air at mean bulk Temp. in kJ/ Kg 0 K2
T = Rise in Temp. = T5 T1 =..
4. Surface heat transfer co-efficient ( ha )
q
ha =
A(Ts Ta )

Where,

5.

6.

A= Test section area= = Di L =m2

T1+T 5
Ta = Average of Temp. of air =
2
T4 +T3+T 2
Ts = Average surface Temp. =
3
Velocity of air ( V )
4Q
V=
( Di) 2
Reynold's Number ( Re )
VDi
Re =

Where,
v= Kinematic viscosity to be evaluated at average bulk Temp

T1 + T 5
2

7. Prandtl Number ( Pr )
Pr = Prandtl number at average bulk Temp.

Heat & Mass Transfer

Semester 6

T1+T 5
2

161906

HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

8. The appropriate correlation for turbulent flow through closed Conduits is Dittus - Boelter
correlation.
Nu = 0.023Re0.8 Pr 0.4
Nu = 0.036 Re0.8 Pr 0.4
9. Nusselt Number (Nu):
h Di
Nu = air
K
Where, K

= Thermal conductivity of air at average bulk Temp.

T1+T 5
W/m k
2

CONCLUSION:
Heat Transfer Coefficient in forced Convection of air in a tube is found out to be ____________
Result and Discussions:
Practical readings are based on the assumption that current supplied to heater is converted totally
into heat energy. This is not possible and generally the losses are as high as 50%. Commonly used
heaters also have a band of insulation over the heating element which further reduces the amount of
heat transfer to the test section.
Also the heat generated in heating element is lost in radiation and convection losses due to
surrounding air breeze. Due to this cumulative effect there is big difference in heat transfer
coefficient values calculated using different methods.
Hence theoretical reading based on temperature values should be considered the correct values
PRECAUTIONS:
1. Keep the dimmerstat at zero position before switching ON the power supply.
2. Start the blower unit first.
3. Increase the voltmeter gradually.
4. Do Not stop the blower in between the testing period.
5. Do not disturb thermocouples while testing.
6. Operate selector switch of Temperature Indicator gently.
7. Do not exceed 150 W.

Heat & Mass Transfer

Semester 6

161906

HJD INSTITUTE OF TECH EDU & RESEARCH

MECHANICAL ENGG DEPT

Properties Of Air
Temp
0
C

-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
120
140
160
180
200
250
300
350
400
500
600
700
800

Density
Kg/m3

Kinematic
Viscosity

Prandil
Number

Thermal
Diffusivity

Specific
Heat Cp

Pr

m 2 /nr

1.584
1.515
1.453
1.395
1.342
1.293
1.247
1.205
1.165
1.128
1.093
1.060
1.029
1.000
0.972
0.946
0.898
0.854
0.815
0.779
0.746
0.674
0.615
0.566
0.524
0.456
0.404
0.362
0.329

V x 106
m2
/s
9.23
10.04
10.80
11.61
12.43
13.28
14.16
15.06
16.00
16.69
17.95
18.97
20.02
21.09
22.10
23.13
25.45
27.80
30.09
32.49
34.85
40.61
48.20
55.46
63.09
79.38
96.99
115.40
1347.80

Heat & Mass Transfer

0.728
0.728
0.723
0.716
0.712
0.707
0.705
0.703
0.701
0.699
0.698
0.696
0.694
0.692
0.690
0.688
0.686
0.684
0.682
0.681
0.680
0.677
0.674
0.676
0.678
0.687
0.699
0.706
0.713

45.7
49.6
53.7
68.3
52.8
67.7
72.2
77.1
82.3
87.5
92.6
97.9
102.8
108.7
114.8
121.1
132.6
145.2
158.0
171.0
184.9
210.6
257.6
294.7
335.2
415.1
499.0
588.2
682.0

Semester 6

J/Kg K

Thermal
Conduct
i
vity K x

Coefficient
of Viscosity
x 106 Ns/m2

1013
1013
1013
1009
1009
1005
1005
1005
1005
1005
1005
1005
1009
1009
1009
1009
1009
1013
1017
1022
1026
1038
1047
1059
1067
1093
1114
1135
1156

103
20.35
21.17
21.98
22.79
23.61
24.42
25.12
25.93
26.75
27.56
28.26
28.96
29.66
30.47
31.28
32.10
33.38
34.89
36.40
37.80
39.31
42.68
46.05
49.08
52.10
57.45
62.22
66.87
71.76

or Kg/m
14.61
15.20
15.69
16.18
16.67
17.16
17.65
18.14
18.63
19.12
19.61
20.10
20.59
21.08
21.48
21.87
22.85
23.73
24.52
25.30
25.99
27.36
29.71
31.38
33.05
36.19
39.13
41.78
44.33

161906