CL351: Chemical Engineering Lab-II

Semester 1, 2014-2015
IIT Gandhinagar

Pradeep Diwakar (Group G)

Roll no. 12110063
Heat transfer by natural convection
 Heat transfer by natural convection
Objective:
The objective of this experiment is to determine heat transfer coefficient for
natural convection in stagnant air for vertical cylindrical tube.

Theory:
Convection is the mode of heat transfer between the surface and the
adjacent fluids. This heat transfer through convection can occur by two
process, by forced convection or by natural convection. An external medium
is needed for the movement in fluids in forced convection. In natural
convection movement in fluids is mainly due to density variation or any other
change in property of fluid.

The basis of convective heat transfer is Newton's law of cooling, which in a

form of equation can be represented as,

Q= h iAdT

Where,

hi = local heat transfer coefficient

In this experiment the heat was generated by electrical heating of cylindrical

rod and the setup is designed to study natural convection in term of heat
transfer coefficient.

Heat transfer coefficient is given by:

Q = h As (Ts Ta)

Where,

h = average surface heat transfer coefficient

Q = heat transfer rate

As = area of heat transferring surface

Ts = average surface temperature

Ta= ambient air temperature

Heat transfer coefficient for natural convection is given by:
3
hl Agl TC p
= 2
k v K

Where,
T = Ts - Ta
= coefficient of volumetric expansion of fluid
K = thermal conductivity of fluid

Procedure:
After keeping the voltage and current value fixed the switch is on and heat is
allowed to transfer. Thermocouples were marked from 0 to 7 and first
reading was taken after 30 minutes and a few minutes after and then again
so as to be sure that the steady state is achieved or not. Steady state is
confirmed by constant temperature for all 8 thermocouple readings. Once it
is achieved the final readings are taken.

Observations and Calculations:

Outer diameter of cylinder(d)=0.038m

Length of cylinder(l) = 0.5m

Voltage(V) =1.44W

Input to the heater (q)=205 Watt

K=0.0266kcal/m-hr-0C

Ambient temperature = 33 0C

Table1. Experimental heat transfer coefficient:

Local heat transfer

Temperature coefficient, hexp (Kcal/m2-hr-
Obs. No. Measured (0C) Q (Watt) 0
C)
1 82 40 13.96
2 82 40 13.96
3 83 40 13.68
4 87 40 12.64
5 89 40 12.18
6 88 40 12.41
7 86 40 12.89
 Temperat heat transfer
Sr. Grasho Nuss
ure Prand coefficient, hi
No Tavg T ffs elt (K-1)
Measured tl No. (Kcal/m2-hr-
. no.*109 No.
(0C) 0
C)
0.012
1 82 56.5 48 2.67 0.71 122
20 5.044
0.012
2 82 56.5 48 2.67 0.71 122
20 5.044
0.012
3 83 57 49 2.70 0.71 123
05 5.059
0.011
4 87 59 53 2.82 0.71 124
49 5.115
0.011
5 89 60 55 2.88 0.71 125
24 5.140
0.011
6 88 59.5 54 2.85 0.71 124
36 5.127
0.011
7 86 58.5 52 2.79 0.71 124
63 5.101
0.029
8 34 0.71
41
Table 2. Calculated heat transfer coefficient

Sample Calculations for reading no. 1 in both tables:

1. Power supplied to the rod Q = V x I = 80x0.50 = 40 W

2. T = Ts Tsurr = 82 34 = 48 C
3. hexp = Q/(A*T) = 40/ (0.05969x48) = 13.96 W/m2-0C
4. Coefficient of thermal expansion () = 0.01220C-1
5. Pr = (Cp*)/K = (1007x1.8x10-5)/ 0.0266 = 0.6814
6. Gr = (2*g**T*d3)/ 2 = [(1.145)2x10x 0.01220 x 48 x (0.038)3] /
(1.8x10-5)2 = 2.67x109
7. Nu = 0.56*(Gr*Pr)0.25 = 0.56 x (2.67x109 x0.6814)0.25 = 122
8. hi = Nu*(K/L) = 0.6814 x (0.0266/0.038) = 5.044 W/m2-0C

Results:
Value of average hexp (experimental) = 13.10 W/m2-0C
Value of average hi (theoretical) = 5.09 W/m2-0C

Conclusion and Discussion:

A reasonable difference can be observed in the theoretical and observed
value of h. This may be attributed to some fault in the experimental setup
also because there is some heat loss by radiation. From the results we can
say that the value of heat transfer coefficient is maximum at bottom of
vertical cylinder.