DOC.

REF TU-SOE-CE-LS023
EFF. DATE 1-AUGUST-2015
REVISION 1
PAGE NO. 1-5

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAMME

FORCE CONVECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGER

SAFETY REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

Students performing experimental work in the Engineering laboratory must follow and
abide by the following safety regulations and guidelines. Students must complete a safety
declaration form before they are allowed to work in the laboratory.

GENERAL

 Students are not allowed to enter the laboratory without the permission of the lecturer
or laboratory assistant.
 Unauthorized experimental work in the laboratory is strictly
forbidden.
 Prior to the use of laboratory out of timetabled periods, students must apply for usage
from relevant laboratory staff.
 Students are not allowed to work alone in the laboratory.
 Bags and books must not be left on benches or on stools and should be placed
in designated area. Do not block passageways or fire exits.
 All working spaces must always be kept clean.
 Long hair, ties, jewellery and clothing must never be allowed to hang loose, since any
of these items can easily become entangled in the moving parts of machinery, and hence
cause serious injury.
 Suitable clothing must be worn; long trousers or jeans are recommended for boys
and dresses, slacks or jeans for girls. In particular, sleeveless t-shirts and sleeveless
blouses are prohibited.
 Students must wear covered footwear during laboratory and workshop sessions.
Sandals, open-toed shoes, slippers or similar footwear are prohibited. Students may
be refused entry to the laboratory or workshop if not in proper footwear.
 Storage and/or consumption of food and drink, smoking and the application of
cosmetics in the laboratory are not allowed.
 Indiscipline in the laboratory or workshop (e.g. whistling, horseplay etc.) will not
be tolerated.
 No reagent, solution or apparatus is to be removed from the laboratory without
approval from the lecturer.
 Do not pour waste down the sink unless authorized to do so by your
lecturer.
 Defective equipment or broken glassware must be reported to the lecturer or lab
assistant.
 Do not run in the laboratory or along corridors. Exercise care when opening and
closing doors on entering and leaving the laboratory.
 Laboratory doors must be kept closed at all times during practical
classes.

1
 DOC. REF TU-SOE-CE-LS023
EFF. DATE 1-AUGUST-2015
REVISION 1
PAGE NO. 1-5

SAFETY NOTE (ENERGY & FLUIDS LAB)

• You must familiarize yourself with the air flow path and heat flow path from heater
before start of the experiment.
• The heater element remains hot within and after the experiment. Care should be taken
the heater that it should not exceed 200°C during the experiment and also not to
contact with the heater element under such situations.
• Ensure there is no block in flow path of blower and avoid facing the direct blow of
exhaust air as the velocity of air is quite high.
• Once the experiment is over, switch off the heater power before switch off the air fan.
Switching off of the power to the heater element could be made by turning the power
control knob to zero level.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between the Reynolds Number, the Prandtl Number and the
Nusselt Number for air flow perpendicular to a cylindrical copper tube.

APPARATUS

The apparatus consists of a vertically mounted duct fitted with a fan at the bottom of the duct.
An opening in the duct allows heat exchanger plates of various configurations to be fitted on
to duct for experimental purposes. A tube in the heat exchanger configuration heated
electrically. A thermocouple measures the surface temperature of the heater. A controlling
console provides a facility to control the heat input to the heater element. Air flow is
controlled by an adjustable flap at the fan discharge.

2
 DOC. REF TU-SOE-CE-LS023
EFF. DATE 1-AUGUST-2015
REVISION 1
PAGE NO. 1-5

Figure 1: Layout of the Cross Flow Heat Exchanger

INTRODUCTION

Air is drawn by a centrifugal fan through a cross flow heat exchanger with a Perspex working
section. The air flow rate may be controlled by a throttle. A manometer measures the dynamic
pressure at a pilot tube at the entrance to the working section, and hence the air velocity. A
copper rod is heated to an arbitrary temperature and then inserted into the working section
with its axis perpendicular to the direction of flow.

DISCUSSION

You are required to calculate heat transfer coefficient when the throttling valve is position in
fully open and close position.

DATA:
Copper Rod
Length L = 95.1 mm
Effective length L’ = 103.5 mm
Diameter D = 12.47 mm
Effective surface area As = 0.004055 m2
3
 DOC. REF TU-SOE-CE-LS023
EFF. DATE 1-AUGUST-2015
REVISION 1
PAGE NO. 1-5

Mass m = 107.4 g
Heat capacity of copper Cp = 383 J/kg.C

Air flow ducts

Flow area of inlet Ai = 0.015625 m2
Flow area of working section A = 0.0125 m2

Fluid properties
Density of water ρw = 1000 kg/m3
Density of air ρa = 1.195 kg/m3
Dynamic viscosity μa = 18.2 x 10-6 kg/m.s
Kinematic viscosity νa = μa / ρ a
Thermal conductivity ka = 0.0259 J/m s °C

Dimensions of the test stand

Weight = 54 kg
Height = 1425 mm
Width = 500 mm
Length = 500 mm
Flow cross section = 120 x 120 mm
Max flow rate = 12 m/s
Duct length = 1100 mm

Fan
Max. volume flow = 780 m3/h
Max. Power = 250 W

Heater
Max. power = 500 W
Temperature limit = 200°C

Values of C and m for transverse flow across a tube

Re C m
0.4 to 4 0.989 0.33
5 to 40 0.911 0.385
41 to 4000 0.683 0.466
4001 to 40000 0.193 0.618
40001 to 400000 0.0266 0.805

REFERENCES

1. Kern, D.Q., Process Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill, 1950

4
 DOC. REF TU-SOE-CE-LS023
EFF. DATE 1-AUGUST-2015
REVISION 1
PAGE NO. 1-5

2. Levenspiel, O., Engineering Flow and Heat Exchange, Revised Edition, Plenum
Press, 1998.
3. McCabe, W.L., J.C. Smith, and P. Harriott, Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering,
5th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2001.
4. Brodkey, R.S. and H.C. Hershey, Transport Phenomena: A Unified Approach,
McGraw-Hill, 1998.