Thermalfluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 4/ THOMAS Rev.

01-2007

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
________________________________________________________________________
Program
:
Bachelor Of Engineering ( Hons ) Mechanical
Course
:
Thermalfluids Lab
Code
:
MEC 554
________________________________________________________________________
LAB SHEET NO:

HEAT TRANSFER LABORATORY SHEET

TITLE : FORCED CONVECTION
1.

OBJECTIVE

Demonstrate the use of a fin (extended surface) to improve the heat transfer in forced convection.

2.

THEORY
Heat transfer from an object can be improved by
increasing the surface area in contact with the air by
adding fins or pins normal to the surface. This can be
seen in Newtons Law of Cooling, which defines the
convection heat transfer rate:

Q h As Ts T
The effect of the surfaces can be demonstrated by
comparing finned and unfinned surfaces with a flat
plate under the same conditions of power and flow.

Thermalfluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 4/ THOMAS Rev. 01-2007

3.

EQUIPMENT

The surfaces are shown in the figure below. The finned surface consists of 9 fins that are each 0.1
m high and 0.068 m wide. The pinned surface consists of 17 pins that each have a diameter of
0.013 m and are 0.068 m long.

Thermalfluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 4/ THOMAS Rev. 01-2007

4.

PROCEDURES
a. Place the heat exchanger into the test duct and record the ambient temperature (T).
b. Set the heater power control to 75 W. Allow the temperature to rise to 80C then adjust the
heater power control to 20 W.
c. Start stopwatch wait 5 minute and record the heated plate surface temperature (Ts).
d. Repeat step (b). Then set the fan speed control to give a reading of 1.0 m/s on the thermal
anemometer. Allow 5 min for the reading to stabilize and then again record Ts.
e. Then adjust the fan speed to 2.0 m/s and then 2.5 m/s, recording the Ts for each speed.
[Same Procedure at step (d) ].

5.

RESULTS
1.

Start with the unfinned flat plate. Using the data tables shown below, record the
ambient temperature (T) and the power input ( Q )

Ambient air temperature (T) = __________ C

Power input ( Q )

Table A
Air
Velocity
[m/s]

= __________ W

Flat Base Plate (Unfinned)

Heater
Temperature (Ts)
[C]

Ts-T

[C]

[W/(mC)]

0
1.0
2.0
2.5

2.

Calculate the temperature difference (TsT) and record on the data table.

3.

Calculate the surface area of the base plate (Abase).

Thermalfluids Lab-MEC 554/ LS 4/ THOMAS Rev. 01-2007

4.

Calculate the convection heat transfer coefficient (h) from the equation:

5.

Q
As Ts T

Replace the flat plate with the finned surface plate and repeat the experiment. Then
replace the finned surface with the pinned surface plate and repeat the experiment. An
equation for the surface areas (As) of the finned and pinned plates are shown below:

A finned 9 L w Abase
plate

Apinned 17

DL

plate

Table B
Air
Velocity
[m/s]

Abase

Finned Plate

Heater
Temperature (Ts)
[C]

Ts-T

[C]

[W/(mC)]

0
1.0
2.0
2.5

Table C
Air
Velocity
[m/s]

Pinned Plate

Heater
Temperature (Ts)
[C]

Ts-T

[C]

[W/(mC)]

0
1.0
2.0
2.5

6.

Plot graphs of air velocity versus surface temperature (T s-T) of each plate. Compare the
ability of each plate surface to disseminate heat by convection.