Heriot-Watt University

Process Engineering C

Laboratory Report

Name

Mohsin Majeed Khawaja (H00207013)

Song Hyun Woo (H00237166)
Nur Farzana Binti Amir Suharman
(H00198984)
Chia Bing Xuan (H00204604)
Mohamad Idlan Bin Mohamad Izhar
(H00202907)

Group Number

Experiment Title

Convection

Date of Experiment

25/02/2016

Demonstrator

Result
Tabulated Data:

Table 1.1 shows the results acquired when the copper rod was inserted at Position 1 and the
air valve of the Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger was adjusted to 50% opening. The initial
temperature of the copper rod was 340.0K before the copper rod was inserted at one of the
slot for position 1. Stopwatch was used to denote the temperature at every 10th seconds and so
forth to the 150th seconds.
Time/ s
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150

T1 / K
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5

T2 / K
340.0
336.3
332.0
328.0
323.9
320.4
317.5
314.6
312.2
310.0
308.1
306.4
304.9
303.6
302.4
301.4

(T2- T1) / K
43.5
39.8
35.5
31.5
27.4
23.9
21.0
18.1
15.7
13.5
11.6
9.9
8.4
7.1
5.9
4.9

Log10(T2- T1)
1.638489257
1.599883072
1.550228353
1.498310554
1.437750563
1.378397901
1.322219295
1.257678575
1.195899652
1.130333768
1.064457989
0.995635195
0.924279286
0.851258349
0.770852012
0.69019608

Table 1.1: Copper rod at position 1 with 50% air valve opening.

Table 1.2 shows the results acquired when the copper rod was inserted at Position 2 and the
air valve of the Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger was adjusted to 50% opening. The initial
temperature of the copper rod was 340.0K before the copper rod was inserted at one of the
slot for position 2. Stopwatch was used to denote the temperature at every 10th seconds and so
forth to the 150th seconds.

Time/ s
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150

T1 / K
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5

T2 / K
340.0
334.8
328.2
322.3
317.2
313.0
309.4
306.7
304.3
302.4
300.9
299.5
298.5
297.7
297.0
296.4

(T2- T1) / K
43.5
38.3
31.7
25.8
20.7
16.5
12.9
10.2
7.8
5.9
4.4
3.0
2.0
1.2
0.5
-0.1

Log10(T2- T1)
1.638489257
1.583198774
1.501059262
1.411619706
1.315970345
1.217483944
1.11058971
1.008600172
0.892094603
0.770852012
0.643452676
0.477121255
0.301029996
0.079181246
-0.30103

Table 1.2: Copper rod at position 2 with 50% air valve opening.

Table 1.3 shows the results acquired when the copper rod was inserted at Position 1 and the
air valve of the Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger was adjusted to 100% opening. The initial
temperature of the copper rod was 340.0K before the copper rod was inserted at one of the
slot for position 1. Stopwatch was used to denote the temperature at every 10th seconds and so
forth to the 150th seconds.

Time/ s
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150

T1 / K
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5
296.5

T2 / K
340.0
335.8
330.0
325.5
320.8
316.9
313.6
310.5
308.0
305.9
304.1
302.5
301.3
300.1
299.2
298.4

(T2- T1) / K
43.5
39.3
33.5
29.0
24.3
20.4
17.1
14.0
11.5
9.4
7.6
6.0
4.8
3.6
2.7
1.9

Log10(T2- T1)
1.638489257
1.59439255
1.525044807
1.462397998
1.385606274
1.309630167
1.23299611
1.146128036
1.06069784
0.973127854
0.880813592
0.77815125
0.6811241237
0.556302501
0.431363764
0.278753601

Table 1.3: Copper rod at position 1 with 100% air valve opening.

Table 1.4 shows the results acquired when the copper rod was inserted at Position 2 and the
air valve of the Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger was adjusted to 100% opening. The initial
temperature of the copper rod was 340.0K before the copper rod was inserted at one of the
slot for position 2. Stopwatch was used to denote the temperature at every 10th seconds and so
forth to the 150th seconds.
Time/ s
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150

T1 / K
T2 / K
(T2- T1) / K
Log10(T2- T1)
296.5
340.0
43.5
1.638489257
296.5
333.0
36.5
1.562292864
296.5
325.8
29.3
1.46686762
296.5
319.0
22.5
1.352182518
296.5
313.7
17.2
1.235528447
296.5
309.0
12.5
1.096910013
296.5
305.5
9.0
0.954242509
296.5
302.9
6.4
0.806179974
296.5
300.9
4.4
0.643452676
296.5
299.3
2.8
0.447158031
296.5
298.2
1.7
0.230448921
296.5
297.2
0.7
-0.15490196
296.5
296.6
0.1
-1
296.5
296.0
-0.5
296.5
295.6
-0.9
296.5
295.2
-1.3
Table 1.4: Copper rod at position 2 with 100% air valve opening.

Graphical data

Log10(T2- T1) Against Time Graph For Position 1

1.8
f(x)
f(x) =
= -- 0.01x
0.01x +
+ 1.73
1.68

1.6
1.4
1.2

50% Opening

Log10(T2- T1)

Linear (50% Opening)

0.8

100% Opening

0.6

Linear (100% Opening)

0.4
0.2
0

20

40

60

80

100 120 140 160

Time / s

Figure 1.1: Graph plotted with copper rod at position 1 with 50% and 100% air valve
opening

Log10(T2- T1) Against Time Graph For Position 2

2
f(x)
f(x) =
= -- 0.01x
0.01x +
+ 1.79
1.72

1.5
1

50% Opening

Log10(T2- T1)

0.5
0

Linear (50% Opening)

100% Opening
0

20

40

60

80

100 120 140 160

Linear (100% Opening)

-0.5
-1
-1.5

Time / s

(Fig. 2)

From the graphs, we can obtain the gradient of the curves at each position and opening.

Fig 1.1: Values of gradient, M of the curves generated at each position and opening.
Positions and Valve Openings
Heat Transfer Coefficient /
Position and Valve Opening
50% Opening at Position 1
50% Open at Position 1
100% Opening at Position 1
100% Open at Position 1
50% Opening at Position 2
50% Open at Position 2
100% Opening at Position 2
100% Open at Position 2

=2.3026

2
W/m
Gradient,
M k
15.49861484
-0.0063
21.89486858
-0.0089
30.50521015
-0.0124
35.42540534
-0.0144

mc
M
A1

Given data:
Diameter, d
length, L
mass, m
Area, A
Specific Heat Capacity of copper at room temperature, c

Calculated heat transfer coefficient:

0.0125 m
0.095 m
0.01049 kg
0.003731 m2
380 J/kg K

Discussion
The discrepancy between them could have been due to experimental errors. For instance the
power delivered by the electrical source to the cylindrical heater may be less than of the
values indicated by the voltmeter, possibly due to internal resistance of the instrument
causing heat loss.
One of the independent variables involved is the valve opening of the heat exchanger. At
100% it is proven that the heat transfer coefficient is higher than of those that is at 50%, at
their respective position at 1 and 2. This proves that higher air current will promote the
transfer of heat energy faster.
Next, the other independent variable involved is the positioning of the hot copper rod which
is at 340K when the stopwatch is initiated for timekeeping and temperature measurement. At
position 1 which is at the opposite end of the valve opening, the heat transfer coefficient is
apparently lower than of when the hot copper rod is deposited at position 2 which is directly
at the opening of the valve.

In short, the independent variables that affect the rate of heat transfer coefficient for

convection is the position of the hot copper rod and the valve opening which manipulates the
airflow in the heat exchanger. To achieve high heat transfer coefficient for high convection
activity, it is best to position the coper rod closest to the valve opening and maximize the
airflow in the system.