Experiment Six

Heat Transfer Experiment

Convective Heat Transfer

over a Flat Plate
Instructor: Professor Chie Gau

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I.

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to obtain local heat

transfer distribution over a heated flat plate that is placed in a
wind tunnel supplying uniform air flow, with measurements of
temperatures and heat flux along the plate. This will make
students familiar with not only measurement techniques of
temperatures and heat flux, but also analysis of the experimental
data. Comparison of the heat transfer data with the theoretical
analysis in the text book is made in order to confirm the theory of
boundary heat transfer and gain a better understanding of heat
transfer and heat transfer enhancement over a roughened surface.
II.

Experimental Principle

For uniform air flowing over a heated plate, the flow velocity
varies drastically in the region close to the wall due to viscosity
of the fluid. The region where flow velocity varied drastically is
called boundary layer or momentum boundary layer. In addition,
the heat transfer from the wall can cause large variation of
temperature for flow in the wall region. The region where large
variation of temperature occurs is called thermal boundary layer.
Both boundary layers are different, which develop separately from
the leading edge downstream as shown below:

Both boundary layers grow thicker as fluid moves

downstream, and the degree of variation of both the velocity and
the temperature inside the boundary layer is inversely proportional
to the thickness of the boundary layer. On the other hand, the
local heat transfer or the local convective heat transfer
coefficient, h, varies in proportional to the degree of variation of
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temperature inside the boundary layer. Therefore, it is expected

that the convective heat transfer coefficient, h, varies inversely in
proportional to the boundary layer thickness and the heat transfer
coefficient varies as follows:

U x
), the laminar
L
boundary layer becomes unstable and gradually transformed into
turbulent boundary layer. Due to large increase in momentum
transport in direction perpendicular to the wall, large increase in
the wall heat transfer and both the momentum and the thermal
boundary layer thickness occurs. At the same time, fluctuations in
both velocity and temperature inside the boundary layer occur.
At a critical value of Re x 105 ( Re x

The difference of temperature between the flow and the

heated wall causes heat transfer from the wall to the cool flow,
and the amount of heat transfer follows the Newtons cooling law
as follows:
q h (Tw T )

(1)

where Tw : wall temperature, T : flow temperature.

For the case when the wall is constant temperature, the heat
flux, q, decreases gradually in the flow direction. For the case
when the wall is constant heat flux, the wall temperature TW
increases in the flow direction. From theoretical analysis or
experimental measurements reported in the textbook, one can find
that,
For constant wall temperature, h has been found as follow:

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1
1
hx
2
For laminar flow, Nux 0.332 Re x Pr 3
k

(2)

4
1
hx
5
For turbulent flow, Nux 0.0269 Re x Pr 3
k

(3)

For constant wall heat flux, h has been found as follow:

1
1
hx
2
For laminar flow, Nux 0.453 Re x Pr 3
k

For turbulent flow, Nux

4
1
hx
0.0308 Re x5 Pr 3
k

(4)
(5)

Where Nu x is the Nusselt number and is a nondimensional

parameter at a location x. Pr is the Prandtl number, and is defined
as:
cp
(6)
Pr

k
where is the kinematic viscosity, is the dynamic viscosity, c p is
the specific heat at constant pressure, k is the thermal conductivity of
the flow. The Pr of the air flow is approximately 0.7.
III. Experimental Apparatus and Procedures
A small wind tunnel system is used to supply uniform air flow
required for the experiments. The air flow is first passed to a
settling chamber, a contraction and finally to a text section with a
cross section of 10 x 10 cm. The surrounding walls of the text
section are made of Plexiglas and are transparent. The flow
velocity inside the wind tunnel system can be measured by a Pitot
tube (refers to Experiment 4). The flat plate model can be placed
in the text section for measurements and observation. The heated
air after the text section can be suctioned outside.
To provide a constant heat flux boundary condition, the heated
wall is made of a Plexiglas glued with a thickness of 0.05 mm of
thin titanium foil to reduce heat conduction along the wall
direction. Since the composition of material and the size of the
thin foil are relatively uniform, the resistivity per unit area is

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expected to be uniform. Most of the heat generated in the foil can

be carried away by the air flow on the wall ( q h(TW T ) ). Since
the backside of the Plaxiglas wall is insulated with foam, it is
expected that after switching on a uniform heat flux boundary
condition is achieved.
A DC power supplier is used to provide desired constant
current and voltage across the titanium foil heater. The total
amount of heat generated, Q, in the foil heater can be obtained and
calculated by the equation of Q=VI, where V is the voltage across
the foil heater and I is the current passing through the foil heater.
The heat flux generated in the foil heater is equal to q Q / A ,
where A is total area of the heater.
There is an array of drills in the central region on the back
side of the Plaxiglas for insertion of thermocouples until they
reaches the foil heater for measurements of temperatures, TW , on
the heated wall. The air flow temperature, T , can also be
measured by the thermocouples inserted in the air flow.
From the measurements of heat flux, q, and temperatures on
the heated wall and the air flow, the convective heat transfer
coefficient, h, can be calculated from equation (1) as follows:
q
h
(7)
(Tw T )
There are two different kinds of flat plates. The first one is
smooth flat plate, as shown in Fig. 1. The experimental data
obtained from the smooth flat plate can be used to compare with
the results from the textbook (i.e. the equations (4) (5)) and
discuss the possible discrepancy. The second one is the flat plate
with roughened surface. The experiments are used to obtain and
understand enhancement of heat transfer by the roughed surface.
The roughened surface is made by array of rectangular or
triangular ribs glued in equal space on the flat plate, as shown in
Fig. 2.

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Fig. 1 Smooth flat plate.

Fig. 2 Flat plate with roughened surface.

IV.

Experimental Steps

The wind tunnel system and the experimental setup are shown
in Fig. 3. The flat plate model is first installed in the test section
and connected with required electric circuits, voltage and ampere
meters, thermocouples and data acquisition system. After
measurements of the distance for each thermocouple to the
leading edge are made, the following steps are made.

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1. After the wind tunnel system is switched on, the flow velocity
at the test section is measured and monitored for serval minutes
until flow is stable.
2. After the power supply is switched on, adjust the desired
voltage and current to heat up the flat plate.
3. After approximately half an hour later until the temperatures on
the heated wall become stable, temperatures, Tw , on the heated
wall are recorded. At the same time, both the air flow velocity,
U , and temperature, T , are measured.
4. After switch off both the heater and the wind tunnel system, the
flat plate model with roughened surface is used to replace the
smooth flat plate model.
5. Repeat steps 1-3 until all the required measurements are
performed.
Note:
To take the data of Tw , sufficient amount of time is required,
i.e. approximately above half an hour, to heat the wall until steady
state has been reached.

Fig. 3 Experimental Setup

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V.

Results and Discussion

The flow velocity is obtained and calculated from pressure

difference measured from the Pitot tube, and is used to obtain Re x .
After both temperatures and heat flux along the wall are
measured, the convective heat transfer coefficient, h, and
therefore, the Nusselt number, Nu x , can be obtained. Please plot
the data and discuss:
1. Compare and discuss the local heat transfer coefficient or Nu x
distribution measured with the theoretical prediction obtained
from either of the equations from (2) to (5).
2. Compare and discuss the local heat transfer coefficient or Nu x
distribution measured on the roughened surface with the one
obtained from the smooth flat surface.
Note:
The current experiments are designed to let student acquainted
with some of the experimental techniques, and most importantly,
is familiar with how to analyze, sort out and discuss the
experimental data. It is highly possible that the convective heat
transfer coefficient measured may not be identical to the
theoretical predictions. If that is the case, you are required to
discuss the discrepancy caused by some possible errors. The
possible errors may be caused by measurement errors or imperfect
experimental conditions. The imperfect experimental conditions
should be listed, and are used to explain how they can affect and
increase or decrease the heat transfer over the flat plate. It is
better to find similar reasoning in the heat transfer literature to
back up or compare with ones own reasoning. On the other hand,
it is better for students to suggest to measure some other physical
parameters (such as velocity, temperature distribution and
fluctuations in both velocity and temperature on the flat plate) in
order to clarify his own reasoning. It is suggest to complete
discussion for the case on the smooth flat plate first, then, to
proceed to discuss the results on roughened surface and explain
how the roughened surface can enhance the heat transfer.

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