Extended Surfaces

Chapter Three
Section 3.6

Nature and Rationale

Nature and Rationale of Extended Surfaces

An extended surface (also know as a combined conduction-convection system
or a fin) is a solid within which heat transfer by conduction is assumed to be
one dimensional, while heat is also transferred by convection (and/or
radiation) from the surface in a direction transverse to that of conduction.

Why is heat transfer by conduction in the x-direction not, in fact, onedimensional?

If heat is transferred from the surface to the fluid by convection, what
surface condition is dictated by the conservation of energy requirement?

Nature and Rationale (Cont.)

What is the actual functional dependence of the temperature distribution in

the solid?
If the temperature distribution is assumed to be one-dimensional, that is,
T=T(x) , how should the value of T be interpreted for any x location?
How does qcond , x vary with x ?
When may the assumption of one-dimensional conduction be viewed as an
excellent approximation? The thin-fin approximation.
Extended surfaces may exist in many situations but are commonly used as
fins to enhance heat transfer by increasing the surface area available for
They are particularly beneficial when h is small,
convection (and/or radiation).
as for a gas and natural convection.
Some typical fin configurations:

Straight fins of (a) uniform and (b) non-uniform cross sections; (c) annular
fin, and (d) pin fin of non-uniform cross section.

Fin Equation

The Fin Equation

Assuming one-dimensional, steady-state conduction in an extended surface

surface of constant conductivity
k and uniform cross-sectional area Ac ,

0 , the fin equation

with negligible generation q 0 and radiation qrad

is of the form:
d 2T hP

T T 0
2
kAc
dx

(3.62)

or, with m2 hP / kAc and the reduced temperature T T ,

d 2
m 2 0
2
dx

How is the fin equation derived?

(3.64)

Fin Equation

Solutions (Table 3.4):

Base (x = 0) condition
0 Tb T b

Tip ( x = L) conditions
A. Convection: kd / dx |x L h L
B. Adiabatic: d / dx |x L 0

C. Fixed temperature: L L
D. Infinite fin (mL>2.65): L 0

Fin Heat Rate:

q f kAc

d
|x 0 Af h x dAs
dx

Fin Performance Parameters

Performance Parameters

Fin Efficiency:
f

qf
q f ,max

qf

(3.86)

hA f b

How is the efficiency affected by the thermal conductivity of the fin?

Expressions for f are provided in Table 3.5 for common geometries.
Consider a triangular fin:
1/ 2

2
Af 2w L2 t / 2

Ap t / 2 L
1 I1 2mL
f
mL I 0 2mL

Fin Effectiveness:
f

qf

hAc , bb
f with h, k and Ac / P

(3.85)

Fin Resistance:
Rt , f

b
qf

1
hAf f

(3.92)

Arrays

Fin Arrays
Representative arrays of
(a) rectangular and
(b) annular fins.

Total surface area:

At NAf Ab
Number of fins

(3.99)

Area of exposed base (prime surface)

Total heat rate:

qt N f hAf b hAbb o hAtb

(3.101)

Rt , o

Overall surface efficiency and resistance:

NA f

o 1
1 f

A
b t 1
Rt , o
qt o hAt

(3.102)

(3.103)

Arrays (Cont.)

Equivalent Thermal Circuit :

Effect of Surface Contact Resistance:

qt o c hAtb

b
Rt , o c

NA f f
1

At C1
C1 1 f hAf Rt, c / Ac,b
1
Rt , o c
o c hAt

o c 1

(3.105a)

(3.105b)
(3.104)

Problem: Turbine Blade Cooling

Problem 3.116: Assessment of cooling scheme for gas turbine blade.

Determination of whether blade temperatures are less
than the maximum allowable value (1050 C) for
prescribed operating conditions and evaluation of blade
cooling rate.
Schematic:

Assumptions: (1) One-dimensional, steady-state conduction in blade, (2) Constant k, (3)

Adiabatic blade tip, (4) Negligible radiation.
Analysis: Conditions in the blade are determined by Case B of Table 3.4.
(a) With the maximum temperature existing at x=L, Eq. 3.75 yields
T L T

1
cosh mL

Tb T
1/ 2
1/ 2
m hP/kAc
250W/m2 K0.11m/20W/mK610-4 m2
= 47.87 m-1

mL = 47.87 m-1 0.05 m = 2.39

Problem: Turbine Blade Cooling (cont.)

From Table B.1, cosh mL 5.51 . Hence,

T L 1200 C (300 1200) C/5.51 1037 C

and, subject to the assumption of an adiabatic tip, the operating conditions are acceptable.

(b) With M hPkAc

1/ 2

-4

b 250W/m K0.11m20W/mK610 m

900 C -517W ,
1/ 2

Eq. 3.76 and Table B.1 yield

qf Mtanh mL 517W 0.983 508W

Hence,
q b q f 508W

Comments: Radiation losses from the blade surface contribute to reducing the blade
temperatures, but what is the effect of assuming an adiabatic tip condition? Calculate
the tip temperature allowing for convection from the gas.

Problem: Chip Heat Sink

Problem 3.132: Determination of maximum allowable power qc for a 20mm

x 20mm electronic chip whose temperature is not to exceed
Tc 85 C, when the chip is attached to an air-cooled heat sink
with N=11 fins of prescribed dimensions.
Schematic:
Tc = 85oC
W = 20 mm

Rt,c= 2x10-6 m2-K/W

k = 180 W/m-K

L b= 3 mm
Lf = 15 mm

Air

Too = 20oC S
h = 100 W/m2-K

Rt,b

Tc
qc

Rt,c

= 1.8 mm

Assumptions: (1) Steady-state, (2) One-dimensional heat transfer, (3) Isothermal chip, (4)
Negligible heat transfer from top surface of chip, (5) Negligible temperature rise for air flow,
(6) Uniform convection coefficient associated with air flow through channels and over outer
surface of heat sink, (7) Negligible radiation.

Too
Rt,o

Problem: Chip Heat Sink (cont.)

Analysis: (a) From the thermal circuit,

T T
Tc T
qc c

R tot
R t,c R t,b R t,o
2
6 2
2
R t,c R t,c / W 2 10 m K / W / 0.02m 0.005 K / W

0.003m /180

R t, b L b / k W

W/mK

0.02m 2

From Eqs. (3.103), (3.102), and (3.99)

N Af
1
R t,o
,
o 1
1 f ,
o h A t
At

0.042 K / W

A t N Af A b
-4

Af = 2WLf = 2 0.02m 0.015m = 6 10 m

2

-3

-4

Ab = W N(tW) = (0.02m) 11(0.182 10 m 0.02m) = 3.6 10 m

-3 2
At = 6.96 10 m
1/2

With mLf = (2h/kt)

1.17, tanh mLf = 0.824 and Eq. (3.87) yields

tanh mLf
0.824

0.704
mLf
1.17

o = 0.719,
Rt,o = 2.00 K/W, and
qc

-3

1/2

Lf = (200 W/m K/180 W/mK 0.182 10 m)

85 20 C

0.005 0.042 2.00 K / W

31.8 W

(0.015m) =

Problem: Chip Heat Sink (cont.)

Comments: The heat sink significantly increases the allowable heat dissipation. If it
were not used and heat was simply transferred by convection from the surface of the chip with
h 100 W/m2gK,R tot =2.05 K/W from Part (a) would be replaced by
Rcnv 1/ hW2 25 K/W, yielding qc 2.60 W.