Experiment no: 2 Date: 04-11-2020

FORCED CONVECTION APPARATUS

AIM
1. To find the heat transfer coefficient for forced convection.
2. To study the nature of heat transfer coefficient varying with velocity of fluid.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

In many practical situations, we invariably deal with flow of fluids in tubes e.g. boiler,
super heaters and condensers of a power plant, automobile radiators, water and air heaters
or coolers etc. the knowledge and evolution of forced convection heat transfer coefficient
for fluid flow in tubes is essentially a prerequisite for an optional design of all thermal
system.
Convection is the transfer of heat within a fluid by mixing of one portion of fluid
with the other. Convection is possible only in a fluid medium and is directly linked with
the transport of medium itself. In forced convection, fluid motion is principally produced
by some superimposed velocity field like a fan, blower or a pump, the energy transport
is said due to forced convection.

THEORY
The essential ingredients of forced convection heat transfer analysis are given by
Newton's Law of Cooling,

Q = kA(Tw-T∞) = hA∆T

The rate of heat Q0 transferred to the surrounding fluid is proportional to the object's
exposed area A, and the difference between the object temperature Tw and the fluid free-
stream temperature T∞.

The constant of proportionality h is termed the convection heat-transfer coefficient. Other

terms describing h include film coefficient and film conductance. The Dittus–Bolter

1
correlation (1930) is a common and particularly simple correlation useful for many
applications. This correlation is applicable when forced convection is the only mode of heat
transfer; i.e., there is no boiling, condensation significant radiation, etc. The accuracy of this
correlation is anticipated to be ±15%.

The Dittus- Bolter equation, has two forms as follows:

Nu= 0.023 Re0.8Pr0.4 , for ‘heating’ (temperature of wall > temperature of fluid), and

Nu = 0.026 Re0.8Pr0.3 , for ‘cooling’ (temperature of wall < temperature of fluid)

DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS :

Prandtl number
The Prandtl number Pr approximates the ratio of momentum diffusivity to thermal diffusivity.
𝜐 𝜇 𝐶𝑝
Pr = =
⍺ 𝐾
υ = kinematic viscosity (m2/s)
⍺ = thermal diffusivity (m2/s)
𝝁 = dynamic viscosity (Ns/m2)
Cp = specific heat (J/kgK)
K = thermal conductivity (W/mK)

Nusselt number
In heat transfer at a boundary within a fluid, the Nusselt number is the ratio of convective to
conductive heat transfer across (normal to) the boundary.
ℎ𝐿
Nu =
𝐾
h = convective heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)
L = length of cylinder (m)
K = thermal conductivity of fluid (W/mK)

2
Reynold’s number
The Reynold’s number (Re) helps predict flow patterns in different fluid flow situations. At
low Reynold’s numbers, flow tends to be dominated by laminar flow, while at high Reynold’s
numbers flow tends to be turbulent.
𝜌𝑣𝐿 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠
Re = =
µ 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠

where:
• ρ is the density of the fluid (SI units: kg/m3)
• v is the flow speed (m/s)
• L is a characteristic linear dimension (m)
• μ is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid (Pa.s or Ns/m2 or kg/ms)

FORCED CONVECTION APPARATUS

The apparatus consists of a blower unit fitted with the test pipe. The test section is
surrounded by a Nichrome band heater. Five thermocouples are embedded on the test section
and two thermocouples are placed in the air stream at the entrance and exit of the test section
to measure the air temperature. Test pipe is connected to the delivery side of the blower along
with the orifice to measure flow of air through the pipe. Input to the heater is given through
a dimmer stat and measured by meters.

It is to be noted that only a part of the total heat supplied is utilized in heating the air. A
temperature indicator with cold junction compensation is provided to measure temperatures
of pipe wall at various points in the test section. Airflow is measured with the help of orifice
meter and the water manometer fitted on the board.

SPECIFICATIONS

Test pipe = 33mm internal diameter, 500mm long

Diameter of pipe =22mm

Cd =0.64
Cross sectional area of pipe=8.55 × 10-4 m2

3
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. Switch ON the mains system

2. Switch ON blower.
3. Adjust the flow by means of gate valve to some desired difference in the manometer
level.
4. Switch ON heater
5. Start the heating of the test section with the help of dimmer stat and adjust desired heat
input with the help of Voltmeter and Ammeter.
6. Take readings of all the six thermocouples at an interval of 10 min until the steady
state is reached.
7. Note down the heater input.
8. Repeat the experiment for different air flow rate or power rates

DIAGRAM

FORCED CONVECTION APPARATUS

4
PRECAUTIONS

1. Keep the dimmer stat at zero position before switching ON the power supply.
2. Increase the voltmeter gradually.
3. Do not stop the blower in between the testing period.
4. Do not disturb thermocouples while testing. Operate selector switch of the
thermocouple gently. Don’t exceed 200 watts
5. Operate selector switch of the temperature indicator gently.

OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS

Sl. V T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 hw
I(A)
No (volts) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC) (oC) (cm)
1 125 1.1 37 57 75 84 80 73 50 4
2 125 1.1 36 52 71 78 75 67 46 6
3 125 1.1 35 47 66 73 67 60 40 8

ρao = 1.292 kg/𝑚3

ρw = 997.8 kg/𝑚3

At T1 = 35 ºC,

ρa =1.145 kg/𝑚3

(T1+T7)
T∞ =
2

(35+40)
=
2

= 37.5ºC =310.5 K

ℎ𝑤×ρ𝑤 8×10−2 ×997.8

ha = = = 69.72 m
ρ𝑎 1.145

5
 T2+T3+T4+T5+T6 47+66+73+67+60
Ts = = = 62.6 ºC = 335.6 K
5 5

(3.14×(22×10−3 )2
ao = = 3.8×10-4 m2
4

Q = Cd× ao×√(2gha) = 0.64×3.8×10-4 ×√(2×9.81×69.72)

=8.99×10-3 m3/s

ap = 8.55×10-4 m2

8.99×10−3
v = Q/ap = = 10.05 m/s
8.55×10−4

For Ts = 72 ºC, we take properties of air

ρ = 1.058 kg/m3

k=0.02810 W/m K

CP=1007 J/kg K

𝑚2
µ= 2.008 × 10−5
𝑠

𝑚2
ʋ = 1.896 × 10−5
𝑠

NRe = ρvd/μ
1.058×10.05×0.033
=
2.008 × 10−5

=17474.38

From Dittus-Boelter equation,

Nu = 0.023(NRe)0.8(NPr)n

= 0.023(17474.38)0.8(0.7177)0.4

= 49.89

6
 ℎ×𝐷
= 49.89
𝑘

49.89 × k 49.89 × 0.0281 𝑊

h= = = 42.48 2
D 0.033 𝑚 𝐾

𝑊
htheoretical = 42.48
𝑚2 𝐾

Q = mCpΔt = mCp(𝑇7 − 𝑇1 )
ԑ = 0.4

Area A=π × D × L = π × 0.033 × 0.5 = 0.05184m2

Qradiation = σAԑ(TS 4 − T∞ 4 )

= 5.6703 × 10−8 × 0.05184 × 0.4(335.64 − 310.54 )

=3.99 watts

QCONVECTION = Q- Qradiation
𝑘𝑔
Mass flow rate m= ρ × q = 1.058×8.99 × 10−3 = 9.511 × 10−3
𝑠

Q = mCpΔt =9.511× 10−3 × 1007 × (40 − 35) = 47.887 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠

QCONVECTION = 47.887 – 3.99= 43.297 watts
QCON =hAΔT = h × 0.05184 × (72 − 41)
43.897
ℎ= = 30.134 𝑤/𝑚2 𝑘
0.05184×(72−41)

ℎ𝑒𝑥𝑝 = 30.134 𝑤/𝑚2 𝑘

Where, ρao Density of air at 273 K

ρa Density of air at inlet temperature

ρw Density of water at room temperature

ha Head of air

7
hw Head of water

Q Volumetric flow rate of air

Cd Coefficient of discharge of orifice=0.64

Cp Specific heat of air at ambient temperature

μ Dynamic viscosity of air at ambient temperature =19.05×10-6 Ns/m2

d Diameter of orifice=22 mm

ao Cross section area of orifice

ap Cross section area of pipe

ma Mass flow rate

V Velocity of air

q Heat gained by air

D Internal diameter of test pipe=33 mm

L Length of the test pipe=500 mm

A Lateral surface area of test pipe

Ɛ Emissivity of test pipe

q1 Heat loss by radiation

σ Stefan Boltzmann constant=5.672×10-8 W/m2K4

Ts Surface temperature

Ta Ambient temperature

hexp Experimental heat transfer coefficient

k Thermal conductivity of air at ambient temperature

NRe Reynolds number

Nu Nusselt number

NPr Prandtl number

8
Flowrate q Velocity hexp hthe
(m3/s) (m/s) (W/m2K) (W/m2K)
0.00636 7.43 61.83 33.4
0.00779 9.12 59.27 39.37
0.00899 10.05 30.134 42.48

h vs velocity
70
61.83
59.27
60

50
42.48
39.37
h (W/m2K)

40
33.4
30.134
30 h exp
h the
20

10

0
7.43 9.12 10.05
velocity(m/s)

9
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Flowrate q Velocity hexp hthe

(m3/s) (m/s) (W/m2K) (W/m2K)
0.00636 7.43 61.83 33.4
0.00779 9.12 59.27 39.37
0.00899 10.05 30.134 42.48

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Convection is transfer of heat due to conduction and bulk macroscopic motion of fluid
over a given body. So logically if heat transfer depends on macroscopic motion of the
fluid then it will also depend on the rate of macroscopic motion of the fluid over the
solid. So if velocity of flow is increased, heat transferred will increase.

• The empirically calculated results varied by roughly 30% when compared to the
experimentally calculated results. This can be attributed to the experimental methods.
The experiment had its downfalls that could have poorly affected the results and
therefore, the calculations.

10