Experiment No: 1 Date: 28-10-2020

NATURAL CONVECTION
AIM:

1. To determine the heat transfer coefficient

2. To plot a graph between local heat transfer coefficients and length of cylinder

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND:

CONVECTION

Convection is the movement of molecules within fluids (i.e. liquids, gases). It cannot take
place in solids, since neither bulk current flows nor significant diffusion can take place in
solids.
Convective heat transfer is a mechanism of heat transfer occurring because of bulk
motion of fluids. Heat is the entity of interest being carried and dispersed. This can be
contrasted with conductive heat transfer, which is the transfer of energy by vibrations at a
molecular level through a solid or fluid and radiative heat transfer, the transfer of energy
through electromagnetic waves. Heat is transferred by convection in numerous examples of
naturally occurring fluid flow, such as: wind, oceanic currents, and movements within the
Earth's mantle. Convection is also used in engineering practices to provide desired
temperature changes, as in heating of homes, industrial processes, cooling of equipment, etc.

CONVECTION MECHANISMS

Natural convection
Natural convection or free convection occurs due to temperature differences which affect the
density and thus relative buoyancy of the fluid. Heavier components will fall while lighter
components rise, leading to bulk fluid movement. Natural convection can only occur,
therefore, in a gravitational field. A common example of natural convection is a pot of boiling

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water in which the hot and less-dense water on the bottom layer moves upwards in plumes
and the cool and denser water near the top of the pot likewise sinks.

Forced convection
In forced convection, fluid movement results from external surface forces such as a fan or
pump. Forced convection is typically used to increase the rate of heat exchange. Many types
of mixing also utilize forced convection to distribute one substance within another. Forced
convection also occurs as a by-product to other processes, such as the action of a propeller in
a fluid or aerodynamic heating. Fluid radiator systems and also heating and cooling of parts
of the body by blood circulation are other familiar examples of forced convection. Forced
convection may produce results more quickly than free convection. For instance, a
convection oven works by forced convection, as a fan which rapidly circulates hot air forces
heat into food faster than would naturally happen due to simple heating without the fan.

NATURAL CONVECTION
Natural convection is a mechanism, or type of heat transport, in which the fluid motion is not
generated by any external source but only by density differences in the fluid occurring due
to temperature gradients. In natural convection, fluid surrounding a heat source receives heat,
becomes less dense and rises. The surrounding, cooler fluid then moves to replace it. This
cooler fluid is then heated and the process continues, forming convection current; this process
transfers heat energy from the bottom of the convection cell to top. The driving force for
natural convection is buoyancy, a result of differences in fluid density. Because of this, the
presence of a proper acceleration such as arises from resistance to gravity, or an equivalent
force is essential for natural convection. For example, natural convection essentially does not
operate in free-fall (inertial) environments, such as that of the orbiting International Space
Station, where other heat transfer mechanisms are required to prevent electronic components
from overheating.

Natural convection has attracted a great deal of attention from researchers because of its
presence both in nature and engineering applications. In nature, convection cells formed from
air rising above sunlight-warmed land or water are a major feature of all weather systems.
Convection is also seen in the rising plume of hot air from fire. In engineering applications,
convection is commonly visualized in the formation of microstructures during the cooling of

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molten metals, and fluid flows around shrouded heat-dissipation fins, and solar ponds. A very
common industrial application of natural convection is free air cooling without the aid of
fans: this can happen on small scales to large scale process equipment.

DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS :

Grashof number
The Grashof number Gr is a dimensionless number which approximates the ratio of the
buoyancy to viscous force acting on a fluid. It frequently arises in the study of situations
involving natural convection.

𝑔𝛽𝐿3 ( 𝑇𝑠 − 𝑇𝑎 )
Gr =
𝜐2
g = acceleration due to gravity (m/s2)

β = volumetric thermal expansion coefficient (K-1)

Ts = surface temperature (K)

Ta= ambient temperature (K)

L = length of cylinder (m)

υ = kinematic viscosity (m2/s)

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)

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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)

Stefan Boltzmann law

The Stefan–Boltzmann law, also known as Stefan's law, states that the total energy radiated
per unit surface area of a black body per unit time (known variously as the black-body
irradiance, energy flux density, radiant flux, or the emissive power) q , is directly proportional
to the fourth power of the black body's thermodynamic temperature T (also called absolute
temperature).

q = σ T4 A

Where:
q is the heat transfer per unit time (W)
T is the absolute temperature Kelvin (K)
A is the area of the emitting body (m2)
The Stefan-Boltzmann Constant in Imperial Units
σ = 5.6703 10-8 (W/m2K4)

Natural convection apparatus

The unit consists of a vertical brass pipe heated by a cartridge heater inside it. The pipe loses
heat to atmosphere by natural convection. It is fitted in an enclosure to provide undisturbed
natural convection currents. Thermocouples are attached on the pipe to measure local
temperatures. Heater input is measured on voltmeter and ammeter. Thus students can
determine overall heat transfer coefficient and local transfer coefficients in natural
convection at various heat transfer rates.

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PROCEDURE:
• Put on the supply and adjust the dimmer stat to obtain required heat input.
• Wait till fairly steady state is reached, which is confirmed from temperature readings.
• Note down the temperature at various points.
• Repeat the experiment for different power readings.

FORMULAE USED:
Q
havg =[ [As ×(Ts−T∞)], where Ts is the Average surface temperature and T∞ is ambient

temperature

As = π ×D×L, where D and L are diameter and length of the tube respectively

∑Ti
Ts= , where N is the no. of thermostats being used
N

(Ts+T∞)
Tf= , T.f.is the mean film temperature.
2

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β= K-1, β is volumetric coefficient of expansion
(273+Tf)

Grashof number
[L3 ×β×ΔT×g]
Gr =
𝜈2

Prandtl number

𝜐 𝜇 𝐶𝑝
Pr = =
⍺ 𝐾
Rayleigh number
Ra = Gr × Pr
Nusselt number
0.67×(Gr×Pr)0.25
Nu = {0.68 + 0.492 0.5625 0.4
} for Ra< 109 slightly better for laminar flow
[1+( ) ]
𝑃𝑟

= {0.59 (𝐺𝑟 × Pr )0.25 }, For 104<Ra<109

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 Heat transfer coefficient
̅̅̅̅
𝐾 ×𝑁𝑢
havg=
𝐷

OBSERVATIONS :

Temperature
Sl no voltage V Current I
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8
1 80 0.6 106 108 110 110 107 102 101 34
2 100 0..8 118 119 121 127 130 126 122 34
3 120 1.1 151 156 158 163 165 162 154 35

𝐿 = 500𝑚𝑚

D = 38mm

AS =0.0597m2

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS :
∑Ti T1+T2+T3+T4+T5+T6+T7
Ts = = ºC
N 7

151+156+158+163+165+162+154
TS = =158.43 ºC =431.43 K
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T∞ = 35 ºC =308K

( Ts+T∞) 158.43+35
Tf = = = 96.72 ºC =369.72K
2 2

1 1
β= = = 2.70 × 10−3 K −1
𝑇𝑓 369.72

At Tf =96.72ºC, we take properties of air

k=0.0315 W/mK

CP=1009 J/kgK
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 m2
υ = 1.995 × 10−5
s

Pr = 0.7177

ΔT = TS - T∞ =158.43-35 =123.43K

[L3 ×β×ΔT×g]
Gr =
ν2

[0.53 ×2.72×10−3 ×123.43×9.81]

Gr = = 10.344 × 108
(1.995×10−5 )2

Ra = Gr × Pr = 10.344 × 108 ×0.7177 = 7.413 × 108

0.67×(Gr×Pr)0.25
Nu = {0.68 + 0.492 0.5625 0.4
}
[1+( 𝑃𝑟 ) ]

0.25
0.67×(741.3×106 )
={0.68 + 0.492 0.5625 0.4
} = 87.86
[1+( ) ]
0.7177

h×l
= 87.86
k
87.168×k 87.86×0.0315
h= = = 5.535 w/m2 K
l 0.5

hexp = 7.419 W/m2 K

Qradiation = σAԑ(TS 4 − T∞ 4 )

= 5.6703 × 10−8 × 0.0597 × 0.4(427.154 − 3084 )

= 32.89 watts

QCONVECTION = Q- Qradiation

Q=V*I =120*1.1 =132 watts

QCONVECTION = 132-32.89 =99.11watts

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 QCONVECTION =hAΔT = h × 0.0597 × 123.43
99.11
h= = 13.45 W/m2 K
0.0597×119.15

hthe = 13.45 W/m2 K

Temperatur hexp hthe

Sl Voltage Current e (W/m2K) (W/m2K)
no V I
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8
1 80 0.6 106 108 110 110 107 102 101 34 5.32 7.42
2 100 0..8 118 119 121 127 130 126 122 34 5.41 12.53
3 120 1.1 151 156 158 163 165 162 154 35 5.535 13.45

Sl. Area Qrad Qconv = Q − Qrad hthe Length hexp

No. (W/m2k) (m)
(W/m2K)

1. 0.0012 0.6309 2.0091 0.01

14.49111 16.08194
2. 0.0060 3.384 9.816 0.05
13.60145 10.85022
3. 0.0119 6.884 19.516 0.1
13.263 9.155178
4. 0.0239 14.709 38.091 0.2
12.4562 7.762531
5. 0.0358 22.57 56.63 0.3
12.14808 7.036755
6. 0.0477 29.001 76.599 0.4
12.61328 6.516889
7. 0.0585 32.167 97.193 0.49
13.94959 6.111073

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Plotting of local heat transfer coefficient:

L hthe
hexp (w/
(mm) (w/m2 K)
2
m K)
10 16.08194 14.49111
50 10.85022 13.60145
100 9.155178 13.263
200 7.762531 12.4562
300 7.036755 12.14808
400 6.516889 12.61328
490 6.111073 13.94959

Chart Title
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hprac hthe
16
local Heat transfer coefficient

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12

10

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Length(mm)

Sample Calculations for local heat transfer

For thermocouple 1 L1=10mm

TS =T1 = 151 ºC =424 K

T∞ = 35 ºC =308K

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 A1=π*D* L1 =0.001193m2

Q1 Rad = σAԑ(TS 4 − T∞ 4 )

=5.6703 × 10−8 × 0.001193 × 0.4(4244 − 3084 )

Q1 Rad = 0.6309 watts

L1 10
Q1=V1*I = 𝑄 × = 120 × 1.1 × = 2.64𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡
𝐿 500

Q1 conv = Q1- Q1 Rad =2.64-0.6309 =2.0091 watts

Q1 conv = h1 𝐴1 (𝑇𝑆 − 𝑇∞ )

2.0091
h1 = = 14.491 𝑤/𝑚2 𝐾
0.001193×(424−308)

h𝑡ℎ𝑒 = 14.491 𝑤/𝑚2 𝐾

( Ts+T∞) 151+35
Tf = = = 93 ºC =366K
2 2

At Tf =93ºC we take properties of air

k=0.0315 W/mK

CP=1009 J/kgK

m2
ὐ = 1.995 × 10−5
s

Pr = 0.7177

ΔT = TS - T∞=424-308 = 116K

1 1
β= = = 0.00273 K −1
Tf 366

[L3 ×β×ΔT×g]
Gr =
ν2

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 [0.013 ×0.00273×116×9.81]
Gr = = 7805.55
(1.995×10−5 )2

Ra = Gr × Pr = 7805.55 ×0.7177 = 5602.04

0.67×(Gr×Pr)0.25
Nu = {0.68 + 0.492 0.5625 0.4
}
[1+( 𝑃𝑟 ) ]

0.67×(5602)0.25
={0.68 + 0.492 0.5625 0.4
} = 5.253
[1+( ) ]
0.7177

h1 ×𝐿1
= 5.253
𝑘

5.253×k 5.253×0.0315
h= = = 16.08 w/m2 K
L1 0.01

hexp = 16.08 w/m2 K

Similarly we do the calculations for other thermo couples.

RESULTS:

Theoretical heat Experimental heat

S.no
transfer coefficient; transfer coefficient;
hth hexp.
(W/m2K) (W/m2K)
1 5.32 7.42

2 5.41 12.53

3 5.535 13.45

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 CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCE:

The heat transfer coefficient is having maximum value at the beginning because starting of
development of boundary layer i.e. thin layer and decrease in upward direction due to
thickening of boundary layer. This trend is maintained nearly up to half length and beyond
this there is little variation in the value of local heat transfer coefficient because of the
presence of transition and turbulent boundary layers. The last point shows somewhat increase
in the value which is attributed to end loss causing a temperature drop.

The practical heat transfer coefficient is less than theoretical heat transfer coefficient due to
thin starting of boundary layer formation approximately up to half the length of vertical
length of cylinder.

Then these both the curves intersect each other, at this point, temperature decreases due to
transition region.

After this, trend of the curve is such that value of practical heat transfer coefficient is more
as compare to the theoretically calculated this is due to turbulence effect of boundary layer.

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