Heat Conduction

1. Abstract
The objective of this experiment is to study the conduction of heat along a composite bar
and to evaluate the overall heat transfer coefficient. This experiment focus on the heat
conduction for the cylindrical metal bar arrangement. The experimental overall heat
transfer coefficient will be compared to the overall heat transfer coefficient calculated.

2. Introduction
Thermal conduction is the transfer of heat energy in a material due to the temperature gradient
within it. It always takes place from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower
temperature. A solid is chosen for the experiment of pure conduction because both liquids and
gasses exhibit excessive convective heat transfer. For practical situation, heat conduction
occurs in three dimensions, a complexity which often requires extensive computation to
analyze. For experiment, a single dimensional approach is required to demonstrate the basic
law that relates rate of heat flow to temperature gradient and area.

3. Experiment Methods and Materials

The apparatus used in the experiment are heat conduction apparatus consist of an
electricity heated module mounted on a bench support frame. The module contains a
cylindrical metal bar arrangement for a variety of linear conduction experiments. The
test section is equipped with an array of temperature gradient.

First, an intermediate position was selected for the heater power control and sufficient
time for a steady state condition to be achieved was allowed before recording the
temperature at all six sensor points and the input power reading on the wattmeter.
After each change, sufficient time to achieve steady state conditions was allowed. 10
minutes was waited before the reading for 6W is read, 5 minutes was waited before
the reading for both 9W and 12W are read. All the results was recorded and tabulated
under the table below.
Calculation for the overall heat transfer coefficient is done using:
Q
U =
A(THS −TCS )

The values calculated is then compared to the value calculated using the thermal
1 X X X
geometry equation: = H + S + C
U KH KS KC

4. Data Analysis
Wattmeter, THS T1 T2 T3 T7 T8 T9 TCS U
Q (watts) (0C) 0
( C) (0C) (0C) (0C) (0C) (0C) 0
( C) (W/m2K)

6 42.9 43.5 43.7 44.1 29.4 29.4 29.1 28.8 866.89

9 56.3 55.9 55.5 56.3 29.6 29.6 29.2 28.8 666.71
12 70.6 70.2 68.7 69.8 30.1 29.9 29.6 29.1 589.07

K = 117 W/mK (Brass - 60% Copper and 40% Zinc)

K = 25 W/mK (Stainless Steel)
1 X X X
= H + S + C
U KH K S KC
1 0.04 m 0.03 m 0.04 m
= + +
U 117W/mK 25W/mK 117W/mK
2
U = 530.85 W/m K

Graph Heater's Temperature versus Distance

80

70

60

50
0C)
Temperature(
40 6 W att
9 W att
30
12 W att
20

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Distance(mm
)

Graph of Cooler's Temperature versus Distance

30.2

30

29.8

0C)
6W att
Temperature ( 29.6
9W att
12W att
29.4

29.2

29
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Distance (mm)
5. Discussion
Based on the graph, it shows that when the input power, Q (watt) increase, the overall
heat transfer coefficient, U (W/m2K) will decrease. When calculating the heat transfer
coefficient using the thermal geometry equation, the thermal conductivity, K used is
for the Brass (60% Copper and 40% Zinc) is 117W/mK and the stainless steel is
25W/mK.
Q
When compared the U calculated using U = based on the
A(T HS −TCS )
1 X X X
experimental results and the theoretical U calculated using = H + S + C ,
U KH K S KC
there are differences between the values. This may because the theoretical U take
account only the distance and thermal conductivity without considering the input
power and temperature.

6. Conclusion
Varying the input power will affect the heat transfer coefficient. When the input power, Q
(watt) increases, the overall heat transfer coefficient, U (W/m2K) will decrease. There
will be difference between U calculated from the experiment and U calculated
theoretically because of the difference in variables (input power, area, temperature,
distance and thermal conductivity) used.