Extended Surfaces

CHE133
Mapua Institute of Technology
Alvin R. Caparanga, Ph.D.
 Extended surface
a special case involving heat transfer by
conduction within a solid and heat transfer by
convection (and/or radiation) from the
boundaries of the solid.

A fin is an extended surface that is used to

specifically enhance the heat transfer
between a surface and an adjoining fluid.
Use of fins to enhance heat transfer from a plane wall: (a) bare surface;
(b) finned surface.
Schematic of typical finned-tube heat exchangers
 Different fin configurations

a. Straight fin of uniform cross-section

b. Straight fin of non-uniform cross-section
c. Annular fin
d. Pin fin
 Energy balance for an extended surface

First-law balance:
(1)

Fouriers law:

(2)

Conduction rate at x + dx:

(3)

Subst. 2 3: Subst. 2, 4, and 5 1:

(4) (6)

General form of energy equation for an

Convection rate:
extended surface:
(5)
Fins of uniform cross-sectional area

AC = constant
AS = Px
P = perimeter
T T
Source: Fundamentals of Heat and
Tb T Mass Transfer (Incropera; 6th ed.)
Sample problem:
 Fin performance
Fin effectiveness
ratio of the fin heat transfer rate to the heat
transfer that would exist without the fin.

Qf
f
hAc ,b b

Note:
In general, the use of fin may rarely be justified unless f 2.
 Fin performance
Fin efficiency
ratio of the fin heat transfer rate to the
maximum rate at which the fin could dissipate
energy (i.e., when entire fin is at Tb).

Qf Qf
f
Qmax hAf b
Source: Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (Incropera; 6th ed.)