CBE 3521 L-4.

Heat Transfer from OBJECTIVES

Extended Surfaces (Fins) • Describe why fins are used and how they can
enhance heat transfer
– Driving force for heat transfer • Derive the governing equation for heat transfer in
fins and summarize the four solutions for different
– Fourier’s Law boundary conditions
– Newton’s Law of Cooling • Apply the appropriate fin equation to solve heat
transfer problems in which fins are present
– Heat transfer from extended surfaces
• Define fin effectiveness and fin efficiency and
describe how these parameters are used to
quantify the performance of fins

HEAT TRANSFER FROM EXTENDED SURFACES EXAMPLES OF FINS

• Extended surface is commonly used to depict an The picture can't be display ed.

important special case involving heat transfer by

conduction within a solid and heat transfer by
convection (and/or radiation) from the boundaries
of the solid
– Direction of heat transfer from the boundaries is
perpendicular to the principal direction for heat transfer
in the solid
• Extended surfaces used to enhance heat transfer
between a solid and surrounding fluid
– Extended surface is called a fin

Yang 1
CBE 3521 L-4.3

EXAMPLES OF FINS: TAPS EXAMPLES OF FINS: TAPS

• A significant quantity of oil is transported across Alaska in
the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS)
• About half of the 800-mile long TAPS is built above
permafrost that needs to stay frozen to keep the pipeline
stable
• Fins are actually heat pipes, with anhydrous ammonia
refrigerant or carbon dioxide that vaporizes below ground
level, rises, and condenses above ground
– Heat is conducted from the ground into the pipes, rises with the
vapor, and is conducted through the heat pipe walls and out into the
cooler air through aluminum radiators at the top of each pipe

• Engineers have placed 124,300 fins on the TAPS’ vertical

support member that are on permafrost terrain, two per
support
• Fins transfer ground heat to the atmosphere whenever the
ground temperature exceeds the air temperature

EXAMPLES OF FINS: TAPS COMBINED CONDUCTION AND CONVECTION

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• With T1>T2, temperature

gradients in the x-direction
sustain heat transfer by
conduction in the strut
• With T1>T2>T , there is
concurrent heat transfer by
convection to the fluid
– qx and the magnitude of the
temperature gradient
decrease with increasing x

Yang 2
CBE 3521 L-4.3

HEAT TRANSFER FROM EXTENDED SURFACES FIN PROPERTIES

q  hATs  T 

• Options
–Decrease T
–Increase flowrate
to increase h • Thermal conductivity of fin has strong effect on the
–Increase surface temperature distribution along the fin
• Plane wall at temperature,
Ts and area, A area across • Directly impacts the enhancement of heat transfer rate
which convection • Ideal fin characteristics
• Convection BC, with T <Ts
occurs • High thermal conductivity of fin to minimize temperature
• Goal: increase heat variations from the base to the tip
transfer from plane wall • Infinite fin k results in entire fin at temperature of base

FIN CONFIGURATIONS
TYPICAL FINNED TUBE
HEAT EXCHANGERS

• Factors in selection of the fin configuration

• Space, weight, manufacturing method, cost, increase in
pressure drop , and the extent to which fins increase heat
transfer
• Mathematical analysis of heat transfer enhancement
depends on the cross-sectional area variation and on the
boundary conditions at the tip (4 general cases)

Yang 3
CBE 3521 L-4.3

GENERAL CONDUCTION ANALYSIS GENERAL CONDUCTION ANALYSIS

Conservation of energy : q x  q x  x  dqconv
• Goal of analysis dT
Fourier' s Law : q x   kAc
• Calculation of extent to which particular extended dx
surfaces or fin arrangements improves heat transfer from where Ac is the cross - sectional area
a surface to the surrounding fluid which may vary with x.
• Must determine the temperature distribution along a fin Since the conduction heat rate at x  dx
may be expressed as :
dq
q x  x  q x  x dx
dx
it follows that : d  dT  h dAs
 Ac  T  T   0
dT d  dT  dx  dx  k dx
q x  x  kAc  k  Ac dx
dx dx  dx  d 2T  1 dAc  dT  1 h dAs 
   T  T   0
Convection heat transfer rate : dx 2  Ac dx  dx  Ac k dx 
dqconv  hdAs T  Ts 
Solution with appropriate BC provides T-distribution
Substitute rate equations into the
Conservation of Energy Eqn. Fourier’s Law can calculate conduction rate at any x

FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

d 2T  1 dAc  dT  1 h dAs 
   T  T   0 d 2T  1 dAc  dT  1 h dAs 
   T  T   0
dx 2  Ac dx  dx  Ac k dx  dx 2  Ac dx  dx  Ac k dx 

Cross sectional area is a

Transform differential constant (As=P x)
equation by defining an
excess temperature dAc
One BC at the base of the fin 0
dx
A: convection at tip
B: adiabatic tip dAs
P
C: fixed temperature dx
D: infinite length fin d 2T  hP 
 T  T   0
dx 2  kAc 

Yang 4
CBE 3521 L-4.3

FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

Case A: Convection hx at tip

d 2T  hP   x   C1e mx  C2e  mx
 T  T   0
dx 2  kAc  BC 1 :  0   Tb  T   b

Define  x   T x   T
dT
BC 2 : hAc T L   T    kAc
dx x L
hP d
Define m  2
BC 2 : h (L )  k
kAc dx x L

d 2  h 
coshmL  x     sinhmL  k 
 m 2  0   mk 
dx 2 b

 h 
coshmL     sinhmL 
 x   C1e mx  C2 e  mx  mk 
BC 1 :  0   Tb  T   b Note slope decreases with
BC 2 at fin tip (x  L) increasing x (reduction in
conduction hx due to continuous
convection losses)

FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

To obtain the fin heat transfer Case A: Convection hx at tip Case B: Adiabatic tip
rate, qf, apply Fourier’s Law at the  x   C1e mx  C2e  mx
fin base
BC 1 :  0   Tb  T   b
d
qf  qb  kAc
dT
 kAc
d d 0

dx dx BC 2 : 0 dx x L
x 0 x 0
dx x L
 h 
sinhmL     coshmL 
 mk   coshmL  x 
qf  hPkAc  b  
coshmL   
 h 
 sinhmL  b coshmL 
 mk 
qf  hPkAc  b  tanhmL 

Yang 5
CBE 3521 L-4.3

FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

Case C: Prescribed T at tip Case D: Infinitely long fin

 x   C1e  x   C1e  C2e
 mx  mx
mx
 C2e mx

BC 1 :  0  Tb  T   b
BC 2 :  (L)  L
BC 1 :  0   Tb  T   b L
T=TL
BC 2 :  (L)  0
L  0
 L 
  sinhmx   sinhmL  x 
   b  
  e mx
b sinhmL 
b
 
coshmL    L 
 b  qf  hPkAc  b 
qf  hPkAc  b 
sinhmL 

FINS WITH UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

WORKSHEET #8
• Heat Transfer In Extended Surfaces

WORKSHEET #9
• Temperature Distribution In Extended
Surfaces

Yang 6
CBE 3521 L-4.3

FIN PERFORMANCE FIN PERFORMANCE

• Fins are used to increase the heat transfer from a surface Fin effectiveness
by increasing the effective surface area qf
f 
• Recall from the discussion about critical insulation thickness hAc ,b b
that an increase in area also means an increase in the Ac ,b  fin cross - sectional area at base
conduction resistance from the original surface
Use of fins rarely justified unless  f  2
• There is no assurance that the heat transfer will be
enhanced through the use of fins kP
For Case D,  f 
• Calculation of the fin effectiveness can determine whether hAc
the use of fins is worthwhile
• Ratio of fin heat transfer rate to the heat transfer rate that Fin effectiveness enhanced by
would exist without the fin a) choice of material with high thermal conductivity
b) increasing ratio of perimeter to cross-sectional area (thin fins)
c) low convection coefficient (need for fins greater with gas than liquid)

FIN EFFICIENCY FIN EFFICIENCY

• An alternate means to assess fin thermal performance is The picture can't be display ed.

quantified by the fin efficiency

• Maximum driving potential for convection is the
temperature difference at the base
• Maximum rate fin could dissipate energy is the rate that
would exist if the entire fin surface were at the base
temperature

qf qf
f  
qmax hAf  b

Where I0 and K0 are modified, zero-order Bessel functions of the first and second kinds, respectively.
Where I1 and K1 are modified, first-order Bessel functions of the first and second kinds, respectively.
Bessel functions are defined in Appendix B1 of the Middleman textbook.

Yang 7
CBE 3521 L-4.3

FIN EFFICIENCY Efficiency of Straight Fins

The picture can't be display ed.

Where I0 and K0 are modified, zero-order Bessel functions of the first and second kinds, respectively.
Where I1 and K1 are modified, first-order Bessel functions of the first and second kinds, respectively.
Bessel functions are defined in Appendix B1 of the Middleman textbook.

Efficiency of Annular Fins of Rectangular Profile WHAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO

• Describe situations in which fins can enhance
heat transfer
• Identify conduction and convection processes
that occur in a fin
• Describe the ideal material for a fin and identify
the important properties for the ideal fin material
• Identify the appropriate boundary condition and
use the equations for the temperature distribution
and fin heat transfer rate to solve problems with
fins
• Know how to quantify fin performance in terms of
fin efficiency and fin effectiveness

Yang 8