TEST ON A PIN – FIN APPARATUS BY FORCED CONVECTION

Aim:
To study the temperature distribution along the length of the pin-fin and the heat
transferred by forced convection.
Apparatus:
An aluminium fin of circular cross section is fitted across a long rectangular duct. At
both ends of the duct fans are connected and the air flows past the fin perpendicular to its axis.
One end of the fin projects inside the duct and is heated by a heater. Temperatures at seven
points along the length of the fin are measured by thermocouples connected along the length
of the fin. The airflow rate is measured by an orifice meter
Specifications:
Duct size : 22 × 22 cm2
Diameter of the fin : 1.2 cm
Diameter of the orifice : 7.5 cm
No. of thermocouples on the fin : 7
Thermal conductivity of fin material : 237 W/m-K
Fan : 8” dia, 230V
Dimmerstat for heat input control : 230 V, 2 Amps
Voltmeter : 0 – 500V
Ammeter : 0 – 2A
Brief theory of the experiment:
Consider the fin connected at its base to a heated wall and transferring heat to the
surroundings.
Applying the I law of thermodynamics to a control volume along the length of the fin
at x, the resulting equation of heat balance is
d 2  hP 
−  = 0 ----- (1)
dx 2  kAc 
and the general solution for the equation (1) is
 = C1e mx + C2 e −mx ----- (2)

Where m = hP/ kAc

With boundary conditions:
i)  =  b at x = 0 where  b = Tb - Tf
d
ii) = 0 at x = L (assuming the short fin with insulated tip)
dx
Applying the boundary conditions we get the solution as,
 Tx − T f Cosh(m( L − x))
= = ----- (3)
b Tb − T f Cosh(mL)

This is the equation for the temperature distribution along the length of the fin. Temperatures
Tb and Tf are known for a given situation and the value of ‘h’ depends on whether heat loss is
by natural or forced convection.
Precautions:

1. Ensure that dimmerstat is at ‘0’ position before switching on the heater.

2. Operate the change over switch for temperature indicator gently.
3. Be sure that the steady state is reached before taking the final readings.
Procedure:

− The fin is heated by switching on the heater and the dimmerstat is adjusted to 75 V.
− The blower is started.
− The thermocouple readings are noted down at a time interval of five minutes.
− When the steady state is reached, the final readings and the ambient temperature (i.e. the
surrounding temperature of the fin) are noted down.
− Manometer readings are also noted.
− The experiment is now repeated by setting the voltage to 150V for the heater by adjusting
the dimmerstat.
− Reduce the voltage and fan velocity to zero before switching off the mains.
− The experiment can also be repeated for various flow rates of air instead of varying the
heater power input.
Observations and Tabulations:

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7

(C) (C) (C) (C) (C) (C) (C)

Voltage=75 V Actual

Theoretical

Voltage = 150 V Actual

Theoretical
 Voltage Current Power Heat Transfer Effectiveness Efficiency

Tav(C) Ƞ
V(V) I(A) P(W) Tmf (C) Q(W) ԑ

75 V

150 V

Level Ambient Heat Volume Velocity Reynolds

difference in temperature transfer flow rate of air in number
manometer coefficient duct

H Tf h Vf Re m
(m) (0C) (W/m2K) (m3/s) (m/s)
Voltage
=75V

Equations:

(Use separate sheet for doing calculations)

1. Average fin temperature is calculated as follows:

T1 + T2 + T3 + T4 + T5 + T6 + T7
Tav = (oC)
7
Where T1, T2, T3…etc are the temperatures observed at different locations of the fin.
2. The mean film temperature is calculated as
Tav + T f o
Tmf = C
2
Where, Tf is the air temperature near the fin. Also all the properties of air should be
calculated at this mean film temperature only.
3. The volume flow rate of air through the duct is calculated by using the following
equation.

 d 2   
= C d   2 gH  w − 1 m3 / s
 4   a 
Where,
= volume flow rate of air, m3 / sec
Cd = coefficient of discharge of the orifice meter (0.64)
d = diameter of the orifice (7.5 × 10-2 m)
H = difference in the level of manometer column, m
w = density of water, kg / m3
a = density of air at Tmf, kg / m3
4. Velocity of air in the duct at Tf is,

Vf = ( /duct C.S area), m/s

5. Velocity of air at mean film temperature is,
(Tmf + 273)
Vmf = V f m/s
(T f + 273)

6. Reynolds Number of the flow is given by,

Vmf  D
Re =

Where, D = diameter of the fin, m
 = kinematic viscosity of air at Tmf, m2 / sec
7. The heat transfer coefficient ‘h’ is calculated from the following relation:
hD
Nu = = 0.615 (Re) 0.466
k air
Where, Nu = Nusselt Number
h = heat transfer Coefficient, W/m2.K
kair = thermal conductivity of air at Tmf, W/m.K
D = diameter of the fin, m
Re = Reynolds number

8. The parameter m is calculated by,

hP
m= , m-1
k Ac
 Where, P = circumference of the fin (D), m
h = heat transfer coefficient, calculated from the previous relation
k = thermal conductivity of the fin material (237 W/m-K)
D 2
A = cross sectional area of the fin ( ) , m2
4
The temperatures at different locations can be calculated theoretically as given below:
9. The equation for the distribution of the temperature along length of the fin is,
cosh m( L − x)
Tx = T f + (T 1−T f )
cosh(mL)
Where, Tx = temperature at any location at a distance x from the fixed end.
(T1,x = 0.0 m, T2,x = 0.025 m, T3,x = 0.05 m, T4,x = 0.075 m and
T5,x = 0.10 m, T6,x = 0.125 m, T7,x = 0.15 m)
Tf = ambient temperature
T1 (Tb) = temperature of the fin at the first thermocouple location (x = 0)
L = length of the fin (0.2 m)
m = a parameter for the fin, m-1
A tabular column showing the actual and theoretical values of temperatures at different
locations along the length of the fin is also prepared.
10. The rate of heat transfer from the fin is calculated:
Q= hPkAc × (T1 – Tf) × tanh (mL)

11. Fin effectiveness = Heat transfer with fin/ heat transfer without fin
ԑ = Q/ (hA (T1 – Tf) ) = (kP/hA)0.5
12. Fin efficiency = actual heat transfer/ heat transfer if the whole fin is at base temperature
tanh( mL)
Ƞ = Q/ (hAs (T1 – Tf)) =
mL
As is the surface area of fin
Result:
A graph of Temperature (Actual, Theoretical) Vs Length of fin is plotted.
Thus the temperature distribution along the length of the pin–fin in forced convection
is studied. Also the heat transferred from the pin – fin is calculated.

Inference: