Chapter 3

Heat Transfer from Extended Surfaces (Fins(

Prepared by

Dr. Eng. ELSaeed Saad ELSihy

Assistant Professor at Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Helwan
University, Egypt

Email : saeedsaad@m-eng.helwan.edu.eg

1
➢ Heat Transfer from Extended Surfaces (Fins(
An extended surface (also know as a combined conduction-convection
system or a fin) is a solid within which heat transfer by conduction is
assumed to be one dimensional, while heat is also transferred by
convection (and/or radiation) from the surface in a direction transverse to
that of conduction.
 qf
Tb
quf
qloss
W
t

L
➢ Extended surfaces may exist in many situations but are
commonly used as fins to enhance heat transfer by
increasing the surface area available for convection (and/or
radiation).
Bare surface q = hA(Ts − T ) For gases h
Finned surface
q
, total
= Nq f + quf
Atotal = NA f + Auf
P=perimeter =2w+2t for rectangular Fins
➢ Fins Applications:
▪ Cooling engine heads on motorcycles
▪ Cooling electric power transformers
▪ Baseboard heater in house
▪ Car radiator
▪ Air conditioner (condensers and evaporators)
▪ Heat Exchangers

Heat Exchangers Fin designs

 Circuit boards (PCBs) cooled
by natural convection.
The thin plate fins of a car radiator
greatly increase the rate of heat
transfer to the air

A gas-to-liquid compact heat exchanger for

an air conditioning system.
Types of tube fins heat exchanger
i) Air-Cooled Motorcycle Engine

Air-Cooled Motorcycle Engine »

ii) Air cooled frankline engine
iii) Air cooled aircraft engine
2- heat transfer from extended
surface in computer:
i) Pentium 3 processor and attached heat sink
ii) Pentium 4 with cooling shroud raised to
show heat sink
iii) Pentium 4 processor (under the aluminum
heat sink)
3- Heat transfer from extended
surface in natural:
Heat pipe
Examples of Externally Finned Tube.
An Array of Commercial Internally Finned Tubing
 ➢ Purpose of a Fin

• Fins are extended surfaces that are utilized in the

removal of heat from a body
• One can increase heat transfer by increasing the
heat transfer coefficient or increasing the surface
area
• Finned surfaces are manufactured by extruding,
welding, or wrapping a thin metal sheet on a surface
How fins work?

• Fins enhance heat transfer from a surface

by exposing a larger surface area to
convection and radiation
 ➢ Some typical fin configurations

Rectangular Triangular Annular fin pin fin

Straight fins of (a) uniform and (b) non-uniform cross sections; (c) annular fin,
and (d) pin fin of non-uniform cross section.

➢ Fins made from Copper or Aluminum

 ➢ The Fin Equation
The main objective (purpose) of a fin:
◆ Determine the temperature distribution along the fin for
steady state one-dimensional T=f(x)
◆ Determine the rate of heat transfer or the heat dissipated by
the fin.
◆ Determine the fin performance (fin efficiency  f , fin
effectiveness  f , overall efficiency o ).
1. Temperature distribution (General equation) For Fins of
Uniform Cross Section Area
◆ Assuming one-dimensional, steady-state conduction in an
extended surface of constant conductivity (k) and uniform
cross-sectional (Ac) area ,
◆ with negligible heat generation (qgen) and radiation (qrad),
◆ The fin is very thin
◆ Heat transfer coefficient h is uniform over the surface.
Rectangular Fin
Pin Fin
Apply energy conservation

E in + E gen − E out = E st
For steady state and no heat generation
E st and E gen = 0

 E in = E out
 q x = q x + dx + q conv

qx = qx + (q x ) dx + q conv qconv
x
 dT
0 = ( − k Ac ) dx + h As (T − T ) qx+dx
x dx
 2T
  k Ac dx = h P (T − T ) dx qx
x 2 D
 2T hP dx
or − (T − T ) = 0
2
x k Ac As =Pdx
 2T 2 ِAc =л D2 /4
− m (T − T ) = 0
2
x

put  = (T − T ), T = const .
 d dT
 = −0
dx dx
 2
 − m2  = 0
x 2
hp
where m=
k Ac
➢ General solution

 = (T − T ) = C1 e − m x + C 2 e m x
Where C1 & C2 are constant dependent on
➢ boundary conditions
1) Base (x = 0) condition   =  b = (Tb − T )
2) Tip ( x = L) conditions  four cases
Variation of Temperature along a Fin

375 370

360
350
340
T ( x) 330

320
310
300
290 290
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
0 x 15
Fin Heat Rate
dT d
q f = q b = − k Ac =
= − kAc
dx x 0 dx x = 0
or

qf =  h[T ( x ) − T ] dAs =  h ( x )dAs

Af A
f
 Case (A), Finite fin (Real Fin) or considers convection heat
transfer from the fin Tip
B.C: 1) at x = 0   =  b = (Tb − T )
2) at x = L  qconv = qcond.
dT
hA(TL − T ) = − k Ac
dx x = L
Temperature Distribution
 T − T cosh m ( L − x ) + ( h ) sinh m ( L − x )
= = mk
 b Tb − T cosh mL + ( h ) sinh mL
mk

Heat Transfer Rate q f

dT d
q f = q b = − k Ac = − kA
dx x = 0 dx x = 0
c
 or

qf =  h[T ( x ) − T ] dAs =  h ( x )dAs

Af A
f
sinh mL + (h / mk ) cos h mL
qf = M
cosh mL + (h / mk ) sinh mL

Where M = hPkAc  b
Case ( B ) The End of the Fin is Insulated (adiabatic) ) at x
= L  dT/dx = 0

B.C: 1) at x = 0
  =  b = (Tb − T )
2) at x = L  dT/dx = 0

Temperature Distribution

 cosh m( L − x )
=
b cosh mL
dT/dx = 0
Fin Heat Transfer Rate qf

q f = M tanh mL

2L
Case ( C ) The Temperature is prescribed or Fixed at the Fin
Tip (at x = L   =  L)

B.C: 1) at X = 0   =  b = (Tb − T )
at x = L   =  L = (T L − T )
Temperature Distribution



( L
 b ) sinh mx + sinh m ( L − x )
=
b sinh mL
Fin Heat Transfer Rate q f

q f = qconv = qb − q L

 dT   dT 
q f =  − kA − − kA
 dx x = 0   dx x = L 
 dT dT 
q f = kA  −
 dx x = L dx x = 0 
(cosh mL − 1)  L
qf = M ( + 1)
sinh mL b
Case (D) Infinitely Long Fin (very long fin)  mL  2.65
The general equation  = T − T = C 1 e − m x + C 2 e m x
a) B.C (a) at x = 0 =b
  =  b = C1 + C2
(b) at x = L =∞  T = T and  =  L  0

0 = C 1 e − + C 2 e 
0 = C1 ( 0 ) + C2 (  )
This equality can only hold if C2 is identically zero. Hence
C 2 = 0
C1 =  b
The temperature distribution →  =  b e − m x
 T − T
= = e−m x
or  b Tb − T
 Fin Heat Transfer Rate q f L→ 

q = - k A (dT/dx) x= 0 qf =  h P ( T − T ) dx
x =0

 =  b e − m x 

dT

q f = h p  b e − m x dx
= − b m e − m x 0
dx  
 1 

−m x
dT q f = h p b e dx = h p  b − e −m x 
= − b m  m 0
dx x =0 0

q = k Ac m  b =−
1
m
 1
m

h p  b e − − e 0 = − h p  b 0 − 1

hp k Ac
hp = b = h p b
q = k Ac b m hp
k Ac
q f = h p k Ac ( Tb − T ) = h p k Ac  b
q f = M = hpkAc  b
q f = M = hpkAc  b
The forgoing results are summarized in table 3.1 see date book
 Fin Performance Parameters

(fin efficiency, fin effectiveness, overall

efficiency).
 Fin Performance Parameters

Fin Efficiency:
qact qf qf
f = = =
qmax qmax hA f  b

Where qf from Table 3.1 and Af from Table 3.3 page 19 or

b b
q f =  f q max =  f h A f  b = =
1 Rth, f
 f Af h

Where Af see data book Table 3.3 page 22

 For case (D) in Table 3.1 (infinite fin)
qf hPk Ac  b h P k Ac 1
f = = =
qmax h PLc  b h 2 P 2 Lc
k Ac 1 1
f = =
h P Lc m Lc

where Lc = corrected fin length =L +Ac /P, and can be obtained from Table
3.3
Table 3.3 Efficiency of common fin shapes (finite length fin)
Straight Fins
or use Figure 3.1
rectangular
Af =P Lc
tanh mL c
P=2w+2t f =
m Lc
Lc = corrected length
Lc = L + t/2
Ap = L t
Straight Fins use
Triangular f 
Figure
Af =P Lc 3.1
P=2w
Ap = (t/2) L
Circular Fin use
(annular fin) f  Figure
A f = 2 ( r22c − r12 ) 3.2
r2 c = r2 + ( t / 2 )

Pin Fins
tanh mL c
A f =  D Lc f =
m Lc
Lc = L + ( D / 4 )
 For case (B) in Table 3.1 (adiabatic tip)
tanh mLc
f =  use for rectangular & pin fin
m Lc
where Lc = L + t/2 for rectangular fin
Lc = L +D/4 for pin fin

For case (A) in Table 3.1, real fins (convection

heat transfer from the tip)
1/ 2
 h 
 f =    3/ 2
Lc
 kA p 
 
For real fins, the fin efficiency may be obtained from the
following charts;

Fig.3.1 Efficiency of straight fins (rectangular and triangular)

Figure 3.2 Efficiency of annular fins of rectangular profiles
 Fin Effectiveness page 24;  f
qf qf
f = =  2
q from the base without fin q no , fin
qf
f = for one fin
Ac ,b h b
Where; Ac ,b is the fin cross-sectional area at the base
Ac ,b = w t For straight fins, (rectangular fin & triangular)
Ac ,b = 2 r1 t For annular fin

Ac ,b = D 2 / 4 for pin fin

q f = Fin heat transfer rate, from Table 3.1

 For number of fins (N) or array fins
qf

quf
H

Rectangular fin Annular fin

➢ The overall effectiveness for finned surface as:

qtotal
 f , overall = ( for all fins )
q from the base without fins
Nq f + quf
 f , overall = 2
h Ano , fin  b
 Where; N = Number of fins per one meter
H hight (one meter )
N= =
Sp fin pitch
Ano , fin = 2 r1 H  For annular fin
Ano, fin = w H  For rectangular fin & pin fin
Auf = Ab =Area of the unfinned part of the body

The effectiveness of infinite fin (very long fin ) Case D

h p k Ac  b
f =
Ac ,b h b
for Ac = A c,b =constant
KP
f =
h Ac

 f  with  h,  k , and  ( Ac / P )
➢ Fin Arrays
qf

ِِ
Auf H

•Representative arrays of
a) rectangular  Auf = W ( H − Nt )
b) annular fins  Auf = 2 r1 ( H − Nt )
c) Pin fin Auf = W x H − N (d 2 / 4)
 Total surface area
AT = NA f + Auf Auf = Ab

Total heat rate:

q total = Nq f + q uf q uf = q b
qtotal = N f hA f  b + hAuf  b
Where; N = Number of fins per one meter
H hight (one meter )
N= =
Sp fin pitch
C) The overall effectiveness for finned surface as:
qtotal
 f , overall = ( for all fins )
q from the base without fins
Nq f + quf
 f , overall = 2
h Ano , fin  b
Ano, fin = w H  For rectangular fin & pin fin
Ano , fin = 2 r1H  For annular fin
Overall Surface Efficiency  o
q total Nq f + q uf
o = =
q total , max h AT  b
 f h( A f N )  b + Auf h  b
o =
AT h  b
 o = 1 − N  (1 −  f )
b b
 q total =  o h AT  b = =
1 R t ,o
 o h AT
where;  o = 1 − N  (1 −  f )
Af
 = surface area ratio
AT

or the total heat transfer qtotal for no contact resistance

qtotal = N q f + quf
 where; b b
N q f = f h N Af b = =
1 Rt , f
 f h N Af
b b
q uf = h Auf  b = =
1 Rt ,uf
h Auf
Equivalent Thermal Circuit

Rth,o
b b
qtotal = =
qtotal = N f hA f  b + hAuf  b = o AT h b or
1 Rth,o
o AT h
Effect of Surface Contact Resistance

b b
qtotal =  o( c ) h AT  b = =
1 Rt ,o( c )
 o( c ) h AT
 f 
 o ( c ) = 1 − N   1 − 

 C 1 
 R 
where ; C1 = 1 +  f hA f  t ,c 
 Ac , b 
Rt,c = contact resis tan e ( Km 2 / W )
 Proper Length of a Fin

T = 0  q f = 0

At

Therefore, designing such

an “extra long” fin is out of
question since it results in

❖ material waste,
❖ excessive weight,
❖ increased size and
❖ increased cost with no
benefit
❖no heat transfer
❖ hurt performance .( i .e .   f and  o )
❖ Suppress fluid motion thus reduce
the (h)
To get a sense of the proper length of a fin, we compare
heat transfer from a fin of finite length to heat transfer from an infinitely
long fin under the same conditions. The ratio of these two heat transfers
is

q fin h p k Ac (Tb − T ) tanh mL

= = tanh mL
qlong fin h p k Ac (Tb − T )

mL q fin
= tanh mL
qlong fin
0.1 0.100
0.2 0.197
0.5 0.462
1.0 0.762
1.5 0.905
2.0 0.964
2.5 0.987
2% drop
3.0 0.995
4.0 0.999
5.0 1.000
For mL = 5 → q fin = q long fin
1
For L = m  the fins is infinitely
5

For reducing the fin length by half (from

mL=5 to mL =2.5 →qfin drop to 2% in q
and reduction in size and cost about 50 %
KNOWN: Net radiative flux to absorber plate.
FIND: (a) Maximum absorber plate temperature, at x= L/2
(b) Rate of energy collected per tube q.

SCHEMATIC:
800W/m2
ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Steady-state conditions, (2) One-dimensional (x)
conduction along absorber plate, (3) Uniform radiation absorption at plate
surface, (4) Negligible losses by conduction through insulation, (5) Negligible
losses by convection at absorber plate surface, (6) Temperature of absorber
plate at x = 0 is approximately that of the water.
PROPERTIES: Table A-1, Aluminum alloy (2024-T6): k ≈ 180 W/m⋅K.
ANALYSIS: The absorber plate acts as an extended surface (a conduction-
radiation system), the energy conservation per unit length
E in − E out = 0
qrad

qx+dx
qx t

dx
Integrating twice

The boundary conditions are:

X= 0 →
X= L / 2 →

The maximum absorber plate temperature, which is at x = L/2, is

The rate of energy collection per tube may be obtained by applying
Fourier’s law at x = 0.

where the factor of two arises due to heat transfer from both sides of the tube
dT qrad L
=
dx x =0
2k t
 Example 3.13 K=186
W/m k

Known:
Operation conditions of a finned
motocycle cylinder barrel
Find :
qtotal , fin and q no , fin and  overall
 qtotal = Nq f + qun , f
q Total = Nq f + qun , f = Nq max + qun , f = N f hA f  b + h Aun  b

The fin efficiency mat be obtained From Figure 3.2 in data book with

r2c = r1 + t / 2 = 0.048 m
r2c
Lc = L + t / 2 = 0.023 m , = 1.92, A p = Lc t = 1.38 x10 −4 m 2
r1

1/ 2
 h   50 
  Lc 3/ 2
= ( 0. 023 ) 2/3
= 0.15
 kA p  −4 
  186 x1.38 x10 

Hence from Figure 3.7 or Figure 3.2 in data book  f  0.95

 A f = 2  ( r22c − r12 ) = 2( 0.0482 − 0.0252 ) = 0.0105 m 2

Aun , f =2 r1 ( H − Nt ) = 2x0.025( 0.15 − 5 x0.006 ) = 0.0188 m 2

q uf = 50 x0.0188( 500 − 300 ) = 188W

q Total = 5 x0.95 x50 x0.0105( 500 − 300 ) + 188 = 690 W

Other solution Use Eqn 3.22

b b
qtotal =o h AT b = =
1 Rt ,o
o h AT
 Af
o =1 − N (1 −  f )
AT
AT =NA f + Aun , f = 5 x0.0105 + 0.0188 = 0.0713 m 2

0.0105
o =1 − 5 x ( 1 − 0.95 ) = 0.963
0.0173
qtotal = o h AT  b = 0.963 x50 x0.0173( 500 − 300 ) = 690 W

qno, f = hA(Tb − T ) = h(2 xr1H )(Tb − T )

qno, f = 50 x 2 x0.025(500 − 300) = 235.62W

qtotal 690
 overall = = = 4.07  2
q no , f 235 .62
 KNOWN: Dimensions and materials of a finned (annular) cylinder wall.
Heat flux and ambient air conditions. Contact resistance.
FIND: Surface and interface temperatures (a) without and (b) with an
interface contact resistance. C)  overall d) % increase in q
e) Sketch the temperature distribution

No 13page 120 Sp =t+δ

rb =

q = q Ai = q (2ri H )

Ab = Auf = 2r2 ( H − Nt )
or
1 Af
Requiv = AT = NA f + Auf o = 1 − N (1 − f )
 o AT ho AT
 overall For without contact resistance
qtotal
 f , overall = ( for all fins )
q from the base without fins
Nq f + quf
 f , overall = 2
h Ano , fin  b
( T )overall
qtotal = q Ai = q ( 2ri H ) = =
 Rth
( Ti − T )
or qtotal =
ln( r1 / ro ) ln( rb / r1 ) 1
+ +
2k1 H 2k 2 H  o AT ho

( Ti − T )
qno , fin =
ln( r1 / ro ) ln( rb / r1 ) 1
+ +
2k1 H 2k 2 H 2rb H ho
Increase in heat transfer due to addition the fins

= qtotal ,withfins − qon , fin

% increase in heat transfer

qtotal ,withfins − qno , fin

= x 100
qno . fin
 KNOWN: Dimensions and materials of a finned (annular) cylinder wall.
Combustion gas and ambient air conditions. Contact resistance.
FIND: (a) Heat rate per unit length and surface and interface
temperatures, (b) Effect of increasing the fin thickness.
SCHEMATIC:
SCHEMATIC:

ANALYSIS: (a) The heat rate per unit length is

1
Rt ,o = Requiv =
 o AT ho
(b) The Performance Calculation, Extended Surface Model for the Circular Fin
Array may be used to assess the effects of fin thickness and spacing.

Increasing the fin thickness to t = 3 mm, with δ = 2 mm, reduces

the number of fins per unit length to 200. Hence, although the fin
efficiency increases (  f = 0.930), the reduction in the total surface
area ( At = 5.72 m) yields an increase in the resistance of the fin array
( Rt,f o , = 0.00188 m⋅K/W), and hence a reduction in the heat rate ( q′
= 38,700 W/m) and an increase in the interface temperatures

(Ti = 415 K, T1,i = 404 K, T 1,o = 394 K, and T b = 393 K).