ME341: Lab Report

Experiment Number: 1
Experiment Name: Unsteady State Heat Conduction
Date of the experiment : Tuesday , 17th January 2023
Group : A
Subgroup: 2
Name of the students :
1. Anaavi Alok (200116)
2. Ahmad Amaan (200062)
3. Ajaz Hussain (200066)
4. Ajeet Kumar (200067)
5. Advait Vashi (200058)
6. Aditya Anand (200043)
7. Adarsh Shukla (200034)
8. Adinath Kadam Patil (200037)

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 Date of Submission: Tuesday , 24th January , 2023
Instructor-in-Charge: Dr. Umesh Madanan
Laboratory In-Charge: Mr. Farhan Babu

Contents:
SI. No. Topic Page no.

1. Objective 3

2. Theory 3

3. Figures 3

4. Procedure 4

5. Observation Table 5

6. Calculation & Result 5-7

7. Conclusion 8

8. Application 8

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Objective
To determine the thermal conductivity of a solid body using analytical
transient-temperature/heat flow charts from measurements taken on a similar body but
having a different thermal conductivity.

Theory:
For basic solid forms abruptly subjected to convection with a fluid at a constant
temperature, analytical solutions for temperature distribution and heat flow as a function of
time and position are available. Heisler Charts, which are graphical representations of these
answers, were developed by M. P. Heisler. Figures 1, 2, and 3 depict typical charts for a
large-plate, long cylinder, and sphere, respectively.
To use the Heisler charts, it is necessary to evaluate appropriate dimensionless parameters
as follows:
𝑇(𝑟,𝑡)−𝑇∞
𝐷𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, θ = 𝑇𝑖−𝑇∞

ℎ𝑏
Biot number, 𝐵𝑖 = 𝑘

α𝑡
Dimensionless time (or, Fourier number), τ = 2 where,
𝑏

α = thermal diffusivity of the cylinder (m2s-1)

h = heat transfer coefficient (Wm-2°C-1)
k = Thermal conductivity of the cylinder (Wm-1°C-1)
t = Time since step change (s)
T (r, t) =Temperature at the centre of the cylinder (T3 at time t) (°C)
Ti = Initial temperature of cylinder (T3 at t = 0) (°C )
T∞ = Temperature of water bath (T1) (°C)
b = Radius of cylinder (m)
r = Radial position within cylinder (at axis r = 0) (m)
Since the vertically upwards flow of water through the duct is constant for all these
measurements, heat transfer coefficient, h, will remain constant for each shape.
Figures:

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Procedure:
1. The front Main switch is switched ‘ON’ (If the panel meters don’t illuminate, check the
Residual-current device (RCD) and any other circuit breakers at the rear of the service unit. All the
switches at the rear should be ‘ON’)

2. It should be checked that the water bath is filled with water. After this, the switch is switched ‘ON’
to the electrical supply to the water heater (switch on the RCD which is located on the connection
box adjacent to the water heater)

3. Ensure that the green light is illuminated on the water heater, indicating that electrical power is
being supplied to the unit

4. Adjust the thermostat setting on the water heater to “4” and check that the red light is
illuminated, indicating that power is being supplied to the heating element

5. Set the voltage to the circulating pump to “12 volts” using the voltage control box on the mimic
diagram software display

6. Allow temperature of the water to stabilise (monitor the changing temperature, T1 )

7. The water temperature must be in the range 60 – 70 °C for satisfactory operation. If outside this
range, adjust the thermostat and monitor, T1 , until the temperature is satisfactory

8. Attach the brass cylinder to the shape holder (insert the insulated rod into holder and secure
using transverse pin), but do not hold the metal shape or subject it to a change in temperature.
Check that the thermocouple attached to the shape is connected to T3 on the 𝐻𝑇10𝑋𝐶 and that the
thermocouple wire is positioned in the slot at the top of the shape holder

9. Check that the temperature of the shape has stabilised (same as air temperature, T2 )

10. Switch off electrical supply to the water bath (i.e., switch off the RCD on the connection box) to
minimise fluctuations in temperature in case the thermostat switches on/off

11. Start continuous data logging by selecting the icon on the software toolbar

12. Allow temperature of the shape to stabilise at hot water temperature (monitor the changing
temperature, T3 , on the mimic diagram software screen)

13. When temperature, T3 , has stabilised , click the icon to end data logging 14. Select the
icon to create a new results sheet.

15. Switch on electrical supply to the water bath to allow the thermostat to maintain the water
temperature

16. Remove the brass cylinder from the shape holder and fit the stainless-steel cylinder

17. Repeat the above procedure to obtain the transient response for the stainless-steel cylinder.
Remember to create a new results sheet afterwards for the next set of results

18. Remove the stainless-steel cylinder from the shape holder

19. Response of the other shapes can also be determined using the same procedure as above

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Observation Table:
S. No. Shape Ti(°C) T∞(°C) T3(°C) Time, t(s)

1 Brass cylinder 18.7 62.8 59.8 51

2 Steel cylinder 18.7 62.2 59.4 78

3 Brass sphere 18.5 64 61.2 83

4 Steel sphere 18.9 63.1 60 126

5 Brass plate 17.6 58.8 56.1 77

6 Steel plate 15.7 56.8 53.8 90

Calculations and Results:

For brass sphere:
For sphere b=D/6= 7.5 mm
61.2−64
θ= 18.5−64
= 0. 0615
−5
3.7×10 ×83
τ= 2 = 54. 5956
(7.5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 60

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

121 −2 −1
ℎ= 60×0.0075
= 268. 89 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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For stainless steel sphere:
For sphere b=D/6= 7.5 mm
60−63.1
θ= 18.9−63.1
= 0. 0701
−5
0.6×10 ×126
τ= 2 = 13. 44
(7.5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 16

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

−1 −1
𝑘 = 268. 89×0. 0075×16 = 32. 27 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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For brass cylinder:
for cylinder b=D/4= 5mm
59.8−62.8
θ= 18.7−62.8
= 0. 0680
−5
3.7×10 ×51
τ= 2 = 75. 48
(5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 55

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

121 −2 −1
ℎ= 55×0.005
= 440. 00 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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For stainless steel cylinder:
for cylinder b=D/4= 5 mm
59.4−62.2
θ= 18.7−62.2
= 0. 0644
−5
0.6×10 ×78
τ= 2 = 18. 72
(5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 13

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

−1 −1
𝑘 = 440. 00×0. 005×1. 7 = 28. 60 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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For brass plate:
For plate b=t/2= 7.5 mm
56.1−58.8
θ= 17.6−58.8
= 0. 0655
−5
3.7×10 ×77
τ= 2 = 50. 65
(7.5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 18

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

121 −2 −1
ℎ= 18×0.0075
= 896. 30 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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For stainless steel plate:
For plate b=t/2= 7.5 mm
53.8−56.8
θ= 15.7−56.8
= 0. 0729
−5
0.6×10 ×90
τ= 2 = 9. 6
(7.5×10−3)
From the Heisler chart for sphere, we calculate the value of
1
𝐵𝑖
= 3

1 𝑘
Therefore, using 𝐵𝑖
= ℎ𝑏

−1 −1
𝑘 = 896. 30×0. 0075×3 = 20. 17 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

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Conclusion:
The thermal conductivities of the three stainless steel bodies are:
−1 −1
Cylinder: 28. 60 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶
−1 −1
Sphere: 32. 27 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶
−1 −1
Plate: 20. 17 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶

Thus, we see that the value found in case of plate is closest to theoretical thermal
−1 −1
conductivity of stainless steel which is 25 𝑊𝑚 °𝐶 .

Applications:
The heat transfer coefficient of a body depends only on the fluid, flow, and the geometry of
the body. Since it is independent of the material property it becomes easy to predict the
thermal conductivities of the material when the heat transfer coefficient of a body of similar
geometry is subjected to the same flow and fluid.

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