EXTENDED SURFACES (FINS)

Fins are the extensions attached to accelerate heat transfer rate. The heat is

transferred from the body to the fins by means of conduction, then this heat from

the fins is transferred away by convection and is governed by Newton’s law of

cooling.

Q = h A (Ts – T∞)

It is apparent from above equation that heat transfer rate can be enhanced by

increasing either

 Convective heat transfer coefficient, h.

 Or the area of heat transferring surface, A.

 Or the temperature difference, (Ts – T∞)

It is not possible always to increase the value of convective heat transfer

coefficient, h, by increasing velocity of flow of fluid surrounding the hot surface

or to increase temperature difference by lowering temperature of fluid which is

in contact with the hot surface. Therefore, heat transfer rate is generally

enhanced by increasing area of heat transferring surface. Fins increases the area

exposed to convective heat transfer leading to increased rate of heat transfer.

Properties of Fins

The materials of fins are usually selected based on the properties such as:

 High thermal conductivity

 Light weight

 Easy of castability

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  Corrosion resistance

Types of Fins

1) Straight fins: The straight fins are generally arranged perpendicular to the

surface of the body and in parallel directions.

2) Radial fin: Radial fins are fitted on the cylindrical surface as shown in the

figure.

3) Annular fin: The annular fins are of annular shape fixed on the periphery of

the cylindrical body.

4) Pin fin: The pin fins have a lower cross-section area but, in this case, the

surface area exposed to the convection is more.

Fig. Types of fins

Applications of Fins

 Heat exchangers
 Electric transformers
 Condensers and refrigerators
 Compressors
 Engine surfaces

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  Automobile radiators
 Electric motors
 Heat sink on electronic circuit boards

Electric motor Heat exchanger

Electronic circuit board Electric transformer

Fig. applications of fins

Analysis of Fins

In the design of fins, understanding of temperature profile along the fin is critical.

The following assumptions are necessary for the analysis of heat transfer

through the fin:

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  Steady state heat conduction

 No heat generation within the fin

 Uniform heat transfer coefficient over the entire surface of the fin

 Constant thermal conductivity

 Negligible contact thermal resistance

 One dimensional heat conduction

 Negligible radiation

Heat transfer through a fin of uniform cross-section

The increase in heat transfer obtained by attaching fins to a surface can be determined
by fin analysis.

Consider a small element of thickness ‘Δx’ at a distance ‘x’ from the base of fin

and its perimeter and cross-sectional area are expressed as

Perimeter, P = 2w + 2t = 2 (w + t)

Cross-sectional area, Ac = wt

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Surface Area, A = P Δx

Under steady state conditions, energy balance on this element can be expressed as

Qcond, x = Qcond, x+Δx + Qconv

where Qconv = h(pΔx) (T – T∞) substituting and dividing by Δx, we obtain,

Taking the limit as Δx→0 gives

𝑑𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑
= ℎ𝑝(𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )
𝑑𝑥

from Fourier’s law of heat conduction, we have

𝑑𝑇
Qcond = −𝐾𝐴
𝑑𝑥

Where A is the cross-section area at location x.

𝑑𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑇
From = ℎ𝑝(𝑇 − 𝑇∞ ) and Qcond = −𝐾𝐴 we have,
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑𝑇
𝑑𝑥
(𝐾𝐴 𝑑𝑥 ) − ℎ𝑝(𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )= 0

In the special case of constant cross-section area and constant thermal

conductivity, the equation reduces to:

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 𝑑2𝑇 ℎ𝑝
− ((𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )= 0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑘𝐴

𝑑2Ɵ ℎ𝑝
or −m2Ɵ = 0 where m2 =
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑘𝐴

and Ɵ = 𝑇 − 𝑇∞ is the temperature excess. At the fin base we have

Ɵb = 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞

𝑑2Ɵ
The general solution of the differential equation −m2Ɵ = 0 is
𝑑𝑥 2

Ɵ(x) = C1𝑒 𝑚𝑥 + C2𝑒 −𝑚𝑥 or C1Cosh mx + C2Sinh mx

where C1 and C2 are arbitrary constant, whose values are determined from the

boundary conditions.

Fin Temperature Distribution Equations

Case1: Convection from the tip

At the base of fin, its temperature is equal to the wall temperature. Therefore,
At x = 0; T = Tb
T - T∞ = Tb - T∞
or θ = θb
θb represents temperature difference between the fin base and the fluid
surrounding the fin.
Applying the boundary conditions x = 0, to the general solution
C1Cosh mx + C2Sinh mx we get,
C1 = θ b
At x = L
𝑑𝑇
−𝐾𝐴 = ℎ𝐴(𝑇(𝐿) − 𝑇∞ )
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑇
0r −𝐾 = ℎ(𝜃b)
𝑑𝑥

Solving for C2 we have, θ = θbCosh mx + C2Sinh mx

Differentiating with respect to x and rearranging yields,

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 ℎ
𝑇𝑥 − 𝑇∞ 𝐶𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑚(𝐿 − 𝑥) + ( ) sinh 𝑚(𝐿 − 𝑥)
= 𝑚𝑘
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ℎ
𝐶𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑚𝐿 + ( ) sinh 𝑚𝐿
𝑚𝑘
This is the temperature distribution equation for convection from the fin tip
The rate of heat transfer is given by:

ℎ
𝑑𝑇 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝑚𝐿+( ) Cosh 𝑚𝐿
𝑚𝑘
Qconv = −𝐾𝐴 = √ℎ𝑝𝐾𝐴(𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ) ℎ
𝑑𝑥 𝐶𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑚𝐿+( ) sinh 𝑚𝐿
𝑚𝑘

Case 2: Adiabatic tip

Temperature distribution

𝑇𝑥 − 𝑇∞ 𝐶𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑚(𝐿 − 𝑥)
=
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ 𝐶𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑚𝐿

Heat transfer rate

𝑑𝑇
Q = −𝐾𝐴 = √ℎ𝑝𝐾𝐴(𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ )tanhmL
𝑑𝑥

Case 3: Defined temperature

𝑇(𝐿) − 𝑇∞
[ sinh 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝑚(𝐿 − 𝑥)
𝑇𝑥 − 𝑇∞ 𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ]
=
𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ sinh 𝑚𝐿
𝑇(𝐿) −𝑇∞
[ ]
𝑑𝑇 𝑇𝑏 −𝑇∞
Q = −𝐾𝐴 =√ℎ𝑝𝐾𝐴(𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ) cosh 𝑚𝐿 −
𝑑𝑥 sinh 𝑚𝐿

Case 4: Infinite fin

𝑇𝑥 −𝑇∞
= e-mx where m = √ℎ𝑝/𝐾𝐴
𝑇𝑏 −𝑇∞

The performance of the fins is measured by using the following parameters.

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Fin Efficiency: - Fin efficiency gives the relationship between the actual rate of

heat transfer and maximum possible heat transfer through fin

𝑸𝒇𝒊𝒏 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧

η= =
𝑸𝒇𝒊𝒏,𝒎𝒂𝒙 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

Fin Effectiveness: The fin effectiveness shows the relation between the rate of

heat transfer by using fins and by without the use of fins.

Mathematically, fin effectiveness is given by,

𝑸𝒇𝒊𝒏 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐀𝐛

£fin= 𝑸 =
𝒏𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐀𝐛