EMM3812

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
LABORATORY (IV)
Semester 1, 2019/2020

Title : Thermal Convection

Group : 1B

No. Matric No. Name

1 191580 TAHRIM HOSSAIN RAFIN
2 192170 AKMAL HAFIZ BIN MOHD ZUKI
3 193847 MUHAMMAD AIMAN BIN JOLIHI
4 WAN AHMAD FAREEZ BIN ABDUL
195392
RAHIM
INTRODUCTION
Thermal convection is one of the major modes of heat transfer and mass transfer. Generally, there are
many fundamental modes of heat transfer except convection which is diffusion, radiation and
conduction. In thermal convection, heat is transfer by mass of motion of a heated fluid. The heated fluid
will move away from the source of heat and carrying energy with it. The energy which called thermal
energy will be transferred from hot places to cold places by undergoing convection. Convection process
is generally occurred when warmer areas of a fluid rise to cooler fluid area. Since hot fluid has high
density compare to cooler fluid, the cooler liquid will take place of the warmer area which have risen
higher. In this experiment, there are two objectives that need to be achieve at the end of the experiments.
The first objective is to compare the heat transfer characteristics of free and forced convection and the
last objective is to determine the heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number in free and forced
convection.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives are

a) to compare the heat transfer characteristics of free and forced convection.
b) to determine the heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number in free and forced
convection

THEORY
3.1 Free and Forced Convection
Convection is the heat transfer process in the presence of bulk fluid movement through a fluid
Convection is categorized as normal (or free) and convection induced depending on how the fluid
motion is triggered [1]. Free or normal convection occurs as liquid motion is caused by forces of
buoyancy resulting from differences in density due to fluid temperature variations. Without the presence
of an external source, when the fluid is in contact with a hot surface, its molecules are separated and
dispersed, resulting in less dense fluid. As a result, while the cooler fluid becomes denser and the fluid
sinks, the fluid is displaced. The warmer volume then transfers heat to that fluid's cooler volume. For
examples, the upward movement of air flow due to a fire or hot object and water circulation in a pot
heated from below. Forced convection tends to occur when a fluid is forced by an external source such
as fans to flow over the surface by stirring and pumping, creating a convection current that is artificially
induced.
3.2 Heat Transfer Coefficient
The coefficient of heat transfer is a quantitative feature of convective heat transfer between a fluid
medium (a fluid) and the fluid-flowing surface (wall). This feature appears as a proportionality factor
in the relationship between Newton and Richmann [2]. The common values of heat transfer to air are 5
- 25 W/(m2⋅K) and 10 - 200 W/(m2⋅K) in free convection and forced convection, respectively. The
coefficient of heat transfer can be expressed as follows:

(1)

where Q! is the heat flow from the surface to the air, As is cross-sectional area of the surface, and Tm
is logarithmic mean temperature that can be expressed as below:

(2)

where Ts is the surface temperature, Tin is inlet (ambient) temperature, and Tout is outlet downstream
temperature.

3.3 Nusselt Number

The Nusselt number, named after a German mathematician, Wilhelm Nusselt, is a dimensionless
number. The Nusselt number is intimately related to the Péclet number and both numbers are used to
define the proportion of the convected thermal energy to the fluid to the fluid's thermal energy [3].
Nusselt number is proportional to the size less temperature gradient on the surface and provides a
representation of the heat transfer of convection happening on the surface. Besides that, It gives an
indication of convective flow - a flow number (near to 1) shows that flow is laminar, while a high
number (greater than 100) shows that flow is turbulent. The Nusselt number can be expressed as below:

(3)

where L is the length of the surface over which the air moves, and air is thermal conductivity of air.
EQUIPMENT AND SPECIMEN

Figure 1: TD1005 free and forced convection apparatus.

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP AND PROCEDURE
5.1 Experiment 1: Free Convection
1) The fan was removed from the top of the duct as stated in "To Fit or Remove the Fan"
(Appendix 1).
2) The chosen heat transfer surface as stated in "To Fit a Heat Transfer Surface" (Appendix
2) was fit.
3) The power was increased to 15 Watts.
4) The temperatures are waited to stabilize while readjusting the power if necessary and
record the maximum temperature each surface reaches.
5) The inlet (ambient) temperature was recorded.
6) The experiment was repeated for the other heat transfer surfaces.
5.2 Experiment 2: Forced Convection

1) The fan was fitted to the top of the duct as stated in "To Fit or Remove the Fan"
(Appendix 1).
2) The chosen heat transfer surface was as stated in "To Fit a Heat Transfer Surface"
(Appendix 2).
3) The fan speed was at zero.
4) The heater was switched on and set it to 15 Watts power.
5) The temperature is waited to stabilize and then readings of the surface and inlet
temperatures were taken.
6) The fan speed was increased to give an air velocity of approximately 2 m/s.
7) The heater was switched off and allow the surface to cool down to near ambient
temperature (if necessary, use the fan to help cool down the surface).
8) The experiment was repeated for the other heat transfer surfaces.
5.3 Experiment 3: Heat Transfer Coefficient and Nusselt Number

1) The duct was made sure it is perfectly vertical, as this will affect the results.
2) The fan was removed from the top of the duct as stated in "To Fit or Remove the Fan"
(Appendix 1).
3) The chosen heat transfer surface was as stated in "To Fit a Heat Transfer Surface"
(Appendix 2).
4) The heater power was set to 20 Watts.
5) The duct traverse probe was moved so it reads 0 (zero) (refer Appendix 3: To Use the
Probe Traverse).
6) The temperature is waited to stabilize and then readings of the surface and inlet
temperatures were taken.
7) Choosing to either move in equal steps (if have time) or larger steps (refer Appendix 4:
Measuring Bulk Air Temperature Downstream), take readings of the temperatures
across the duct using the traverse. Stop when you reach 74 mm (the tip is almost fully
retracted into the near side wall of the duct at this point).
8) For forced convection, the experiment was repeated with the fan fitted and airflow of 3
m/s.
9) The experiment was repeated for the other heat transfer surfaces.
RESULT

Power = 15W
T2 T1
Heat Difference,
Duct inlet
Transfer Surface, Ts-Tin
(ambient),
Surface Ts (°C) (°C)
Tin (°C)
Flat
74.3 28.4 45.9
Plate
Pinned 51.2 27.6 23.6
Finned 55.4 27.9 24.7
Table 1: Results for Free Convection.

Power = 15W
Air Velocity = 2ms-1
T2 T1
Heat Difference,
Duct inlet
Transfer Surface, Ts-Tin
(ambient),
Surface Ts (°C) (°C)
Tin (°C)
Flat
74.3 28.4 45.9
Plate
Pinned 51.2 27.6 23.6
Finned 55.4 27.9 24.7
Table 2: Results for Forced Convection.

Forced
T2, Heat
Duct T1, Ambient T3, Duct
Transfer
Transverse Temperature Transverse Ts-Tin Tp-Tin
Surface
Probe (Probe), Tin Probe, Tp (°C) (°C)
Temperature,
Position (°C) (°C)
Ts (°C)
10 27.7 71.8 29.8 44.1 2.1
20 28.1 72.5 29.4 44.4 1.3
30 27.8 72.8 28.8 45 1
40 28.4 73 29.8 44.6 1.4
50 28.1 73.1 29.8 45 1.7
60 27.9 73.1 29.9 45.2 2
70 28 73.1 30.2 45.1 2.2
80 28.4 73.2 30.3 44.8 1.9
Table 3: Results for Heat Transfer Coefficient when Airflow is 3m/s.
 Free
T2, Heat
Duct T1, Ambient T3, Duct
Transfer Tp-
Transverse Temperature Transverse Ts-Tin
Surface Tin
Probe (Probe), Tin Probe, Tp (°C)
Temperature, (°C)
Position (°C) (°C)
Ts (°C)
10 27.2 70.7 29.3 43.5 2.1
20 27.4 75.6 29.4 48.2 2
30 27.4 77.3 29.2 49.9 1.8
40 27.7 79.4 29.1 51.7 1.4
50 27.8 81.2 29.2 53.4 1.4
60 27.8 82.3 29.4 54.5 1.6
70 27.9 84 29.3 56.1 1.4
80 28 85.2 29.2 57.2 1.2
Table 4: Results for Heat Transfer Coefficient.

DISCUSSION
1. Free convection
The temperature differences for three types of surface is different. According to order, flat plate has the
highest different temperature value, then followed by finned, and lastly pinned surface. This happen
due to the transfer of hot air through the surface is different for each type. The hotter the air, the less
dense the air will be. Hence, hot air will be transmitted faster to the surface. However, surface area
playing a big role here since both three surfaces have different surface area. Flat plate has the higher
value of temperature different because of the flat surface got the lowest surface area value compare to
pinned and finned. Pinned and finned got shape that prevent the hot air to be transmitted to the surface
faster.

2. Forced convection
When fluid is being forced by the internal source, the heat dissipated will be different and low compare
to free convection. This happen because amount of heat being transferred from one medium to another
medium will not be fully transfer due to present of external force. However, flat plate hold the higher
temperature difference, finned the second and lastly the pinned surface. Although there are external
forced being applied, the thermal convection still happen as some of the hot water will be transmitted
to the surface. Lastly, due to the surface area, the smaller the surface area, the faster the heat will be
transmitted. Hence, flat plate still be at the top, followed by finned, and lastly pinned surface.
 3. Heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number
A. Free convection
For free convection, the reading of temperature value is decreasing as the duct traverse
probe position getting smaller. This is because, as higher the value of probe position, the
pressure happens in the probe decrease. As the pressure decreased, the heat transfer will
happen slowly. Small surface area will lead to the faster heat convection compare to the
bigger surface area. And finally, the heat convection will depend on the pressure inside the
probe, as the pressure increased, the more heat being transferred to the surface.

B. Force convection
For force convection, the reading of temperature difference is higher as duct getting bigger.
This happen because, as the duct open more bigly, the lesser the amount of heat that being
cool down. When the amount of heat being cool down is less, the more heat will be
transferred to the surface. Hence, the bigger surface area needed if there are external force
applied to the liquid.

CONCLUSION
Heat convection will happen optimally only when they are being flow through the small surface because
small surface let the heat convection occur more faster compare to bigger surface area.

REFERENCES
1. https://aybu.edu.tr/muhendislik/makina/contents/files/MCE%20403-
natural%20and%20forced%20convection%20deney%20f%C3%B6y%C3%BC.pdf
2. http://www.thermopedia.com/content/841/
3. https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/heat-transfer/introduction-to-heat-
transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-nusselt-number/
4. Heat Transfer. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/heatra.html.
5. NUSSELT NUMBER. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.thermopedia.com/content/993/.