1.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this experiment are to demonstrate the use of extended surface to
improve heat transfer from the surface. Besides, this experiment is to determine the
temperature distribution along an extended surface.

2.0

SUMMARY

This experiment are to demonstrate the use of extended surface to improve heat
transfer from the surface. Besides, this experiment is also to determine the temperature
distribution along an extended surface. In this experiment, there are three types of materials
have been used that are flat plate, pinned plate and finned plate. The experiment begins with
placing the flat plate into the duct. Then, the reading of ambient temperature (t A) was
recorded. The heater power control was then set up to 75 W and let the temperature rise to
80oC and after that the heater power control was adjusted to 20 W. The reading of heated
plate temperature was recorded in the table given and then the fan control was set to 1.0 m/s
by using thermal anemometer. The experiment was then been repeated for 1.5 m/s and then
flat plate was replaced with finned plate and pinned plate. From this experiment, based on the
graph plotted, a linear line is obtained so from that it can be said that when the air velocity is
increasing the surface temperature will decrease. Besides, heat transfer can also be improved
by increasing the surface area in contact with the air. In this experiment, flat and finned plate
are used. The effect of the extended surface can be demonstrated by comparing finned plate
with a flat plate. Extended surface are used to improve heat transfer from the surface. The
surface temperature will decrease when the forced convection is increase for the same power
input. Thus the surface temperature for force convection is always lower than free convection
for the same power input. The heat transfer increase due to the greater total surface area and
thus the temperature is decrease. The lower temperature will give the most efficient heat
transfer. Finned plate has greater total surface area than flat plate. Therefore, finned plate
have more efficient heat transfer than flat plate because finned plate has the lower
temperature reading compared to flat plate. So, the objectives of the experiment were
successfully achieved which are to demonstrate the use of extended surface to improve heat
transfer from the surface and to determine the temperature distribution along an extended
surface.

3.0

INTRODUCTION AND THEORY

Convection is the movement of molecules within fluids either liquids or gases. It

cannot take place in solids, since either bulk current flows or significant diffusion can take
place in solids. Convection is one of the major modes of heat transfer. Forced convection is a
mechanism of heat transfer in which fluid motion is generated by an external sources such as
pump, fan, suction device and others. Forced convection is a very useful heat transfer as
significant amounts of heat energy can be transported very efficiently. When natural
convection is not negligible, such flows are typically referred to as free convection.
Heat transfer by simultaneous conduction and convection, whether free or forced,
forms the basis of most industrial heat exchangers and related equipment. The measurement
and prediction of heat transfer coefficients for such circumstance by studying the temperature
profiles and heat flux in air duct with associated flat and extended transfer surfaces. The
vertical duct is so constructed that the air temperature and velocity can be readily measured,
and a variety of plug in modules of heated solid surfaces of known dimensions can be
presented to the air stream for detailed study. A fan situated at the top of the duct provides the
air stream for forced convection experiments.
A Control Panel contains temperature measurement, power control, and fan speed
control circuits with appropriate instrumentation. Temperature measurement, to a resolution
of 0.1 is effected using PTD sensors with direct digital read-out in C, air velocity is
measured with portable anemometer mounted on the duct. The power control circuit provides
a continuously variable, electrical output of 0-100 Watts with a direct read out in watts. Using
the instrumentation provided, free and forced convection heat transfer coefficients may be
determined for a flat surface and an array of fins (finned heat sink). Therefore, this
experiment is to demonstrate the use of a finned plate which is extended surface to improve
the heat transfer in forced convection.

THEORY

Heat transfer from an object can be improve by increasing the surface area in contact with
the air by adding the finned plate to the surface. It is important to that internal flow may be a
hydrodynamically or thermally developing flow, or a fully developed flow. For instance,
when fluid enters the tube at a uniform temperature (less than tube surface temperature),
convection heat transfer occurs:

Forced Convection
In free convection the heat transfer rate from the surface is limited by the small

movements of air generated by this heat. More heat is transferred if the air velocity is
increased over the heated surface. This process of assisting the movement of air over the
heated surface is called forced convection. Therefore, a heated surface experience forced
convection will have a lower surface temperature than that of the same in free convection, for
the same power input.

Surface Area
Heat transfer from an object can also be improved by increasing the surface area in

contact with the air. In practice, it may be difficult to increase the size of body to suit. In these
circumstances, the surface area in contact with the air may be increased by adding fins or pins
normal to the surface. These features are called extended surfaces. A typical example is the
use of fins on the cylindrical and head of an air cooled petrol engine. The effect of the
extended surface can be demonstrated by comparing finned and pinned surfaces with a flat
plat under the same conditions of power input and air flow.

4.0

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Ambient air temperature, tA

27.7 oC

Power Input

20 Watts

Air Velocity

Heater temperature, tH

(m/s)

(oC)

tH tA (oC)

Flat

Pinned

Finned

Flat

Pinned

Finned

0.0

81.5

73.1

71.6

53.8

45.4

43.9

1.0

81.4

53.7

53.2

53.7

26.0

25.5

1.5

78.6

42.2

40.4

50.9

14.5

12.7

Table 4.0: The data obtained from this experiment

tH tA (oC) vs Air Velocity

(m/s )
60
50
40
tH tA (oC)

Flat

30

Pinned
Finned

20
10
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

1.6

Air Velocity
(m/s)

Figure 4.0: The graph of TH TA (C) against air velocity (m/s)

The experiment is conduct to demonstrate the use of extended surface to improve heat
transfer from the surface and to determine the temperature distribution along an extended
surface. Heat convection refers to heat transfer that will occur between a surface and a
moving or stationary fluid when they are at different temperature. In this experiment it only
consist of one part of experiment which is to demonstrate the use of extended surface to
improve heat transfer from the surface. In this experiment, there are three types of materials
have been used that are flat plate, pinned plate and finned plate. Based on the theory, heat
transfer from a hot surface to the surrounding fluid by convection and conduction. Forced
convection is when the fluid is forced to flow over the surface which involves external energy
(M. Bahrami., 2014). For example pump, mixer and fan. Free convection is when any fluid
motion caused by natural means such as buoyancy effects which the density is difference
within the fluid. It is often not noticeable because of the low velocities involved.
From the result that has been recorded as shown in Table 4.0, a graph of T H-TA (OC) vs
air velocity (m/s) was plotted. Based on the graph for flat plate, a linear line is obtained, so
from that it can be said that when the air velocity is increasing the surface temperature will
decrease. For the experiment, ambient temperature of 27.7 oC was used and the power input
about 20 Watts. At air velocity of 0.0 m/s the surface temperature is 53.8 oC. For 1.0 m/s the
surface temperature is 53.7oC and for 1.5 m/s the surface temperature is 50.9 oC. For pinned
and finned plate, the ambient temperature and power input used are also the same which is
27.7oC and 20 Watts. In this experiment, for pinned plate when air velocity is 0.0 m/s the
surface temperature is 45.4oC. At velocity of 1.0 m/s the surface temperature is 26.0 oC. At
velocity of 1.5 m/s the surface temperature is 14.5 oC. . For the finned plate experiment, the
air velocity at 0.0 m/s, the surface temperature is 43.9 oC. When the air velocity 1.0 m/s, the
surface temperature is 25.5oC and at 1.5 m/s, the surface temperature is 12.7 oC. For finned
plate, air flow through finned and can absorb more heat because it has many surfaces. Air
flow equal to each surface.
For this experiment it is better to use the finned plate. For flat plate, the air flow
through it without any resistance, so the surface are is equal. If we want to increase the
surface area, we can add fins. So the surface area is increase by adding the fins. Air flow
through the finned and can absorb more heat because it have many surfaces. Air flow equal to
the each surface. For flat plate and pinned plate, it is better if we use the pinned plate. Air
flow to through each pinned and the surface area is increasing. For finned plate and pinned
plate, it is better if we use the pinned plate. For finned plate, air flow equal to the each surface

without any resistance. So the surface area for finned is increase and the temperature also
increase.
Besides, heat transfer can also be improved by increasing the surface area in contact
with the air. In this experiment, flat and finned plate are used. The effect of the extended
surface can be demonstrated by comparing finned plate with a flat plate. Extended surface are
used to improve heat transfer from the surface. The surface temperature will decrease when
the forced convection is increase for the same power input. Thus the surface temperature for
force convection is always lower than free convection for the same power input. The heat
transfer increase due to the greater total surface area and thus the temperature is decrease.
The lower temperature will give the most efficient heat transfer. Finned plate has greater total
surface area than flat plate. Therefore finned plate have more efficient heat transfer than flat
plate because finned plate has the lower temperature reading compared to flat plate.

5.0

CONCLUSION

From the experiment that has been conducted, it can be concluded that the objectives
of the experiment were successfully achieved which are to demonstrate the use of extended
surface to improve heat transfer from the surface and to determine the temperature
distribution along an extended surface. From the experiment, the surface temperature will
decrease when the forced convection is increase for the same power input. Thus the surface
temperature for force convection is always lower than free convection for the same power
input. Extended surface used to improve heat transfer from the surface because of its different
area and shape. Extended surface make the total surface of the plate become greater, when
finned plate is used it has greater total surface area than flat plate. The finned plate have more
efficient heat transfer than flat plate. The heat transfer is increasing due to the increasing of
total surface area. Thus the temperature is decrease. Therefore the temperature of finned
surface is lower than flat surface. The lower temperature will give most efficient heat transfer.
The finned give lower temperature distribution along an extended surface. As conclusion, the
heat transfer is affected by the use of the extended surface.

6.0

RECOMMENDATION

Errors and some inconsistencies may occurred in this experiment due to personal error
and miscalculations. From this experiment that has been conducted, there are a few of
recommendations were suggested to improve the result of the experiment. Firstly, the air
velocity for each experiment must added more than usual to get more accurate result. For
example, the air velocity from 0 m/s to 3 m/s. Besides, some of the deviation in results
obtained was due to diversifying of the ambient temperature. The reason of this situation was
because the difficulty of controlling the ambient temperature to be kept constant throughout
time and might also be influenced by the air conditioned in the lab. In order to get accurate
result all the recommendation mentioned must be follow and the precaution must be avoided.

7.0

REFERENCES

Anonymous. (2013). Force Convection. [Online]. [Accessed 07- 04- 2016]. Available from
world wide web: https://www.scribd.com/doc/287050058/Force-convection

Anonymous. (2014). Force Convection Heat Transfer. [Online]. [Accessed 07- 04- 2016].
Available from world wide web: https://www.scribd.com/doc/114725247/ME3122-2-LabForced-Convection-Heat-Transfer

M. Bahrami. (2014). Forced Convection Heat Transfer. [Online]. [Accessed 07- 04- 2016].
Available from world wide web: http://www.sfu.ca/~mbahrami/ENSC%20388/Notes/Forced
%20Convection.pdf

S. E. Mahgoub. (2013). Forced Convection Heat Transfer over A Flat Plate in A Porous
Medium.

Available

from

world

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090447913000099

wide

web:

8.0

APPENDIX