ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICA DEL LITORAL

FACULTAD DE INGENIERÍA MECÁNICA Y CIENCIAS DE LA PRODUCCIÓN

Laboratory Experiment: Thermal Convection

Purpose:

To identify the properties of convective heat-transfer and to measure the convective heat-transfer
coefficient from a flat metal surface into air.

Theory:

A primary concern in engineering is the analysis of heat-transfer problems with regard to the rate at
which heat is to be transferred under given conditions. Whenever two systems at different
temperatures make contact, or when there is a temperature gradient within a system, energy is being
transferred. Heat transfer is the process by which energy is transported from one point to another in
the form of conduction, convection, or radiation, or any combination of these three methods.

Radiation is energy transfer from a material into surrounding space by electromagnetic waves (infrared
rays) and requires no material agent (medium) to accomplish the transfer. Radiant heat is readily
transmitted through a vacuum.

Heat transfer by conduction is a significantly different process than radiation. In conduction, energy is
diffused through a material by the thermal motion of microscopic particles that make up the material.
Of course, a temperature gradient must exist in order of this transfer to take place.

When conduction occurs in a fluid in motion, the relative motion affects the thermal energy diffusion
to such an extent that a special name, convection, is used to identify this process. Convection is an
energy transport process involving the combined action of heat conduction, energy storage, and
mixing motion. Heat transfers by conduction from solid surface to adjacent fluid particles, increasing
their temperature and internal energy. These fluid particles will then move to a region of lower
temperature in the fluid and transfer a portion of their energy to other fluid particles.

Two distinct methods for motivating convective heat flow are called free convection and forced
convection. Forced convection implies that some outside agent, such as a blower or pump, is the
primary mixing motion source, while free convection implies a natural mixing motion.

The rate of heat transfer by convection between a surface and a fluid can be calculated by:

𝑄
𝑅= = ℎ𝑐 𝐴∆𝑇 (1)
𝑡

Transferencia de Calor – 1T2018 Página 1 de 5

Where Q/t is the rate of heat-transfer by convection in Btu/hr; A is the transfer area in square feet; ∆T
is the difference between the surface temperature and the ambient (surrounding) fluid temperature;
while ℎ𝑐 is the average convective heat-transfer coefficient in Btu/hr-ft2°F. The statement og Equation
1 was originally proposed by Isaac Newton in 1701.

Rearranging Equation 1 to solve for ℎ𝑐 :

𝑄
ℎ𝑐 = (2)
𝐴∆𝑇𝑡

defines the convective heat-transfer coefficient as the amount of heat that a surface area cf 1 square
foot will deliver to the air each hour for each degree of temperature difference.

Some typical average convective heat-transfer coefficients are given in Table TH-2A.1.

An important conversion to be used in this experiment is the relationship: 1 watt = 3.41 Btu/hr

CONVECTIVE HEAT-TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

Condition ℎ𝑐 (Btu/hr-ft2°F)
Air, free convection 1-5
Superheated air or steam, forced 5-50
convection
Oil, forced convection
Water, forced convection 50-2000
Water, boiling 500-10,000
Steamm, condensing 1000-20,000
Table TH-2A.1

Equipment description:

The TH-2 Thermal Convection unit is self-contained except for 120-volt AC electricity. It is comprised
of:

1. A 4 x 8 inch flat metal plate with 1 built-in electrical heater. The plate is hingedto the TH-2 base
unit to allow convection tests in varying degrees of vertical and horizontal positions. The plate
temperature is controlled by a five-position rotary HEATER CONTROL marked OFF-24-40-
60-100, with the numbers referring to watts.
2. A dial thermometer (50-500°) to measure the plate temperature when inserted in 1 hole along
the edge of the plate.
3. Two liquid thermometers having dual scales (-10°F to +230°F and -20°C to +110°C) and 1-
inch composiiton squares attached to their backs. The squares prevent the thermometers from
sliding through the air-duct slots when placed in position for measuring the air-flow
temperatures.
4. A perforated metal cage to act as a protective screen against accidental burns when placed
over the heater plate during still-air (free convective) test.

Transferencia de Calor – 1T2018 Página 2 de 5

 5. A U-shaped metal air duct which replaces the protective screen during the moving-air (forced
convection) trials. It is designed to guide the air flow evenly over the plate. Do not use the air
duct when performing still-air test.
6. An air blower built into the TH-2 control box and operated by the toggle switch marked
BLOWER-OF. A slide knob on the left edge of the control box selects the air-flow velocity over
the metal plate.

Procedure:

1. Record your data in Table TH-2A.2.

2. Calculate the plate surface area in square feet. Be sure to consider both sides of the 4” x 8”
plate for this measurement.
3. Position the heater plate vertically and cover it with the protective screen. Insert the dial
thermometer as far as it will go into the left hole. Wait approximately one minute and then
record this temperature as the ambiente or room air temperature.
4. Turn the HEATER CONTROL to the 24-watt position and wait approxixmately 15 minutes
before recording the temperature. The temperature rise, over the ambient temperature is
called the temperature differential. The temperature differential indicates how much the
temperature of the plate must increase above room temperature to transfer the 24 watts of
fheat into the air. The free convection trials should be conducted in an environment free from
excessive drafts or air currents.
5. Repeat Procedure 4 at 12-minute intervals by turning the HEATER CONTROL to the 40, 60
and 100-watt positions. After completing these trials, turn the HEATER CONTROL to the OFF
position and turn the blower switch ON. The blower air flow will expedite the cooling of the
plate down to the ambient temperature in about five minutes.
6. Rotate the plate over to the rear horizontal position and repeat the above procedures dor
measuring convective heat-transfer from a horizontal plate in still air. Record all data in tabular
form.

Switch Plate Temperature in Plate Temperature in

Position vertical position (°F) horizontal position (°F)
24 watts
(after 15 min)
40 watts
(after 12 min)
60 watts
(after 12 min)
100 watts
(after 12 min)
Ambient Temperature________________°F
Total plate surface area (A)_________________square feet
Table TH-2A.2

Transferencia de Calor – 1T2018 Página 3 de 5

 7. Rotate the plate back to the vertical position. Remove the dial thermometer and protective
screen from the plate and install the U-shape metal air duct in its place. Insert the dial
thermometer into the left hole of the duct, which in turn should be positioned above the left
hole of the plate. The two liquid thermometers should now be inserted into the slots at each
end of the air duct for recording the air flow temperature at the inlet and outlet. The average of
the two temperatures will be used to determine the temperature rise.
8. Record your data in Table -2A.3
9. Turn the blower ON and adjust it for 50 percent air flow (air velocity ≈ 350 ft/min). Turn the
HEATER CONTROL to the 24-watt position and wait six minutes before recording the three
thermometer readings. Repeat this procedure for the 40, 60 and 100-watt settings, waiting
only four minutes after each change. When all data is recorded, turn OFF the HEATER
CONTROL, but leave the blower ON for feww minutes to cool the plate down.
10. When the plate temperature is near room temperature, repeat Procedure 9 for 100 percent
air flow (air velocity ≈ 700 ft/min). Record the thermometer readings intabular form.
11. Use Equation 2 to calculate the average convective heat-transfer coefficient from the flat metal
surface into air for each of the four test at the 100-watt level. If time permits calculate ℎ𝑐 for
the 24-watt, 40-watt and 60-watt level also.

50% Air Flow 100% Air Flow

Switch Air Air Air Air
Plate Plate
Position inlet outlet Avg air inlet outlet Avg air
temp temp
temp temp temp (°F) temp temp temp (°F)
(°F) (°F)
(°F) (°F) (°F) (°F)
24 watts
(after 6 min)
40 watts
(after 4 min)
60 watts
(after 4 min)
100 watts
(after 4 min)
Table TH-2A.3

Questions:

1. Is there a difference in convective heat-transfer in still air for a metal plate in the vertical and
horizontal positions? Explain you answer.
2. How do the heta-transfer characteristics change with regard to free convectiion and forced
convection?
3. How does the so-called “wind-chill factor” enter into a measure of the coldness of a winter
day?
4. Is there any significant change in ℎ𝑐 for the different wattage settings in any one test?

Transferencia de Calor – 1T2018 Página 4 de 5

 5. What is the relationship between the average convective heat-transfer coefficient (from
Procedures 9 and 10) and air velocity?
6. Show the steps used for the derivation of the power conversioln: 1 watt = 3.41 Btu/hr.
7. A steel building has 10,000 square feet of wall and roof area. The interior of the building is to
be maintained at 70°F. the exterior part of the building is at 50°F. How many Btu´s of furnace
capacity is required to offset the heat loss from the building walls? ( ℎ𝑐 = 4 Btu/hr-ft2°F)

Reference:

Operational Manual of TH-2 Thermal Convection unit

Transferencia de Calor – 1T2018 Página 5 de 5