Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Heat Transfer Laboratory Experiment

MEC2022S - Thermofluids 1 Practical

Name: Luke Bell

Student Number: BLLLUK002
Signature

Date: 9 September 2014

Contents
1

Introduction........................................................................................................................................3

Aim.....................................................................................................................................................3

Experimental Procedure.....................................................................................................................3
3.1

Apparatus.....................................................................................................................................3

3.2

Method.........................................................................................................................................4

Results................................................................................................................................................4

Discussion..........................................................................................................................................4

Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................5

References..................................................................................................................................................5

1 Introduction
The Tubular heat exchanger experiment is one that involves the process of heat transfer. The
experiment is a demonstration of how heat transfer works and how different rates of flow, can change
how much heat is transferred from one fluid to another. Using the values obtained from the experiment
we are able to determine the Overall Efficiency.

2 Aim
The aim of the experiment is to study the effects of heat transfer by using a tubular heat exchanger. The
data obtained from the experiment will be used to determine the overall efficiency.

3 Experimental Procedure
3.1 Apparatus

Pen and Paper

Tubular heat exchanger

3.2 Method

Set the hot water flow rate to maximum.

Record the flow rate of the hot water.
Change the flow rate of the cold water to a minimum.
Record the flow rate as well as the temperature in and temperature out of the cold and hot water.
Increase the cold water flow rate twice and record the respective temperatures.
Set the cold water flow rate to maximum.
3

Record the flow rate of the cold water.

Change the flow rate of the hot water to a minimum.
Record the flow rate as well as the temperature in and temperature out of the hot and cold water.
Increase the hot water flow rate twice and record the respective temperatures.

4 Results

RECORDINGS:
Expect an error of 5% for the flow rate readings, because the value was jumping quite a bit when we
were taking the readings.
Test COLD

1
2
3
4
5
6

HOT

Cold

WATER

WATER

RATE

Cold

Hot

Hot

Hot

Temp In: Temp

Temp

Temp

Temp

Temp

RATE

(C)

Out: (C)

In: (C)

Mid:

Out:

(m^3/s)

(m^3/s)

T4

0.0000272
0.0000417
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615

0.000023
0.0000245
0.0000237
0.00000383
0.0000112
0.0000237

14.3
14.4
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.4

Cold
Mid:
(C) T5
19.1
17.85
16.9
17.0
16.2
16.9

T6

T1

(C)

(C) T3

23.8
21.3
19.6
19.6
18.0
19.4

64.5
58.9
58.7
58.2
63.2
64.0

T2
58.1
53.9
53.0
50.0
55.5
55.5

51.7
48.9
47.2
41.6
47.7
47.0

Specific Heat Capacity of Hot Water at 1 Bar: (Cp)

Temperature (C)

Specific Heat Capacity (kj/kg K)

4

58.1
53.9
53.0
49.9
55.5
55.5

4.1807
4.1807
4.1807
4.1807
4.1807
4.1807

Specific Heat capacity of Cold Water at 1 Bar: (Cp)

Temperature (C)
19.1
17.85
16.9
17.0
16.2
16.9

Specific Heat Capacity (kj/kg K)

4.1904
4.1904
4.1904
4.1904
4.1904
4.1904

Density of Hot Water at 1 Bar: ()

Temperature (C)
58.1
53.9
53.0
50.0
55.5
55.5

Density (kg/m^3)
0.9880
0.9880
0.9880
0.9880
0.9880
0.9880

Density of Cold Water at 1 bar: ()

Temperature (C)
19.1
17.85
16.9
17.0
16.2
16.9

Density (kg/m^3)
0.9997
0.9997
0.9997
0.9997
0.9997
0.9997

Calculations:
5

Heat power emitted from hot fluid (W): Qe = qV(h).(h). Cp(h).(T1-T3)

Heat power emitted from cold fluid (W): Qa = qV(c).(c). Cp(c).(T6-T4)
Heat power lost (or gained) (W): Qf = Qe Qa
Overall Efficiency (%): = Qa/Qe x 100
Heat power emitted from flow rate 1 HOT: Qe = 0.000023 * 0.9880 * 4.1807 (64.5-51.7)
Qe = 0,001216029 W
Heat power absorbed from flow rate 1 COLD: Qa = 0.0000272 * 0.9997 * 4.1904 (23.8-14.3)
Qa = 0,001082475 W

Heat power emitted

Flow Rates
0.000023
0.0000245
0.0000237
0.00000383
0.0000112
0.0000237

Heat Power Emitted from HOT Fluid (W)

0,001216029
0,00101198
0,001125776
0,000262611
0,00071706
0,001664191

Heat power absorbed

Flow Rates
0.0000272
0.0000417
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615

Heat Power Absorbed from COLD Fluid (W)

0,001082475
0,001205342
0,001391214
0,001365451
0,000927476
0,001288161

Heat power lost (or gained) (W): Qf = Qe Qa

Qf = 0,001216029 - 0,001082475
Heat power lost = 0,001082475 W

Heat power lost (or gained)

Cold Flow rate (m^3/s)
0.0000272
0.0000417
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615
0.0000615

Hot Flow rate (m^3/s)

0.000023
0.0000245
0.0000237
0.00000383
0.0000112
0.0000237

Heat Power lost or gained (W)

0,001082475
-0,001205342
-0,001391214
-0,001365451
-0,000927476
0,001288161

Overall Efficiency (%): = Qa/Qe x 100

= (0,001082475)/(0,001216029) x 100
= 89,017%

Final Table of Data

Cold mass

Hot mass

Heat Power

Heat Power

Heat Power

Overall

flow rate

flow rate

Emitted

Absorbed

Lost

Efficiency

(kg/s)
0.0272
0.0417
0.0615
0.0615
0.0615
0.0615

(kg/s)
0.023
0.0245
0.0237
0.00383
0.0112
0.0237

(W)
0,001216029
0,00101198
0,001125776
0,000262611
0,00071706
0,001664191

(W)
0,001082475
0,001205342
0,001391214
0,001365451
0,000927476
0,001288161

(W)
0,001082475
-0,001205342
-0,001391214
-0,001365451
-0,000927476
0,001288161

(%)
89,017
119,11
123,58
519,95
129,34
77,40

Each time I calculate Qe, Qa, Qf and , the error accumulates. This experimental error is caused by the
ambient air temperature not being equal to the cold water average temperature of the hot water average
temperature, and is expected. I would say that there was an error of about 6% for each calculation,
meaning that in total, the cumulative error would be around 6% + 6% + 6% +6% = 24 % So therefore
I believe there will be around a 24% error on the overall efficiency. So either 12% more than what is is
or 12% less than what it is.

5 Discussion
The results we obtained are completely relevant to the theory. By looking at the results we can see a
direct relationship between flow rate and the drop and rise in temperature of either the hot or cold fluid.
The change in temperature of the hot fluid was greater when the flowrate was less. This makes sense,
because it means there was more time for the hot fluid to transfer its energy to the cold fluid, meaning it
would transfer more of its energy. The same thing happened with the cold fluid flowrate being changed.
The results are reasonable and are what I expected, mostly. I did expect less of a variance between Qa
and Qe though. I thought they would be very similar, but it turned out that they were quite different.
This also meant the overall efficiency differed quite a bit.
After thinking about it I realised the discrepancies of Qa and Qe being different must have been caused
by energy loss or gain in the environment around the experiment. The average cold fluid temperature
was colder than that of the ambient temperature in the room. This means that the air in the room will
also contribute to warming up the cold fluid. This will make the result different to what we would
expect and this is why the overall efficiency was sometimes over >100% and sometimes <100%. If we
wanted the ambient temperature to not affect our readings, we would have to make the temperature in
the room equal to that of the cold water temperature and then that of the hot water temperature.
Another source of error is that the ambient air temperature was much lower than the hot water
temperature. This means that the ambient air was actually cooling down the hot water, which will also
create a discrepancy in the readings.

6 Conclusion
The values of Qe and Qa differed quite a lot. This could be due to energy being lost in the system and
not being transferred to the other fluid. For example it could be lost in other parts of the system where
the hot water is not in contact with the cold water. Or it could be due to the ambient temperature being
warmer than the cold water and thus also contributing to warming up the cold water, and also cooling
down the hot water.

As the cold fluid flowrate was increased, the rise in temperature between the inlet and the outlet
decreased. This is because the cold water was travelling faster and faster which means that the hot
water was in contact with the cold water for a shorter amount of time each time the flowrate was
increased and therefore it was unable to transfer as much of its heat along to the cold water.
The aim of the practical was satisfied, because we were able to determine the overall efficiency. We
also learned more about heat transfer through a real life test. It was actually very interesting to see in
real life how changing the flow rates, actually changed how much the fluid was heated or cooled. It
gave me a better understanding of heat transfer and its applications, such as air conditioning and liquid
cooling in a computer.

References
Thermodynamics, An Engineering Approach, 7th Edition, by Y Cengel, M Boles, Publisher: McGraw
Hill