CL351: Chemical Engineering Lab-II

Semester 1, 2014-2015
IIT Gandhinagar

Pradeep Diwakar (Group G)

Roll no. 12110063
PIN FIN APPARATUS
 PIN FIN APPARATUS
Objective:

The objective of this experiment is to study the temperature profile along the
height of the pin fin for a forced convection in steady state condition and to
compare it with the theoretical value.

Theory:

The heat transfer from a pipe to the surroundings occur by means of both
mechanisms conduction and convection. Conduction occurs in the core of the
material and through a small film just outside the fin, and convection which
happens in the vicinity of the fin.

The overall resistance to heat transfer is given by:

Rtotal = 1/hiAi + X/KA + 1/hoAo

Where,

h = heat transfer coefficient,

k = thermal conductivity and

A = surface area.

If we further apply energy balances on the system, we get the following

differential form of the temperature profile:

d2/dX2 m2 = 0

Where,

m2 = hP/KA

The solution of Equation is:

= C1emx + C2emx
Assuming that the fin tip is insulated and using proper boundary conditions
we get the results as:

=[cosh(())cosh()]

Where,

=T-Tf

0=T0-Tf

Now by using this equation form the theoretical temperature profile was
determined by:

=+()(cosh(())cosh())

Apparatus:

We were provided with an aluminium pin fin, Air blower with orifice meter, an
8-Channel temperature indicator which was used to measure temperature
along the height of the pin fin and the voltage regulator for regulating the
power supply to the band heater.

Observations and Calculations:

Diameter of pin fin (D) = 3.8 cm

Height of pin fin from its base i.e. from its first sensor (L) = 25.0 cm
Thermal conductivity of fin material (K) = 170 kCal/hr-m-C
Ambient temperature (Tf) = 30.0 C
Temperature at the base of the fin (T1) = 98.5 C

Table 1: Measured and predicted values of temperature

Location of sensor Predicted Temperature (C)
Obs. Measured
from base of fin
No. Temp. (C) m=4 m=5 m=6
(cm)
1 0.0 98.5 98.50 98.50 98.50
2 1.0 93.6 96.47 95.68 94.90
 3 2.0 92.3 94.54 93.02 91.54
4 3.3 77.1 92.19 89.80 87.49
5 4.5 75.2 90.17 87.06 84.07
6 6.0 73.5 87.84 83.91 80.18
7 12.0 70.5 80.53 74.21 68.44

Fig. 1: Temperature profiles for measured and theoretical values of

temperature profiles.

Sample Calculations for m=4:

x= 4.5 cm, Tamb = 30 0C, Twall = 98.5 0C

Now,

cosh(())/cosh() = 0.87

T = 30 + (98.5 30)*0.87 = 90.17 0C

Results:
From the above graph m=6 is the closest possible graph matching with the
expected values at certain data points.

Now, with m = 6

h = m2KA/P

= 6^2 * 170 * 0.0011/0.12

= 38.201 kcal/hr-m2-0C

Discussion and Conclusion:

The only certain thing about the nature of graphs is that they are of
decreasing nature. But there was a significant difference in between
experimental and theoretical value even when we chose the value of m such
that that the curve is maximum fit to the experimental value curve. The
reason behind this is that there is some metal non-uniformity in fin
composition. Moreover some human and instrument errors are also reason
for such unexpected value points. To reduce such errors the readings must
be taken only after steady state is achieved and also the apparatus need to
be calibrated before use.