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The aim of this report is to investigate the heat transfer characteristics from a copper cylinder (rod) as air flows over the rod at a certain velocity via forced convection. Aside from investigating the relationship between heat transfer airflow velocity, this report evaluates the Reynolds and Nusselt numbers associated with each flow rate. Subsequently, values of the constant ‘K’ and the index ‘n’ are calculated using the relationship shown below and compared to values from literature.
The findings of this experiment allow engineers to predict the rate of heat transfer between components of a system under forced convection conditions.
Examples of common industry applications of forced convention are as follows:
An example of heat transfer due to forced convection is a cooling fan used to cool down the heated radiator in a car engine. Similarly, as a car is moving, air from the surrounding atmosphere is effectively ‘forced’ to flow over the car radiator thus cooling it.
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This report’s findings could therefore be used to design a copper car radiator with ambient air temperature.
The prediction is that as the airflow velocity is increased by opening the outlet slider, the heat transfer coefficient will also increase.
The fundamental principle guiding this experiment is the heat transfer equation given by:
Q=αA(T−Ta)
where Q is the rate of heat transfer, α is the film heat transfer coefficient, A is the area for heat transfer, T is the temperature of the copper rod, and Ta is the ambient air temperature. Over a time period dt, the temperature drop in the copper rod is given by:
dT=mCpQdt
By combining these equations, we derive a relationship to calculate the heat transfer coefficient α.
The apparatus used in this experiment included an air duct and fan, a copper rod with an internal thermometer, an electric heater, pressure sensing probes, an inclined manometer, and a computer with graphical plotting software. The setup involved heating the copper rod to approximately 75°C and placing it inside the air duct to expose it to controlled air flow velocities.
The following steps were followed during the experiment:
DataSurface area of copper rod ‘A’= 0.00404m2
Mass of rod ‘m’= 0.1093kg
Specific heat of copper ‘Cp’= 0.38 kJ/kg.K
Rod diameter ‘d’= 1.25cm
Universal Gas Constant ‘R’= 289J/kg K
As the manometer used in this experiment is at an angle of approximately 350 the readings of hinclined must be converted.
For example, as hinclined,100% = 25mm
h100% = hinclined,100% * sin(θ)
h100% = 25*sin(35)
h100% = 14.34mm
The experiment was conducted at various airflow velocities by adjusting the air outlet slider. The heat transfer coefficient α was determined from the slope of the cooling curves plotted for each airflow setting. The Reynolds number was calculated using the air flow velocity and the properties of air and the copper rod. The Nusselt number, a dimensionless parameter indicative of the convective heat transfer relative to conductive heat transfer, was also calculated.
The experiment successfully demonstrated the relationship between airflow velocity and heat transfer in forced convection scenarios. As predicted, an increase in airflow velocity resulted in an increase in the heat transfer coefficient, indicating more efficient heat transfer. The calculated Reynolds and Nusselt numbers provided additional insights into the fluid dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms at play. Comparing the experimentally derived constants 'K' and 'n' with literature values confirmed the validity of the experimental setup and procedures.
This investigation offers valuable data for the design and analysis of systems where forced convection is a critical factor, highlighting the importance of understanding heat transfer dynamics for mechanical engineering applications.
Analysis of Forced Convection Heat Transfer in a Copper Rod. (2024, Feb 18). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/document/analysis-of-forced-convection-heat-transfer-in-a-copper-rod
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