EXPERIMENT T2-4 : LAGGING EFFICIENCY

1.0

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this experiment, the student should be able to:
1.1 Compare the rate of heat loss through conduction in four
different steam pipes.
1.2 Determine the coefficients of conduction for the pipe and lagging
materials.

2.0

APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT
Sharman lagging efficiency unit comprising of four vertical pipes.
Steam is supplied via the steam header connected to the main steam
pipe. Mercury in glass and helical bimetallic strip thermometers is used
to measure temperature of steam, pipes and lagging surfaces.
Thermocouple with six points sensors.
Dimension of pipes:
Inside diameter :
Outside diameter:
Length:

64mm
76mm
914mm

Pipe arrangement (left to right).

Pipe A lagged with 38mm thick, cellular lagging materials.
Pipe B lagged with, meshed asbestos tape, 50mm wide by 5mm
thick.
Pipe C painted with lead oxide primer.
Pipe D coated with chromed.

3.0

SAFETY AND HEALTH

3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6

4.0

Make sure the student follow the laboratory or workshop safety

regulators.
Experiment must be conduct by lecturers or experience lab
assistance.
Always know the hazard associated with the materials that are
being utilized in the lab.
Always wear appropriate protective clothing.
Never perform unauthorized work, preparations or experiments.
Be familiar with the location on emergency equipment- fire alarm
, fire extinguisher, emergency eye wash and safety shower. Know
the appropriate emergency response procedures.

THEORY
Fouriers law of conduction states that the rate of heat transfer through
a solid wall is directly proportional to the cross section area. A and
inversely proportional to the temperature gradient dt/dx in the
direction of heat flow, Hence,
Q = -kA (dt/dx)
The negative sign signifies that heat flows from high temperature to
low. The value of the constant, k varies for different materials and is
known as the coefficient of conduction. The SI unit for k is W/m K.
For a wall, consisting of two parallel surfaces and thickness, x. The rate
of heat flow through conduction is,
kA (t 1t 2)
Q=
x
Where t1 > t2

For circular pipes, heat is conducted from the inner surface at t1, to the
outer surface at t2. The varying cross sectional areas must be taken
into account.
Applying Fouriers law to a circular pipe,

Q=

k 2 rl dt
dr

1 is the length of pipe conducting heat.

dt=

dt=

t 2 t 1=

Q dr .
2 kl r

Q r 2 dr .
2 kl r 1r

Q
ln ( r 2r 1 )
2 kl

r1
r 2 /

ln
2 kl(t 1t 2)
Q=

For a lagged pipe, where the surface temperature is

is as given below

t3

and radius

r3

,Q

1 t 3
t

k1
r1
k2
r1
r 2 /

1/ ln
r 2 /+
1/ ln

2 l
Q=

Where,
k1

= coefficient of conduction pipe.

k2

= coefficient of conduction for lagging.

In most cases, pipe thickness is negligible compared to its diameter and can
k2
k1
be ignored. Value of
is much smaller than
, hence the second term
in the denominator will be more dominant. The temperature of inner surface
of lagging can be taken as equivalent to the temperature of steam flowing in
the pipe. Then the equation can be written as below,

r2
r 3 /

ln
2 kl( k 1k 2 )
Q=

When fluid flows in a pipe, most of the drop in temperature occurs in a thin
layer near the wall where the fluid is stagnant. In the proximity of this layer,
heat is also lost through convection due to the motion of the fluid. Some heat
will also lost due to radiation from the pipe wall.
Finally, most of the heat will be dissipated from the lagging and pipe surfaces
through radiation, a little through conduction and the rest through
convection. If there were draught in the surrounding air, the amount of heat
loss will increase