Experiment #1: Combined Convection and Radiation

Name: Rafael Mestril ID: 2129334

EML 4906L Mechanical Engineering Lab
Section U02 Group # 4
Lab Partner: Stephanie George ID: 2196585
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Dennis Fan
Date 09/22/2010

Table of Contents
Nomenclature.................................................................................................................. i
Apparatus...................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract........................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction.................................................................................................................... 2
Theory of the Experiment................................................................................................... 2
Experimental Procedure..................................................................................................... 4
Experiment Part I.......................................................................................................... 4

Experiment Part II......................................................................................................... 5

Results and Discussion...................................................................................................... 6
Experiment Part I.......................................................................................................... 7
Experiment Part II......................................................................................................... 9
Error Analysis............................................................................................................... 12
Experiment Part I........................................................................................................ 13
Experiment Part II....................................................................................................... 14
Conclusions.................................................................................................................. 15
Lab Notebook Pages....................................................................................................... 16

List of Tables, Figures & Equatio

Table 1: Constants............................................................................................................ 7
Table 2: Temperature and Current data for 10 V.......................................................................7
Table 3: Temperature and Current data for 15 V.......................................................................8
Table 4 : Temperature and Current data for 20 V......................................................................8
Table 5: Constants............................................................................................................ 9
Table 6 : Temperature and Current data for velocity 1 m/s.........................................................10
Table 7: Temperature and Current data for velocity 3 m/s..........................................................10
Table 8 : Temperature and Current data for velocity 5 m/s.........................................................10
Table 9 : Error analysis for 10.0 V readings.........................................................................13
Table 10: Error analysis for 15.0 V readings........................................................................13
Table 11 : Error analysis for 20.0 V readings.......................................................................13
Table 12 : Error analysis for velocity 1.0 m/s readings...........................................................14
Table 13: Error analysis for velocity 3.0 m/s readings............................................................14
Table 14: Error analysis for velocity 5.0 m/s readings............................................................14
Y
Figure 1......................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 2: Heat Transfer Coefficient vs. Temperature Difference....................................................9
Figure 3: Heat Transfer Percentage vs. Temperature Difference....................................................9
Figure 4: Heat Transferred % vs. Temperature Difference.........................................................11
Figure 5: Surface Temperature vs. Corrected Air Velocity.........................................................12
Figure 6: Nusselt Number Vs Reynolds Number....................................................................12

Nomenclature
DESCRIPTION

SYMBOL

UNITS

Area

m2

Diameter of cylinder

Heat transfer coefficient

Current

kf

Thermal conductivity

Length of cylinder

Num

W/(m2.K)
A
W/(m.K)
m

Average Nusselt number

Pr

Prandtl number

Heat rate

Re

Reynolds number

Temperature

Velocity

m/s

Voltage

Emissivity of surface

Stefan Boltzmann constant

Kinematic viscosity

Ambient

Force convection

nc/c

W/(m2.K4)
m2/s

Natural convection

Radiation

Surface

Apparatus

Air Control Industries (ACI)

Ltd, model HT14, S/N
P38140.001.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top: Fan controler by

Armfield, model IFD3, S/N
9102-1
Bottom: Heat transfer service
unit by Armfield, model
HT10X, S/N 9073-2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abstract
This lab report presents heat transfer modes through a heated cylinder. The experiment
focuses on convection and radiation. There was two parts to the experiment: natural convection
combined with radiation and forced convection combined with radiation. The temperature
difference between a hot surface and the surrounding varies with the heat loss from the cylinder
for natural convection.

At low surface temperatures, the natural convection heat transfer

coefficient will be greater than the radiation heat transfer coefficient and vice versa at high
surface temperature. For the second part of the experiment, the forced convection heat transfer
coefficient surface temperature is less compared to natural convection. Based on theoretical
information the heat rate of forced convection is greater compared to natural convection resulting
in improved heat transfer.

Introduction
In this experiment, there was two parts consisting of Combined Natural Convection and
Radiation and Combined Forced Convection and Radiation.

For the first part of our

experiment, we established the heat loss due to radiation and natural convection. This was
conducted by measuring the surface temperature of a cylinder at various voltages. For the
second part of our experiment, we found the heat loss caused by both radiation and natural
convection. The forced convection was performed measuring the surface temperature of the
cylinder at different air velocities.

Theory of the Experiment

Figure 1

There are three modes of heat transfer: conduction, radiation, and convection. Also, there
are two types of convection: natural convection and forced convection. Natural convection is
when the motion of fluid is caused by the density gradient. The fluid motion of a forced
convection is generated by mechanical power or gravitational effects. The following is the
formula to calculate the heat transfer coefficient of natural convection.
T T a
hnc =1.32 s
D

0.25

(1)

The natural convection heat transfer coefficient is used in calculating the natural
convection heat transfer rate.
q c =hc A s ( T sT a )

A s =DL

(2)

(3)

The above equation is dependent on the surface area of the cylinder, the heat transfer
coefficient and both the ambient and surface temperature of the cylinder. The purpose of this
equation is to determine the heat loss due to the surface temperature of the cylinder. When the
cylinder is heated, the temperature of the cylinder rises causing the surrounding air of the
cylinder to become less dense resulting in natural convection heat loss.
When the cylinder heats up, thermal radiation occurs through electromagnetic waves.
The heat transfer rate due to radiation is:
q r=h r A s (T sT a )

(4)

Also the radiation heat transfer coefficient is:

4

hr =

T s T a
T sT a

(5)

Both , emissivity, and , Stefan Boltzmann, are constants in the above equation.
The second part of our experiment was based on forced convection combined with
radiation. Compared to natural convection, forced convection results in improved heat transfer
4

rate due to the increase of air velocity. It is usually used in fans and blow-dryers. For the same
power input as the natural convection, the surface temperature of the cylinder will be less
compared to the natural convection surface temperature. The forced heat transfer coefficient is:

hf=

kf
Nu
D m

(6)

The average Nusselt number, Num, can be calculated by:

Nu m=0.3+

0.62 0.5 Pr0.33

0.66 0.25

( ( ) )
0.4
1+
Pr

[ (
1+

282000

0.5

(7)

The Prandtl number, Pr, can be found using the table from the book at room temperature
and the Reynolds number, Re, is calculated by using the following formula:

UcD

(8)

The heat transfer rate due to forced convection will be:

q f =hf A s ( T s T a )

(9)

During this experiment, the effects of conduction on the cylinder have been neglected due
to the design of the equipment.

Experimental Procedure
Experiment Part I
Beginning with HT10X heat transfer service unit prior to switch it on it is useful to check
the corresponding temperature reading outlets T9 for ambient and T10 for surface, in order to read
the correct values accordingly. Following with the cylinder to which outlets T9 and T10 are
connected to.
After all equipment is connected as shown in figure 1,The next step is to start the heat
transfer unit and set the voltage to 10 volts wait for the surface temperature T10 readings to
stabilize, and then proceed to record both surface and ambient T9 as well as the current I
readings.
Repetitively follow the same process at voltages of 15 and 20 volts and record for each
voltage current I, ambient T9 and surface T10 temperatures five times, these trials will help
with the error analysis section.
Experiment Part II
Beginning with HT10X heat transfer service unit prior to switch it on it is useful to check
the corresponding temperature reading outlets T9 for ambient and T10 for surface, in order to read
the correct values accordingly. Next start the centrifugal fan controller and the fan itself.
Following with the cylinder to which outlets T9 and T10 are connected to.
After all equipment is connected as shown in figure 1, The next step is to start the heat
transfer unit and set the voltage to 20 volts and then switch to position Ua set air velocity to 1.0

m/s wait for the surface temperature T10 readings to stabilize, and then proceed to record surface
T10, ambient T9, current I as well as air velocity Ua readings.
Repetitively follow the same process at air speeds of 3.0 and 5.0 m/s and record for each
voltage current I, ambient T9, surface T10 and air velocity Ua five times, these trials will help
with the error analysis section.

Results and Discussion

Once all equipment was up and running and data was recorded in set of five trial per
voltage, current, voltage, ambient temperature and surface temperature of the cylinder were
successfully recorded and along given constants as shown in table 1 such as diameter of the
cylinder, length, Emissivity of surface and the Stefan Boltzmann constant.
First natural convection was observed from the diameter and length of the cylinder heat
transfer area was computed using equation 3 then computed heat transfer coefficient using
equation 1 to finally obtain Heat loss by natural convection using equation 2.
Next follows radiation observed and recorded accordingly given the values for Emissivity
of surface and the Stefan Boltzmann constant now is left to compute the heat transfer coefficient
for radiation using equation 5 and same heat transfer area. Lastly we use the results gathered to
compute the Heat loss by Radiation using equation 4.
Again with the gathered data and previous computation total heat loss from the cylinder
can be expressed as the sum of the heat loss from convection and radiation as seen on equation
10 And actual power supplied to the heated cylinder can be calculated using equation 11.

Qtot =Qf + Qr

(10)

Q =I V

(11)

For the second part of the experiment only few details defer now we compute the heat
loss by force convection using equation 6 and the same heat transfer area, thus, we can then
compute the heat loss by forced convection accordingly using equation 9.
Heat loss coefficient by forced convection has temperature dependent variables such as
the Average Nusselt Number which we obtain using equation 7
The Reynolds number depends on the velocity of the moving fluid and it can be
determined using equation 8.
Lastly the Corrected Air velocity computed using equation 12.
U c =1.22 U a

(12)

Experiment Part I
Table 1:

D(m)
= 0.010

L(m)
= 0.070

Table 2:

Constants

= 0.950

(W/m2*K4)
= 5.67010^-8

Temperature and Current data for 10 V

V(V)= 10.000

I(A)= 1.640

Trial #

T9(C)

25.400

25.300

25.200

25.300

25.000

T10(C)

262.000

260.000

259.00
0

258.000 257.000

T9,average(C)= 25.240

Qc(W)= 8.399

T10,average(C)= 259.200

Qr(W)= 0.535

As (m2)= 0.002
hnc(W/m2*K)= 16.325

Qtot(W)= 8.934
Qin(W)= 16.400

hr(W/m2*K)= 1.039

Table 3:

Temperature and Current data for 15 V

V(V)= 15.000

I(A)= 2.430

Trial #

T9(C)

26.500

26.500

26.400

26.400

26.500

404.000

404.00
0

403.000 402.000

T10(C)

406.000

T9,average(C)= 26.460

Qc(W)= 15.266

T10,average(C)= 403.800

Qr(W)= 3.149

As (m2)= 0.002
hnc(W/m2*K)= 18.397

Qtot(W)= 18.416
Qin(W)= 36.450

hr(W/m2*K)= 3.795

Table 4

: Temperature and Current data for 20 V

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.220

Trial #

T9(C)

26.700

26.800

26.900

27.000

27.100

T10(C)

525.000

526.000

527.00
0

527.000 527.000

T9,average(C)= 26.900

Qc(W)= 21.677

T10,average(C)= 526.400

Qr(W)= 9.095

As (m2)= 0.002
hnc(W/m2*K)= 19.734

Qtot(W)= 30.772
Qin(W)= 64.400

hr(W/m2*K)= 8.280

Plotting the heat transfer coefficient vs. the temperature of both Radiation and natural
Convection side to side as seen in figure 2 gives us a clear picture of the correlation between
them, although not so evident to the naked eye as temperature increases radiation picks up at a
mild rate. This however can be easily observed on figure 3 not the case of tables 2-4.

10

20.000
18.000
16.000
14.000
Natural Convection
Linear
(Natural Convection)
12.000
10.000
Heat Transfer Coefficient (W/m2K)
8.000
6.000
4.000
2.000
Linear (Radiation)
0.000
200.000 300.000

Radiation

400.000

500.000

Temperature (C)

Figure 2:

Heat Transfer Coefficient vs. Temperature Difference

Heat Transfer Percentage (%)

100.000%
90.000%
80.000%
70.000%
60.000%
50.000%
40.000%
30.000%
20.000%
10.000%
0.000%

Heat Transfer Rate (Natural

Convection)
Linear (Heat Transfer Rate
(Natural Convection))
Heat Transfer Rate
(Radiation)

300.000
200.000 400.000

Linear (Heat Transfer Rate

(Radiation))

Temperature (C)

Figure 3: Heat

Transfer Percentage vs. Temperature Difference

Experiment Part II
Table 5:

D(m) 0.01
= 0

0.07
L(m)= 0

0.95
= 0

Constants

5.67010^(W/m2*K4)= 8

11

Correction= 1.220

Table 6

: Temperature and Current data for velocity 1 m/s

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.210

Ua(m/s)= 1.000

Trial #

T9(C)

27.200

27.200

27.300

27.300

27.300

T10(C)

430.00
0

431.000

431.000

432.000

432.000

T9,average(C)= 27.260
431.20
T10,average(C)= 0

Re= 6.100 x 102

Num= 12.800

As (m2)= 0.002
Uc(m/s)= 1.220

Pr= 0.707
Qf(W)= 29.904

hf(W/m2*K)= 33.664

Qr(W)= 4.095

hr(W/m2*K)= 4.610

Qtot(W)= 33.999

kf(Wm-1*K1
)= 0.0263

Table 7:

Qin(W)= 64.200

Temperature and Current data for velocity 3 m/s

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.230

Ua(m/s)= 3.000

Trial #

T9(C)

25.300

25.200

25.200

25.200

25.200

T10(C)

332.00
0

332.000

332.000

332.000

332.000

T9,average(C)= 25.220
332.00
T10,average(C)= 0
As (m2)= 0.002

Re= 1.830 x 103

Num= 22.700
Pr= 0.707
12

Uc(m/s)= 3.660

Qf(W)= 40.277

hf(W/m2*K)= 59.701

Qr(W)= 1.439

hr(W/m2*K)= 2.133

Qtot(W)= 41.716

kf(Wm-1*K1
)= 0.0263

Table 8

Qin(W)= 64.600

: Temperature and Current data for velocity 5 m/s

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.250

Ua(m/s)= 5.000

Trial #

T9(C)

24.000

24.200

24.200

24.200

24.200

T10(C)

279.00
0

278.000

278.000

278.000

278.000

T9,average(C)= 24.160
278.20
T10,average(C)= 0
As (m2)= 0.002
Uc(m/s)= 6.100

Re= 3.050 x 103

Num= 29.900
Pr= 0.707
Qf(W)= 43.932

hf(W/m2*K)= 78.637

Qr(W)= 0.710

hr(W/m2*K)= 1.270

Qtot(W)= 44.641

kf(Wm-1*K1
)= 0.0263

Qin(W)= 65.000

13

0. 24. 48. 72. 96.

20 00 00 00 00 00
0. 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
0
60 00
0.
00
0

Percentage of Heat Transfered (%)

Heat Transferred by Forced

Convection
Linear (Heat Transferred by
Forced Convection)
Heat Transferred by
Radiation
Linear (Heat Transferred by
Radiation)

Temperature Difference (C)

Figure 4:

Heat Transferred % vs. Temperature Difference

450.000
400.000

Surface Temperature (C)

350.000
300.000
250.000
1.000 2.000 3.000 4.000 5.000 6.000 7.000
Corrected Air Velocity (m/s)

Figure 5:

Surface Temperature vs. Corrected Air Velocity

40.000
30.000
Nu

20.000
10.000
0.000
0.000

1,000.000

2,000.000
Re

14

3,000.000

4,000.000

Figure 6:

Nusselt Number Vs Reynolds Number

Error Analysis
Error is present on all measured data, it accumulated by a series of factors which are
uncontrollable within the time frame of the experiment. By inspection it is noticeable form
tables 2-4 and tables 6-8 that between Qin and Qtot there is around a 2:1 ratio and this ratio
decreases as surface temperature goes up.
The uncertainty ux is calculated using a 95% confidence interval using equation 13,
which to calculate the Standard Deviation of each set, equation 14 and 15 were used
consequently.
u x =t n , p S x

1
Sx =
( x jx )2

N 1 j=1

x =

1
N

(13)

1
2

(14)

xi

(15)

i=0

Experiment Part I
Table 9

: Error analysis for 10.0 V readings

V(V)= 10.000

I(A)= 1.640

Trial #

T9(C)

25.400

25.300

25.200

25.300

25.000

T10(C)

262.000

260.000

259.000

258.000

257.000

15

T9,average(C)= 25.240

T9 ux(C)= 0.390

T10,average(C)= 259.200

T10 ux(C)= 4.945

T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.152

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

T9(C)= 25.2400.390

Thus:

259.2004.94
T10(C)= 5

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 1.924

Table 10:

Error analysis for 15.0 V readings

V(V)= 15.000

I(A)= 2.430

Trial #

T9(C)

26.500

26.500

26.400

26.400

26.500

T10(C)

406.000

404.000

404.000

403.000

402.000

T9,average(C)= 26.460

T9 ux(C)= 0.141

T10,average(C)= 403.800

T10 ux(C)= 3.813

T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.055

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

T9(C)= 26.4600.141

Thus:

403.8003.8
T10(C)= 13

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 1.483

Table 11

: Error analysis for 20.0 V readings

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.220

Trial #

T9(C)

26.700

26.800

26.900

27.000

27.100

T10(C)

525.000

526.000

527.000

527.000

527.000

T9,average(C)= 26.900

T9 ux(C)= 0.407

T10,average(C)= 526.400

T10 ux(C)= 2.300

16

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.158

T9(C)= 26.9000.407

Thus:

526.4002.30
T10(C)= 0

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.894

Experiment Part II
Table 12

: Error analysis for velocity 1.0 m/s readings

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.210

Ua(m/s)= 1.000

Trial #

T9(C)

27.200

27.200

27.300

27.300

27.300

T10(C)

430.00
0

431.000

431.000

432.000

432.000

T9,average(C)= 27.260

T9 ux(C)= 0.141

431.20
T10,average(C)= 0

T10 ux(C)= 2.151

T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.055

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

T9(C)= 27.2600.141

Thus:

431.2002.15
T10(C)= 1

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.837

Table 13:

Error analysis for velocity 3.0 m/s readings

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.230

Ua(m/s)= 3.000

Trial #

T9(C)

25.300

25.200

25.200

25.200

25.200

T10(C)

332.00
0

332.000

332.000

332.000

332.000

T9,average(C)= 25.220

T9 ux(C)= 0.115

T10,average(C)= 332.00

T10 ux(C)= 0.000

17

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

0
T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.045

332.0000.0
T10(C)= 00

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.000

Table 14:

T9(C)= 25.2200.115

Thus:

Error analysis for velocity 5.0 m/s readings

V(V)= 20.000

I(A)= 3.250

Ua(m/s)= 5.000

Trial #

T9(C)

24.000

24.200

24.200

24.200

24.200

T10(C)

279.00
0

278.000

278.000

278.000

278.000

T9,average(C)= 24.160

T9 ux(C)= 0.230

278.20
T10,average(C)= 0

T10 ux(C)= 1.150

T9 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.089

Thus:

ux,meas= 2Sx (95%)

T9(C)= 24.1600.230
278.2001.1
T10(C)= 50

T10 Std.Dev Sx(C)= 0.447

Conclusions
During this experiment, we were able to determine the effects of both natural convection
and radiation in a heated cylinder. We concluded that heat loss varies with the temperature
difference between the surface temperature and the ambient temperature. In the first part of our
experiment, the results obtained varied compared to the theoretical background. As we increased
voltage, both the ambient and surface temperature increased. The natural convection heat

18

transfer coefficient was greater compared to the radiation heat transfer coefficient. In theory,
natural convection is more when there is small temperature difference and radiation is dominant
when the temperature difference is large. From our results, we did not have a great value of
radiation heat transfer coefficient during high surface temperature. This error could have been
reduced if there was more time for the surface temperature to stabilize and if there was longer
period of time intervals during our trials.
For the second part of the experiment, we illustrated the effects of forced convection
combined with radiation. The heat transfer rate due to forced convection value is greater than the
value for natural convection.

We conclude that the forced convection has lower surface

temperature than the natural convection when the power input is the same. Also, the value of the
heat transfer rate for forced convection is greater than the natural convection. In part two of the
experiment, we found very minimal error compared to part one. The results obtained in this part
match the theoretical background.

19

Lab Notebook Pages

20

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