Name: (Tan Yong Kun)

Student ID: E14048111

Experiment 6: Convective Heat Transfer over a Flat

Plate
The flow velocity is obtained and calculated from pressure difference
measured from the Pitot tube, and is used to obtain Rex. After both
temperatures and heat flux along the wall are measured, the convective
heat transfer coefficient, h, and therefore, the Nusselt number, Nux, can be
obtained. Please plot the data and discuss:
Assume the kinematic viscosity of air at temperature,
5

of 29C is

1.608 x 10 m / s , A=LxW= (0.1x0.02)m = 0.002m, K = 0.02656W/mK and

Velocity = 5.211m/s, Pr = 0.7

For smooth surface,
I = 5.44A, V = 4.4V, q = V x I = 23.936 Watt
For unsmooth surface,
I = 4.1A, V = 3.2V, q = V x I = 13.12 Watt
Example calculation at the first measurement point (x = 0.005m)
Reynolds number, Re
5.211m
(0.005 m)
(
s )
vL
= =
=1620.34

1.608 x 10 m
s

For constant wall heat flux, h has been found as follow:

Nusselt number, Nu and heat transfer coefficient, h
Nu=0.453 0.5 Pr 0.33=0.453(1620.34 )0.5 (0.7)0.33=16.191

0.02656 W
( 16.191 )
(
m. K )
kNu
h=
=
=86 W /m K
2

0.005 m

Heat transfer rate for smooth surface of flat plate

q=hA ( T w T )

>h=

Nu=

q
23.936 W
1
=
=5141.78W /m2 K
2
A ( T w T )
(
31.327629
)
K
0.002 m

2
hx (5141.78W /m K )(0.005 m)
=
=967.96
k
0.02656W /mK

Heat transfer rate for smooth surface of flat plate

q=hA ( T w T )

>h=

Nu=

q
13.12W
1
=
=1316.42W / m2 K
2
A ( T w T ) 0.002 m ( 33.983229 ) K

2
hx (1316.42W /m K)(0.005m)
=
=247.82
k
0.02656W /mK

Table 1: Theoretical Results:

x(mm)
Re
5
15
25
35
45
55
65
75
85
95

1620.34
4861.01
8101.68
11342.35
14583.02
17823.69
21064.37
24305.04
27545.71
30786.38

Table 2: Experiment Results:

Smooth Surface
T
(
C)
x(mm)
h(W /m2 K )
w

h(W /m2 K )

Nu

86.00
49.65
38.46
32.51
28.67
25.93
23.85
22.21
20.86
19.73

16.191
28.043
36.204
42.837
48.572
53.699
58.377
62.706
66.756
70.574

Unsmooth Surface
Nu

T w ( C)

h(W /m2 K )

Nu

5
15
25
35
45
55
65
75
85
95

31.3276
31.0434
30.8397
30.8133
32.2610
31.8710
32.8115
34.4597
35.2951
43.5787

5141.78
5856.91
6505.41
6600.12
3670.04
4168.58
3139.97
2192.06
1901.16
820.92

967.96
3307.74
6123.32
8697.45
6218.06
8632.23
7684.41
6189.93
6084.28
2936.27

33.9832
32.3770
31.9600
33.1863
32.7273
32.9271
35.3040
33.6070
34.4960
39.1471

1316.42
1942.55
2216.22
1567.02
1759.99
1670.44
1040.61
1423.92
1193.60
646.49

247.82
1097.07
2086.05
2064.97
2981.91
3459.12
2546.67
4020.86
3819.88
2312.37

Figure 1: Graph of heat transfer coefficient, h versus location, x

Comparison of h value

smooth surface

unsmooth surface

Figure 2: Graph of Nusselt number, Nu vs location, x

theoretical

Comparison of Nu value

smooth surface

unsmooth surface

theoretical

1) Compare and discuss the local heat transfer coefficient or Nux

distribution measured with the theoretical prediction obtained from either
of the equations from (2) to (5).
The local heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number distribution from
theoretical prediction is nearly a straight line and is near to zero value along the
x axis, while the local heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number from
experimental result varies along the x axis and the values are large compared to
theoretical values. The difference is caused by some of the reasons. For
example, viscosity is a function of temperature and by assuming it as a constant
will causes the difference in the h and Nu value. Next, the experimental process
is irreversible and energy will involve heat and work. Lastly, we have to have
velocity profile that is not absolute.
2) Compare and discuss the local heat transfer coefficient or Nux
distribution measured on the roughened surface with the one obtained
from the smooth flat surface.
The local heat transfer coefficient for smooth surface is higher than roughened
surface at the starting of x, but the coefficient value of smooth surface dropped
significantly along the x axis and the value is nearly the same as the coefficient
value of roughened surface when x is increasing. The Nusselt number of

smooth surface varies and increases significantly at the starting of x, and also
decreases significantly when x is increasing when compared to roughened
surface.
Smooth surfaces tubes will have lower heat transfer coefficient rough surfaces
tubes. Heat transfer in turbulent flow in a tube has been increased by as much
as 400 percent by roughening the surface. Roughening the surface, of course
also increases the friction factor and thus the power requirement for the pump
or the fan. But for laminar flow, the effect of surface roughness on the friction
factor and the heat transfer coefficient is negligible.