CL351: Chemical Engineering Lab II

Semester 1, 2014-2015

IIT Gandhinagar

Pradeep Diwakar (Group G)

Roll no. 12110063

HEAT TRANSFER IN AN AGITATED VESSEL

 HEAT TRANSFER IN AN AGITATED VESSEL

Objective:

The objective of this experiment is to determine the heat transfer

coefficient in an agitated vessel under steady-state conditions as a
function of agitator speed (R.P.M).

Theory:

Tube coils offer one of the cheapest means of obtaining heat transfer
surface in the reactors. They are usually made by turning lengths of
copper, steel or alloy tubing into helixes or double helix coils. The inlet
and outlets are conveniently located side by side. Helical coils of either
type are frequently installed in vertical cylindrical vessels with or without
an agitator. A free space is also provided between the coil and the vessel
to make the entire surface of the coil available for heat transfer. When
coils are used with mechanical agitation, the vertical axis of the agitator
usually corresponds to the vertical axis of the cylindrical vessel. A
mechanical agitation can improve the heat transfer coefficient between
fluid in the agitated vessel and the coil.

The correlation of heat transfer to fluid in the vessel with mechanical

agitation heated or cooled by submerged coil is:

2
l 2N
hd
k
=0.87( ) ( C
3
K ) (
)
w

Where,
= Heat transfer coefficient between fluid and coil surface (Kcal/hr-m2-oC)
d = Coil Diameter (m)
l = Agitator diameter (m)
N = Agitator speed (revolution/s)
= Density of fluid in the vessel (kg/m3)
K= thermal conductivity of fluid in the vessel (Kcal/hr-m-0C)
We can notice from the equation that for the given coil and given fluid in
vessel the heat transfer coefficient will be proportional to N2/3.
Since there will be increased turbulence owing to the circulatory path, the
inside film heat transfer coefficient for the coil will be greater than that
calculated for a straight pipe.
McAdams proposed the following equation:

[(
hCoil=hStraight Tube 1+
3.5 d Tube
d Coil )]
Here, h Straight Tube is given by Dittus-Boelter equation or Sider-Tate equation

depending upon the flow regime.

Once the inside heat transfer coefficient of the coil is calculated the
outside heat transfer coefficient can be calculated from the following
equation:
1 1 x 1
= + +
U o A o hi K A l ho Ao

Since outside heat transfer coefficient is proportional to N 2/3 graph of log

(h0) versus log (N) should have a slope of 2/3.

Procedure:

We were provided with an insulated cylindrical vessel fitted with an

electrical heater, a cooling coil and agitator with variable speed motor.
The Cylindrical vessel was completely filled with test fluid. The agitator
motor was started and its speed was adjusted. The Flow rate of water
inside the coil was maintained at certain speed. Then the heater in the
agitated vessel was switched on and the temperature of system was set
to 130 OC. The system was then left for 15 to 30 minutes for obtaining the
steady state. At steady state, the inlet and outlet temperature of cooling
water and the temperature of the test fluid in the vessel will attain a
constant value. Once Steady state was attained the inlet and outlet water
temperature were noted down with its flow rate. Now the speed of
agitation was changed and another set of reading was taken. Total 6 sets
of readings were taken for different speeds of agitation.

Observations:

1. Length of the coil immersed in the agitated vessel(L) = 160 cm

2. Inside diameter of the coil tube (di) = 0.945 cm
3. Outside diameter of the coil tube (d0) = 1.27 cm
4. Outside area of coil available for the heat transfer (A) = 0.0638 m2
5. Temperature of fluid in the vessel during the test run (T) = 130 0C
6. Heat capacity of cooling water (Cp) = 1.0 kcal/kg-0C
7. Density of cooling water (w) = 1.0 g/cm3

Inlet Inlet Speed of

Flow rate of
Temperature Temperature agitator
Obs. cold fluid(v),
of cold fluid of cold fluid motor (N),
L/hr
t1 (0C) t1 (0C) RPM
1 34.3 36.35 65 180
2 35.4 37.65 101 180
3 36 37.5 133 180
4 36.7 39.35 163 180
5 37.5 40.9 200 180
6 38 40.85 235 180
Table 1. Observations

Overall Heat
Amount of heat
LMTD Transfer ho (Kcal/hr- m2-
Obs. transferred (Q),
(0C) coefficient (Ui), 0
C)
Kcal/hr
Kcal/hr-m2-0C
94.6
1 369 61.09 62.90
7
93.4
2 405 67.91 70.15
7
93.2
3 270 45.38 46.37
5
 91.9
4 477 81.29 84.52
7
90.7
5 612 105.66 111.18
9
90.5
6 513 88.78 92.65
7
Table 2. Calculated Results

Results:

The Plot of log (ho) versus log (N):

Log(ho)
2.1

f(x) = 0.4x + 1.01

1.9

1.8

1.7

1.6
1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

Figure 1. log (ho) vs log (N)

The Equation of line in Figure 1 comes out as y = 0.4035x-1.0127

The Slop of plot log (ho) versus log (N) gives, power of N = 0.4035

Conclusions:

It was observed in the experiment that as we increased the RPM of

agitator the heat transfer coefficient was also increased. It can be easily
concluded that because of the increase in RPM the turbulence was
increased resulting into more convection and since heat here is being
transferred, the heat transfer rate was also increased. The heat transfer
coefficient is strongly dependent on the RPM of agitator so that it is
proportional to N2/3. There is a large difference between the Obtained
value (0.4035) and theoretical value (0.66) of power of N. The obtained
value of outside heat transfer coefficient is lower than that of its
theoretical value because the power of N which is the slope of log (h o)
versus log (N) is lower than the theoretical value. Since the process fluid
temperature in the vessel is one of the most significant factors for
controlling the outcome of any process, heat transfer in agitated vessel
becomes very important.
Discussion:
We can say that the Plot of log (ho) versus log (N) must be linear from the
definition but we came to know that from experimental data it was not
linear. The temperature difference between inlet and outlet of cold fluid
was not changing significantly as the speed of agitator was increasing.
There were some instrumental and human errors that made the difference
in experimental plot, as we know the temperature of the fluids is indicated
by using temperature indicators and the flow was assumed to be at
steady state. So the apparatus is needed to be calibrated and we should
take each readings only after the steady state is achieved.

Appendix:

Sample Calculations for Set 1:

1. Mass flow rate (m) = *v = 1*180 = 180 kg/hr

2. Amount of heat transfer Q = m* Cp*(t1-t2) = 180*1*(36.35-34.3)

= 369 Kcal/h

3. Log mean temperature difference (LMTD) = (T1-t1) (T2-t2)/[ln

[(T1-t1)/(T2-t2)]]
=94.67 oC
 4. Overall heat transfer coefficient, U = Q/(A*LMTD) = 369/
(0.0638*94.67) = 61.09

5. Velocity of water through the coil (u) = v*1000/ (3600*/4*(di)2)

=71.29cm/sec

6. Reynolds number = di**u/ = 9697.57

7. Prandtl number = Cp*/K = 4.719

8. Outside heat tranfer coefficient (ho) = 1/ho = 1/U - (do/(di*hi)) -

x/K

= 0.0164 0.00036 + 0.000108

= 0.0159 hr-m2-0C /kcal

9. ho = 62.9 Kcal/hr-m2-0C