Heat Fin

Conduction
Group 2
Karthika Andrew, Shanelle Carter
Pawel Popiel

Introduction

Heat Fin Conduction

Engine application
Heat exchanger application
Optimizing size and material

Objective
Determine the optimum size and material for

a metal cooling fin

Compare IR thermometer and Thermocouple
for measuring fin surface temperatures

Safety Precaution
Hot Plate
Do not touch the hot plate with bare hands

Use the thermo glove to handle hot plate and fins

Do not store volatile flammable materials near a hot

plate
Limit use of older hot plates for flammable materials.

Hot Fin
Do not place on combustible materials
Do not touch with hand
Make sure to place it where individual can not burn
themselves.

Material and Apparatus

Hot plate
Copper, aluminum, steel tall and short fins with
hash marks
Hand-held thermocouple
IR thermometer
Thermal gloves

Material and Apparatus

Procedures
Plug in hot plate
Place fin on hot plate
Orient fin so temperature measurements can be

made easily on the large fin.

Set control on hot plate to 200.
Recommended to use the thermocouple to check

temperature

Use thermocouple to measure the temperature

along the fin at 1-inch increments (hash marks)

The temperature must be at steady state

Procedures Cont.
Repeat step 4 until steady state is reached
Group members are responsible for choosing the
appropriate sampling interval for temperatures.
When steady state has been achieved, measure the

temperature at each hash mark

Use both thermocouple and IR thermometer

With the Thermal Gloves

Rotate the fin (if necessary) and measure the temperature
profile in short fin

Using both thermocouple and IR thermometers

Remove the fin

Safely place fin where people are unlikely to burn themselves.
Do not place fin on combustible material

Repeat steps 2-9 for each pair of fin

Comparison of the Three Materials

Theoretical Temperature Profiles
1
Dimensionless
Temperature
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0.000.100.200.300.400.500.600.700.800.901.00
Dimensionless Length
Stainless Steel
Copper
Aluminium

Comparison Cont.
Aluminum Long Fin

Aluminum Short Fin

1.00
1.00
0.50
0.50
Dimensionless Temperature
Dimensionless Temperature
0.00
0.00
1.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
Dimensionless Length
Thermocouple
Theoretical

IR

Dimensionless Length
Thermocouple
Theoretical

IR

Comparison Cont.
Copper Long Fin

Copper Short Fin

1
1
0.5
0.5
Dimensionless Temperature 0
Dimensionless Temperature 0
1.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
Dimensionless Length
Thermocouple
Theoretical

IR

Dimensionless Length
Thermocouple
Theoretical

IR

Comparison Cont.
Stainless Steel Long Fin
1.00
0.50
Dimensionless Temperature
0.00
1.00
0.00
Dimensionless Length
Thermocouple
THeoretical

IR

Stainless Steel Short Fin

1.00
0.80
0.60
Dimensionless
Temperature
0.40
0.20
0.00
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
Thermocouple Length
IR
Dimensionless
Theoretical

Comparison Cont.
Rate of Heat Removal Long Fin
1000.00

1000.00

900.00

900.00

800.00

800.00

700.00

BTU/hr

Rate of Heat Removal Short Fin

700.00

Aluminium

600.00

Copper

600.00

500.00

Stainless Steel

500.00

BTU/hr

400.00

400.00

300.00

300.00

200.00

200.00

100.00

100.00

0.00

aluminium
Copper
Stainless Steel

0.00
Thermocouple

IR

Thermocouple

IR

Discussion: Best Material

Copper had the most rate of heat transfer and

a better temperature profile.

Not widely used
Costly
Corrosive

Aluminum had the second highest heat

transfer
Widely used
Cost Effective
Less Corrosive

Size
Theoretically, the larger the surface area of

the fin, more heat is removed.

Experimentally this was not the case.
Error may be caused by the corrosion on the fin
Human Error

Thermocouple or IR
Thermocouple
Experimental data was closer to the theoretical
values.
Reading is done upon contact on the surface.
IR
Experimental and theoretical data had major
discrepancies.
Reading was dependent on the amount of
energy will emit.

Error
Material
Oxidation

The darker spots on the fin effected the temperature with IR

thermometer.

Hash mark were not visible on Copper fin.

Human
Not having a steady hand to measure the temperature

with IR Thermometer and Thermocouple.

Inaccurately measuring the fins.

Not picking the same measuring points

Equipment
Inaccurate reading with the two devices.

Conclusion
Copper is the best material to be used as a

cooling fin.
Highest rate of heat removal

Aluminum is widely used material

Cost effective
Less corrosive
Thermocouple is a more reliable device to

measure the heat fins dispersion of heat.

Contact with the metal gave a more accurate

reading

Reference
http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m10205/latest/
http://www.mapleapps.com/categories/mathematics/de

solving/html/coolf6-.html
http://enstrophy.colorado.edu/~mohseni/ASEN3113Fall
2002/FinEqDerivation1.pdf
Transport Processes and Separation Process
Principles, 4th ed., C.J Geankoplis, (Prentice-Hall, New
Jersey), 2003. ISBN 0-13-101367-X.
Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary
Value Problems, 4th ed., W. E. Boyce and R. C.
DiPrima, (John Wiley & Sons, New York), 1986.
Numerical Methods for Engineers, 5th ed., S. C.
Chapra and R. P. Canale (McGraw-Hill, New York), 2006.
ISBN 0-07-310156-7.

Thank You