Heat Transfer MECE 3930U

Lab 1:
Heat Conduction Unit

Lab Group:
Date of Lab: January 25, 2016
Due Date: February 8, 2016

Name
Eric McCormick
Matthew Levins
Tyler Lewis
Cody Walton

Student ID
100523036
100520346
100522275
100521063

Signature

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Theoretical Background and Application........................................................................................1
Experimental Unit and Procedure....................................................................................................2
Equipment....................................................................................................................................2
Procedure.....................................................................................................................................4
Results and Discussion....................................................................................................................5
Equations.....................................................................................................................................5
Tabulated Data.............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Nomenclature...................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................8
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
The objective of this lab is to investigate important aspects of conduction heat transfer.
Measurements will be made to explore the properties of thermal conductivity and temperature
changes for both linear and radial conduction cases.
Thermal conduction is described as the transfer of energy from more energetic particles
to less energetic particles due to the particles interactions with one another. In a stationary
medium, this causes a temperature gradient to exist in the medium. Heat transfer exists in
virtually all engineering applications, therefore, it is important to have an understanding of the
mechanics involved with thermal conductivity.

Theoretical Background and Application

Thermal conduction is the transfer of energy, in the form of heat, from areas of higher
energy concentration to areas of lower concentration. The methods in which energy transfers
vary depending on the physical state of the medium involved. For gaseous and liquid mediums,
the transfer of energy is due to collisions and diffusion of molecules during random motion. For
solid mediums, the transfer of energy is due to vibrations in the molecular lattice and by energy
transported by free electrons moving from one molecule to another.
Fouriers law of heat conduction describes the relationship between the rate of heat
conduction and various properties of the medium as:
Rate of Heat Conduction

( Area)(Tempurature Difference)
Thickness

Thermal conductivity is the ability for a material to conduct heat. This variable, denoted as k, is
dependent on the medium on which the thermal conduction is occurring. By using thermal
conductivity, the equation for the rate of heat condition is:
cond=kA dT
Q
dx

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Heat conduction occurs in the direction of decreasing temperature. Due to this, the
temperature gradient,

dT
dx , becomes negative with the positive x-direction. The addition of the

negative sign in Fouriers law ensures that heat transfer in the x-direction is a positive quantity.

Experimental Unit and Procedure

Equipment
The equipment involved with the completion of this laboratory is as follows:

Thermal Conduction Unit

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Heat conduction in 3 various plane walls

Heat conduction in a cylinder
Control and display unit
Data cable
Power cable
Cooling water feed
Water return system
Mains power

Three Types of Inserts

1. Brass, 25mm Diameter, 30mm Length

2. Stainless Steel 1.4305, 25mm Diameter, 30mm Length
3. Brass, 15mm Diameter, 30mm Length

Cylindrical Heat Conduction Unit

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Insulated housing
Disk
Heater
Cooler (copper pipe)
Six temperature measuring points

Procedure
The heat conduction unit was setup as shown in Figure 1 of the laboratory manual. Cold
water was supplied to the unit using the hoses. Insert 1 was installed and the cooling water flow
rate was adjusted to approximately 1kg/h to ensure that a heater power of 90 W at a temperature
difference of 90C. The unit was turned on and the temperature drop was set using the power
setting on the control and unit display. The unit was allowed to reach a steady state condition,
this occurs when the individual measuring points are stable and unchanging. The power supplied
to the unit and the temperature at the individual measuring points were recorded. This process
was repeated three more times for the two other inserts, and once again for the radial unit.

Results and Discussion

Equations
Heat conduction in a wall is described by Fouriers Law, which is expressed as:
cond=kA dT
Q
dx
For the composite wall shown in Figure 6 of the lab manual, the heat flow is described as:
1st Layer:

Q=

K 1 A (T 1T 2 )
L1

2 Layer:

K 2 A (T 2 T 3 )
Q=
L2

Nth Layer:

Q=

nd

K n A (T nT n+1)
Ln

The heat flow from the overall difference is found by the following equation:
A (T 1T n+1 )
Q=
L 1 L2 Ln
+ +
k1 k2 kn

Tabulated Data
Table 1: Heat Conduction in a Plane Wall (Insert #1 with 3 Temperature Measurement Points)

Temperature
Measurement
Points

Material of Measurement

Brass

Brass

Brass

Section
Diameter (mm)
Theoretical Conductivity at

25
113

25
113

25
113

20C (w/mK)
Measured Heating Power (W)
Distance
Measured

Temp Difference in

63.5
Thermal Conductivity

(mm)

Temperature

K (K)

(W/mK)

(C)
T 1 =73.5

10

T 2 =69.5

20

T 3 =64

30

T 4=62.2

40

T 5 =55.4

50

T 6 =50.9

60

T 7 =39.8

70

T 8 =35.3

80

T 9=29.3

Table 2: Heat Conduction in a Plane Wall (Insert #2 with No Temperature Measurement Points)
Material of Measurement

Temperature
Measurement
Points

Section
Diameter (mm)
Theoretical Conductivity at
20C (w/mK)
Measured Heating Power (W)
Distance
Measured

Brass

Stainless

Brass

25
113

Steel
25
15

25
113

Temp Difference in

44
Thermal Conductivity

(mm)

Temperature

K (K)

(W/mK)

(C)
T 1 =103.8

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2

10

T 2 =102.5

20

T 3 =98.6

Contact Point

25

T 4=

1
Contact Point

55

T 6 =

2
7

60

T 7 =28.6

70

T 8 =26.6

80

T 9=23.5

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Table 3: Heat Conduction in a Plane Wall (Insert #3 with No Temperature Measurement Points)

Temperature
Measurement
Points

Material of Measurement

Brass

Brass

Brass

Section
Diameter (mm)
Theoretical Conductivity at

25
113

15
113

25
113

20C (w/mK)
Measured Heating Power (W)
Distance
Measured

Temp Difference in

52.1
Thermal Conductivity

(mm)

Temperature

K (K)

(W/mK)

(C)
T 1 =85.3

10

T 2 =82.9

20

T 3 =77.7

25

T 4=

55

T 6 =

60

T 7 =32.9

70

T 8 =29.7

80

T 9=25.4

Table 4: Heat Conduction in a Cylinder (Circular Disc as Hollow Cylinder)

Temperature
Measurement
Points

Material of Measurement

Brass

Section
Diameter (mm)
Theoretical Conductivity at

12/110
113

20C (w/mK)
Measured Heating Power (W)
Distance
Measured

Temp Difference in

64
Thermal Conductivity

(mm)

Temperature

K (K)

(W/mK)

(C)
T 1 =46.8

10

T 2 =44.6

20

T 3 =37

Not possible to calc.

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4

30

T 4=31.7

40

T 5 =28.5

50

T 6 =26.6

Conclusion

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Nomenclature

Heat Transfer Rate (kW )

Thermal Conductivity(W /m K)

Area(m2 )

Thickness(m)

Radius(m)

Lc

Length of theCylinder (0.004 m)

Radius(m)

Tempurature( C)

References
1. Equipment for Engineering Education, Instruction and Operation Manuals, Gunt Hamburg
Germany 02/98.
2. Heat Conduction Unit, Heat Transfer Lab Manual, University of Ontario Institute of
Technology, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
3. Y.A. Cengel & Ghajar, AJ. Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, 5th
Edition, McGraw-Hill, NY. 2015
4. T. L. Bergman, A. S. Lavine, Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 7th Edition, John
Wiley & Sons, 2011

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Appendix