ME 311 HEAT TRANSFER

EXPERIMENT 2

HEAT TRANSFER FROM A PIN FIN

OBJECTIVE

Fins are used to increase the heat transfer rate from a surface to a fluid wherever it is not possible
to increase the value of the surface heat transfer coefficient or the temperature difference
between the surface and the fluid. The design of the fins therefore requires knowledge of the
temperature distribution in the fin. The main objective of this experimental set up is to study
temperature distribution in a pin fin.

THEORY

Fins are extensions or appendages that are attached to the base of a structure and extend into
the surrounding fluid. They increase heat transfer by increasing the total surface area where
convection occurs. Fins can be found in almost any mechanism or structure that generates large
amount of heat and is subject to component damage from high temperatures. Fins are commonly
used for cooling of engine heads in lawn mowers and motorcycles, as well as amplifiers and
transformers where electrical components produce heat. The four different kinds of fins used
are the straight fin of uniform cross section, the straight fin of non-uniform cross section, the
annular fin, and the pin fin. For the analysis of heat transfer from a pin fin of uniform cross-
section, it will be assumed that; the fin temperature is one dimensional and depends only on the
distance x from the fin base; that is, 𝑇 = 𝑇(𝑥), the convection heat transfer coefficient ℎ is
constant along the fin and the base temperature (where 𝑥 = 0) is the same as the wall
temperature of the surface. In reality, the temperature of the fin is two-dimensional, the
convection coefficient is not constant, and the temperature of the base is not the same as the
main structure. Although these assumptions are made to simplify the problem, these

Figure 1. The temperature difference with surrounding fluid, 𝑇(𝑥) − 𝑇∞

1 of 6
assumptions are reasonably accurate in most circumstances and result in only small deviations
from the true solution.

The heat is conducted along the circular pin fin and also transferred to the surrounding fluid at
temperature 𝑇∞ by convection and the temperature difference with surrounding fluid (𝑇(𝑥) −
𝑇∞ ) will steadily diminish as one moves out along the fin as shown in Figure 1. Short and
medium-length fins transfer heat by convection to surrounding fluid at the fin tip as well. For
long fins, it is assumed that the fin has infinite length, so that the fin tip is at the same
temperature as the surroundings.

When the temperature distribution along the fin, has been measured, the total heat transfer rate
from the fin can be calculated from Fourier’s Law, which governs heat transfer by conduction:

𝑑𝑇 𝑑(𝑇(𝑥) − 𝑇∞ )
𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛 = −𝑘𝐴𝑐 ( ) = −𝑘𝐴𝑐 ( ) (1)
𝑑𝑥 𝑥=0 𝑑𝑥 𝑥=0

Where 𝑘 is the thermal conductivity of the fin material, 𝐴𝑐 is the cross-sectional area of the fin
and (𝑑𝑇⁄𝑑𝑥)𝑥=0 is the temperature gradient at the fin base as shown in Fig 1. This equation
simply states that the heat transfer rate by convection from the fin (𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛 ) must be equivalent to

Figure 2. Area under the temperature difference distribution along the fin

the heat transfer rate by conduction into the fin at the fin base (−𝑘𝐴𝑐 (𝑑𝑇⁄𝑑𝑥 )𝑥=0 ). However,
conservation of energy dictates that the rate at which heat is transferred by convection from the
fin must be equal to the rate at which it is conducted through the base of the fin. Accordingly,
the alternative formulation for 𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛 is,

𝐿
𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛 = ℎ𝑃 ∫ (𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )𝑑𝑥 + ℎ𝐴𝑐 (𝑇𝑥=𝐿 − 𝑇∞ ) (2)
0
where ℎ is the heat transfer coefficient between fin surface and the surrounding fluid, 𝑃 is
𝐿
perimeter and ∫0 (𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )𝑑𝑥 is the area under the distribution of temperature difference along

2 of 6
the fin as given in Figure 2. Total heat transfer from the base to the ambient is simply sum of
the heat transfer from unfinned surface to ambient and from the fin to ambient.

𝑞𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛 + ℎ(𝐴𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 − 𝐴𝑐 )(𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ) (3)

Combining equations (2) and (3) yields

𝐿
𝑞𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = ℎ𝑃 ∫ (𝑇 − 𝑇∞ )𝑑𝑥 + ℎ𝐴𝑐 (𝑇𝑥=𝐿 − 𝑇∞ ) + ℎ(𝐴𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 − 𝐴𝑐 )(𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ ) (4)
0

Now that we have expressions for the heat transfer rates we would like to be able to compare
the fins with ideal cases. To do so we need to introduce a new concept called fin efficiency.
Although fin efficiency may be new, the general concept of efficiency is probably quite familiar
to you. Fin efficiency, (𝜂) is the ratio of the actual heat transfer rate from the fin to the ideal
heat transfer rate of the fin, which occurs when the entire fin is perfectly conductive and is
therefore maintained at the base temperature. Fin efficiency, then, is given by

𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛
𝜂= (5)
ℎ𝐴𝑓 (𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ )

Finally, we are interested in finding out how much heat transfer is gained by adding these fins
to our system. To do this, we introduce the concept of fin effectiveness ε, which is the ratio of
the actual heat transfer rate from the fin to the heat transfer rate that would occur at the base
area if the fin was not present. The expression for fin effectiveness is

𝑞𝑓𝑖𝑛
𝜀= (6)
ℎ𝐴𝑐 (𝑇𝑏 − 𝑇∞ )

EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION

In this experiment, the performance of three fins with different materials is studied. The
diameter of the fins with lengths of 15 cm and 25 cm is 10 mm, and the diameter of the one
with a length of 35 mm is 6 mm, as seen in Table 1. Fins are employed to remove the heat
produced by cartridge heaters, the power output of which can be adjusted. The diameter of the
base surface is 40 mm and same for all each configuration.

3 of 6
 Table 1. Fin Dimensions

Fin Length Fin Diameter Distance between two thermocouples

For each fin configuration, six thermocouples are used to measure temperatures at six different
locations, two of which are the base and tip temperatures. The view of the experimental set up
is given in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Experimental Set Up

PROCEDURE

1. Record all thermocouple readings including those corresponding to the ambient temperature,
when the temperatures are steady.
2. Record the voltage and current of DC power supply to find the power output of cartridge
heater.

CALCULATIONS

1. Calculate 𝑞𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 , the power output of cartridge heater.

4 of 6
4. Estimate h by using equation (4).
5. Determine the slope (𝑑𝑇⁄𝑑𝑥) at 𝑥 = 0.
6. Find the thermal conductivity of the fin material and make an educated guess about
material type.
7. Assuming that the fin length is long enough to make infinite fin assumption, estimate h
8. Check the validity of the infinite fin assumption, and comment on your result.
9. Calculate the efficiency and effectiveness for the fin.

REPORT

1. Comment on any trends observed in the temperature distribution, and explain the reason for
those trends.
2. Discuss sources of error due to the equipment or assumptions.

5 of 6
DATA SHEET

T1 (oC)

T2 (oC)

T3 (oC)

T4 (oC)

T5 (oC)

T6 (oC)

Tamb (oC)

Voltage (V)

Current (A)

6 of 6