Guide to FinSolver.

xls

Craig W. Somerton
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
somerton@egr.msu.edu
January 28, 2003

FinSolver.xls is an Excel spreadsheet program that performs the calculations
for fin analysis for five different fin geometries. As indicated by the
workbook tabs, theses geometries are:

rectangular fins
cylindrical fins
triangular fins
annular fins
parabolic fins

The worksheets for each fin geometry vary some, but they all take on a
similar structure. At the top of the worksheet will be a line drawing of the
fin with labeled dimensions. Next to it will be a picture of an array model
utilizing the geometry (except for the parabolic fin geometry). Below these
graphics are the cells for the required inputs. These cells are color coded in
red lettering. The typical inputs include: fin dimensions (e.g., length, width,
thickness, diameter), temperatures of the fin base and surrounding fluid,
thermal conductivity and density of the fin material, the convective heat
transfer coefficient from the side of the fins (called the Heat Transfer
Coefficient) and the convective heat transfer coefficient at the tip of the fin
(called the Tip Heat Transfer Coefficient), and the location at which the
spreadsheet will calculate the fin temperature.

With these inputs provided the spreadsheet will calculate several of the fin
parameters commonly used in fin analysis. These values are given in the
Output section for the spreadsheet, which is color coded in blue lettering.
The first row of the Outputs includes the geometric parameters of the fin
(perimeter, cross-sectional area, and surface area), the fin eigenvalue (m),
and scaled base temperature (
b
). The next row(s) in the output section
includes the temperature of the fin at the location specified in the input list
and the heat transfer parameters (heat transfer rate, fin efficiency, and
thermal resistance). Each of theses parameters is given for the tip boundary
conditions that may be applicable. For the rectangular, triangular, and
annular fins the three typical tip boundary conditions are considered:

i. adiabatic tip
ii. tip at fluid temperature
iii. convection at the tip
(uses the Tip Heat Transfer Coefficient in the input)

For the triangular and parabolic finds, the tip is assumed to be adiabatic,
since the surface area of the tip is zero. Next to the outputs, a graph of the
temperature distributions for the different tip boundary conditions is
provided.

Most of the time in fin analysis, the engineer is most concern with a fin
array. The lower portion of the spreadsheet allows for array calculations for
the fin specified in the upper portions of the spreadsheet. The user provides
the required heat transfer and the area of the surface available for this heat
transfer. The spreadsheet will then calculate the number of fins required and
their weight.

Some Helpful Hints
To perform the calculations for the triangular, annular, and parabolic fins
require the use of Bessel functions that are available when the Analysis
ToolPak Add-in has been loaded with Excel. Without this add-in cells using
the Bessel function will display errors.

If a cell displays zero, its format may need to be changed to scientific.

The first time user is strongly encouraged to use the following tutorial.

Tutorial for FinSolver.xls

In this tutorial several fin problems are addressed using FinSolver.xls. The
format followed includes a problem statement followed by directions on
solving the problem with FinSolver.xls.

Problem 1
Consider a rectangular fin of width 15 cm and thickness 1 mm composed of
plain carbon steel. The base temperature is 100C and the fluid temperature
is 20C. For a side convective heat transfer coefficient of 10 W/(m
2
K) and
a length of 10 cm, determine the tip convective heat transfer coefficient that
will
(a) have the convective tip solution behave like the adiabatic tip
solution
(b) have the convective tip solution behave like the tip at fluid
temperature solution
Solution:
We begin by clicking to the Rectangular tab of the workbook. In the Input
portion we enter the values shown below.

Width, w
(m)
Length, L
(m)
Thickness, t
(m)
Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Base
Temperature
(C)
Fluid
Temperature
(C)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/mK)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Tip Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Distance at
which
temperature
is desired
(m)
0.15 0.1 1.00E-03 10 100 20 60.5 7854 0 0.1
Inputs


Note that since the tip heat transfer coefficient is unknown, we have left it as
zero.
(a) To determine the range of the tip heat transfer coefficient that will lead
tip the fin behaving as having an adiabatic tip, we must determine the
criteria. We will use two criteria. First we will simply visually inspect the
graph. Second we will look for the tip heat transfer coefficient that will lead
to a difference in efficiency between the two cases greater than 0.01. We
can now develop the following table.

Tip
Convective
Heat Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Efficiency
of Adiabatic
Tip
Efficiency of
Convective
Tip
Temperature Graph
0 0.518 0.518
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip

50 0.518 0.520
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip

150 0.518 0.524
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip

300 0.518 0.529
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip


(b) We now carry out the same procedure, but compare the convective tip
case to the tip at fluid temperature case. We begin by setting a very large tip
heat transfer coefficient (10
6
W/m
2
K)) that gives the same efficiency for
both cases. Then the following table is developed.

Tip
Convective
Heat Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Efficiency
with Tip at
Fluid
Temperature
Efficiency
of
Convective
Tip
Temperature Graph
10
6
0.575 0.575
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip

5000 0. 575 0.564
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Distance (m)
T
e
m
p
e
r
t
a
t
r
e

(
C
)
ConvectiveT ip
Adiabatic Tip
Fluid Temperature Tip


For a fin of these specifications, we can draw the following conclusions:

for h
tip
< 300 the fin behaves as if its tip is adiabatic
for h
tip
> 5000 the fin behaves as if its tip is at the fluids temperature

Problem 2
Determine the fin efficiency for an annular fin made of cartridge brass of
thickness 0.0001 m, inside radius of 0.015 m, and outside radius of 0.022 m.
The heat transfer coefficient is 25 W/(m
2
K) with a fluid temperature of
18C and a base temperature of 132C. Find the outside radius to produce a
fin efficiency of 0.93.

Solution:
We begin by using the Annular workbook tab to move to the correct
worksheet. Then the input will be as follows:

Inner Radius, r
1
(m)
Outer Radius,
r
2
(m)
Thickness, t
(m)
Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Base
Temperature
(C)
Fluid
Temperature
(C)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/mK)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Distance at
which
temperature is
desired
(m)
Tip Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
0.015 0.022 0.0001 25 132 18 23 8920 0.022 25
Inputs


Note that we have set the Tip Heat Transfer Coefficient equal to the Heat
Transfer Coefficient. In the Output section of the spreadsheet, we find a fin
efficiency of 0.715 (using the most realistic convective tip condition). To
find the required outside radius to yield a fin efficiency of 0.93, we simply
go to the Outer Radius cell and try values until we find the desired
efficiency. Our results might look like:

Outer Radius (m) Fin Efficiency
0.022 0.715
0.020 0.838
0.018 0.949
0.019 0.897
0.0184 0.929

Problem 3
Compare the mass required using triangular or rectangular fins to maintain a
5 cm x 5 cm circuit board generating 50 W at 85C. The fins are 4 cm long,
1 cm wide and 1 cm thick at the base. They are made of aluminum and the
cooling air is 24C with a heat transfer coefficient of 54 W/(m
2
K)

Solution:
First let us consider the rectangular fin array. Using the Rectangular
worksheet we enter the following inputs:

Width, w
(m)
Length, L
(m)
Thickness, t
(m)
Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Base
Temperature
(C)
Fluid
Temperature
(C)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/mK)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Tip Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Distance at
which
temperature
is desired
(m)
0.01 0.04 1.00E-02 54 85 24 237 2702 5.40E+01 0.04
Inputs


Next moving down to the Design Analysis section, we enter the circuit board
area and required heat transfer to obtain:

Input Input Output Output
Required Heat
Transfer
(W)
Bare Surface
Area
(m
2
)
Number of Fins
Mass of Fin
Array
(kg)
50 0.0025 10 1.081E-01
Design Analysis


Now carrying out the same procedure using the Triangular worksheet:

Width, w
(m)
Length, L
(m)
Thickness at
Base, t
(m)
Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Base
Temperature
(C)
Fluid
Temperature
(C)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/mK)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Distance at
which
temperature is
desired
(m)
0.01 0.04 0.01 54 85 24 237 2702 0.04
Inputs


Input Input Output Output
Required Heat
Transfer
(W)
Bare Surface
Area
(m
2
)
Number of Fins
Mass of Fin
Array
(kg)
50 0.0025 14 0.076
Design Analysis


We see that even though this application requires more triangular fins than
rectangular fins (14 to 10) the required mass using triangular fins is 30% less
than the mass for the rectangular fin array.

Problem 4
A thermocouple is one of the most common devices used to measure
temperature. It consists of two wires that produce a voltage difference when
its two junctions are subjected to a temperature difference. Consider a
thermocouple encased in a rhodium sheath of diameter 8 mm that is used to
measure the temperature of gases in a combustion chamber. The sheath is
inserted through the wall of the combustion chamber. The end that is at the
wall is maintained at 400 K by cooling with water. The sheath in the
combustion chamber is exposed to gases at 1800 K and convection
coefficient of 350 W/(m
2
K). Determine

(a) the length of sheath required to measure the
gases temperature to within 0.2 K
(b) the cooling required to maintain the wall end of
the sheath at 400 K.

You may assume that the sheath is solid rhodium and that the
temperature read by the thermocouple is at the tip of the sheath.

Solution:
We begin by going to the Cylindrical worksheet and entering the required
input values as shown below:

Diameter, D
(m)
Length, L
(m)
Heat Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Base
Temperature
(C)
Fluid
Temperature
(C)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/mK)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Tip Heat
Transfer
Coefficient
(W/m
2
K)
Distance at
which
temperature is
desired
(m)
0.008 0 350 127 1527 150 12450 350 0
Inputs


Note the that the tip heat transfer coefficient has been set equal to the heat
transfer coefficient, the length set equal to 0 (since it is not a priori known),
and the distance at which the temperature is desired is et equal to the length.
Now various lengths are tried until the tip temperature is within 0.2 K. We
can generate the following table using cell B22 for the tip temperature.

Length (m) Tip Temperature (C)
0.01 233.9
0.1 1441.0
0.28 1526.8

So the length of thermocouple required is 28 cm and the required heat
transfer is then 360.5 W.