Adamson University

College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Department

UNIT OPERATIONS 1 LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 10:
BARE AND LAGGED PIPES

SUBMITTED BY:
ANASTACIO, VAN CALVIN O.
CRUZ, NICHOLE M.
LINGAO, NIKKO VINCENT
MARTIN, JEANELL P.
PENALBA, BENJIE T.

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. ALBERT D.C EVANGELISTA

I.

ABSTRACT

Thermal conductivity is the measure of the ability of a material to allow the flow of heat
from its warmer surface through the material to its colder surface; it is determined as the heat
energy transferred per unit of time and per unit of surface area divided by the temperature
gradient. Temperature gradient is defined as the difference of temperature divided by the
distance between the two surfaces usually expressed in watts per Kelvin per meter. The
objectives of this experiment are to determine the thermal conductivity and efficiency of the
lagging materials. The heat input would be assumed equal to the heat flow rate through the
lagged pipe. The material being used in this experiment is the bare and lagged pipes set-up
apparatus, boiler, digital thermometers, heat resistant gloves, container and steam condensate
collector.

II.

INTRODUCTION

Heat transfer is the movement of thermal energy from one thing to another thing of
different temperature. These objects could be two solids, a solid and a liquid or gas, or even
within a liquid or gas. Heat transfer by conduction involves transfer of energy within a
material without any motion of the material as a whole. Energy transfers from more energetic
to less energetic molecules when neighbouring molecules collide. Heat flows in direction of
decreasing temperatures since higher temperatures are associated with higher molecular
energy. The rate of heat transferred naturally depends on the magnitude of the temperature
difference, the thermal resistance, and the heat transfer area.
The use of insulation is the most common method of minimizing the heat losses to the
surroundings. This increases the resistance therefore lower the rate of heat transfer. The rate
of heat lost from a pipe carrying steam can be measured simply by determining the rate of
condensation of steam, m, which can be collected at a certain interval of time.

By heat balance,
= [ + ( )]

Where:
= , /
= , /
=
=

Condensed steam can be collected as saturated liquid under controlled conditions, then we
can simplify the above equation to,
= s
Determining the effectiveness of insulation would therefore be just comparing the heat lost
from the pipe with insulation with that of a bare pipe. The rate of condensation would be
proportional to the heat lost and the weight of the condensate is directly proportional to its
volume. This is assuming that the temperatures and pressures of the condensate are the same.
The lagging efficiency could be determined using the equation

 = [ ]
Where:
= ( )
= ( )
Before heat is transferred to the surroundings, it travels first from the bulk of the steam
through the steam film condensate, then through the metal pipe, then through the insulation
by conduction until it reaches the surface of the insulation where part of the heat is
transferred to the surrounding air by convection and part by radiation to the surrounding
walls. That is,
= = +
= (( ) + ( )
Where:
hc = Heat transfer coefficient by convection
hr = Heat transfer coefficient by radiation
Ts = Surface temperature of insulation
Ao = Outside area of insulation
For practical purposes, Ta =Tw , therefore becomes,
= ( + )( )

III.

Materials/ Equipments Needed:

1. Bare and Lagged Pipe Apparatus Set- Up

2. Boiler
3. Digital Thermometers
4. Heat Resistant Gloves
5. Container
6. Steam Condensate Collector

IV.

PROCEDURE

The bare and lagged pipe apparatus set- up was preheated for five (5) minutes by
allowing the steam through the tubes until the temperature reading becomes stable. The
valves were then opened at the end of each tube. Then, a constant pressure of the incoming
team was set by adjusting the valve that controls the steam inflow. This was done by closing
the valves at the end of the tubes and measuring the pressure when it becomes constant. The
corresponding temperature was also measured. The valves at the end of the tubes were
opened and the steam was allowed to run through for five (5) minutes. The condensates at the
end of the tubes were collected using a metal basin.
After five (5) minutes, the temperature at the inlet and outlet of the tubes were recorded
using thermometers. The temperature and the volume of the condensate were measured. The
temperature of the condensate was immediately recorded as it drops into the metal basin so
that the minimal heat is lost upon measurement

V.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

At the Boiler:
Pressure: 41 PSI
Temperature (Steam): 149oC
Pipe Type
Inlet Temperature (oC)
Outlet Temperature (oC)
Pipe 1: Perlite
34.3
39
Pipe 2: Normal
73
73.6
Pipe 3: Three (3) Times
74
78
Coated
Pipe 4: Insulated
41.1
44
Table 1: Inlet and Outlet Temperature Readings per type of Pipe

Pipe Type

Time (s)

58.1
86

Volume of the
Condensate (mL)
1050
1250

85.9

1350

61

450

Temperature (oC)

Pipe 1: Perlite
30
Pipe 2: Normal
30
Pipe 3: Three (3)
30
Times Coated
Pipe 4: Insulated
30
Table 2: Volume of the Condensate Readings

Pipe Type
Pipe 1: Perlite
Pipe 2: Normal
Pipe 3: Three (3) Times Coated
Pipe 4: Insulated
Table 3: Experimental Heat Lost per Pipe

Heat Lost (J/s)

2637.18
2522.95
2523.37
2602.45

Pipe Type
Pipe 1: Perlite
Pipe 3: Three (3) Times Coated
Pipe 4: Insulated
Table 4: Lagging Efficiency

Efficiency (%)
16
8
64

VI.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the determined experimental and theoretical heat losses for each pipe
shows reasonably same results through the use of the heat transfer coefficient for convection and
radiation in computing for heat losses. Pipe 4, the Insulated Pipe, gave the highest lagging
efficiency among all the pipes.