Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri Campus

Department of Mechanical Engineering

TF 602 Advanced Heat Transfer
Tutorial - 3
Tutorial 3: Extended Surfaces Fins Pin fins, Straight Fins, Circumferential Fins. Transient Conduction.
Concept Review Questions (The minimum you are expected
to learn) Practice writing answers to these questions referring
to the textbooks.

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Define - Extended surface. What is the reason for the

widespread use of fins on surfaces?
What is the difference between the fin effectiveness and
the fin efficiency?
The fins attached to a surface are determined to have an
effectiveness of 0.9. Do you think the rate of heat
transfer from the surface has increased or decreased as
a result of the addition of these fins?
Explain how the fins enhance heat transfer from a
surface. Also, explain how the addition of fins may
actually decrease heat transfer from a surface.
How does the overall effectiveness of a finned surface
differ from the effectiveness of a single fin?
Hot air is to be cooled as it is forced to flow through the
tubes exposed to atmospheric air. Fins are to be added in
order to enhance heat transfer. Would you recommend
attaching the fins inside or outside the tubes? Why?
When would you recommend attaching fins both inside
and outside the tubes?
Consider two finned surfaces that are identical except
that the fins on the first surface are formed by casting or
extrusion, whereas they are attached to the second
surface afterwards by welding or tight fitting. For which
case do you think the fins will provide greater
enhancement in heat transfer? Explain.
Does the (a) efficiency and (b) effectiveness of a fin
increase or decrease as the fin length is increased?
Two pin fins are identical, except that the diameter of
one of them is twice the diameter of the other. For which
fin will the (a) fin effectiveness and (b) fin efficiency be
higher? Explain.
What is lumped system analysis? When is it applicable?
What is the physical significance of the Biot number? Is
the Biot number more likely to be larger for highly
conducting solids or poorly conducting ones?
In what medium is the lumped system analysis more
likely to be applicable: in water or in air? Why?
For which kind of bodies made of the same material is
the lumped system analysis more likely to be applicable:
slender ones or well-rounded ones of the same volume?
Why?
What is an infinitely long cylinder? When is it proper to
treat an actual cylinder as being infinitely long, and when
is it not?
Can the transient temperature charts for a plane wall
exposed to convection on both sides be used for a plane
wall with one side exposed to convection while the other
side is insulated? Explain.
Why are the transient temperature charts prepared using
nondimensionalized quantities such as the Biot and
Fourier numbers instead of the actual variables such as
thermal conductivity and time?
What is the physical significance of the Fourier number?
Will the Fourier number for a specified heat transfer
problem double when the time is doubled?
How can we use the transient temperature charts when
the surface temperature of the geometry is specified
instead of the temperature of the surrounding medium
and the convection heat transfer coefficient?
A body at an initial temperature of Ti is brought into a
medium at a constant temperature of T_. How can you
determine the maximum possible amount of heat
transfer between the body and the surrounding medium?
What is a semi-infinite medium? Give examples of solid
bodies that can be treated as semi-infinite mediums for

Mr. Ebin P S

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heat transfer purposes. Under what conditions can a

plane wall be treated as a semi-infinite medium?
What are the methods used for solving two dimensional
steady state heat conduction problems?
What are the limitations of the analytical solution
methods?
How do numerical solution methods differ from analytical
ones? What are the advantages and disadvantages of
these methods?
Explain how the finite difference form of a heat
conduction problem is obtained by the energy balance
method.
In the energy balance formulation of the finite difference
method, it is recommended that all heat transfer at the
boundaries of the volume element be assumed to be into
the volume element even for steady heat conduction. Is
this a valid recommendation even though it seems to
violate the conservation of energy principle?
How is an insulated boundary handled in the finite
difference formulation of a problem? How does a
symmetry line differ from an insulated boundary in the
finite difference formulation?

Extended Surfaces

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*A long rod 12 mm square section made of low

carbon steel protrudes into air at 35C from a
furnace wall at 200 C. The convection heat
transfer coefficient is estimated as 22 W/m 2.K.
The thermal conductivity of the material is 51.9
W/mK. Calculate the temperature and heat flow
at 80 mm from base and the fin effectiveness for
the following cases.
a. Long fin case. Determine the location from
the wall at which the temperature will be 60
C.
b.
If the length of the rod is 159 mm,
determine the end temperature and heat
transfer up to the end.
c. If the fin length is 80 mm and end face
convection also exists, determine the end
temperature and heat transfer up to the end.
d. If the end of the rod is held at 200C and 100
C, determine the temperature at mid
location.
Consider the arrangement of 50 pin fins (1 cm
dia,10 cm long) made of copper. Determine the
heat transfer rate for the same if the base and
fluid temperatures are 200C and 30C
respectively.
Take k = 300 W/mK, h = 15
W/m2.K.
In the previous problem, if the pin fins are of 20
cm length and fixed between two walls that are
maintained at 200C, determine the heat
transfer rate.
*Determine the heat flow for rectangular fins and
triangular fin of 20 mm length and 3 mm base
thickness.
The base and surroundings
temperatures are 120 C and 35 C respectively.
Also determine the fin effectiveness. Take k = 45
W/mK, h = 100 W/m2.K.
*A circumferential fin on a pipe of 50 mm OD is 3
mm thick and 20 mm long. Using the property
values in the previous problem, determine the
rate of heat transfer and effectiveness. If the
pitch is 10 mm, determine the increase in heat
flow for 1 m length.
*One end of long rod 1 cm dia having a thermal
conductivity of 45 W/mK is placed in a furnace.
The rod is exposed to air at 30C over its surface
and the convection heat transfer coefficient is
estimated as 35 W/m2.K. If the temperature is
read as 265C at a distance of 39.3 mm from the
furnace end, determine the base temperature of
the rod.
Page 1 of 3

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri Campus

Department of Mechanical Engineering
TF 602 Advanced Heat Transfer
Tutorial - 3
7.

*Consider
the
previous
problem.
The
temperatures measured at two points A and B,
39.3 mm apart gave 265C and 147.5C
respectively, determine the conductivity of the
material.
8. *Two rods of dia D mm and length L mm have
one of the ends at 120C and are exposed to air
at 30C. The conductivity of the material of one
rod is 45 W/mK and the temperature of the rod
at the end is measured as 80C, while the end
temperature of the other rod was 60C.
Determine the conductivity of the other material.
9. *Two long slender rods have one of their ends in
a furnace at temperature T o and T with same
value of convection coefficient. The temperature
measurements showed that the temperature of
rod A at 0.18 m from the base was equal to the
temperature of rod B at a distance of 0.09 m
from the base. If the conductivity of material A
is 45 W/mK, determine the conductivity of
material B.
10. *Two long slender rods A and B have one of their
ends maintained at 600C and are exposed to air
at 30C. The temperature measured at equal
distance x from the hot end showed values of
210C and 370C on A and B. If the conductivity
of material A is 50 W/mK, determine the
conductivity of material B.
11. *A rectangular plate fin of 2 mm thickness and
15 mm length is being used on a surface. It is
proposed to reduce the material to 70% and use
a triangular fin of same base thickness. The
convection coefficient is 100 W/m2.K and the
conductivity is 200 W/mK. The surroundings
temperature is 35C. Determine the heat gain
and effectiveness for both the cases.
12. Turbine blades mounted to a rotating disc in a
gas turbine engine are exposed to a gas stream
that is at 1200 C and maintains a convection
coefficient of 250 W/m2.K over the blade. The
blades, which are fabricated from Inconel, k =
20 W/m K, have a length of 50 mm. The blade
profile has a uniform cross-sectional area of 6 x
10-4 m2 and a perimeter of 110 mm. A proposed
blade-cooling scheme, which involves routing air
through the supporting disc, is able to maintain
the base of each blade at a temperature of 300
C.
(a) If the maximum allowable blade temperature is 1050
C and the blade tip may be assumed to be adiabatic, is
the proposed cooling scheme satisfactory?
(b) For the proposed cooling scheme, what is the rate at
which heat is transferred from each blade to the coolant?

13. Circular copper rods of diameter 1 mm and

length 25 mm are used to enhance heat transfer
from a surface that is maintained at 100 C. One
end of the rod is attached to this surface (at x =
0), while the other end (x = 25 mm) is joined to
a second surface, which is maintained at 0 C.
Air flowing between the surfaces (and over the
rods) is also at a temperature of 0 C, and a
convection coefficient of 100 W/m2 K is
maintained.
(a) What is the rate of heat transfer by convection from a
single opper rod to the air?
(b) What is the total rate of heat transfer from a 1m by 1
m section of the surface at 100 C, if a bundle of the rods
is installed on 4-mm centers?

Mr. Ebin P S

14. Annular aluminum fins of rectangular profile are

attached to a circular tube having an outside
diameter of 50 mm and an outer surface
temperature of 200 C. The fins are 4 mm thick
and 15 mm long. The system is in ambient air at
a temperature of 20 C, and the surface
convection coefficient is 40 W/m2 K.
(a) What are the fin efficiency and effectiveness?
(b) If there are 125 such fins per meter of tube length,
what is the rate of heat transfer per unit length of tube?
Transient Conduction Lumped System Analysis.
15. *A diecast component has a mass of 1.2 kg and
density of 7150 kg/m3 with surface area of 0.075
m2. The thermal conductivity of the material is
95 W/mK and the specific heat is 385 J/kgK. It
comes out of the machine at 345C and is
exposed to air at 20C with a convective heat
transfer coefficient of 56.8 W/m2 K. Determine
(i) the temperature of the part after 5 minutes,
(ii) the time required to reach 50C, (iii) the time
constant.
16. *Cylindrical pieces of size 60 mm dia and 60 mm
height with density of 7800 kg/m3, thermal
conductivity of the material is 43 W/mK and the
specific heat is 486 J/kgK are to be heat treated.
The pieces initially at 35C are placed in a
furnace at 800C with convection coefficient at
athe surface of 85 W/m2 K. Determine the time
required to heat the pieces to 650C. If by
mistake the pieces were taken out of the furnace
after 300 seconds, determine the shortfall in the
requirements.
17. *A thermocouple in the form of a long cylinder of
2 mm dia initially at 30C is used to measure the
temperature of a cold gas at - 160C. The
convection coefficient over the surface is 60
W/m2 K. The material properties are: density =
8922 kg/m3, thermal conductivity of the material
= 22.7 W/mK and the specific heat = 410 J/kgK.
Determine the time it will take to indicate 150C. Also calculate the time constant.
Transient Conduction Semi Infinite Solids.
18. *On a hot day the wood surface gets heated to
50C to a considerable depth. Sudden sharp
showers cool the surface to 20C and maintain
the surface at this temperature level. Determine
the temperature at 2 cm depth after 40 minutes.
The material properties are: density = 2115
kg/m3, thermal conductivity of the material =
0.062 W/mK and the specific heat = 920 J/kgK.
Also calculate the heat flow from the surface up
to the time, instantaneous heat flow at the
surface and at 0.02 m depth.
19. *Still water of some depth initially at 37C has its
surface raised to 100C and maintained at this
level.
Determine the depth at which the
temperature will reach 48C after 10 s. Also find
the heat flow during this time into the water.
Take = 1.595 x 10 - 7 m2/s, k = 0.656 W/mK.
20. *A large slab at 350C is suddenly has its surface
exposed to convection at 30C with h = 80 W/m2
K. Determine the temperatures at a depth of 40
mm and at the surface after 300 seconds. The
properties are given as = 5.6 x 10 - 6 m2/s, k
= 25 W/mK.
21. *The temperature of road surface at 9 am was
5C to a good depth. From 9 am to 12 noon the
surface is exposed to solar radiation of 650
W/m2. Determine the surface temperature and
temperature at a depth of 4 cm. The properties
are given as = 8.26 x 10 - 7 m2/s, k = 0.552
W/mK. Take the absorptivity of a road surface as
0.4.
Transient Conduction Infinite Solids.
22. *A plane wall made of material with density of
7800 kg/m3, thermal conductivity of the material
is 45 W/mK and the specific heat is 465 J/kgK is
12 cm thick. After it was heated to a uniform
Page 2 of 3

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita School of Engineering, Amritapuri Campus

Department of Mechanical Engineering
TF 602 Advanced Heat Transfer
Tutorial - 3

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Mr. Ebin P S

temperature of 310C, the wall is exposed to

convection on both sides to surroundings at 30C
with h = 450 W/m2 K.
Determine the
temperature after 8 minutes at (i) midplane, (ii)
0.03 m from centre plane and,(iii) the surface.
Also calculate (i) the heat flow out during this
period per unit area on one side and (ii) the
instantaneous flow rate at the surface.
Steel is sequentially heated and cooled
(annealed) to relieve stresses and to make it less
brittle. Consider a 100-mm-thick plate (with k =
45 W/mK, density = 7800 kg/m3, specific heat =
500 J/kgK) that is initially at a uniform
temperature of 300C and is heated (on both
sides) in a gas-fired furnace for which T = 700C
and h = 500 W/m2K. How long will it take for a
minimum temperature of 550C to be reached in
the plate?
*To heat treat alloy steel rods, these are placed
in a gas stream at 800C with h = 120 W/m2 K.
The rod is of 19 mm radius and is at 30C to
start with. Determine the time required for the
rod centre line to reach 610C. Take density =
7978 kg/m3, thermal conductivity of the material
= 21.9 W/mK and the specific heat = 0.585
J/kgK. Also determine at this time surface and
mid radius temperatures and the heat flow.
A long rod of 60-mm diameter and thermo
physical properties = 8000 kg/m3, c = 500
J/kgK, and k= 50 W/mK is initially at a uniform
temperature and is heated in a forced
convection furnace maintained at 750 K. The
convection coefficient is estimated to be 1000
W/m2 K. What is the centerline temperature of
the rod when the surface temperature is 550 K?
A long cylinder of 30-mm diameter, initially at a
uniform temperature of 1000 K, is suddenly
quenched in a large, constant-temperature oil

bath at 350 K. The cylinder properties are k =

1.7 W/mK, c = 1600 J/kgK, and = 400 kg/m3,
while the convection coefficient is 50 W/m 2K.
Calculate the time required for the surface of the
cylinder to reach 500 K.
27. A long plastic rod of 30-mm diameter (k = 0.3
W/mK and cp = 1040 kJ/m3 K) is uniformly
heated in an oven as preparation for a pressing
operation. For best results, the temperature in
the rod should not be less than 200C. To what
uniform temperature should the rod be heated in
the oven if, for the worst case, the rod sits on a
conveyor for 3 min while exposed to convection
cooling with ambient air at
25C and with a convection coefficient of 8 W/m 2K? A
further condition for good results is a maximum
minimum temperature difference of less than 10 C. Is
this condition satisfied? If not, what could you do to
satisfy it?
28. *A sphere of 32 mm dia made of material with
density of 400 kg/m3, thermal conductivity of the
material is 1.7W/mK and the specific heat is
1600 J/kgK initially at 800C is suddenly exposed
to convection over the surface to surroundings
at 300C with h = 80 W/m2 K. Determine the
time required for the centre to reach 470C ,and
the surface and mid radius temperatures. Also
determine the total heat transfer and the
instantaneous rate of heat transfer at the
surface. If the sphere is removed from the
surrounding and kept insulated from the instant
estimate its equilibrium temperature.
********************************************************
worked examples from Fundamentals of Heat and Mass
Transfer,
CP Kothandaraman,Second edition,New Age
International Publishers.

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