Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology

Department of Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering

Unit Operations Laboratory No. 4

Experiment on Heat Transfer: Natural Convection of Hot Water System in Paper and Styro
Cups

Submitted by:

Cañedo, Raphael

Colita, Jon

Dimo, Van Andrew

Dumaog, Mary Bernadine

Submitted to:

Engr. Arniel Ching O. Dizon

August 5, 2010
 Abstract
Heat transfer mechanisms have always been regarded with utmost importance because of its
ubiquitous existence in every facet of life. Wherever there is a temperature difference there would
always be heat flow to achieve thermal equilibrium. For a system of hot water in a cup insulated at the
top and bottom part, both conduction and convection, particularly natural convection could be
demonstrated. Conduction is when the hot water heats the cup and natural convection is when the
surrounding air with lesser temperature causes circulation because of density difference resulting from
temperature gradients in the fluid. The question guiding this study is what material governs a faster
rate of heat transfer through natural convection in a hot water system. Will it be a paper or styro cup?
The experiment was set up so as to measure the overall heat transfer coefficient by measuring every 1
degree Celsius deviation in the thermometer as a function of time. Then the value of ln[(T liq-Troom)/(Tliq
-Troom) vs time is plotted to show the linear relationship of the variables. Top and bottom side of the
cups are insulated with Styrofoam. Both paper cups are weighed with and without water to measure
the amount of water present for the heat transfer process. Its dimensions such as top, bottom diameter
and its vertical length were also known to integrate the value of the external surface area. Thus, from
these measured parameters and the slope of the line, values for U o for both materials were then
compared. It was known that Uo for styro is much lesser than for paper cups. Thus, it can heat flows in
paper cups much faster than styro cups.
 Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1
Methodology................................................................................................................................................3
Sample Preparation.........................................................................................................................2

Data Gathering...............................................................................................................................2

Data Treatment..............................................................................................................................2

Results..........................................................................................................................................................4
Reynolds Analogy............................................................................................................................4

Prantdl Number...............................................................................................................................4

Convective Heat and Mass Transfer..................................................................................................4

Discussion.....................................................................................................................................................6
Conclusions and Recommendations.............................................................................................................7
References....................................................................................................................................................8
Appendix A...................................................................................................................................................9
Appendix B..................................................................................................................................................10
Appendix C..................................................................................................................................................11
INTRODUCTION
Heat transfer also called as transfer of thermal energy occurs in a system due to
temperature difference in such a way that the body and the surroundings reach thermal
equilibrium. Heat transfer always occurs from a higher-temperature to a cooler-temperature as
described by the Second Law of Thermodynamics. A good application of heat transfer can be
seen through a system of hot water in a cup wherein two major mechanisms of heat transfer
occur. Basically, the hot water heats the cup by conduction and then simultaneously convection
happens between the hot surface and the bulk surrounding fluid which is of much lower
temperature. There are two types of convective heat transfer; force and natural convection.
Since in this experiment, the fluid (air) was not force to flow over the surface by an external
source then the type of convection employed in this study is natural convection. Natural
Convection is a type of convection wherein fluid motion results entirely from the presence of a
hot body in the fluid, causing temperature and hence density gradients to develop, so that the
fluid moves under the influence of gravity and thereby releasing heat in the process.

According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, the energy that flowed into the air and
the other surfaces in the room exactly equals the energy that flowed out of the cup. It has to be
that way because energy can't just disappear into nothingness. The total amount of energy
never changes.

Energy Balance for the system where the control volume is the hot liquid inside the containers.

Accumulation Rate of Energy Rate of Energy

of Energy in the = addition to the _ addition to the (1)
Control Volume Control Volume Control Volume

This can be expanded into a form which relates the all experimental factors together knowing
that there is no additional energy being added into the control volume. Thus;

d J
( mC p T liquid ) =0 −( Rate of Heat Transfer ) (2)
dt s
Where m is the moles of hot water, C p is the heat capacity of water = 4,184 J/(kg ºC)

Rate of Heat Transfer is measured by;

( Rate of ¿ ) ¿ ¿ ¿ (3)
¿
Or similarly taking account the overall heat transfer by combined conduction and convection
which is expressed in terms of an overall heat-transfer coefficient, Uo based on the outside area.
Thus;

Rate of Heat Transfer = -Uo Ao [Tsurface-Tair] (4)

Where Uo is the proportionality constant coefficient which is different for every type of material,
Ao is the outside area of contact, Tsurface is the surface Temperature and Tair is the temperature of
the air.

Surface area, Ao is given by the formula integrated to measure the external surface area of the
side of the conical cup.

d top+d bottom
Ao=πL ( 2 ) (5)

*note: integration for A0 is shown in appendix.

Therefore equation (2) now becomes;

T t
dT liquid U o Ao
∫
T initial ( T liquid −T room )
=∫
t =0
( )
mC p
dt

T liquid −T room U A
( T initial −T room ) (
=exp − o o t
mC p ) (6)

T liquid −T room

This means that the plot ln

( T initial −T room ) vs t gives the linear relationship between the two
Uo Ao

experimental variables. With Slope =

( )
mC p
which give value for Uo.

This experiment aims to compare values of the Heat Transfer Coefficient, U o by

measuring the temperature deviation versus time for a hot water system for two different
types of materials particularly paper and styro for the cup which is well insulated in both top
and bottom part to insure that only the side undergoes natural convection.
METHODOLOGY
REFERENCES

[1]Geankoplis, Christie J. Transport Processes and Unit Operations, Third Edition.

Singapore: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1995

[2]McCabe W., Smith C., and Harriott P. Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, 5 Edition.
th

New York: McGraw-Hill Book Corporation. 1993

[3]Natural convection. Retrieved from

http://www.google.com.ph/#hl=tl&source=hp&q=natural+convection&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=
&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=1&cad=b

[4]Heat transfer . Rerieved from

http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/heat_transfer_coffee.htm