Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
Name:
Batch: Roll No.: Experiment No.:
Marks:
Signature of Lab Teacher with date:
PIN FIN
CO1: After successful completion of the course students should be able to analyze three different modes
of heat transfer and evaluate heat transfer by conduction.
OBJECTIVE
To find out efficiency of circular pin fin.
DESCRIPTION
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
Whenever the available surface is found inadequate to transfer the required quantity of heat with the
available temperature drop and convective heat transfer coefficient, extended surfaces or fins are used.
This practice invariably is found necessary in heat transfer between a surface and gas as the convective
heat transfer coefficient is rather low in these situations.
The finned surfaces are widely used in.
a) Economisers for stem power plant.
b) Convectors for steam and hot water heating system.
c) Radiator of automobile.
d) Air cooled engine cylinder heads.
e) Cooling coils and condenser coils in refrigerator and air conditioners.
f) Electric motor bodies.
g) Transformers and electronic equipments.
In practice, all kinds of shape and sizes of fins are employed. Some common types of fins are:
1. Uniform straight fins of rectangular, square or circular shape.
2. Tapered straight fins.
3. Splines.
It is obvious that a fin surface sticks out from the primary heat transfer surface. The temperature
difference with surrounding fluid will steadily diminish as one moves out along the fin. This
experimental set up is designed to find the efficiency and to study the temperature distribution in a
simple pin fin.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
A brass fin of circular cross section is fitted in long rectangular duct. The other end of duct is
connected to the suction side of a blower and the air flow past fin perpendicular to it’s axis. One end of
fin projects the duct and is heated by the heater. Temperatures are six points along the length of the fin
is measured by Cr/Al thermocouples. Air flow rate is measured by an orifice meter fitted on the delivery
side of blower. Schematic fig. is shown as.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
SPECIFICATIONS
1. Duct size = 150 × 100 × 1100 mm.
2. Diameter of the fin = 12.7 mm.
3. Length of fin = 150 mm.
4. Diameter of the orifice = 35 mm.
5. Diameter of delivery pipe = 55 mm.
6. Coefficient of discharge for orifice = 0.64
7. Centrifugal blower (1 HP) having single phase motor.
8. Thermocouples on the fin = 6 Nos.
9. Thermocouple (7) reads ambient temperature inside of the duct.
10. Fin material = Brass
11. Nichrome wire heater ( Band type ) placed Over a Pipe having capacity (500 watts).
12. Dimerstat: Heater Control Unit : 0 - 230 V, 0 - 2 Amps. single phase Auto transformer (1 No.)
13. Voltmeter 0 - 100 - 200 V.
14. Ammeter 0 - 2 Amps.
15. Temperature Indicator (digital type) 0 - 200 0C.
PROCEDURE
1. Switch ‘ON’ the supply.
2. Start heating fin by switching on the heater and adjust dimmerstat voltage equal to 100 V to 110
V.
3. Start the blower and adjust difference of level in manometer with the help of valve provided on
the duct.
4. Note down the thermocouple readings 1 - 6 at a time interval of 15 min.
5. When the steady state is reached, record the final readings (1) - (6) & also record the
ambient temperature readings (7).
6. Note down the reading as given in the observation table.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
OBSERVATION TABLE
Sr. Time Volt Curr Heat Temperature
No. age ent Input
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 Tamb Head
V I V×I
(hw)
cm
CALCULATIONS
T 1 + T 2 + T 3 +T 4 +T 5 +T 6
1. Avg temperature of the fin Ta = 6
T a +T amb
2. Mean Fin Temperature Tm = 2
√
Cd ×a1 ×a 2× 2 gh w ( ρw / ρa )
3. Air volume flow rate Q =
√a 12−a22
Where Cd = Coefficient of discharge for orifice = 0.64
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
a1 = area of the pipe.
a2 = area of the orifice.
g = accelearion due to gravity
hw = difference of height of water column in manometer.
ρw = density of water
ρa = density of air at ambient temperature (to be obtained from table for
properties of air).
4. Velocity of air at ambient temperature.
Q
V= A
Where A = area of the duct.
5 .Velocity of air at mean fin temp Vm = V ×
[ T m +273
T a +273 ]
V m×d
6. Reynolds number Re = νa
where d = diameter of the fin.
νa = kinematic viscosity of air at Tm
1
3
7. Nusselt Number Nu = 0.165 × (Re)0.466 × (Pr) ....... 40 < Re < 4000
1
0.618 3
Nusselt Number Nu = 0.174 × (Re) × (Pr) ....... 4000 < Re < 40000
N u ×K air
8. Heat transfer coefficient h = d
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
Somaiya Vidyavihar University
K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, Mumbai -77
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Heat and Mass Transfer Lab Jan – May 2025
.
hP
9. m = kA√
where P = peripheral area of the pin.
k = thermal conductivity of fin material.
A = cross sectional area of the pin.
tanh(mL)
10. Efficiency of the pin η = mL
PRECAUTIONS
1. See that the dimmerstat is at zero position before switching ON the heater.
2. Operate the changeover switch of temperature indicator, gently,
3. Be sure that the steady state is reached before taking the final readings.
GRAPH
Plot graph Temperature at pin fin Vs Distance of points of thermocouple along the length of the
pin fin from the heating end.
CONCLUSIONS
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Jan – May 2025
