Benchtop Low-Turbulence Wind Tunnel
Provides uniform, low-noise air crossflow velocity v_inf from 0.5 to 8.0 m/s across 200 mm square test section.
Chemical & Process Engineering / Finned Cylinder Convection
FREE TO EXPLORELABORATORY 12 · CHEMICAL & PROCESS ENGINEERING
Extended Surface Heat Transfer & Forced Convection Over Finned Cylinders
Measure convective heat dissipation from an electrically heated cylinder equipped with extended longitudinal fins in a low-speed wind tunnel, determine convective coefficient h as a function of air crossflow velocity, and evaluate fin efficiency η_f. Explore interactive transport phenomena, unit operations simulation, and chemical engineering telemetry.
TRANSPORT PHENOMENA · UNIT OPERATIONS · PROCESS CONTROL · REACTION ENGINEERING
Your virtual chemical and process engineering laboratory.
CONVECTIVE COEFFICIENT H—
PROCESS & PILOT PLANT TELEMETRY
Ready to sample with Air Velocity v_inf = 3.0 m/s.
Adjust Air Velocity v_inf, then execute chemical process trial.
Chemical and process engineering telemetry is evaluated rigorously using 64-bit IEEE 754 precision. Residuals reflect ordinary least-squares regression across successive observations. Continuous data structures support high-fidelity transport phenomena and unit operations modeling.
Process engineering assumptions and boundary condition limits
The transport and thermodynamic models apply within the specified calibrated operating window (1.0 to 6.0 m/s). Evaluated using a 50.0 mm diameter aluminum cylinder with 12 radial longitudinal fins (length L = 25.0 mm, thickness t = 2.0 mm, total extended area A_tot = 0.185 m^2). Linear regression models h versus (v_inf)^0.6.
Process apparatus & industrial sensors.
Instrumented Aluminum Finned Cylinder
50 mm diameter core with 12 longitudinal fins (length 25 mm, thickness 2 mm, total area 0.185 m^2).
Internal Electrical Cartridge Heating Element
Supplies constant 150.0 W heat input via precision variable autotransformer (Variac).
Calibrated Hot-Wire Anemometer Probe
Measures free-stream approach velocity v_inf with 0.05 m/s precision.
Embedded Miniature Type K Thermocouple Array
Measures cylinder base temperature T_b, fin tip temperature T_tip, and air free-stream temperature T_inf.
Precision Digital Wattmeter
Continuously logs electrical power dissipation Q_e with ±0.1 W accuracy.
FOLLOW THE METHOD
A reason behind every step.
Measure convective heat dissipation from an electrically heated cylinder equipped with extended longitudinal fins in a low-speed wind tunnel, determine convective coefficient h as a function of air crossflow velocity, and evaluate fin efficiency η_f. Standardized parameter settings: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 m/s.
01
Wind Tunnel Alignment & Zero Calibration
Mount the finned cylinder vertically in the wind tunnel test section; verify hot-wire anemometer zero and align thermocouple leads.
02
Electrical Power Calibration
Set cartridge heater power to exactly Q_e = 150.0 W; allow cylinder to preheat under low flow for 20 minutes to reach steady thermal state.
03
Initial Wind Velocity Setpoint
Adjust wind tunnel fan speed to establish approach air velocity v_inf = 1.0 m/s; monitor base and tip temperatures until readings drift < 0.1 °C/min.
04
Steady-State Temperature Logging
Record heater electrical power Q_e, air temperature T_inf, cylinder base temperature T_b, and fin tip temperature T_tip.
05
Velocity Progression Protocol
Increment air crossflow velocity through 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 m/s, recording steady-state temperatures and electrical power at each plateau.
06
Convective Coefficient Regression
Calculate convective heat transfer coefficient h, plot h versus (v_inf)^0.6, and fit a linear regression through the origin to determine S.
YOUR NOTEBOOK · 0 OBSERVATIONS
Turn measurements into chemical process engineering insight.
Points are your recorded observations. The solid regression line validates Finned Cylinder Convection mathematical scaling.
LINEAR REGRESSION FIT · y = mx + b
h = S · (v_inf)^0.6 = 18.5000 · (v_inf)^0.6
| # | Wind Tunnel Air Velocity v_inf (m/s) | Convective Coefficient h (W/(m^2·K)) | Velocity factor (v_inf)^0.6 ((m/s)^0.6) | Convective heat transfer coefficient h (W/(m^2·K)) | Remove |
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No readings yet. Execute a process trial and record it.
Calculate it yourself.
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Explain what the process engineering metrics mean.
For forced convection heat transfer across a cylinder in crossflow, the convective coefficient h typically scales with velocity as:
The efficiency η_f of a straight rectangular fin of length L with an insulated tip is given by:
Adding fins to a heat transfer surface is thermally justifiable only if fin effectiveness ε_f is:
If the thermal conductivity k of a fin material is doubled, the fin parameter m = sqrt(2 h / (k t)) will:
THEORY AND UNIT OPERATIONS CONTEXT
Process engineering background & physical principles.
In chemical process cooling towers, air-cooled condensers, reboilers, and electronic heat sinks, transferring heat to or from gases represents a severe transport bottleneck because gases possess low thermal conductivities and low heat capacities. Consequently, the gas-side convective heat transfer coefficient h is typically 10 to 50 times lower than liquid-side coefficients, dominating the overall thermal resistance. To compensate for this limitation, extended surfaces (fins) are bonded, extruded, or machined onto the gas-contacting perimeter, dramatically multiplying the effective heat transfer surface area. However, heat must conduct along the fin from the base to the tip while simultaneously dissipating convectively into the crossflow air stream. This continuous thermal dissipation causes a longitudinal temperature drop along the fin, meaning the fin surface operates at a lower average temperature than the bare cylinder base. This performance reduction is quantified by the fin efficiency η_f, defined as the actual heat dissipated by the fin divided by the ideal heat that would be dissipated if the entire fin remained at the base temperature T_b: η_f = tanh(m L_c) / (m L_c), where m = sqrt(2 h / (k t)). In crossflow forced convection, the convective coefficient h scales with free-stream velocity v_inf to the 0.6 power (Hilpert / Churchill–Bernstein correlation). In this laboratory investigation, an electrically heated aluminum finned cylinder is tested in a benchtop wind tunnel across air velocities from 1.0 to 6.0 m/s to determine the convective scaling slope S and evaluate fin efficiency.
h = S · (v_inf)^0.6 = 18.5000 · (v_inf)^0.6
Evaluated using a 50.0 mm diameter aluminum cylinder with 12 radial longitudinal fins (length L = 25.0 mm, thickness t = 2.0 mm, total extended area A_tot = 0.185 m^2). Linear regression models h versus (v_inf)^0.6.