Overview
The Heat Transfer in Natural Convection apparatus studies the heat dissipation from a heated vertical plate or cylinder to surrounding ambient air without any externally induced flow. Heat transfer occurs purely due to buoyancy-driven air circulation generated by the temperature difference between the surface and the ambient. Students determine the convective heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, Grashof number, and Rayleigh number, and compare experimental results with Churchill-Chu or other natural convection correlations. The experiment is fundamental to understanding heat dissipation from electronic components, heating panels, and architectural surfaces.
Specifications
| Heated surface | vertical flat plate / cylinder |
| Surface material | aluminium / copper |
| Heater | electric, 0 to 200W |
| Ambient temperature | room temperature |
| Surface temperature | up to 150 degrees C |
| Temperature sensors | thermocouples, 6 to 8 axial positions |
| Enclosure | draught-free chamber |
| Power supply | 220V AC, 50 Hz |