Extended surfaces are used to increase the rate of heat transfer. When...
The heat loss from the primary surface with no extended surface is given by
Thus, when h = mk, an extended surface will not increase the rate of heat transfer from the primary surface.
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Extended surfaces are used to increase the rate of heat transfer. When...
Introduction:
Extended surfaces, also known as fins, are used in heat transfer applications to increase the rate of heat transfer. The convective heat transfer coefficient, denoted by h, is a measure of the efficiency of heat transfer between a solid surface and a fluid. The addition of extended surfaces can affect the convective heat transfer coefficient and, consequently, the rate of heat transfer.
Explanation:
When the convective heat transfer coefficient h = mk, where m is the area of the extended surface and k is a constant, the addition of extended surfaces does not increase the rate of heat transfer. This is because the convective heat transfer coefficient is not affected by the addition of extended surfaces when it follows this relationship.
Reasoning:
The convective heat transfer coefficient is a measure of the ability of a fluid to transfer heat to or from a solid surface. It depends on various factors such as fluid properties, flow conditions, and surface characteristics. When the convective heat transfer coefficient is given by h = mk, it implies that the coefficient is independent of the surface area of the extended surface.
Implication:
This means that increasing the surface area of the extended surface, by adding more fins for example, does not have any effect on the convective heat transfer coefficient. As a result, the rate of heat transfer is not increased by the addition of extended surfaces in this scenario.
Exception:
It is important to note that the given relationship, h = mk, assumes that the length of the fin is very large. In practice, for fins of finite length, the convective heat transfer coefficient can be affected by the addition of extended surfaces. In such cases, the rate of heat transfer can be increased by increasing the surface area of the extended surface.
Conclusion:
In summary, when the convective heat transfer coefficient is given by h = mk, the addition of extended surfaces does not increase the rate of heat transfer. However, for fins of finite length, increasing the surface area of the extended surface can enhance the rate of heat transfer.
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