FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Energy & Environmental) with Hons

Lab BTV3324
03
DESIGN FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND
GREEN MATERIALS

HEAT RADIANT TRANSFER

(INVERSE SQUARE LAW)
Lab Objectives

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

1. To use heat to prove that radiation (heat) intensity is inversely

proportional to distance squared.

20 STUDENT NAMES STUDENT ID SECTION GROUP

LEE KAR YI TC16031 01G

THANASRII A/P SUBRAMANIAM TC16037 01G F

TAJUL ARIFFIN BIN ABDUL RAHIM TC16056 01G

PEREPARED FOR: MOHD TARMIZY BIN CHE KAR

Due Date: 7 March 2019

 Rubric for Technical Report BTV 3324
Item Assessed Unacceptable Poor Average Good Score
(0) (1) (2) (3)

Abstract  No abstract  No highlight of the  Missing objective and/or  Objective

significant results and/or conclusion.  Summary of the
methodology. methodology
 Summary of the results
 Conclusion
Introduction  No flowchart  Methodology flow is  Methodology flow is correct,  Methodology flow is
incorrect. but not concise. correct and concise.

Material and  No Material and  Methods copied directly  The whole sentences of  The whole sentences of
methods method explained from module event being methods are converted to methods are converted to
referred to took place in past tense but not present the past tense with creativity
the past. actual experimental block/diagram used.
 Some paste some procedure, only based on  Methods are also written
sentences are converted modules based on what actually
to past tense happened in experimental
procedure.
Results  Data sheet with  Results given but  Results given but a few not  Results shown for all the
stamp not provided significant amount not tally with the requirements of scopes of experiments
(x 2) with the report OR tally with the experiment
 Results not requirement/ scopes
compatible with
scopes

Discussion  Only mention the  Attempt to discuss but  Elucidation of result but  Elucidation and supported
results without failed miserably contains some flaws by proper references or
(x 10) meaningful logical explanations.
discussion

Conclusions  No conclusion  Conclusion missing the  Conclusions regarding major  Important/ significant
sections OR important points OR points are drawn, but many results are highlighted
 Conclusions totally  No recommendation are misstated, indicating a which also meets the
not reflecting the given to improve the lack of understanding OR scopes of experiments
scopes experiment  Conclusion is too general. AND
Several recommendations  Several recommendations
have been given but they are have been stated.
too general and not
contributing to the
experiment’s improvement.

References  No references  Only refer to websites  Refer to websites and some  The whole references
related research articles accounted from books,
websites, articles and
human name (personnel
communication)

Appendixes  No appendixes which  Appendixes made on  Appendixes made from  Appendixes made from
it supposed to be copies of actual modules proper and tidy new paper proper paper sheet with
having paper sheet original data from own
experiment
Grammar and  Unreadable and not  Numerous spelling and/or  Occasional spelling and/or  Correct use of words.
Spelling written in scientific grammar errors.. grammar errors.
way

Timeliness  Lab report submitted  Lab report submitted  Lab report submitted 1 day to  Lab report submitted on
more than a weeks more than 3 days late. 3 days late. time.

Total Assessment Marks (60)

ABSTRACT
The experiment was conducted to prove that radiation (heat) intensity is inversely to the
distance squared. The heat source was adjusted to 50% to give around 140 oC. After the heater
heat up, heat flux sensor was placed at different distance away from the heat source. The distances
include 500mm, 450mm, 400mm, 350mm, 300mm, 250mm and 200mm away from the heat
source. The inverse square law shows that the illuminance or irradiance decrease in proportion to
the square of distance between the heat source and heat flux sensor. The further the distance
between heat source and heat flux sensor, the more flux it spread, and the lower the irradiance.
Therefore, the irradiance for 500mm is the lowest compare to other tested distance. A linear chart
of the irradiance against one over the square of distance is produced and is verified the inverse
square law. The chart of logarithmic value of both irradiance and distance from heat source also
produce a reasonably linear portion gradient -2, providing the square law as well. As a conclusion,
when the distance of the plate far from the radiation source, the rate of heat transfer will decrease.

INTRODUCTION
Heat radiant transfer is concerned with the exchange of thermal radiation energy between
two or more bodies. Thermal radiation is defined as transfer of energy due to the emission of
electromagnetic waves or photons which travel at the speed of light.
Inverse square law is a relationship that states that the electromagnetic radiation is
inversely proportional to the square of the distance from a point source. A point source of heat
emits in all directions about the source. It follows that the intensity of the heat rays decreases with
distance from the source because the rays are spread over greater area as the distance increases.
Therefore, if the distance was doubled from r to 2r, the area over which the energy falls increase
factor by 4, so the new illuminance value E2 becomes;
E2 = E1/4
As light radiates from a point source, the intensity of light (Ee) is inversely proportional
to the square of the distance(r) from the source.

Ee = (1/r2)
Intensity is the power per unit area (W/m2), it naturally decreases with the square of the
distance as the size of the radiative spherical wave front increases with distance. Inverse square
law is applied in radiation protection and patient dose calculations. This is because, if the radiation
strength (intensity) is known at a specific point, then intensity at any distance from that
source may be calculated.
EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS

Figure 1: TQ (TecQuipment) radiant Transfer Experiments (Model: TD 1003)

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

Figure 2: The experiment setup (plan view)

Table 1: Connections
RESULTS

Heat Source Temperature, T1: 140℃

Peak
Distance, r
Distance, r² 1/ r² Log10r Irradiance, Log10Ee
(mm)
Ee (W.m²)
500 250,000 4 x 10 E-6 2.6990 13 1.1139
450 202,500 4.9383 x 10 E-6 2.6532 15 1.1761
400 160,000 6.25 x 10 E-6 2.6021 19 1.2788
350 122,500 8.1633 x 10 E-6 2.5441 24 1.3802
300 90,000 1.1111 x 10 E-5 2.4771 33 1.5185
250 62,500 1.6 x 10 E-5 2.3979 47 1.6721
200 40,000 2.5 x 10 E-5 2.3012 73 1.8633
Table 2: Reading and calculation of experiment.
DISCUSSION
1. Calculate r2, 1/r2 and the logarithmic value of distance. Calculate the logarithmic value of the
irradiance. The distance, r2. 1/r2, logarithmic value of distance and the logarithmic value of
the irradiance, was calculated and shown in the table 1. As the distance between heat flux
sensor and heat source decrease where the heat flux sensor is getting nearer to the heat source,
the irradiance increased. The recorded irradiance for 250mm approximately four times the
500mm irradiance. Therefore, the irradiance for 250mm is the highest compare to other
distance.
2. Create a chart of irradiance (vertical axis) against 1/r2 to prove the inversely proportional
relationship between the two values.

Irradiance against 1/r²

80

70

60
Irradiance,Ee

50

40

30

20

10

0
0.00E+00 5.00E-06 1.00E-05 1.50E-05 2.00E-05 2.50E-05 3.00E-05
1/r²

Graph 1: Graph of Irradiance against 1/r²

From the graph, the irradiance is directly proportional to the 1/r^2 but inversely
proportional to the square of distance. The inverse square has been verified as the plot of
irradiance against 1/r^2 turns out to be a straight line. The irradiance versus distance dependence
can be examined by simultaneously taken measurements of the distance from the heat flux
sensor to the source – r and irradiance, Ee at the constant angular position θ=0 of the source.
This means that as the distance from a light source increases, the intensity of light is equal to a
value multiplied by 1/d2. The proportional symbol, , is used to show how these relate. The
relationship between the intensity of light at different distances from the same light source can
be found by dividing one from the other.
3. Create another chart of the logarithmic value of irradiance (vertical axis) against log of
distance. Find the gradient of the most linear part of the curve and confirm it is
approximately -2.

Logarithmic Value of Irradiance against Logarithmic

Value of Distance
2.00
Logarithmic Value of Irradiance (Log10 Ee

1.80
1.60
1.40
1.20
1.00 y = -1.9098x + 6.251
0.80 R² = 0.9987
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
2.25 2.30 2.35 2.40 2.45 2.50 2.55 2.60 2.65 2.70 2.75
Logarithmic Value of Distance (Log10 r)

Graph 2: Graph of logarithmic value of irradiance against logarithmic value of distance

From this, a chart of the logarithmic value of both irradiance and distance from heat
source (for light this is illuminance) produce a line with a reasonably linear portion of
gradient -1.9098, which providing the square law. As, the data plot are almost well match the
straight line. Thus, the assumption of the linear dependence is justified and one can apply the
linear regression model by adding trendline to the plot. The trendline is drawn and resulting
linear expression is shown in the plot. The determination coefficient 𝑅 2 expresses the quality
of the approximation. The 𝑅 2 value is close to 1, which shows good linear correlation between
the logarithmic value of the irradiance and distance.

There are several factors that cause the data recorded have a little gap from general value.
The temperature of heater was keep increasing while we are doing the experiment, this might
affect the result data. As different heat was exposed to the heat flux sensor at different distances.
Besides, the 250mm irradiance should be four times more than the irradiance for 500mm and
the gradient of the linear part of the curve shall be -2 in general. As a recommendation, students
shall ensure the experiment has no parallax error will moving the heat flux sensor to certain
distances. Lastly, only the peak irradiance shall be taken each time during the experimen
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the radiation heat transfer is easiest equipment to run. The radiation heat
transfer is the equipment that used to transfer heat from heat source to plate. It is used to verify the
inverse square law for heat. Besides, it can determine the intensity of radiation on surface is linear
proportional to the inverse of square of the distance of the surface of the radiation source. The
linear trendline in the plot of graph shows best-fit straight line which shows that the trend of
illuminance is increasing or decreasing at a steady rate. The graph 1 verify that the inverse square
law with the plot the plot of irradiance against 1/r^2. Whereas, the graph 2 indicate good linear
correlation between the logarithmic value of the irradiance and distance. It can conclude that when
the distance of the plate far from the radiation source, the rate of heat transfer will decrease.
Therefore, the more power electricity supply, the more efficient of heat transferred it will be.

REFERENCES
1. Çengel, Y. A., & Boles, M. A. (2011). Thermodynamics: An engineering approach. New
York: McGraw-Hill Education.
2. Inverse square law, written by Willy McAllister, 2016, Retrieve from:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/electrical-engineering/ee-electrostatics/ee-electric-
force-and-electric-field/a/ee-inverse-square-law
3. Irradiance versus distance, Retrieve from:
https://www.lepla.edu.pl/en/modules/Activities/m29/files/invsqr.pdf
APPENDIX

Figure 1: The irradiance for 450mm is 15

Figure 2: The irradiance for 400mm is 19 W/𝑚2
W/𝑚2

Figure 3: The irradiance for 350mm is 24

W/𝑚2

Figure 4: The heater was turned on.

Figure 5: The power was set to 50% and the

temperature was increasing.