Circular Fin Analytical

Universitat Rovira i Virgili Department of Chemical Engineering
Advanced Transport Phenomena 2021-22
Circular fin: analytical solution
Thin, metallic circular fins of thickness b can be attached to

cylindrical pipes as heat transfer promoters. The fins are
exposed to an ambient temperature TA, and the root of each T = TA
fin contacts the pipe at position r = RP, where the temperature
is constant, TP. The fin loses heat to ambient air through T = TP
convection with an average heat transfer coefficient h. Within

the metallic fin heat is transmitted by conduction in the radial
direction.
The steady-state heat balance on an elementary annular

element of fin yields the equation
1 d
r ( )( )
dT
r d r dr
−
2h
bk
( T −T A ) =0 (1)
where k is the thermal conductivity of metallic fins. Equation (1) maybe rewritten as:
( )
2
d T 1 dT 2h
2
+
r dr
−
bk
( T −T A ) =0 (2)
dr
An analytical solution to the problem can be deduced as follows. First, let us introduce the
dimensionless variables,
√ 2h T −T A
x=r , y=
bk T P −T A
so that equation (2) can be equivalently expressed (after multiplying all terms by x2) as:
2
d y dy
x2 + x −x 2 y=0 (3)
dx
2
dx
Equation (3) is an instance of a modified Bessel equation and has therefore the general solution:
y=A I 0 ( x )+ B K 0 ( x ) (4)
where I0 (x) and K0 (x) denote the modified Bessel functions of order zero of the first and second kind,
respectively. The boundary conditions for this problem may be written as,
T ( R P )=T P , T ' (R )=0 (neglect convection from the fin outer rim) (5a)
1
Universitat Rovira i Virgili Department of Chemical Engineering
Advanced Transport Phenomena 2021-22
y( x P )=1 , y' ( x R )=0 ; x P = R P

2h
bk √ x R =R
where R is the radial position of the fin outer rim. The particular form of the general solution (4) is
√ 2h
bk (5b)
therefore1:
' '
I 0 ( x) K 0 ( x R )−K 0 ( x ) I 0 ( x R ) (6)
y( x )= ' '
I 0 ( x p ) K 0 ( x R )−K 0 ( x P ) I 0 ( x R )
Of course, equations (3) and (5b) can also be solved numerically (e.g., Comsol). The idea is that you
can compare the analytical solution with the numerical solution that you will obtain using the Comsol
software. Let us assume a practical situation with b = 1 mm, k = 51.9 W/m K, TA = 20 ºC, TP = 60º C,
Rp = 20 mm and R = 80 mm. Find steady state solutions of Problem (3, 5b)2 using the Comsol software
for different values of the heat transfer coefficient, namely h = 25, 50, 100 and 200 W/m2 K.
When run, your Comsol program should also produce x-y plots of the calculated radial temperature
profiles3 for each h value. Both the total heat transfer rate (QP, in W) transferred radially trough the fin
root4 (at r = RP), and the total convection heat transfer rate (QCONV, in W), transferred from the fin
surface into the surrounding air5, should be calculated and written in a table output6. After execution,
the program should also be ready to export into a file the calculated temperature profiles in spreadsheet
(ASCII) format.
Compare (for each propose h value) the analytical and numerical radial temperature profiles. You
should also assess whether or not the accuracy of the numerical results is reasonably high: no numerical
artifact is visible (in the numerical profiles) and the maximum relative error (compared to the analytical
solution) is at most 1% in the calculated heat transfer rates QP and QCONV.
' '
1 Note: I 0 (x)=0.5 ( I −1 ( x)+ I 1 ( x) ) ; K 0 ( x)=−0.5 ( K −1 ( x)+ K 1 ( x)) .
2 Alternatively, you may choose to solve Problem (2, 5a), which implies selecting in the Comsol wizard mode a 1D
axisymmetric problem instead.
3 That is, plot the physically meaningful dimensional quantities, T (temperature) vs. r (radial location).
4 In the physical domain, this quantity would be calculated according to: Q =−2π R b k dT
P p
R
dr |
r= R p
.
5 In the physical domain, this quantity would be calculated according to: Q CONV =2 ∫R 2 π r h(T −T A) dr .
p
6 In the Results => Derived Values subsection you may define a Point Evaluation for QP (with "ux", or "ur" in the
axisymetric version, as the expression for the first derivative) and a Line Integration for QCONV.

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Universitat Rovira i Virgili Department of Chemical Engineering

Advanced Transport Phenomena 2021-22

Circular fin: analytical solution

Thin, metallic circular fins of thickness b can be attached to

convection with an average heat transfer coefficient h. Within

The steady-state heat balance on an elementary annular

y( x P )=1 , y' ( x R )=0 ; x P = R P

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