Effect of Rectangular Fins on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Domestic Cookware

Abstract

Working process of domestic gas stoves primarily depends on the heat transfer phenomenon between gas flame and the bottom of the cookware. Various energy losses during this heat transfer results in low thermal efficiency. This work focuses on improving heat transfer ability of cookware, thus enhancing thermal-efficiency. Increase in rectangular fin height H causes increase in thermal efficiency value up to a certain limit after which a decreasing trend is observed by both numerical and experimental results. The fin height H=14.6 mm is considered optimum value for thermal efficiency. After H=14.6 mm, the maximum temperature value of fins shows a constant trend up to certain limit. Fin width variation follows a linear increase trend as the width increases up to 5 mm where fluctuation in efficiency stops. Max temperature of fins shows good agreement with increase in fin width in both numerical and experimental values up to W= 4.8 mm after which 10c temp loss occurs due to localized heat losses. Lastly fin spacing is verified against overall thermal efficiency and gradual; decrease is found in efficiency with increasing spacing due to formation of hotspots in between each fin. Lowest efficiency of 57% observed at fin spacing of 7 mm.