Author(s): Oliver J Hammond

Abstract: Experimental studies on heat transfer from metallic components remain central to thermal engineering education and practice. This work presents a controlled laboratory evaluation of heat loss through insulated and non-insulated metallic rods subjected to natural convection. The objective is to quantify the influence of surface insulation on steady state heat dissipation and temperature gradients along the rod length under identical ambient conditions. Experiments were conducted using cylindrical rods of uniform geometry heated electrically at one end, while surface temperatures were measured at discrete axial locations using calibrated thermocouples. Both bare and insulated configurations were tested over a range of input power levels to ensure repeatability and to capture nonlinear convection effects. Heat loss rates were determined using energy balance methods, and convection coefficients were estimated from experimental data. The results demonstrate that insulation significantly reduces axial heat loss and moderates temperature decay along the rod, leading to higher thermal efficiency for the insulated system. Comparative analysis shows that non-insulated rods experience larger convective losses due to direct exposure to ambient air, resulting in steeper temperature gradients. The findings highlight the sensitivity of natural convection heat transfer to surface conditions and material interfaces. This research reinforces fundamental heat transfer concepts while providing experimentally validated data suitable for undergraduate laboratories and applied thermal design. The outcomes contribute to improved understanding of insulation effectiveness in passive thermal control systems and offer a practical framework for evaluating conduction convection interactions in metallic elements used in engineering applications. In addition, uncertainty analysis was performed to assess measurement reliability, confirming acceptable experimental accuracy. The methodology emphasizes simplicity, safety, and pedagogical clarity, enabling replication with standard laboratory equipment. Overall, the investigation bridges theory and practice by demonstrating how insulation alters thermal behavior under natural convection dominated conditions encountered in real engineering systems and educational laboratories.

DOI: 10.22271/27078043.2026.v7.i1a.105

Pages: 06-09 | Views: 35 | Downloads: 15

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