Free Convection

Free Convection (or Natural Convection) – fluid motion induced by buoyancy forces – buoyancy
forces arise when there are density gradients in a fluid and a body force proportional to density
arises.

Density Gradient – due to temperature gradient thermally driven flow

Body Force – gravity (function of mass)

 The thickness of the boundary layer increases in the flow direction.

 Unlike forced convection, the fluid velocity is zero at the outer edge of the velocity
boundary layer as well as at the surface of the plate.
 At the surface, the fluid temperature is equal to the plate temperature, and gradually
decreases to the temperature of the surrounding fluid at a distance sufficiently far from
the surface.

 The Grashof number (Gr) provides the main criterion in determining whether the fluid
flow is laminar or turbulent in natural convection. The Grashof number is a measure of
the relative magnitudes of the buoyancy force and the opposing viscous force acting on
the fluid.

Buoyancy force on the fluid element = ∆ρ V g = ∆ρ LC3 g

 V- Volume, Lc-characteristic dimension

Viscous force = μ U Lc = ρ ν U Lc = ρ ν2

∆ρ Lc 3 g
Grashof number (Gr) =
ρ ν2

1 ∆V 1 ∆ρ
Volume expansion coefficient, β = = −
V ∆T ρ ∆T

∆ρ = −β ρ ∆T

∆ρ Lc 3 g
Grashof number (Gr) =
ρ ν2

𝛽 𝜌 ∆𝑇 Lc 3 g
ρ ν2

g 𝛽 ∆𝑇 Lc 3
Grashof number (Gr) =
ν2