Ch-5: Fundamentals Of Convection

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 Fundamentals Of Convection

Physical Mechanism of Convection

 Conduction and convection are similar in that both mechanisms require the
presence of a material medium
 But they are different in that convection requires the presence of fluid motion
 Heat transfer through a liquid or gas can be by conduction or convection,
depending on the presence of any bulk fluid motion.
 fluid motion enhances heat transfer, since it brings warmer and cooler chunks of
fluid into contact, initiating higher rates of conduction at a greater number of
sites in a fluid

 rate
of convection heat transfer is observed to be proportional to the
temperature difference and is expressed by Newton‘s law of cooling as :

 convection heat transfer coefficient h depends on the several of the mentioned

variables, and thus is difficult to determine
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 Fundamentals Of Convection

Physical Mechanism of Convection

 Experience shows that convection heat transfer strongly depends on the
fluid properties:
– dynamic viscosity μ,
– thermal conductivity k,
– density ρ, and
– specific heat cp, as well as the
– fluid velocity V
 It also depends on the geometry and the roughness of the solid surface
 All experimental observations indicate that a fluid in motion comes to a
complete stop at the surface and assumes zero velocity relative to the surface
(no-slip)

 The no-slip condition is responsible for the development of the velocity profile

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 Fundamentals Of Convection

Physical Mechanism of Convection

 Flow Region adjacent to the wall in which the viscous effects (and thus the
velocity gradients) are significant is called the Boundary Layer

 An implication of the No-slip Condition is that heat transfer from the solid
surface to the fluid layer adjacent to the surface is by Pure Conduction, i.e.:

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Physical Mechanism of Convection
 Generally flow conditions will vary along the surface, so q” is a local heat flux
and h a local convection coefficient
 Total heat transfer rate is:

q  AS
q" dAS  (TS  T )  AS
h dAS  h AS (TS  T )


1
where h h dAS
AS AS

is the Average Heat Transfer Coefficient

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Physical Mechanism of Convection
The Velocity Boundary Layer

Consider flow of a fluid

over a flat plate:

The flow is characterized by two regions:

– A thin fluid layer (boundary layer) in which velocity gradients and shear
stresses are large. Its thickness d is defined as the value of y for which u∞ =
0.99
– outer region in which velocity gradients and shear stresses are negligible

u S
For Newtonian Cf  2 where Cf is the local
S   and u / 2 friction coefficient
fluids: y y 0
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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Physical Mechanism of Convection
The Thermal Boundary Layer

Consider flow of a
fluid over an
isothermal flat plate:

o The thermal boundary layer is the region of the fluid in which temperature
gradients exist
TS  T
o Its thickness is defined as the value of y for which the ratio:  0.99
TS  T
At the plate surface (y=0) there is no fluid motion – Conduction heat transfer:
T  k f T / y
qS"  k f y 0
y
and h
y 0 TS  T
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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Classification of Fluid Flows
Viscous Versus Inviscid Flow
 Flows in which the effects of viscosity are significant are called Viscous Flows
 Idealized flows of zero-viscosity fluids are called frictionless or Inviscid Flows
o effects of viscosity are very small in some flows, and neglecting those effects
greatly simplifies the analysis without much loss in accuracy

Internal versus External Flow

 flowof an unbounded fluid over a surface

such as a plate, a wire, or a pipe is External
Flow

 flow in a pipe or duct is Internal Flow if the

fluid is completely bounded by solid surfaces

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Classification of Fluid Flows
Compressible Versus Incompressible Flow
 Densities of liquids are essentially constant, and thus the flow of liquids is
typically Incompressible
 Gases, on the other hand, are highly compressible
o gas flows can be treated as incompressible if density changes are under about 5
percent, which is usually the case when flow velocity is less than 30 percent of the
velocity of sound in that gas (i.e., Mach number of flow is less than 0.3).

Laminar versus Turbulent Flow

 Highly ordered fluid motion characterized by smooth streamlines is called
laminar
 highly disordered fluid motion that typically occurs at high velocities
characterized by velocity fluctuations is called turbulent

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Classification of Fluid Flows
Natural (or Unforced) versus Forced Flow
 In Forced Flow, a fluid is forced to flow over a surface or in a pipe by external
means such as a pump or a fan
 In Natural Flows, any fluid motion is due to a natural
means such as the Buoyancy Effect, which manifests
itself as the rise of the warmer (and thus lighter) fluid
and the fall of cooler (and thus denser) fluid
Steady Versus Unsteady (Transient) Flow

 Steady implies no change with time. The opposite of

steady is Unsteady, or transient
 Uniform implies no change with location over a
specified region

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
 Reduces the number of independent variables in a problem
 Experimental data can be conveniently presented in terms of dimensionless
numbers
 Buckingham‘s Pi-theorem is used as a rule of thumb for determining the
dimensionless groups that can be obtained from a set of variables
o Number of independent dimensionless groups that can be formed from
a set of ‗m‘ variables having ‗n‘ basic dimensions is (m – n)
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection
 Consider a case of fluid flowing across a heated tube
S No. Variable Symbol Dimension
1 Tube Diameter D L
2 Fluid Density ρ M L-3
3 Fluid Velocity U L t-1
4 Fluid Viscosity µ M L-1 t-1
5 Specific Heat Cp L2 t-2 T-1
6 Thermal Conductivity k M L t-3 T-1
7 Heat Transfer Coefficient h M t-3 T-1
 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection—contd--
 There are 7 (m) variables and 4 (n) basic dimensions (i.e., M, L, T, t)
 3 (m-n) dimensionless parameters symbolized as π1, π2, π3 can be formed
 Each dimensionless parameter will be formed by combining a core group of ‗n‘
variables with one of the remaining variables not in the core
 Core group will include variables with all of the basic dimensions
 Choosing D, ρ, µ and k as the core (arbitrarily), groups formed is represented as:
π1 = Da ρb µc kd U
π2 = De ρf µg kh Cp Selection of repeating variables: Revise-Self study
π3 = Dj ρl µm kn h

Since these groups are to be dimensionless, the variables are raised to certain
exponents (a, b, c,….)

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection—contd--
Starting with π1 π1 = Da ρb µc kd U
b c d
0 0 0 0 a M     ML   L 
M
M L T t  1  (L)  3     3   
 L   Lt   t T   t 
Equating the sum of exponents of each basic dimension to 0, we get
equations for:
M 0=b+c+d
L 0 = a – 3b – c + d + 1
T 0 = -d
t 0 = -c -3d -1
Solving these equations, we get: d = 0, c = -1, b = 1, a = 1 giving

UD
1   Re (Reynolds number)

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection—contd--
Starting with π2 π2 = De ρf µg kh Cp

M f
M g
e      ML 
i
 L2 
00 0 0
M L T t  1  (L)  3     3   
 L   Lt   t T   t 3T 
 
Equating the sum of exponents
M 0=f+g+I
L 0 = e – 3f – g + i + 2
T 0 = -i – 1
t 0 = -g – 3i -2
Solving, we get e = 0, f = 0, g = 1, i = 1 giving

C p
2   Pr (Prandtl number)
k
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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection—contd--

By following a similar procedure, we can obtain:

hD
3   Nu (Nusselt number)
k
 The relationship between dimensionless groups can be expressed as:
F(π1, π2, π3) = 0. Thus,

 Also Any π can be represented as a function of other two πs:

Nu   (Re, Pr)

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Forced Convection—contd--
Influence of Selecting the Core Variables

 Choosing different core variables leads to different dimensionless parameters

 If D, ρ, µ, Cp were chosen, then the π groups obtained would be Re, Pr and St
 St is Stanton Number, a non dimensional form of Heat Transfer Coefficient
Nu h
St  
Re.Pr  .U.C p

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
The Nusselt Number
 Itis common practice to nondimensionalize the convective heat transfer
coefficient h with the Nusselt number

 Heat flux through the fluid layer by convection and by conduction can be
expressed as, respectively:

Nu represents enhancement of heat transfer

through a fluid layer as a result of convection
relative to conduction across the same fluid layer

larger the Nusselt number, the more

effective the convection
Nu = 1 → Pure Conduction
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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Prandtl Number
 relative thickness of the velocity and the thermal boundary layers is best
described by the dimensionless parameter Prandtl number

 Heat diffuses very quickly in liquid metals (Pr«1) and very slowly in oils (Pr»1)
relative to momentum

Pr << 1 Pr >> 1
Pr = 1
δh δt = δh δt
δt δh

δh = Hydrodynamic thickness
δt = Thermal Boundary layer thickness
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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Reynolds Number
 transition
from laminar to turbulent flow depends on the surface geometry,
surface roughness, flow velocity, surface temperature, and type of fluid
 Flow Regime depends mainly on the ratio of the inertia forces to viscous forces
in the fluid

 At large Re (turbulent flow), inertia forces are large relative to the viscous forces
 At small or moderate Re (laminar flow), viscous forces are large enough to
suppress these fluctuations and to keep the fluid ―inline‖
 Critical Reynolds number → Re at which the flow becomes turbulent

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Free Convection
g Free Convection on a Vertical Plate
T∞
S.No. Variable Symbol Dimension
1 Fluid Density ρ M L-3
TS 2 Fluid Viscosity µ M L-1 t-1
3 Fluid Heat Capacity Cp L2 t-2 T-1
Fluid Thermal
4 k M L t-2 T-1
Conductivity
L
Fluid Coefficient of
5 β T-1
Thermal Expansion
Gravitational
6 g L t-2
acceleration
7 Temperature difference ΔT T
Fluid Properties 8 Significant length L L
ρ,µ, CP, k, βg 9 Heat
Mechanical Transfer
Engineering Dept. CEMECoefficient
NUST h -2 T-1
M t20
 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis for Free Convection – contd--
 Choosing L, ρ, µ and k as the core (arbitrarily), groups formed is represented as:
π1 = La ρb µc kd ΔT
π2 = Le ρf µi kj βg βg is considered as one physical factor
π3 = Ll ρm µn ko Cp
π4 = Lp ρq µr ks h
 Following the procedure outlined in last section, we get::
2gL3T
Gr  1 .2  Grashof Number
2
 For Free Convection: Nu  F(Gr.Pr)
In free convection, buoyancy driven flow sometimes dominates the flow inertia, therefore,
the Nusselt number is a function of the Grashof number and the Prandtl number alone

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 Fundamentals Of Convection
Dimensional Analysis
Grashof Number

 Ratio of buoyancy force to the viscous force in fluid

 This number plays similar role in free convection as does the Reynolds number
in forced convection

 it is better to combine the Grashof number and the Prandtl number to define a
new parameter, the Rayleigh number,

Ra=Gr. Pr

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 Fundamentals Of Convection

Example 5.1

During air cooling of oranges, grapefruit, and tangelos, the heat transfer
coefficient for combined convection, radiation, and evaporation for air
velocities of 0.11 < v < 0.33 m/s is determined experimentally and is expressed
as h = 5.05kairRe1/3/D, where the diameter D is the characteristic length.
Oranges are cooled by refrigerated air at 5°C and 1 atm at a velocity of 0.5
m/s. Determine:

(a) the initial rate of heat transfer from a 7-cm-diameter orange initially at 15°C
with a thermal conductivity of 0.50 W/m °C,
(b) the value of the initial temperature gradient inside the orange at the
surface, and
(c) the value of the Nusselt number.

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 Steady State Heat Conduction

Practice Problems:

Book: Yunus Cengel 2nd Ed.

 Problems: 6.1C to 6.21

 All Problems/derivations which were solved in the class

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