ANALOGY BETWEEN MOMENTUM, HEAT & MASS TRANSFER OPERATIONS

The basic laws of momentum transfer and heat transfer can be expressed in similar forms. Let us consider.
For illustration, a fluid in laminar motion through a circular pipe. (Fig. b The wall of the pipe is maintained at
a higher temperature and the fluid gets heated as it flows through the pipe. Also the radial transport of
momentum in the pipe occurs from a faster moving layer to a slower moving layer according to Newton’s law
of viscosity.
Turbulent Core
Laminar Sub layer

v(r) r

x
Radial Heat Transport Radial Momentum

Tw T(r) < Tw

RADIAL TRANSPORT OF MOMENTUM AND HEAT IN TURBULENT PIPE FLOW

The wall of the pipe is maintained at a higher temperature and the fluid gets heated as it flows through the
pipe/ Also, the radial
=-µ --- [1]
Where  is the shear stress (also called the momentum flux), µ is the viscosity, and v(r) is the radial
distribution of velocity in the pipe.(vx is the axial velocity and is a function of the radial position the x-axis is
the axis line of the pipe) Equation [1] may be rewritten as:
= – = –  (v) --- [2]
The quantity (v) [(kg.m/s.m3]is the volumetric concentration of x-momentum (or the momentum in the
axial direction),  [=] (µ/) is the momentum diffusivity, also known as the kinematic viscosity. This equation
physically signifies that:

Momentum Flux = --- [3]

Let us now consider the case of heat transfer to the fluid from the wall. The radial flux at the wall is given
by the Fourier’s law.
q=k ---- [4]
Because T increases with ‘r’, the negative sign is not used on the right hand side. The equation can be
rewritten as:
q= ( CpT) =  ( CpT) ---- [5]
Here  Is the thermal diffusivity, and  CP T (KJ/m3) is the volumetric concentration of heat energy.
Hence, Heat Flux = --- [6]
The flux equations [2] and [5] and their physical representation by Eqn.[3] and Eqn.[6] show the similarity
of the basic laws of momentum and heat, i.e.  and  have identical units [ m2/s]
However, the transports of momentum or heat (or mass) n a turbulent medium are not governed by the
above simple laws. Randomly moving tiny elements, called eddies, act as the carriers of momentum, heat or
mass) in a turbulent medium. In fact, the movement of eddies or ‘eddy exchange’ is primarily responsible for
transport in the regions of a medium where the intensity of turbulence is high. But in the region close to the
wall, the fluid motion is almost laminar, and diffusional transport dominates.
Reynolds originally put forward a simple way of expressing the momentum or heat flux in a turbulent
medium. His argument is that the laws of diffusional transport as given by Eqns.[2] & [5] are still applicable
in turbulent flow, but the contribution of the eddy exchange should be incorporated in terms of separate
parameters. The resulting modified transport ‘laws’ in a turbulent medium are given as follows where M and
H stand for the ‘eddy diffusivities’ of momentum and heat respectively.
 Turbulent transport of momentum ‘  ’ is given by:
 = - (  + M ) ( v) ----- [7]
Turbulent transport of heat ‘ q ‘ is given by:
q = (  + H ) (  CP T) ---- [8]
(Let us note that if the heat transport is from the fluid to the wall then, the right hand side of Eqn.[8] shall
include a negative sign because the radial temperature gradient is negative)
Eqn.[7] written for r = R (i.e. at the wall) , gives the shear stress. Thus we have
- ( + M ){ ( v)}r=R = W = ½ f  V2 ---- [9]
Or - [d v /dr] r=R = [W / V ( + M )] = {fV /2( + M )} ----[10]
The right hand side of Eqn.[9] follows from the definition of Fanning’s friction factor ‘f ’, the wall shear
stress W and the ‘mean fluid velocity’ V in the pipe. Eqn.[10] gives the dimensionless velocity gradient at the
wall. V = v /V [dimensionless velocity]
Similarly Eqn.[8] can be written at r=R for the wall heat flux and for the wall temperature profile. Thus,
(  + H ){ (  CP T)}r=R = qw = h(Tw – Tm) ---- [11]
Or, r = R = [h / CP ( + H )] ; T = T /( Tw – Tm ) ----[12]
Where ‘qw ’ is the wall heat flux; ‘h’ is the heat transfer co-efficient;
‘T ’ is the dimensionless temperature; Tm is the mean fluid temperature
The analogy between momentum and heat transfer in pipe was first quantified by Reynolds on the specific
assumptions that :
a) The gradients of the dimensionless velocity and the dimensionless temperature at the wall are equal and
b) (  + M ) = ( + H )
Then from Eqns.[10] & [12] we have
{f V /2( + M )} = [h / CP ( + H )] ----[13]
By condition b) and rearrangement we get
Nu/(Re*Pr) = St = f/2 = [h/ VCP] ---- [14]
= ( for mass transfer) = = ---- [14 A]

hD = ---- [14B]
This is called Lewis equation and at low concentration reduces to:
hD = ---- [14C]
Eqn. [14] is called the Reynold’s analogy and can be used to determine the heat transfer co-efficient if the
friction factor ‘f’ is known.

Prandtl’s Analogy
In the year 1910 Prandtl provided a more realistic picture of turbulent transport by assuming that
momentum and heat transfer occur through eddy exchange or eddy transport in a ‘turbulent core’ and
through diffusive transport in the ‘laminar sublayer’ near the wall. With this assumption and by using the
‘Universal velocity profile’ near the wall. Prandtl developed an equationrelating the Stanton number with the
fanning’s friction factor. It is assumed that like velocity profile, the temperature profile is also linear in the
laminar sublayer in the close vicinity of the tube wall. The contribution of the eddy transport is negligible in
this layer[M=0; H=0]
For turbulent flow of fluid and heat we can reproduce Eqns. [7] & [8] above as
 = - (  + M ) ( v) ----- [7]
q = (  + H ) (  CP T) ---- [8]
Integrating these two equations over laminar sublayer thickness L (Please note that the slight changes in
notation. Putting  = W and q = qW we get
w* L =   vL ---- [15]
qw * L =   CP (Tw – TL) ---- [16]
where qw is the wall heat flux, Tw is the wall temperature and vL & TL are the velocity and temperature at the
edge of the laminar sublayer, respectively. On eliminating vL between Eqns[15] & [16] we obtain
 [ vL /w ] = [ CP /qw](Tw – TL) ---- [17]
Let us now consider the momentum and heat transfer in the turbulent core beyond r = L, where r is the
radial position in the tube. The mean velocity of the fluid relative to that at r=L is (vm -vL) and the
temperature driving force in the turbulent core is (TL – Tb), where Tb is the bulk fluid temperature and vm is
the mean velocity.. We can now go back to Eqn.[13] and replace V by (vm -vL) , h by [qw/(TL – Tb)] and put
(  + M ) = ( +  H ). Also from Eqn.[10] we can write:
f = 2 w /(vm -vL)2
With these changes Eqn.[13] reduces to: {(vm -vL)/w}= (Cp /qw) (TL – Tb) ---- [18]

It may be noted that [qw/(TL – Tb)] is equal to the heat transfer co-efficient for the turbulent core only. The
coefficient is different from that for heat transfer to or from the tube.
From Eqn.[17]: TL = Tw – {( vL /w)(qw/ CP)}
From Eqn. [18]: TL = Tb + {(qw(vm -vL)/ w CP)} and
(qw/ w CP){( vL/)+(vm - vL)} = Tw– Tb ------- [19]
The velocity vL can be expressed in terms of w and vm by using the universal velocity distribution. Prandtl
in his mixing length theory has defined dimensionless velocity v+ = v/v* where v* is the reference velocity
given by:
v* = (w /)1/2 ---- [20]
and dimensionless distance y+ (dimensionless distance from the wall) by:
y+ =(y/V) (w /)1/2 ---- [21]
and from experimental investigations the following equations have been proposed for the three different
zones, Laminar Sublayer, Buffer zone and Fully Turbulent zone.
Laminar Sublayer: 0<y+< 5; v+= y+ ---- [22]
Buffer Zone : 5<y+<30 ; v+= 5.0 lny+ + 3.05 ---- [23]
Fully Turbulent Zone ; 30<y+<400 ; v+ = 2.5 lny+ + 5.5 ---- [24]
From Eqn.[23] it is known that the laminar sublayer extends upto y+=5 and its velocity at the edge of it is
given by: vL = y+ = 5 i.e. vL= 5v* = 5 (w /)1/2 = 5vm(f/2)1/2
Substituting for from Eqn.[25] in Eqn.[19] and putting qw = h(Tw – Tb),
w = ½ f  vm2 and and ( /) = Pr we get
{ h/Cp(f/2)  vm2 }{(pr)(5vm)(f/2) + vm[1-5(f/2)1/2]} = 1 --- [26]
Or (h/ Cp  vm) = St = (f/2)/{1+5(f/2)1/2(Pr – 1)} ---- [27]
Equation [27] is Prandtl’s analogy. It can be used to estimate the Stanton number and hence the heat
transfer coefficient from a knowledge of the Fanning’s friction factor. The essence of Prandtl’s analogy lies in
the assumption that purely viscous flow occurs in the laminar sublayer within which the the eddy transport
parametes (M & H ) are zero. In the turbulent core, on the other hand, molecular parameters ( & ) have
negligible contribution compared to their eddy counterparts i. e. (M & H ). Also, the eddy diffusivities are
equal in the turbulent core (M= H). Experimental data reported by different research workers, however show
that M & H are not quite equal. However, their ratio becomes nearly unity at very high Reynold’s number.
Prandtl’s analogy for mass transfer: hD / U = Stanton number for mass transfer
= (f/2)/{1 +(f/2)1/2 (Sc – 1)
Sc is the Schmidt number [ / DAB ]

VON KARMAN’S ANALOGY

While Prandtl developed the analogy equation as given below
(h/ Cp  vm) = St = (f/2)/{1+5(f/2)1/2(Pr – 1)} --- [1]
By considering the variations in velocity and temperature temperature of the fluid over the laminar sublayer
only, Von Karman (1939) improved upon Prandtl’s analogy by considering the variations of these quantities
in the buffer zone as well and making use of the universal Velocity profile as given by equations:
Laminar Sublayer: 0<y+< 5; v+= y+ ---- [2]
Buffer Zone : 5<y <30 ; v+= 5.0 lny+ + 3.05 ---- [3]
+

Fully Turbulent Zone ; 30<y+<400 ; v+ = 2.5 lny+ + 5.5 ---- [4]

The von Karman analogy, in terms of the friction factor is given below.
(f/2) (Re) (Pr)
Nu = -------------------------------------------------------- ---- [5]
1 + 5(f/2)1/2 {(Pr – 1) + ln[1 + (5/6) (Pr – 1)]}
 The heat transfer analogies prove to be very useful for estimation of the heat transfer co-efficient if a
suitable correlation to fit the particular geometry or flow configuration is not available. However, a correlation
for the friction factor or the drag coefficient may be available. So the heat transfer coefficient can be
calculated from a knowledge of the friction factor by using a heat transfer analogy.

CHILTON – COLBURN ANALOGY

Let us consider the case of convective heat transfer to a fluid flowing in a tube under turbulent flow
conditions. The Chilton –Colburn analogy equation is as below:
Nu = 0.023 (Re)0.80 (Pr)0.33 ---- [1]
From this equation we get(by dividing both sides by (Re * Pr)
= St = 0.023 (Re) – 0.2 (Pr) – 0.67 --- [2]
Or St (Pr) 0.67 = 0.023 (Re) – 0.2 ---- [3]
0.67
St (Pr) is called the J.H. factor. Over a range of Reynolds number of 5,000 – 20,000 for flow in smooth
pipes, the empirical relation is given as:
f = 0.046 (Re) – 0.02 ---- [4]
From Eqns.[3 & 4] JH = f/2 ---- [5]
The mass transfer analog is:
(St.) (Sc)0.67 = JD factor = 0.023 (Re) – 0.2 = f/2 ---- [6]
(St.) here is the Stanton number for mass transfer. J H and JD factors when plotted against Reynolds number
give curves identical in nature to friction factor and Reynolds number plot.
Since, JH and JD factors are nearly qual, mass transfer coefficient can be calculated from hat transfer
coefficient with the help of equations [5 & 6] as:
hD = (h/ Cp)*(CT/CBM) (Pr/Sc)0.67 ------- [7]
CT is the total molar concentration.