ME410 Heat Transfer, Fall 2021 Homework #7, Due 11/29/2021

Homework Format

1. Use this page as a cover sheet. For problems requiring extensive analysis, please show all
your work and highlight/underline/enclose the final answer. Do not forget to append your
detailed work.
2. Solution scheme: Prepare a schematic of the problem if not provided, list some
assumptions, if a control volume or energy balance is necessary, depict it, solve and
highlight/underline/enclose the final answer.
3. All parts must be legible. Points will be deducted for sloppy solutions.
4. You are encouraged to study with others, but your submission should be your own work.
5. Submit your assignment as a SINGLE PDF to the assignment on Canvas. You can either
scan your hand work solutions or work on a device that allows for hand writing input (iPad,
Surface, touch screen computer).
6. Homework is due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the day that it is due. NO LATE
HOMEWORK accepted.

Problem 1 (20 Points – Multiple choice questions)

1. Which of the following parameters play a role in determining the magnitude of the fluid
velocity that is induced in a free convection problem?
a) The direction and magnitude of gravity.
b) The sensitivity of the fluid’s density to temperature.
c) The magnitude of the temperature gradients in the fluid.
d) All of the above.

2. The unit of the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient is:

a) None – it is a dimensionless number
b) K
c) kg/m3-K
d) 1/K

3. Which of the following dimensionless numbers is important for a free convection problem?
a) the Grashof number.
b) the Reynolds number.
c) the friction coefficient.
d) None of the above.

4. A vertical heated plate experiences a uniform heat flux in room full of air that would be
still if it were not for the heating process. The coldest position on the plate will be:
a) At the bottom edge.
b) At the top edge.
c) At the mid-point.
d) None of the above.

5. A hot cylinder is placed in a room full of cold air that would be still if it were not for the
cooling process. The direction of the flow of air near the surface of the cylinder will be:
ME410 Heat Transfer, Fall 2021 Homework #7, Due 11/29/2021

a) Upwards, against gravity.

b) It depends on the magnitude of the difference in the temperature between the cylinder
and the air.
c) There will not be any flow of air because this is a stable situation.
d) Downwards, in the direction of gravity.

Problem 2 (40 Points – Should you cool down a surface vertically or horizontally?) A
metal block of dimensions W × W × th is at a uniform temperature Ts. All the sides of the block
are insulated except for the one labeled as “hot surface” (dimensions W × W). The objective is to
cool down this block in quiescent air at T∞ as quick as possible, determine what is the most
appropriate position to accomplish this objective, vertical or horizontal if a) the conditions are
laminar and b) the conditions are turbulent. You can use any physically sound method to answer
this question, but I recommend you to begin with an energy balance. HINT: relate the cooling rate
to the magnitude of the heat transfer coefficient. Use the simplest correlations possible available,
check Lecture 36 (summary slide and slide 4).

Problem 3 (40 Points – Convection and radiation around a sphere) In order to maintain a
metallic sphere at a constant temperature of Ts = 500 K in ambient air at T∞ = 298 K within a large
facility at Tsur = 298 K, a heat transfer rate (q) must be added to it. A draft of air with a free stream
velocity of u∞ = 0.68 m/s can be measured around the sphere. The diameter of the sphere is D =
10 cm and an emissivity ε = 0.25. Solve this problem using EES with air as an ideal gas at 1 atm.

(a) The free stream velocity is low and the temperature difference between the sphere and the
environment is large, how would you model convection in this problem, i.e., natural,
forced, or mixed?
(b) Calculate the heat transfer coefficient for the sphere. If you model this problem as forced-
convection-dominated, use the correlation

2 + ( 0.4 Re1/2
NuD , forced = D + 0.06 Re D ) Pr
2/3 0.4

If you model this problem as natural-convection-dominated, use the correlation

ME410 Heat Transfer, Fall 2021 Homework #7, Due 11/29/2021

0.589 Ra1/4
NuD ,natural= 2 + D
4/9
1 + ( 0.469 / Pr )9/16 
 

If you determine that this problem is mixed-convection, use the correlation

NuD3 NuD3 ,natural + NuD3 , forced

=

(c) Calculate the heat transfer rate (q) that must be supplied to the sphere.
(d) Use EES to vary u∞ from 0.001 m/s to 4 m/s and plot hnatural, hforced, and hmixed vs Δ =
GrD/ReD2 in a single graph (use plot overlay in EES). Use a log axis for Δ and discuss what
you see, e.g., the values of Δ that yield a forced convection dominated, natural convection
dominated, or equal contributions between natural and forced convection.