CLL-251 Heat Transfer (Free Convection)

Dr. Manojkumar C. Ramteke

Department of Chemical Engineering
IIT Delhi

Reference Textbook: Heat Transfer by B. K . Dutta

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4th Feb, 2021
 Free Convection
1) Free convection or natural convection pertains to the motion of the fluid caused by
density differences during heating or cooling of the fluid.
2) A common demonstration is the heating of a solution in a beaker in the laboratory.
The liquid at the bottom of the beaker gets heated up and its density decreases.
The liquid above is at a lower temperature and therefore has a higher density. Thus,
a buoyancy force comes into the play. The lighter liquid at the bottom moves up and
the heavier liquid at the top flows down creating free convection currents. The
flowing up of the hot liquid transfer heat from the bottom region to the top region.
3) The phenomenon is called free convection or natural convection because no
mechanical device or externally imposed force is used to create motion in the fluid.
4) There are numerous examples of free convection heat transfer in industrial
operations. Process equipment or accessories at an elevated temperature (or sub-
atmospheric temperature) are insulated to avoid heat loss (or gain). The skin
temperature of the insulation is more than the ambient temperature. This causes
free convection currents on the surface of the insulation and consequently lead to
heat loss i.e., heat losses from steam pipes, reactors, furnaces, etc.
 Vertical Wall
1) Consider a vertical wall (plate). When a plate is heated, a free convection boundary
layer is formed.
2) The velocity profile in this boundary layer is quite unlike the velocity profile in a
forced-convection boundary layer. At the wall, the velocity is zero because of the
no-slip condition, it increases to some maximum value and then decreases to zero
at the edge of the boundary layer.

Turbulent Boundary
3) The initial boundary layer development
is laminar, but at some distance from the
leading edge, depending on the fluid
properties and the temperature
difference between wall and
environment, turbulent eddies are
formed, and transition to turbulent Tw
boundary layer begins. T∞ u
4) Further up the plate, the boundary layer
may become fully turbulent. Laminar Boundary
x

y
 Analysis
1) To analyze the heat transfer, we must first obtain the differential equation of motion
for the boundary layer. For this purpose, we choose x coordinate along the plate.
2) The new force which must be considered in the derivation is the weight of the fluid
element. We equate the sum of external forces in the x direction to the change in
momentum flux through the control volume dx dy.
Navier Stokes Equation for x direction:

The pressure gradient in x direction results from the change in elevation up the plate.

(ρ∞- ρ) may be expressed in terms of the volume expansion β defined by

(1)

Energy Equation for the (2) Continuity:

convection:
(3)
The volume coefficient of expansion β may be determined from tables of properties
for specific fluid. For ideal gas, it may be calculated as β = 1/T, where T is abs. temp.
For fluid enclosed within two parallel plates and lower surface is hot, pure conduction
occurs for Grashof Number GrL < 1700.
 Grashof Number

Grashof Number = Buoyancy Force / Viscous Force

Higher the difference between the temperature of wall and the fluid, higher is the
induced flow. When the fluid velocity is large enough, the free convection boundary
layer changes from laminar to turbulent. This transition has a strong effect on the
heat transfer.

Rayleigh Number =

For Laminar to Turbulent transition for Flat Plate:

Coefficient of Volumetric Expansion:

 Dimensional Analysis
W (Watt) = J/sec = kg m2/s3

Quantity Dimension
h (W/m2ºC) Mt-3T-1 (1)
βg (m/s2ºC) Lt-2T-1
l (m) L M: a + c + d = 1
k (W/mºC) MLt-3T-1 L: a + 2b – 3c – d + e + f = 0
t: -3a – 2b – d – 2e = -3
CP (J/kgºC) L2t-2T-1
T: -a – b – e + g = -1
ρ (kg/m3) ML-3
μ (kg/ms) ML-1t-1
Grashof Number
ΔT (ºC) T
 Heat Transfer Correlations
Free Convection from a Flat Surface:

Churchill & Chu: For entire range of

For Laminar range of

Free Convection from Cylinder: C n

10-10 – 10-2 0.675 0.058

In general: 10-2 – 102 1.02 0.148

102 – 104 0.85 0.188
C and n can be found out from Table 104 – 107 0.48 0.250
107 – 1012 0.125 0.333
 Heat Transfer Correlations
Free Convection from a horizontal Cylinder:

Churchill & Chu: For the range of

For vertical cylinder, correlation for vertical flat plate are applicable if the thickness
of the free convection boundary layer is much smaller than the cylinder diameter.
The cylinder may be considered to be equivalent to a vertical flat plate of breadth
equal to the circumference of the cylinder. The criteria is:

L is the height of the cylinder

Free Convection from a Sphere:

Churchill: For the range of

 Heat Transfer Correlations
For Vertical Rectangular Cavity: For the range of

McGregor &
Emery:

w is the width of the enclosure

A simpler correlation is given as: For the range of

Combined Free and Forced Convection:

In mixed Convection regime:

⇒ Forced Convection regime

⇒ Free Convection regime m = 3 is usually recommended. A

positive sign is taken if free
⇒ Mixed Convection regime convection occurs in the direction of
flow. Otherwise, negative sign is used.
 Example
A refrigerator is placed near the partition wall of a room such that there is only a 4 cm
gap in between. The surface of the refrigerator facing the wall is 1.6 m in height and
0.8 m in breadth. If the temperature of the surface is 22 ºC and the wall temperature
is 30 ºC. Calculate the rate of heat gain by the cooler surface.

L = 1.6 m, w = 0.04 m ⇒ L/w = 1.6/0.04 = 40

Mean air temperature = (22+ 30)/2 = 26 ºC

At 26 ºC: β = 1/299, ν =1.684 ⨯ 10-5 m2/s, k = 0.026 W/m ºC, α = 2.21 ⨯ 10-5 m2/s, Pr
= 0.7

Rate of heat transfer

through this wall =
Thank You

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