cen58933_ch09.

qxd 9/4/2002 12:25 PM Page 468

468
HEAT TRANSFER

TABLE 9–1
Empirical correlations for the average Nusselt number for natural convection over surfaces
Characteristic
Geometry length Lc Range of Ra Nu

Vertical plate 104–109 Nu  0.59Ra1/4 (9-19)

L

Ts 109–1013 Nu  0.1Ra1/3
L (9-20)
L
L Entire range Nu   0.825
[1
0.387Ra1/
L

(0.492/Pr)
6

9/16 8/27
]

2
(9-21)

(complex but more accurate)

Use vertical plate equations for the upper

Inclined plate surface of a cold plate and the lower
surface of a hot plate
L
L Replace g by g cos for Ra  109
θ

Horiontal plate 104–107 Nu  0.54Ra1/4 (9-22)

L
(Surface area A and perimeter p)
107–1011 Nu  0.15Ra1/3
L (9-23)
(a) Upper surface of a hot plate
(or lower surface of a cold plate)

Hot surface Ts

A s /p
(b) Lower surface of a hot plate
(or upper surface of a cold plate)

105–1011 Nu  0.27Ra1/4
L (9-24)
Ts
Hot surface

Vertical cylinder Ts A vertical cylinder can be treated as a

vertical plate when
L
L 35L
D
Gr1/4
L

Horizontal cylinder
Ts D RaD  1012 Nu   0.6
[1
0.387Ra 1/6
D

(0.559/Pr) 9/16 8/27

]

2
(9-25)

Sphere 0.589RaD1/4
RaD  1011 Nu  2 (9-26)
[1 (0.469/Pr)9/16]4/9
D D (Pr  0.7)