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Convection Heat Transfer
Convection Heat Transfer
Free Convection:1) Circulation of bulk fluid motion is caused by changes in fluid density
resulting from temperature gradients between the solid surface and the main
mass of fluid. The stagnant layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of the hot
body gets thermal energy by conduction.
2) The energy thus transferred serves to increase the temperature and internal
energy of fluid particles. Because of temperature rise, these particles become
less dense and hence lighter than the surrounding fluid particles. The lighter
fluid particles move upwards to a region of low temperature where they mix
with and transfer a part of their energy to the cold particles. Simultaneously
the cool heavier particles descend downwards to fill the space vacated by the
warm fluid articles.
3) The circulation pattern, upward movement of the warm fluid and downward
movement of cool fluid, is called convection currents. These currents are
setup naturally due to gravity alone and are responsible for heat convection.
Dr.Vikram Singh
Introduction
Forced Convection:1) Flow of fluid is caused by a pump, a fan or by the
atmospheric winds. These mechanical devices provide a
definite circuit for the circulating currents and that
speeds up the heat transfer rate.
Examples of forced convection are cooling of
internal combustion engines, air conditioning
installations and nuclear reactors, condenser
tubes and other heat exchange equipment.
Dr. Vikram Singh
Forced Convection
Flow of fluid is caused by a pump, a fan or by the
atmospheric winds. These mechanical devices provide a
definite circuit for the circulating currents and that
speeds up the heat transfer rate.
Examples of forced convection are cooling of
internal combustion engines, air conditioning
installations and nuclear reactors, condenser
tubes and other heat exchange equipment.
Dr.Vikram Singh
Dr.Vikram Singh
For fluid flow through a pipe, low Reynolds number upto 2300 is indicative of
laminar flow. From Re = 2300 to 6000, the laminar flow begins a transition to
turbulent flow. Usually the flow is completely turbulent at Re = 6000.
Dr.Vikram Singh
Q=hA(ts -tf);
The unit of h are W/m2-deg, and it is referred to as convective heat transfer
coefficient units of h is
The value of film coefficient is dependent upon :
surface conditions : roughness and cleanliness
geometry and orientation of the surface : plate, tube and cylinder placed
vertically or horizontally
thermo-physical properties of the fluid : density, viscosity/specific heat,
coefficient of expansion and thermal conductivity
nature of fluid flow : laminar or turbulent boundary layer configuration
prevailing thermal conditions
Dr.Vikram Singh
Forced convection
Air & superheated 30-300 W/m2K
steam
Gases
2-20
Oil
60- 3000
liquids
30-300
Water
300- 10,000
Dr.Vikram Singh
Dr.Vikram Singh
Rate equation
The fluid velocity decreases as it approaches the solid surface, reaching to zero (no
slip condition) in the fluid layer immediately next to the surface. This thin layer of
stagnated fluid has been called the hydrodynamic boundary layer. The quantity of heat
transferred is highly dependent upon the fluid motion within this boundary layer,
being determined chiefly by the thickness of the layer.
ts t
0.99
t s t
Dr.Vikram Singh
Types of Convection
At the plate surface, there is no fluid motion and the energy transport can
occur only by conduction. From energy balance, this heat transport must equal
the heat transferred by convection into the rest of the fluid. Thus
t
Q = kA = hA(t s t )
y y =0
If temperature field of the fluid varies only in the direction of the coordinate
normal to the plate surface, then
h=
Dr.Vikram Singh
dt
k
(t s t ) dy y =0
dt
k
h=
(t s t ) dy y =0
hl (dt / dy ) y =0
=
k
(t s t ) / l
d {(t s t ) /(t s t )}
=
d
y
l
(
/
)
y =0
d {(t s t ) /(t s t )}
d
y
l
(
/
)
y =0
The Nusselt number is a convenient measure of the convective heat transfer coefficient. For a given value of
Nusselt number, the convective surface coefficient h is directly proportional to thermal conductivity k of the fluid,
and inversely proportional to the significant length l.
Dr.Vikram Singh
interia force
V 2l 2 Vl
Re =
=
=
viscous force
Vl
Dr.Vikram Singh
Grashof Number
Gr
indicates
the
relative
strength
Gr =
of
the
buoyant
to
viscous
forces.
l 3 2 g T
= ( l 3 gT )
V 2l 2
= ( l gT )
( Vl ) 2
3
= buoyant force
interia force
(viscous force) 2
Grashof number has a role in free convection similar to that played by Reynolds
number in forced convection. Free convection is usually suppressed at sufficiently
small Gr, begins at some critical value of Gr (depending upon the arrangement) and
then becomes more and more effective as Gr increases
Dr.Vikram Singh
Apparently Pr is the ratio of the kinematic viscosity to thermal diffusivity of the fluid.
The kinematic viscosity indicates the momentum transport by molecular friction and thermal
diffusivity represents the heat energy transport through conduction.
Obviously Pr provides a measure of the relative effectiveness of momentum and energy transport
by diffusion.
For highly viscous oils, Pr is quite large (100 to 10,000) and that indicates rapid diffusion of
momentum by viscous action compared to the diffusion of energy.
Prandtl number for gases is near unity and accordingly the momentum and energy transfer by
diffusion are comparable. In contrast, the liquid metals have Pr - 0.003 to 0.01 and that indicates
more rapid diffusion of energy compared to the momentum diffusion rate.
Dr.Vikram Singh
Stanton Number-St
Peclet Number Pe is the ratio of heat flow rate by convection to flow rate by
conduction under a unit temperature gradient and through thickness
Dr.Vikram Singh
Dr.Vikram Singh
Dr.Vikram Singh
Dr.Vikram Singh