Natural Convection Systems

Ravi Kumar
Professor
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247677
India
 Natural Convection
• Natural, or free, convection is observed as a result of the
motion of the fluid due to density changes arising from the
heating process.
• A hot radiator used for heating a room is one example of a
practical device that transfers heat by free convection.
• The movement of the fluid in free convection, whether it is a
gas or a liquid, results from the buoyancy forces imposed on
the fluid when its density in the proximity of the heat-
transfer surface is decreased as a result of the heating
process.

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 2
 …natural convection

• The buoyancy forces would not be present if the fluid were

not acted upon by some external force field such as gravity,
although gravity is not the only type of force field that can
produce the free-convection currents;
• a fluid enclosed in a rotating machine is acted upon by a
centrifugal force field, and thus could experience free-
convection currents if one or more of the surfaces in
contact with the fluid were heated.
• The buoyancy forces that give rise to the free-convection
currents are called body force

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 3
 …natural convection

  
 

 + =
−
   

  
 

 + =
− − ρ
   

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 4
 …natural convection

Pressure gradient in the direction of flow


= −ρ 

  


 + =
 −
 +

  

Density difference can be expressed in terms of volume coefficient of

expansion
1  1  −  1
 −

= = =
     − 
 − 

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 5
 …natural convection

So that,
  


 + = 
  −  +

  
• This is the equation of motion for the free-convection boundary layer.
• Notice that the solution for the velocity profile demands a knowledge of the
temperature distribution.
• The energy equation for the free-convection system is the same as that for a
forced-convection system at low velocity.
  


  + =

  

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 6
 …natural convection

Even though the fluid motion is the result of density variations,

these variations are quite small, and a satisfactory solution to the
problem may be obtained by assuming incompressible flow, that is,
ρ=constant
For the free-convection system, the integral momentum equation
becomes
 
 


 = −  + 
  −  
    

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 7
 …natural convection

functional form of both the velocity and the temperature

distributions must be known in order to arrive at the solution
 =  + 
 +  

T=Tw at y = 0
T=T∞ at y = δ
!"
= 0 at y = δ
!
 −  

= 1−
% −  &

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 8
 …natural convection

!' !' !) '

From equation
 + = 
  −  + )
!( ! !
at y = 0

  − 

= −
 ν
'
=  + 
 +  
+ + 
'*
Additional conditions
u=0 at y = 0
u=0 at y = δ
!'
= 0 at y = δ
!

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 9
 ' , ) - ". /"0  

= 1−
'* +'* 1  
The term involving the temperature difference, δ2, and ux may be
incorporated into the function ux so that the final relation to be assumed for
the velocity profile is
  

= 1−
( & &

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 10
 …natural convection

  

= 1−
( & &
Substituting
"/"0 

= 1−
". /"0 
'  

= 1 − in
'*  

 
 


 = −  + 
  −  
    

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 11
 …natural convection

1 
1 (
( & =  % −  & − ν
105  3 &

The integral form of the energy equation for the free-convection system is

 

   −   = −5 
   
and when the assumed velocity and temperature distributions are inserted
into this equation and the operations are performed, there results

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 12
 …natural convection

1  % − 
% −  ( & = 25
30  &
The term involving the temperature difference, δ, and ux may be incorporated
into the function ux so that the final relation to be assumed for the velocity
profile is
  

= 1−
( & &

( ~&

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 13
 …natural convection

Inserting this type of relation in Equation

 9  '*
(
& =  % −  & − ν
8 9( 
yields the result that &~ /+
We therefore assume the following exponential functional variations for ux
and δ
( =   /

& = 
 /+

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 14
 …natural convection

Introducing these relations into Equations

 9  '*
(
& =  % −  & − ν and
8 9( 
 9 ". /"0
 −  ( & = 25
 %
gives
9( 

5

 
 
 /+ =  % −   /+ − ν +
420 3 

And
1 25 //+
 
 //+
= 
40 

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 15
 …natural convection

and
//
/

20 >  % − 
 = 5.17> +
21 5 >

/+ //+
20 >  % −  > //


= 3.93 +
21 5 >
5
The resultant expressions for the boundary layer thickness and fictitious
velocity ux are
& //+
= 3.93@A //
0.952 + @A /+ BA(


06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 16
 …natural convection

The Prandtl number has been introduced in the above expressions along with
a new dimensionless group called the Grashof number Grx.
 % −  
BA( =
>

The heat transfer coefficient can be evaluated from


C = −D  = ED % − 
 %
Dimensionless equation for the heat-transfer coefficient
/+
F( = 0.508@A/
0.952 + @A //+ BA(

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 17
 …natural convection

Equation (gives the variation of the local heat-transfer coefficient along the
vertical plate. The average heat-transfer coefficient may then be obtained by
performing the integration
1 I 4
E =  E(  = E(I
H  3

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 18
 EMPIRICAL RELATIONS FOR FREE CONVECTION
K
FJ =  BAJ @AJ Rayleigh Number, Ra = GrPr

 + %
J =
2
Characteristic Dimensions
The characteristic dimension to be used in the Nusselt and Grashof numbers
depends on the geometry of the problem. For a vertical plate it is the height
of the plate L; for a horizontal cylinder it is the diameter d; and so forth.

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 19
 FREE CONVECTION FROM VERTICAL PLANES AND CYLINDERS
• Isothermal Surfaces
The general criterion is that a vertical cylinder may be treated as a vertical flat
plate when
D 35
≥ /+
L BA
I
For Gases with Pr =0.7 flat plate results for the average heat-transfer
coefficient should be multiplied by a factor F to account for the curvature,
/+
H/`
_ = 1.3 + 1.0
BAa
For isothermal surfaces the value of C and m are given in Table

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 20
 …free convection from vertical planes and cylinders

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 21
 …free convection from vertical planes and cylinders

K
FJ =  BAJ @AJ
06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 22
 …free-convection heat transfer from vertical isothermal plates

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 23
 …free-convection heat transfer from horizontal isothermal cylinders

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 24
 …free convection from vertical planes and cylinders

• Constant-Heat-Flux Surfaces
Extensive experiments have been reported for free convection from vertical
and inclined surfaces to water under constant-heat-flux conditions. In such
experiments, the results are presented in terms of a modified Grashof
number, Gr∗:
C +
BA(∗ = BA( F( =
>

The local heat transfer coefficients were correlated by the following relation
E /8
F(J = = 0.60 BA( @AJ
∗
108 < BA(∗ @AJ < 10 (fghi. jk)
J

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 25
 …free convection from vertical planes and cylinders

Boundary-layer transition was observed to begin between BA(∗ Pr

=3×1012 and 4×1013 and to end between 2×1013 and 1014.
Fully developed turbulent flow was present by BA(∗ Pr =1014, and the
experiments were extended up to BA(∗ Pr =1016. For the turbulent
region, the local heat-transfer coefficients are correlated with
/+
F( = 0.17 BA( @AJ
∗

210 < BA(∗ @AJ < 10m (fghi. jk)

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 26
 …free convection from vertical planes and cylinders

1 I 5
n
ℎ =  ℎ(  = ℎ(I
H  4
F =  BA( @A K
op*∗
Inserting BA( =
q'*
F(rK =  BA(∗ @A K

 K
F( =  rK BA(∗ @A rK
K 
Laminar, m=1/4 =
rK 8
K 
Turbulent, m=1/3 =
rK +

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 27
Variation of htc with x for laminar flow
1
ℎ( ~  /+ =  //+

In the turbulent region
1
ℎ( ~  / = fghisig tuiℎ 


06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 28
 Numericals
• In a plant location near a furnace, a net radiant energy flux of 800 W/m2 is
incident on a vertical metal surface 3.5 m high and 2 m wide. The metal is
insulated on the back side and painted black so that all the incoming
radiation is lost by free convection to the surrounding air at 30◦C. What
average temperature will be attained by the plate? ν=2.043x10-5 m2/s, k=
0.0295 W/m.oC, Pr = 0.7
• A large vertical plate 4.0 m high is maintained at 60◦C and exposed to
atmospheric air at 10◦C. Calculate the heat transfer if the plate is 10 m wide.
ν=16.5x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.02685 W/m.oC.

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 29
 FREE CONVECTION FROM HORIZONTAL CYLINDERS
• Churchill Correlation
/+
/
BA@A
F = 0.60 + 0.387 jfA 10/8 < BA@A < 10

v/m m/v
0.559
1+
@A
For the range 10-6 <GrPR< 109
0.518 BA9 @A /+
F9 = 0.36 +
1 + 0.559/@A v/m +/v

Heat transfer form horizontal cylinder to liquid metal

F = 0.53 BA9 @A
/+

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 30
 Numericals
• A2.0-cm-diameter horizontal heater is maintained at a surface temperature of
38◦C and submerged in water at 27◦C. Calculate the free-convection heat loss per
unit length of the heater. ν=16.5x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.630 W/m.oC.
• A fine wire having a diameter of 0.02 mm is maintained at a constant temperature
of 54◦C by an electric current. The wire is exposed to air at 1 atm and 0◦C.
Calculate the electric power necessary to maintain the wire temperature if the
length is 50 cm. ν=15.69x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.02624 W/m.oC and Pr = 0.708.
• A horizontal pipe 1 ft (0.3048 m) in diameter is maintained at a temperature of
250◦C in a room where the ambient air is at 15◦C. Calculate the free-convection
heat loss per meter of length. ν=15.69x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.02624 W/m.oC and Pr =
0.708. ν=26.54x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.03406 W/m.oC and Pr = 0.687.
• A cube, 20 cm on a side, is maintained at 60◦C and exposed to atmospheric air at
10◦C. Calculate the heat transfer. ν=17.47x10-6 m2/s, k= 0.02685 W/m.oC and Pr = 0.7

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 31
 FREE CONVECTION FROM HORIZONTAL PLATES
Constant Heat Flux
/
FI = 0.13 BAI @A jfA BAI @A < 210w
FI = 0.58 BAI @A /8 jfA 10m BAI @A < 10
x = % − 0.25 % − 
C
ℎ=
% − 

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 32
 FREE CONVECTION FROM INCLINED SURFACES
Fx = 0.56 BAx @Ax fhy /+ jfA y < 88; 108 < BAx @Ax fhyBAI @A < 10
x = % − 0.25 % −  and x =  + 0.50 % −  jfA 
For almost horizontal plates facing downward that is 88o<θ<90o
/+
Fx = 0.14 BAx @Ax fhy / − BA{ @Ax fhy / + 0.56 BAx @Ax fhy /

for the range 105 <GrePre cosθ<1011. The quantity Grc is a critical Grashof relation indicating
when the Nusselt number starts to separate from the laminar relation of Equation Fx =
0.56 BAx @Ax fhy /+ and is given in the following tabulation:
θ Gre
-15 5x109
-30 2x109
-60 10
-75 106
06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 33
 FREE CONVECTION FROM SPHERES
Yuge recommends the following relation
ℎ /+
FJ = = 2 + 0.392BAJ jfA 1 < BAJ < 108
J
This equation may be modified by the introduction of the Prandtl number to give
/+
FJ = 2 + 0.43 BAJ @AJ jfA 3108 < BA@A < 810w
For high range of Rayleigh number
/+
FJ = 2 + 0.50 BAJ @AJ
Churchill suggested
/+
|s9 
F = 2 + v/m m/v
jfA |s 9 < 10 sg @A > 0.5
1 + 0.469/@A

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 34
 FREE CONVECTION IN ENCLOSED SPACES

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 35
Grashof number
  − 
&
BA =
>

ℎ&
F =

/. 
H
F = 0.42 BA9 @A /+ @A .
fghi. ℎ~si jk
&
104<GrdPr<107; 1<Pr<20,000; 10<L/δ<40
F = 0.46 BA9 @A / fghi. ℎ~si jk
106<GrdPr<109; 1<Pr<20; 1<L/δ<40

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 36
 Numericals
• Air at atmospheric pressure is contained between two 0.5-m-square vertical
plates separated by a distance of 15 mm. The temperatures of the plates
are 100 and 40◦C, respectively. Calculate the free-convection heat transfer
across the air space. Also calculate the radiation heat transfer across the air
space if both surfaces have ε=0.2. µ=2.043x10-5 Pa-m, k = 0.0295 W/m.oC,
Pr = 0.7.
• Two horizontal plates 20 cm on a side are separated by a distance of 1 cm
with air at 1 atm in the space. The temperatures of the plates are 100◦C for
the lower and 40◦C for the upper plate. Calculate the heat transfer across
the air space. ρ=1.029 kg/m3, µ=2.043x10-5 Pa-m, k = 0.0295 W/m.oC, Pr =
0.7.

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 37
 Numerical
• A vertical air gap between two glass plates is to be evacuated so that the
convective currents are essentially eliminated, that is, the air behaves as a
pure conductor. For air at a mean temperature of 300 K and a temperature
difference of 20◦C, calculate the vacuum necessary for glass spacings of 1
and 2 cm. ρ=1.029 kg/m3, µ=1.846x10-5 Pa-m, k = 0.02426 W/m.oC, Pr = 0.7.

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 38
 COMBINED FREE AND FORCED CONVECTION
Graetz number

B = |~@A
H
/
9
Application range 10 @A <1
I

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 39
 Flow through vertical tube

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 40
 Flow through Horizontal Tube

06-11-2015 Prof. Ravi Kumar, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee- 247667 41