ANALYSIS OF CONVECTION IN INTERNAL

FLOWS
P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
IIT Delhi
Development of Design Rules
Mean Temperature (T
m
)
We characterise the local fluid temperature by using the mean
temperature of the fluid at a given cross-section.
Heat addition to the fluid leads to increase in mean temperature
and vice versa.
For the existence of convection heat transfer, the mean
temperature of the fluid should monotonically vary.
Computation of local convection heat transfer coefficient
involves:
Computation of temperature & velocity profiles.
Computation of local Mean Temperature.

First Law for A CV : SSSF
T
m,in

T
m,exit

dx
q
z

No work transfer, change in kinetic and potential energies are
negligible

CV
exit
exit
in
in
CV
W gz
V
h m gz
V
h m q
- - -
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + +
2
~
2
~
2 2
exit
exit
in
in
CV
h m h m q
~ ~
= +
- -
( )
in exit x
h h m q
~ ~
=

( )
}
=
exit
in
T
T
p in exit
x r dT C h h ) , (
~ ~
( )
in m exit m mean p x
T T C m q
, , ,
=

( )
}
=
exit
in
x
x
m
p in exit
dx
dx
x dT
C h h
) ( ~ ~
dx
x
x r T
dr
r
x r T
x r dT
r x constant constant
) , ( ) , (
) , (
= =
)
`

c
c
+
)
`

c
c
=
}}
=
c
A
c
c
m
uTdA
A u
x T
1
) (
}
=
0
0
) , (
2
) (
r
m
dr x r uT
r u
x T
THERMALLY FULLY DEVELOPED FLOW
There should be heat transfer from wall to fluid or vice versa,
over the entire length of the pipe being used.
Then What does fully developed flow signify in Thermal view?

0
,
= =
m mean p x
dT C m q

o
( ) ( ) 0 = = x T T dA h q
m wall x x
o
Thermally Developing Flow : A Pseudo Transient Process
Consider a CV around a packet of fluid.
Transform the CV into CM.
With reference to CM, A convection heat transfer can be
modelled as a transient Heat transfer process.

T(r,t
1
))
q
T
i

T
s
(x)
Hot Wall & Cold Fluid
T(r,t
2
)
FULLY DEVELOPED CONDITIONS (THERMALLY)
What does this signify?
How to model this limit?
Use a dimensionless temperature difference to characterise the
transient temperature variations as

) ( ) (
) , ( ) (
x T x T
x r T x T
m s
s

A fully developed flow is a pseudo steady state w.r.t. CM and

The non-dimensional temperature difference remains steady.
i.e.
0
) ( ) (
) , ( ) (
,
=
(

c
c
t fd
m s
s
x T x T
x r T x T
x
{ }
{ }
{ }
{ }
0
) ( ) (
) , ( ) (
) , ( ) (
) ( ) ( =
c
c

c
c

x
x T x T
x r T x T
x
x r T x T
x T x T
m s
s
s
m s
{ } { } 0
) ( ) (
) , ( ) (
) , ( ) (
) ( ) ( =
)
`

c
c

c
c

)
`

c
c

c
c

x
x T
x
x T
x r T x T
x
x r T
x
x T
x T x T
m s
s
s
m s
( ) { } { } { } 0 ) , ( ) (
) (
) ( ) (
) , (
) ( ,
) (
=
c
c
+
c
c

c
c
x r T x T
x
x T
x T x T
x
x r T
x T x r T
x
x T
s
m
m s m
s
This is condition for Thermal Development Internal Flows
Temperature Profile in Fully Developed Region



Uniform Wall Temperature (UWT)

) ( 0 x
dx
dT
s
=
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
t fd
m
m s
s
t fd
dx
dT
x T T
x r T T
x
x r T
, ,
, ,

=
c
c
axial temp. gradient is not independent of r and shape of
temperature profile is changing.
{ } { } 0 ) , ( ) (
) (
) ( ) (
) , (
=
c
c
+
c
c
x r T x T
x
x T
x T x T
x
x r T
s
m
m s
The shape of the temperature profile is changing, but the
relative shape is unchanged (for UWT conditions).
At the tube surface:
) (
0
0
x f
T T
r
T
T T
T T
r
m s
r r
r r
m s
s
=

c
c

=
(

c
c
=
=
) (x f
k
h
=
o
r r
s
r
T
k q
=
c
c
=
"
but
=

) (
] [

"
x f
T T k
q
m s
s
i.e. the Nusselt number is independent of x in the thermally fully
developed region.
Assuming const. fluid properties:-
t fd
x x
x f h
,
) (
>
=
This is the real significance of thermally fully developed
Evolution of Macro Flow Parameters
Constant Surface Temperature heating or cooling
m
T
s
T
T
x
m
T
s
T
T
x
i s
T T if <
i s
T T if >
Uniform Wall Heat flux : Fully Developed Region
( ) ) ( ) ( constant ' ' x T x T h q
m s x
=
( )
( )
x
x T x T
h x T x T
x
h
x
q
m s
x m s
x
c
c
+
c
c
= =
c
c ) ( ) (
) ( ) ( 0
' '
) (
0
0
x f
T T
r
T
T T
T T
r
m s
r r
r r
m s
s
=

c
c

=
(

c
c
=
=
) (x f
k
h
=
o
r r
s
r
T
k q
=
c
c
=
"
but
=

) (
] [

"
x f
T T k
q
m s
s
( )
t fd
m
t fd
dx
dT
x
x r T
, ,

,
=
c
c
Temperature profile shape is unchanging.
{ } { } 0 ) , ( ) (
) (
) ( ) (
) , (
=
c
c

c
c
x r T x T
x
x T
x T x T
x
x r T
m s
m
m s
{ } 0 ) ( ) (
) ( ) , (
=
)
`

c
c

c
c
x T x T
x
x T
x
x r T
m s
m
( ) { } { } { } 0 ) , ( ) (
) (
) ( ) (
) , (
) ( ,
) (
=
c
c
+
c
c

c
c
x r T x T
x
x T
x T x T
x
x r T
x T x r T
x
x T
s
m
m s m
s
( )
x
x T
x
x T
x
x T x T
x
h
m s m s x
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c ) ( ) (
0
) ( ) (
0
For a thermally developed flow with constant wall flux:
( )
( )
dx
c m
P h
T T
T T d
p m s
m s

Integrating from x=0 (T

m
= T
m,i
) to x = L (T
m
= T
m,o
):
( )
( )
dx
c m
P h
T T
T T d
L
p m s
m s
T
T
o m
i m
} }

=

0
,
,

Constant Surface Heat Flux : Heating of Fluid
T(r
2
,x)
T(r
1
,x)
T(r
n
,x)
Thermal Considerations Internal Flow
T
fluid
= T
surface

a thermal boundary layer develops

The growth of o
th
depends on whether the flow is
laminar or turbulent

Extent of Thermal Entrance Region:

Laminar Flow:

Pr Re 05 . 0
,
~
(

D
x
t fd
Turbulent Flow:

10
,
~
(

D
x
t fd
Determination of Heat Transfer Coefficient
T
i

T
s
(x)
q
Cold Wall & Hot Fluid
T(r,x)
( )
m p m s x
dT c m T T dx P h

=
( )
m s
m p
x
T T dx P
dT c m
h

=

Computation of Temperature Distribution
For axi-symmetric flow & Heat Transfer :
r
T
c v
x
T
c u
x
T
k
r
T
r
r r
k
p p
c
c
+
c
c
=
c
c
+
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c

2
2
x
T
c u
x
T
r
T
r
r r
k
p
c
c
=
)
`

c
c
+
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c

2
2
1
For high Prandtl number fluids, the flow can be approximated as
hydrodynamically developed and thermally developing flow.
x
T
k
c
u
x
T
r
T
r
r r
p
c
c
)
`

=
c
c
+
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c

2
2
1
Thermally Developed Flow: Constant Heat Flux
0
) ( ) (
) , ( ) (
,
=
(

c
c
t fd
m s
s
x T x T
x r T x T
x
x
T u
x
T
r
T
r
r r c
c
=
c
c
+
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
o
2
2
1
( )
dx
x dT
x
x T
x
x T x T
x
h
m s m s x
) ( ) (
0
) ( ) (
0 =
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
( )
t fd
m
t fd
dx
dT
x
x r T
, ,

,
=
c
c
( ) ( )
k
q
x
x r T
x
T
dx
dT
x
x r T
t fd
o
t fd
s
t fd
m
t fd
' ' ,

,
, , , ,
=
c
c
=
c
c
= =
c
c
dx
dT u
r
T
r
r r o
=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c 1
Similarly for constant wall temperature:
dx
dT
T T
T T u
r
T
r
r r
m w
w
)
`

=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
o
1
Solution : Constant Heat Flux : Fully Developed
dx
dT u
r
T
r
r r o
=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c 1
Boundary conditions:
o w
r r at T T = =
0 at 0 = =
c
c
r
r
T
For hydrodynamically developed flow:
)
`

=
2
2
1 2
o
m
r
r
u u
dx
dT
r
r u
r
T
r
r r
o
m
)
`

=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
2
2
1
2 1
o
Integration of above equation with substitution of boundary
conditions:
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
4 16 16
3 2
2
2
4 2
r
r
r r
dx
dT u
T T
o
o m m
w
o
}
=
o
r
m o
m
uTrdr
u r
T
0
2
2
Substitute T &u and integrate
2
2
96
11
o
m m
w m
r
dx
dT u
T T
o
=
( )
2
48
11
' '
o
m m
m w
r
dx
dT u
h T T h q
o
= =
T
m

T
m
+dT
m

dx
oq
( ) ( )
m p m m p o
T c m dT T c m x r q

+ = o t 2 ' '
( ) x
dx
dT
c m T c m x
dx
dT
T c m x r q
m
p m p
m
m p o
o o o t

=
|
.
|

\
|
+ = 2 ' '
( ) x
dx
dT
c m T c m x
dx
dT
T c m x r q
m
p m p
m
m p o
o o o t

=
|
.
|

\
|
+ = 2 ' '
( ) x
dx
dT
c u r x r q
m
p m o o
o t o t
2
2 ' ' =
dx
dT
c u r
q
m
p m o
2
' '

=
2
48
11
' '
o
m m
r
dx
dT u
h q
o
=
o

o
p
r
h
c
48
11
2
=
p
o
p
c
k
r
h
c

48
11
2
=
k
D
h
k
r
h
o o
48
11
2
1
48
11
2
1
= =
1
48
11
=
k
D
h
o
364 . 4
11
48
= =
k
hD
o
Convection correlations: laminar flow in circular tubes
The fully developed (Thermally & Hydrodynamically) region
constant surface heat flux
36 . 4 =
k
hD
Nu
D
66 . 3 =
k
hD
Nu
D
constant surface temperature
Note: the thermal conductivity k should be evaluated at average T
m

Thermally developing, hydrodynamically developed
laminar flow (Re < 2300)
Constant wall temperature:
Constant wall heat flux:
Simultaneously developing laminar flow (Re < 2300)
Constant wall temperature:
Constant wall heat flux:
which is valid over the range 0.7 < Pr < 7 or
if (Re Pr D/L) < 33 and Pr > 7.
Convection correlations: turbulent flow in circular tubes
A lot of empirical correlations are available.
For smooth tubes and fully developed flow.

heating For Pr Re 023 . 0
4 . 0 5 / 4
D D
Nu =
cooling for Pr Re 023 . 0
3 . 0 5 / 4
D D
Nu =
) 1 (Pr ) 8 / ( 7 . 12 1
Pr ) 1000 )(Re 8 / (
3 / 2 2 / 1
+

=
f
f
Nu
D
d
For rough tubes, coefficient increases with wall roughness. For fully developed flows
Effects of property variation with temperature
Liquids, laminar and turbulent flow:
Subscript w: at wall temperature, without subscript: at mean fluid
temperature
Gases, laminar flow
Nu = Nu
0


Gases, turbulent flow
Noncircular Tubes: Correlations
For noncircular cross-sections, define an effective
diameter, known as the hydraulic diameter:
Selecting the right correlation
Calculate Re and check the flow regime (laminar or turbulent)
Calculate hydrodynamic entrance length (x
fd,h
or L
he
) to see
whether the flow is hydrodynamically fully developed. (fully
developed flow vs. developing)
Calculate thermal entrance length (x
fd,t
or L
te
) to determine
whether the flow is thermally fully developed.
Average Nusselt number can be obtained from an appropriate
correlation.
Nu = f(Re, Pr)
We need to determine some properties and plug them into the
correlation.
These properties are generally either evaluated at mean (bulk)
fluid temperature or at wall temperature.
Each correlation should also specify the temperature at which
properties are to be evaluated.
Final Remarks
In general, a design of a convection system involves a
compromise.
Benefiting heat transfer leads to taxing Momentum
Transfer (Higher Pressure drops).
Higher pressure drops will lead to higher pumping or
compressing costs.
A judicial compromise is always a challenge in design of
convection systems.
Is it always true that one need to pay for establishment of
convection ????