MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D.

Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

VI.

Free Convection (Chap. 9, text)

Bulk fluid motion due to the presence of a body force:

ceiling

gravitational, centrifugal, coriolis, electric & magnetic fields

Consider density variation due to temperature gradients (i.e., ideal gas

in a gravitational field (i.e.,motion due to a buoyancy force)

(stable)

g
z

(no convection
currents)

(convection
currents)

ceiling

(unstable)

floor

p
RT

T
g

floor

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Free convection BL development on a heated vertical plate (pp. 596-598)

Ts
T
g
u(y)
freestream
T < Ts
u = 0 (quiescent)
Assume: 2-D, SS, laminar
x
BL with constant
thermal properties
y
( constant here)
Governing equations:

u v

0
x
y

u
u dp
u
v
g
y dx
y y
x

(1)
(2)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Outside the BL: dp g

(from (2) at BL edge; u = v = 0)

dx

p
0 in the BL
y

u
u
u
v g
y y
y
x

(3)

Introducing the "volumetric thermal expansion coefficient"

1
1

T p T T

T T

x-momentum equation:
Energy equation:

[9.4]

(Boussinesq approximation)

2u
u
u
u v g T T 2
x
y
y

T
T
2T
v
2
u
x
y
y

[9.7]

[9.8]
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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Note:
Note:

All thermal properties, except density, are assumed constant with

temperature.
Equations (4) & (5) are coupled through the buoyancy term.

Introducing the following relevant dimensionless parameters into Eq. (4) so all
terms are of order (1):
u
v
x
y
u * , v* , x* , y *
uo
uo
L
L
gives two non-dimensional groups: Re uo L

and,

g Ts T L
uo2

The arbitrariness of uo suggests that we should cancel it!

g Ts T L uo2 L2
2
2

uo
(Grashof #)

g Ts T L3 ~
GrL
2

buoyancy forces
viscous forces

[9.12]

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

If we calculate an appropriate velocity
2

u
1
gx

T
T
gx

u x
Grx looks like o Re 2x

If

GrL Re 2L (free convection dominates)

Equation (9.8) suggests

Nu = f (Gr, Pr)
Ra Gr Pr

Note:

(Rayleigh #)

Similarity solution analysis (p. 599-602) gives:

Nu x

hx x
0.530
k

1
4

Grx Pr

1
2

0.609 1.221Pr1 2 1.238 Pr

1
4

[9-19&20]

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

This agrees well with experimental data for 104 Rax 109
The average Nusselt number can be found by noting:
1 L
h o hx x dx
L
4
Nu L Nu x
3

Note:

and

hx

1
x4

x L

1
Pr
hL

0.707 Ra L4

k
0.609 1.221Pr1 2 1.238 Pr

[9.21]

The BL approximations breakdown for Ra 104

Transition to turbulence occurs for Ra > Racrit ~109

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Empirical correlations:
Vertical plates and cylinders - laminar or turbulent - constant Ts or qs (text, Sec.
9.6.1, p. 605)
Empirical correlations for common immersed (external flow) geometries are
generally given in the following form where m is typically for laminar flow and
1/3 for turbulent flow:
Nu L C Ra Lm
[9-24]
A vertical cylinder may be treated as a vertical flat plate when

35
D
14
L GrL

(7)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Churchill and Chu correlation for vertical flat plates (Ts = const.)
12
Nu L

0.825

0.387 Ra1L 6
0.492 9 16
1

Pr

8 27

101 RaL 1012 (entire regime) [9-26]

and
Nu L 0.68

1
4

0.670 Ra L
0.492 9 16
1

Pr

49

RaL 109

(laminar regime)

[9-27]

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Horizontal plates (text, Sec. 9.6.2, p. 608)

Cold plate

Hot plate

Upper surface heated (c), lower surface cooled (b)

Nu L 0.54 Ra1L 4

Nu L 0.15Ra1L 3

104 RaL 107

107 RaL 1011

L As/P

[9-29]

(laminar)

[9-30]

(turbulent)

[9-31]

Lower surface heated (d), upper surface cooled (a)

Nu L 0.27 Ra1L 4

105 RaL 1010

[9-32]

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Horizontal cylinders (text, Sec. 9.6.3, p. 613)

Churchill and Chu correlation for a horizontal cylinder (Ts = const.)

0.387 Ra1D6
Nu D 0.60
8 27
9
16

0.559
1

Pr

RaD 1012

[9-34]

RaD 1011, Pr 0.7

[9-35]

Spheres (text, Sec. 9.6.4, p. 617)

Nu D 2

0.589 Ra1D4
0.469 9 16
1

Pr

49

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Inclined surfaces (text, Sec. 9.6.2, p. 608-609)
Vertical channels (text, Sec. 9.7, p. 618)
RaS
Nu S

g Ts T S 3

hS q A S

k Ts T k

C1
C2
Nu S

2
12

Ra
S
L
Ra
S
L

S
S

1 2

[9-45]

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Enclosed vertical spaces (Sec. 9.8, p. 621) (H in height, spaced L apart)
hL
H
0.42 Ra L1 4 Pr 0.012
Nu L
k
L

for qs = const.

10 Ra L 10
1 Pr 20,000

0.3

[9-52]

g T1 T2 L3
GrL
2

10 H L 40

or
Nu L

hL
0.46 Ra1L 3
k

[9-53]

for qs = const., 106 RaL 109 ,1 Pr 20 , 1 H L 40

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Horizontal enclosed spaces

If T2 > T1

no convection occurs (lower density fluid is above the higher

density fluid) and NuL = 1

If T1 > T2

RaL 1700

heat transfer by conduction

1700 RaL 47,000

free convection with cellular structure

(called Benard cells)

RaL 47,000

turbulent fluctuations (Eq. 9.49)

Nu L

T2
L

hL
0.069 Ra1L 3 Pr 0.074
k

T1 > T2

T1

If

GrL

Re 2L

1 free

convection effects
can be neglected!
Combined free & forced convection. (See: text, Sec. 9.9)
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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.1
Given: Consider a hot pad with a 0.1 m 0.1 m horizontal surface surrounded by
air at T = 20 C. The surface has a constant wall heat flux of 1 W/cm2.
Find:

The surface temperature.

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 6 Page 16

MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.1 (contd, page 2/3)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.1 (contd, page 3/3)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.2
Given: A constant temperature (Tw = 37C) vertical cylinder 2 m tall and 0.4
m in diameter surrounded by air.
Find: The temperature of non-moving air that has the same heat loss as air
at T = 0 C moving U = 10 m/s. This is related to the wind chill equivalent
temperature

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HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.2 (contd, page 2/4)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.2 (contd, page 3/4)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.2 (contd, page 4/4)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.3
Given:

A double pane glass window 1 m in height composed of two 5 mm

thick pieces of glass separated by a 20 mm air space. Assume
Tair,in = 22 C, hin = 10 W/m2-C and Tair,out = 0 C, hout = 20 W/m2-C,
kglass = 1.4 W/m-C and kair = .025W/m-C.

Find:

The heat loss a. ) assuming no free convection between the glass

panes and, b.) assuming free convection between the glass panes.

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.3 (contd, page 2/3)

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MAE 310 course notes Fall 2011 Copyrighted by R. D. Gould

HEAT TRANSFER FUNDAMENTALS

Example 6.3 (contd, page 3/3)

Chapter 6 Page 25