2008/2009

Harmattan

SESSION
PREPARED BY:
S.A. ADIO
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY

MEE 403 MODULE 5

CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER
 MEE403 Module 5

4.0 Convective Heat Transfer

Heat convection is the term applied to the process involved when energy is transferred
from a surface to a fluid flowing over it as a result of a difference between the temperatures
of the surface and the fluid. In convection therefore as indicated in figure 28.0, there is
always a surface, a fluid flowing relative to this surface, and a temperature difference
between the surface and the fluid and the concern is with the rate of heat transfer between the
surface and the fluid.

Figure 28.0 Convection heat transfer

Convection heat transfer occurs extensively in practice. The cooling of the cutting
tool during a machining operation, the cooling of the electronic components in a computer
the generation and condensation of steam in a thermal power plant, the heating and cooling of
buildings and cooking, for example, involve convective heat transfer.
Convection as one of the so-called modes of heat transfer, in most real situations, the
overall heat transfer is accomplished by a combination of at least two of these modes of heat
transfer. However, it is possible, in many such cases, to consider the modes separately and
then combine the solutions for each of the modes in order to obtain the overall heat transfer
rate. For example, heat transfer from one fluid to another fluid through the walls of a pipe
occurs in many practical devices (e.g. radiator tubes). In this case, heat is transferred by
convection from the hotter fluid to the one surface of the pipe. Heat is then transferred from
the inner surface by conduction through the walls of the pipe to the outer surface. Finally heat
is transferred by convection from the surface of the pipe to the colder fluid as shown in figure
29.0.

Heat Transfer Notes

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 MEE403 Module 5

Figure 29.0: combine conduction

and convection

Convective heat transfer rates depend on the details of the flow field about the surface
involved as well as on the properties of the fluid. The determination of the convective heat
transfer rate is therefore, in general, an extremely difficult task since it involves the
determination of both the velocity and temperature fields. It is only in comparatively recent
times that any widespread success has been achieved in the development of methods of
calculating heat transfer rates.
The transfer of heat by convection involves the transfer of energy from the surface to
the fluid on a molecular scale and then the diffusion of this heat through the fluid by bulk
mixing due to fluid motion. The basic heat transport mechanism in convection is still
conduction which is, of course, governed by Fourier’s law. This law states that the heat
transfer rate, q, in any direction, n, per unit area measured normal to n is given by:
T
q   k 4.1
n
Conduction of heat is always important close to the surface over which the fluid is
flowing. However, when the flow is turbulent, the rate at which heat is “ is convected” by the
turbulent eddies is usually much greater than the rate of heat conduction, and , therefore, in
such flows, conduction can often be neglected except in a region lying close to the surface. At
a solid surface, where the velocity is effectively zero, Fourier’s law always, applies as
indicated by figure 30.0

Heat Transfer Notes

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 MEE403 Module 5

Figure 30.0: Heat transfer at the wall

4.2 Types of Convection

As mentioned in the first module of this course, there are majorly 3 types. Since
convection heat transfer rates depend on the details of the flow field they will be strongly
dependent on how the flow is generated. It is important, therefore to distinguished between
forced and free (or natural) convection. In the case of forced convection, the fluid motion is
caused by some external means such as fan or pump. In the case of free convection, the flow
is generated by the body forces that occur as a result of the density changes arising from the
temperature changes in the flow fields. The body forces are actually generated by pressure
gradients imposed on the whole fluid. The most common source of this imposed pressure
field is the gravity, the pressure gradient then being the normal hydrostatic pressure gradient
existing in any fluid bulk. The body forces in this case are actually termed buoyancy forces.
In all flows involving heat transfer and, therefore, temperature gradient, the buoyancy
forces arising from the gravitational field will, of course, exist. The term forced convection is
only applied to flows in which the effects of these buoyancy forces are negligible. In some
flows in which a forced velocity exists, the effects of these buoyancy forces will, however,
not be negligible and such flows are termed mixed/combined free and forced convective
flows. The types of convective flows are shown in figure 4.0 module 1

Heat Transfer Notes

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 MEE403 Module 5

4.3 Internal and External Flow

Classification of fluid flows as internal and external is a function of whether the fluid
is forced to flow in a confined channel as shown in figure 31.0a or flow that is essentially
infinite in extent, over the outer surface of a body as shown in figure 31.0b.
In predicting heat transfer rates one of the first steps in creating a model of the flow is
to decide whether it involves internal or external flow because there are different assumptions
that can be conveniently adopted in the two types of flow.

Figure 31.0: (a) Internal flow (b) External flow

4.4 Application of Dimensional Analysis to Convection

Obtaining the coefficient of convective heat transfer h, analytically or numerically
will only be possible for some few situations of convective flows. However, there exist many
cases of great practical importance for which it is not possible to obtain even approximate
theoretical solutions. In such cases, the prediction of heat transfer rates has to be based on the
results of previous experimental studies. In order that these experimental results be of the
most usefulness they must be expressed in terms of general variables that then allow them to
be applied to a much wider range of conditions that those under which the actual
measurements were obtained. For example, if measurements of the forced convective heat
transfer rates from cylinders to air and water are made, the result must be expressed if
possible in terms of variables that will allow them to be used to predict the heat transfer rate
from a cylinder to another fluid, e.g. Fuel oil. Therefore, in order to be able to make the most
use of experimental results, they must be expressed in terms of the “general” variables
governing the problem. One way of determining these “general” variables is by the
application of dimensional analysis.
From residual knowledge, it can be inferred that convection heat transfer strongly
depends on the fluid properties dynamic viscosity µ, thermal conductivity k, density, and

Heat Transfer Notes

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specific heat capacity cp, and fluid velocity. The sized of the body as specified by some
characteristic dimension, L and the magnitude of the forced fluid velocity, U, relative to the
body, whether it is turbulent or laminar. It can be deduced from either physical argument or
considering available experimental results, that if, in the case of gas flows, the velocity is low
enough for compressibility effects to be ignored, then all the above mentioned still holds
On application of dimensional analysis to convection heat transfer problems, on of the
general variables that affect the convection heat transfer mostly is the Nusselt Number (see
Module 5 Appendix, for the derivation of these general variables, i.e. dimensionless
numbers). A list of dimensionless numbers that can arise in the analysis of convective heat
transfer is given in table 4.1

4.4.1 Nusselt Number

The heat transfer coefficient h is dimensional and thus its value depends on the units
used. The traditional dimensionless from of h is the Nusselt number Nu, which may be
defined as the ratio of convection heat transfer to fluid conduction heat transfer under the
same conditions. Consider a layer of fluid of width L and temperature difference (Tw  T f ) .

Assuming that the layer is moving so that convection occurs, the heat flux would be,

q   h(Tw  T f )

If, on the other hand, the layer were stagnant, the heat flux would be entirely due to fluid
conduction through the layer: 4.4.1 Nusselt Number

The heat transfer coefficient h is dimensional and thus its value depends on the units
used. The traditional dimensionless from of h is the Nusselt number Nu, which may be
defined as the ratio of convection heat transfer to fluid conduction heat transfer under the
same conditions. Consider a layer of fluid of width L and temperature difference (Tw  T f ) .

Assuming that the layer is moving so that convection occurs, the heat flux would be,

q   h(Tw  T f )

If, on the other hand, the layer were stagnant, the heat flux would be entirely due to fluid
conduction through the layer:

Heat Transfer Notes

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 MEE403 Module 5

Table 4.1: Dimensionless Numbers

(Tw  T f )
q   k
L

We define the Nusselt number as the ratio of these two:


q convection hT L
Nu   h 4.2

q conduction kT k
L

A Nusselt number of order unity would indicate a sluggish or no motion of the fluid,
little more effective than pure fluid conduction: for example, laminar flow in a long pipe. A
large Nusselt number means very efficient convection: For example, turbulent pipe flow
yields Nu of order 100 to 1000.

4.4.2 Reynolds Number

Another dimensionless number that is useful in the analysis of convection heat

transfer is the Reynolds number, and is a measure of the magnitude of the inertia forces in the
flow to the magnitude of the viscous forces in the flow. This means, therefore, that if the
Reynolds number is relatively low, the viscous forces are high compared to the inertia forces

Heat Transfer Notes

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 MEE403 Module 5

and any disturbances that arise in the flow will tend to be damped out by the action of
viscosity and laminar flow will tend to exist. If the Reynolds number is relatively high,
however, the viscous forces are low compared to the inertia forces and any disturbances that
arise in the flow will tend to grow, i.e. turbulent flow will tend to develop.

Ul
Re  4.3


4.4.3 Prandtl Number

The Prandtl Number is a dimensionless number approximating the ratio of diffusion of
momentum to the diffusion of heat in a fluid. The momentum diffusion appears as kinematic
viscosity and diffusion of heat as thermal diffusivity. Hence,
Pr = v / α 4.4a

where

Pr = Prandtl's number

v = kinematic viscosity (Pa s)

α = thermal diffusivity (W/m K)

The Prandtl number can alternatively be expressed as

Pr = μ cp / k 4.4b

where

μ = absolute or dynamic viscosity (kg/m s)

cp = specific heat capacity (J/kg K)

k = thermal conductivity (W/m K)

Since the diffusion of momentum and heat are also associated with the thickness of
the boundary layer, the Prandtl number is then a parameter which relates , the thickness of
the hydrodynamic boundary layer to ’, the thickness of the thermal boundary layer.
d, the thickness of the hydrodynamic boundary layer to d’, the thickness of the thermal
boundary layer.

Note: Read Velocity and Thermal Boundary Layer

Heat Transfer Notes

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