WOLDIA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL & CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
HEAT TRANSFER (MEng3121)

Convective Heat transfer

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 1
Contents
Introduction to convection

Forced convection heat transfer

Natural convection heat transfer

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 2
 Introduction To Convective
 Convection is one of the three basic mechanisms of heat transfer.
 It is a heat transfer that takes place between moving fluid and solid surface.
 Like conduction heat transfer, convection heat transfer requires material medium.
 Heat transfer by convection combines heat transfer by conduction and bulk flow of
fluid.
 Convection heat transfer depends on several parameters like:
 Fluid properties like; Dynamic viscosity(μ),Thermal conductivity(k),Density(ρ), Specific heat
capacity(cp)
 Fluid velocity, v.
 Geometry of solid surface.
 Roughness of solid surface.
 Type of fluid flow (turbulent or laminar).
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 3
Cont.…
 The dependence of convection heat transfer on so many variables makes
it very complex and it is usually determined experimentally.
 The convection heat transfer rate is given by Newton’s law of cooling,
.
Q conv.  hA(Ts  T )
 The convection heat transfer coefficient, h, is non dimensionalized to
obtain the Nusselt number, Nu.
h
Nu 
k
 The Nusselt number can also be given as the ratio of convection heat
transfer rate to conduction heat transfer rate.
Convection heat transfer rate
Nu 
Conduction heat transfer rate

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 4
Velocity boundary layer s
 Velocity boundary layer development over flat plate Cf 
1
u
2

 is the value of y for which U = 0.99 U∞

 For external flows the velocity boundary layer concept provides the basis
for determining the local friction
s coefficient.
Cf 
 1
u 2

2
 Where the surface shear stress for Newtonian fluid is obtained from the
relation   
u
y
s
y 0

 The drag or friction force over the surface is determined by

u2
FD  C f A
2
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 5
THERMAL BOUNDARY LAYER
 Thermal boundary layer development over isothermal flat plate

 t is the value of y for which the ratio (Ts  T ) /(Ts  T )  0.99

 At any distance x from the leading edge, the local heat flux may be obtained by
applying Fourier’s law to the fluid at y= 0. That is,
T
qs   k f
y y 0
 By combining equation Fourier’s law with Newton’s law of cooling we
then obtain T
kf
y y 0
h 
Ts  T
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 6
  The relative thickness of the velocity and thermal boundary layers is
described by Prandtl number
Momentum diffusivity  CP
Pr   
Heat diffusivity  k
 The hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers are related in terms of
Prandtl number as

t 1 1
 Pr
 1.026

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 7
 LAMINAR AND TURBULENT FLOW
 Laminar, transition and turbulent flow regions

 The location where the flow turns to turbulent is determined by a dimensionless

grouping of variables called the Reynolds number.
Inertia forces u
Re  
Vicous forces 
Where u∞=free stream velocity
ẟ =characteristic length of the geometry
v =μ/ρ=kinematic velocity of the fluid

 The critical Reynolds number at which flow turns to turbulent is about 5x10 5
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 8
 FORCED CONVECTION
External convection
 In this chapter we consider the practical aspects of forced convection to or
from flat or curved surfaces subjected to external flow, characterized by the
freely growing boundary layers surrounded by a free flow region that involves
no velocity and temperature gradients.
PARALLEL FLOW OVER FLAT PLATES
 The friction and heat transfer coefficients for a flat plate can be determined by
solving the conservation of mass, momentum and energy equations.
 The average Nusselt number can be expressed as
hL
Nu   C Re mL Pr n
k
 Where C, m and n are constants and L is length of the plate.

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 9
 Cont
 Generally, properties of the fluid vary with temperature. To make the heat transfer
analysis simple, properties are evaluated at film temperature given by
Ts  T
Tf 
2
 In heat transfer analysis, we are usually interested in the heat transfer and drag force
on the entire surface of the plate which are determined using the average heat
transfer and friction coefficients.
 The local and average Nusselt number and friction coefficient are determined for
laminar and turbulent flows separately,
Laminar flow
 The boundary layer thickness  
5x
1
Re x 2
 Local friction coefficient x 0.664
C f ,x  
1 / 2 u Re 12
2
x

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 10
Cont..
 Combining the equations above the thermal boundary layer thickness is
given by t  
1
Pr 1 
5x
1.026 1.026(Re1x/ 2 )(Pr)

 Local Nusselt number Nu x 

hx x 1 1
 0.332 Re x 2 Pr 3 ( pr  0.6)
k

 Average friction coefficient

hL 1 1
 Average Nusselt number Nu   0.664 Re L Pr 3
2 ( pr  0.6)
k

u xCr
 The critical Reynolds number Re Cr   5  105


5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 11
Turbulent flow
 Local friction coefficient C f ,x 
0.0592
1
5
5 10
5
 Re x  107 
Re x

hx x 1  0.6  pr  60 
 
4
Nu x   0.0296Re x 5 Pr 3
 Local Nusselt number k  5 105  Re  107
 x



Cf 
0.074
5 10 5
 Re L  107 
 Average friction coefficient Re L
1
5

hL 1  0.6  pr  60 
 
4
Nu   0.037 Re L 5 Pr 3  5  105  Re  107 
 Average Nusselt number k  L 

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 12
Cont…
 For combined laminar and turbulent flow

Cf 
0.074 1742
1
5

Re L
5 10
5
 Re L  107 
Re L

Nu 
hL
 4
 1
 0.037 Re L 5 871 Pr 3
 0.6  pr  60

 5  105  Re  107



k  L 
 The heat transfer rate is obtained from
.
Q conv.  hA(Ts  T )
Where h
 Nu k
L
 The drag force is calculated as
u2
FD  C f A
2

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 13
Example
1. An electric air heater consists of a horizontal array of thin metal strips
that are each 10mm long in the direction of an airstream that is in parallel
flows over the top of the strips. Each strip is 0.2m wide, and 25 strips are
arranged side by side, forming a continuous and smooth surface over which
the air flows at 2m/s. During operation each strip is maintained at 5000C
and the air is at 250C.
A. What is the rate of convection heat transfer from the first strip? The
fifth strip? The tenth strip? All the strips?
B. For air velocities at 3, 5, and 10 m/s, determine the convection heat
rates for all the locations of part (a). Represent your results in tabular or
bar graph form.

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 14
 Solution

 Properties of air (Tf=533K, 1atm): u=43.54x10-6m2/s, k=0.0429W/m.K, Pr=0.683.

A. The location of transition is determined from

 Since xc >>L=0.25m, the air flow is laminar over the entire heater. For the first strip,
Q1  h1 L  wTs  T 
.

 Where h1 is obtained from,

.
Q1  51.1w
Then,
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 15
 heat transfevr rate, w

velocity, first fifth tenth entire

m/s strip strip strip strip

2 51.08 12.06 8.29 255.39

5 80.76 19.06 13.11 403.80

10 114.20 26.96 18.53 571.06

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 16
 FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES
 The average Nusselt number for flow over a cylinder is given empirically as
proposed by Churchill and Bernstein:

 Equation in the above is applicable for conditions where Re.Pr > 0.2. The fluid
properties are evaluated at film temperature.
Ts  T
Tf 
2
 The average Nusselt number for flow over a cylinder can be expressed in
compact form as
Where, the constants C and m are obtained from table 2.
 Heat transfer to or from a bank (or bundle) of tubes in cross flow is relevant to
numerous industrial applications, such as steam generation in a boiler or air
cooling in the coil of an air conditioner
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 17
  Table 1. Constants used in equation above
Table:-2 Constants for the circular cylinder
in cross flow

 The tube rows of a bank are either staggered or aligned in the direction of the fluid velocity V

Fig. a Tube bank in cross flow

Fig.b Aligned and staggered tube arrangement

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 18
 For airflow across tube bundles composed of 10 or more rows (NL10), the average
Nusselt number can be obtained by the Grimison correlation,
 N L  10 
hD  
Nu   C1 Re mD ,max 2000  Re D ,max  40,000
k
Pr  0.7 

 The constants C1 and m are obtained from table 2.

Vmax D
 The maximum Reynolds number is given by Re D ,max 

 For the aligned arrangement the maximum velocity, Vmax occurs at the transverse plane A1
ST
of Fig. a and is given for an incompressible fluid as Vmax  V
ST  D
 For the staggered configuration, the maximum velocity may occur at either the transverse
plane A1 or the diagonal plane A2 . It will occur at A2 if the rows are spaced such that
S D
2( S  D )  ( S  D ) or S 

T
D T D
2
ST
 S  
1
V  V
2S D  D
2 2
Where SD is given by S  S  
D
2
L  
T and max

  2  
 If SD>(ST+D)/2, the maximum velocity occurs at A1 and is given by equation
ST
Vmax  V
ST  D
5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 19
 For flow of fluids other than air the equation is modified by inserting 1.13Pr1/3
 N L  10 
hD 1  
Nu   1.13C1 Re mD ,max Pr 3 2000  Re D ,max  40,000
k
Pr  0.7 

 All the properties in these equations are evaluated at film temperature. If NL<10 a
correction factor given in table 3. is used as
 Table 2 Constants used in equations

 Table 3. Constant C2 used in equation above

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 20
  Average Nusselt Number for an Isothermal Array [Zukauskas]:
1/4
NUD = C2 CRem Pr 0.36 Pr
D,max Prs

C, m Table 4 C2from Table 5

All properties are evaluated at (TS +T∞) / 2 except Prs

Table 4 constants

Table; 6.5. Correction for C2 of equation above for NL < 20 (Re, D max ≥ 103)

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 21
  The heat transfer rate could be more predicted by using the log mean
temperature difference instead of using ∆T=Ts-T∞
Tlm 
Ts  Ti   Ts  To 
lnTs  Ti  / Ts  To 

 Where Ti and To are temperatures of the fluid as it enters and leaves the bank,
respectively.
 The outlet temperature, which is needed to determine ∆Tlm may be estimated
T T  DNh 
 exp  
s o

from T T  VN S c s i T T P

 Where N is the total number of tubes in the bank, NT is the number of tubes in
the transverse plane and V is the speed at inlet
 Once ∆Tlm is known, the heat transfer rate may be computed from Q  N hDLT 
.
lm

 For flows over a sphere, the average Nusselt number can be obtained by 1

the Whitaker correlation, Nu  hDk  2  0.4 Re  0.06 Re  Pr   

4
1 2
2 3 0.4 

 s 
 Equation above is valid for 3.5≤Re≤ 80,000 and 0.7≤Pr≤380. The fluid properties are evaluated at
film temperature except ms which is evaluated at the surface temperature, Ts.

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 22
Example
A preheater involves the use of condensing steam at 1000C on the inside of
bank of tubes to heat air that enters at 1atm and 250C. The air moves at 5m/s
in cross flow over the tubes. Each tube is 1m long and has an outside
diameter of 10mm. The bank consists of 196 tube in a square, aligned array
for which ST=SL=15mm. What is the total rate of heat transfer to the air’?
Solution

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 23
 From tables 4 and 5, C = 0.27, m = 0.63 and C2=0.99.

5/15/2024 By:Tadesse T. 24