Chapter 3 NATURAL CONVECTION

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Fundamentals of Thermal-Fluid Sciences, 3rd Edition Yunus A. Cengel, Robert H. Turner, John M. Cimbala McGraw-Hill, 2008 Chapter 3 NATURAL CONVECTION Mehmet Kanoglu Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Objectives Understand the physical mechanism of natural convection Derive the governing equations of natural convection, and obtain the dimensionless Grashof number by nondimensionalizing them Evaluate the Nusselt number for natural convection associated with vertical, horizontal, and inclined plates as well as cylinders and spheres Examine natural convection from finned surfaces, and determine the optimum fin spacing Analyze natural convection inside enclosures such as double-pane windows. 2

PHYSICAL MECHANISM OF CONVECTION Conduction and convection both require the presence of a material medium but convection requires fluid motion. Convection involves fluid motion as well as heat conduction. Heat transfer through a solid is always by conduction. Heat transfer through a fluid is by convection in the presence of bulk fluid motion and by conduction in the absence of it. Therefore, conduction in a fluid can be viewed as the limiting case of convection, corresponding to the case of quiescent fluid. Heat transfer from a hot surface to the surrounding fluid by convection and conduction. 3

The fluid motion enhances heat transfer, since it brings warmer and cooler chunks of fluid into contact, initiating higher rates of conduction at a greater number of sites in a fluid. The rate of heat transfer through a fluid is much higher by convection than it is by conduction. In fact, the higher the fluid velocity, the higher the rate of heat transfer. Heat transfer through a fluid sandwiched between two parallel plates. 4

Convection in daily life We resort to forced convection whenever we need to increase the rate of heat transfer. We turn on the fan on hot summer days to help our body cool more effectively. The higher the fan speed, the better we feel. We stir our soup and blow on a hot slice of pizza to make them cool faster. The air on windy winter days feels much colder than it actually is. The simplest solution to heating problems in electronics packaging is to use a large enough fan. 5

Many familiar heat transfer applications involve natural convection as the primary mechanism of heat transfer. Examples? Natural convection in gases is usually accompanied by radiation of comparable magnitude except for low-emissivity surfaces. The motion that results from the continual replacement of the heated air in the vicinity of the egg by the cooler air nearby is called a natural convection current, and the heat transfer that is enhanced as a result of this current is called natural convection heat transfer. The cooling of a boiled egg in a cooler environment by natural convection. The warming up of a cold drink in a warmer environment by natural convection. 6

The density of a fluid, in general, depends more strongly on temperature than it does on pressure, and the variation of density with temperature is resposible for numerous natural phenomena such a winds, currents in oceans, rise of plumes in chimneys, the operation of hotair balloons, heat transfer by natural convection. To quantify these effects, we need a property that represents the variation of the density of a fluid with temperature at constant pressure. Natural convection over a woman s hand. 7

VELOCITY BOUNDARY LAYER 8

SURFACE SHEAR STRESS 9

SURFACE SHEAR STRESS 10

Reynolds number 11

THERMAL BOUNDARY LAYER 12

THERMAL BOUNDARY LAYER 13

14

Forces acting on a differential volume element in the natural convection boundary layer over a vertical flat plate. 15

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17

Example 20

Quiz 1. Using the differential element shown in the figure, prove that in the hydroyinamic boundary layer the continuity equation is: 2. Define the Prandtl number and say what is its principal application in heat transfer problems. 21

FORCED CONVECTION 22

SOLUTION OF CONVECTION EQUATION FOR A FLAT PLATE 23

SOLUTION OF CONVECTION EQUATION FOR A FLAT PLATE 24

SOLUTION OF CONVECTION EQUATION FOR A FLAT PLATE 25

SOLUTION OF CONVECTION EQUATION FOR A FLAT PLATE 26

CONVECTION FOR A FLAT PLATE 27

PARALLEL FLOW OVER FLAT PLATES The transition from laminar to turbulent flow depends on the surface geometry, surface roughness, upstream velocity, surface temperature, and the type of fluid, among other things, and is best characterized by the Reynolds number. The Reynolds number at a distance x from the leading edge of a flat plate is expressed as A generally accepted value for the Critical Reynold number Laminar and turbulent regions of the boundary layer during flow over a flat plate. The actual value of the engineering critical Reynolds number for a flat plate may vary somewhat from 10 5 to 3 10 6, depending on the surface roughness, the turbulence level, and the variation of pressure along the surface. 28

The local Nusselt number at a location x for laminar flow over a flat plate may be obtained by solving the differential energy equation to be These relations are for isothermal and smooth surfaces The local friction and heat transfer coefficients are higher in turbulent flow than they are in laminar flow. Also, h x reaches its highest values when the flow becomes fully turbulent, and then decreases by a factor of x 0.2 in the flow direction. The variation of the local friction and heat transfer coefficients for flow over a flat plate. 29

Nusselt numbers for average heat transfer coefficients Laminar + turbulent For liquid metals For all liquids, all Prandtl numbers Graphical representation of the average heat transfer coefficient for a flat plate with combined laminar and turbulent flow. 30

Flat Plate with Unheated Starting Length Local Nusselt numbers Average heat transfer coefficients Flow over a flat plate with an unheated starting length. 31

Uniform Heat Flux For a flat plate subjected to uniform heat flux These relations give values that are 36 percent higher for laminar flow and 4 percent higher for turbulent flow relative to the isothermal plate case. When heat flux is prescribed, the rate of heat transfer to or from the plate and the surface temperature at a distance x are determined from 32

Example Water at 43.3 C flows over a large plate at a velocity of 30 cm/s. The plate is 1.0 m long (in the flow direction), and its surface is maintained at uniform temperature of 10 C. Calculate the steady rate of heat transfer per unit width of the plate. 33

Example Parallel plates form a solar collector that covers a roof, as shown in the figure. The plates are maintained at 15 C, while ambient air at 10 C flows over the roof with V=2 m/s. Determine the rate of convetive heat loss from the first plate. 34

FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES Flows across cylinders and spheres, in general, involve flow separation, which is difficult to handle analytically. Flow across cylinders and spheres has been studied experimentally by numerous investigators, and several empirical correlations have been developed for the heat transfer coefficient. 35

FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES 36

FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES 37

FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES 38

FLOW ACROSS CYLINDERS AND SPHERES Heat Transfer Coefficient. Variation of the local heat transfer coefficient along the circumference of a circular cylinder in cross flow of air 39

For flow over a cylinder The fluid properties are evaluated at the film temperature For flow over a sphere The fluid properties are evaluated at the free-stream temperature T, except for s, which is evaluated at the surface temperature T s. Constants C and m are given in the table. The relations for cylinders above are for single cylinders or cylinders oriented such that the flow over them is not affected by the presence of others. They are applicable to smooth surfaces. 40

41

42

Example A stainless steel ball (ρ = 5055 kg/m 3, c p = 480 J/Kg. C) of diameter D=15 cm is removed from the oven at a uniform temperature of 350 C. The ball is then subjected to the flow of air at 1 atm pressure and 30 C with a velocity of 6 m/s. The surface temperature of the ball eventually drops to 250 C. Determine the average convection heat transfer coefficient during this process and estimate how long this procces has taken. 43

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PIPE FLOW Liquid or gas flow through pipes or ducts is commonly used in practice in heating and cooling applications. The fluid is forced to flow by a fan or pump through a conduit that is sufficiently long to accomplish the desired heat transfer. Transition from laminar to turbulent flow depends on the Reynolds number as well as the degree of disturbance of the flow by surface roughness, pipe vibrations, and the fluctuations in the flow. The flow in a pipe is laminar for Re < 2300, fully turbulent for Re > 10,000, and transitional in between. Actual and idealized temperature profiles for flow in a tube (the rate at which energy is transported with the fluid is the same for both cases). 44

The fluid properties in internal flow are usually evaluated at the bulk mean fluid temperature, which is the arithmetic average of the mean temperatures at the inlet and the exit: T b = (T m, i + T m, e )/2 Thermal Entrance Region Thermal entrance region: The region of flow over which the thermal boundary layer develops and reaches the tube center. Thermal entry length: The length of this region. Thermally developing flow: Flow in the thermal entrance region. This is the region where the temperature profile develops. Thermally fully developed region: The region beyond the thermal entrance region in which the dimensionless temperature profile remains unchanged. Fully developed flow: The region in which the flow is both hydrodynamically and thermally developed. The development of the thermal boundary layer in a tube. 45

Hydrodynamically fully developed: Thermally fully developed: Variation of the friction factor and the convection heat transfer coefficient in the flow direction for flow in a tube (Pr>1). In the thermally fully developed region of a tube, the local convection coefficient is constant (does not vary with x). Therefore, both the friction (which is related to wall shear stress) and convection coefficients remain constant in the fully developed region of a tube. The pressure drop and heat flux are higher in the entrance regions of a tube, and the effect of the entrance region is always to increase the average friction factor and heat transfer coefficient for the entire tube. 46

Entry Lengths The Nusselt numbers and thus h values are much higher in the entrance region. The Nusselt number reaches a constant value at a distance of less than 10 diameters, and thus the flow can be assumed to be fully developed for x > 10D. The Nusselt numbers for the uniform surface temperature and uniform surface heat flux conditions are identical in the fully developed regions, and nearly identical in the entrance regions. Variation of local Nusselt number along a tube in turbulent flow for both uniform surface temperature and uniform surface heat flux. 47

Entry Lengths Variation of local Nusselt number along a tube in turbulent flow for both uniform surface temperature and uniform surface heat flux. 48

GENERAL THERMAL ANALYSIS Rate of heat transfer Surface heat flux h x the local heat transfer coefficient The heat transfer to a fluid flowing in a tube is equal to the increase in the energy of the fluid. The thermal conditions at the surface can be approximated to be constant surface temperature (T s = const) constant surface heat flux (q s = const) The constant surface temperature condition is realized when a phase change process such as boiling or condensation occurs at the outer surface of a tube. The constant surface heat flux condition is realized when the tube is subjected to radiation or electric resistance heating uniformly from all directions. We may have either T s = constant or q s = constant at the surface of a tube, but not both. 49

Constant Surface Heat Flux (q s = constant) Rate of heat transfer: Mean fluid temperature at the tube exit: Surface temperature: Variation of the tube surface and the mean fluid temperatures along the tube for the case of constant surface heat flux. 50

Energy interactions for a differential control volume in a tube. Circular tube: The shape of the temperature profile remains unchanged in the fully developed region of a tube subjected to constant surface heat flux. 51

Constant Surface Temperature (T s = constant) Rate of heat transfer to or from a fluid flowing in a tube Two suitable ways of expressing T avg arithmetic mean temperature difference logarithmic mean temperature difference Arithmetic mean temperature difference Bulk mean fluid temperature: T b = (T i + T e )/2 By using arithmetic mean temperature difference, we assume that the mean fluid temperature varies linearly along the tube, which is hardly ever the case when T s = constant. This simple approximation often gives acceptable results, but not always. Therefore, we need a better way to evaluate T avg. 52

Integrating from x = 0 (tube inlet, T m = T i ) to x = L (tube exit, T m = T e ) The variation of the mean fluid temperature along the tube for the case of constant temperature. Energy interactions for a differential control volume in a tube. 53

NTU: Number of transfer units. A measure of the effectiveness of the heat transfer systems. For NTU = 5, T e = T s, and the limit for heat transfer is reached. A small value of NTU indicates more opportunities for heat transfer. T ln is an exact representation of the average temperature difference between the fluid and the surface. When T e differs from T i by no more than 40 percent, the error in using the arithmetic mean temperature difference is less than 1 percent. logarithmic mean temperature difference An NTU greater than 5 indicates that the fluid flowing in a tube will reach the surface temperature at the exit regardless of the inlet temperature. 54

LAMINAR FLOW IN TUBES The rate of net energy transfer to the control volume by mass flow is equal to the net rate of heat conduction in the radial direction. The differential volume element used in the derivation of energy balance relation. 55

Constant Surface Heat Flux Applying the boundary conditions T/ x = 0 at r = 0 (because of symmetry) and T = T s at r = R Therefore, for fully developed laminar flow in a circular tube subjected to constant surface heat flux, the Nusselt number is a constant. There is no dependence on the Reynolds or the Prandtl numbers. 56

Constant Surface Temperature The thermal conductivity k for use in the Nu relations should be evaluated at the bulk mean fluid temperature. For laminar flow, the effect of surface roughness on the friction factor and the heat transfer coefficient is negligible. In laminar flow in a tube with constant surface temperature, both the friction factor and the heat transfer coefficient remain constant in the fully developed region. Laminar Flow in Noncircular Tubes Nusselt number relations are given in the table for fully developed laminar flow in tubes of various cross sections. The Reynolds and Nusselt numbers for flow in these tubes are based on the hydraulic diameter D h = 4A c /p, Once the Nusselt number is available, the convection heat transfer coefficient is determined from h = knu/d h. 57

58

Developing Laminar Flow in the Entrance Region For a circular tube of length L subjected to constant surface temperature, the average Nusselt number for the thermal entrance region: The average Nusselt number is larger at the entrance region, and it approaches asymptotically to the fully developed value of 3.66 as L. When the difference between the surface and the fluid temperatures is large, it may be necessary to account for the variation of viscosity with temperature: All properties are evaluated at the bulk mean fluid temperature, except for s, which is evaluated at the surface temperature. The average Nusselt number for the thermal entrance region of flow between isothermal parallel plates of length L is 59

TURBULENT FLOW IN TUBES Chilton Colburn analogy First Petukhov equation Colburn equation Dittus Boelter equation When the variation in properties is large due to a large temperature difference All properties are evaluated at T b except s, which is evaluated at T s. 60

Second Petukhov equation Gnielinski relation In turbulent flow, wall roughness increases the heat transfer coefficient h by a factor of 2 or more. The convection heat transfer coefficient for rough tubes can be calculated approximately from Gnielinski relation or Chilton Colburn analogy by using the friction factor determined from the Moody chart or the Colebrook equation. The relations above are not very sensitive to the thermal conditions at the tube surfaces and can be used for both T s = constant and q s = constant. 61

62

Developing Turbulent Flow in the Entrance Region The entry lengths for turbulent flow are typically short, often just 10 tube diameters long, and thus the Nusselt number determined for fully developed turbulent flow can be used approximately for the entire tube. This simple approach gives reasonable results for pressure drop and heat transfer for long tubes and conservative results for short ones. Correlations for the friction and heat transfer coefficients for the entrance regions are available in the literature for better accuracy. Turbulent Flow in Noncircular Tubes Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of turbulent flow in tubes are dominated by the very thin viscous sublayer next to the wall surface, and the shape of the core region is not of much significance. The turbulent flow relations given above for circular tubes can also be used for noncircular tubes with reasonable accuracy by replacing the diameter D in the evaluation of the Reynolds number by the hydraulic diameter D h = 4A c /p. In turbulent flow, the velocity profile is nearly a straight line in the core region, and any significant velocity gradients occur in the viscous sublayer. 63

Flow through Tube Annulus The hydraulic diameter of annulus For laminar flow, the convection coefficients for the inner and the outer surfaces are determined from For fully developed turbulent flow, h i and h o are approximately equal to each other, and the tube annulus can be treated as a noncircular duct with a hydraulic diameter of D h = D o D i. The Nusselt number can be determined from a suitable turbulent flow relation such as the Gnielinski equation. To improve the accuracy, Nusselt number can be multiplied by the following correction factors when one of the tube walls is adiabatic and heat transfer is through the other wall: Tube surfaces are often roughened, corrugated, or finned in order to enhance convection heat transfer. 64

Heat Transfer Enhancement Tubes with rough surfaces have much higher heat transfer coefficients than tubes with smooth surfaces. Heat transfer in turbulent flow in a tube has been increased by as much as 400 percent by roughening the surface. Roughening the surface, of course, also increases the friction factor and thus the power requirement for the pump or the fan. The convection heat transfer coefficient can also be increased by inducing pulsating flow by pulse generators, by inducing swirl by inserting a twisted tape into the tube, or by inducing secondary flows by coiling the tube. Tube surfaces are often roughened, corrugated, or finned in order to enhance convection heat transfer. 65

Exercice: 66

Exercice: 67

Quiz 68

NATURAL CONVECTION 69

EQUATION OF MOTION AND THE GRASHOF NUMBER The thickness of the boundary layer increases in the flow direction. Unlike forced convection, the fluid velocity is zero at the outer edge of the velocity boundary layer as well as at the surface of the plate. At the surface, the fluid temperature is equal to the plate temperature, and gradually decreases to the temperature of the surrounding fluid at a distance sufficiently far from the surface. In the case of cold surfaces, the shape of the velocity and temperature profiles remains the same but their direction is reversed. Typical velocity and temperature profiles for natural convection flow over a hot vertical plate at temperature T s inserted in a fluid at temperature T. 70

The Grashof Number The governing equations of natural convection and the boundary conditions can be nondimensionalized by dividing all dependent and independent variables by suitable constant quantities: Substituting them into the momentum equation and simplifying give Grashof number: Represents the natural convection effects in momentum equation 71

The Grashof number provides the main criterion in determining whether the fluid flow is laminar or turbulent in natural convection. For vertical plates, the critical Grashof number is observed to be about 10 9. The Grashof number Gr is a measure of the relative magnitudes of the buoyancy force and the opposing viscous force acting on the fluid. When a surface is subjected to external flow, the problem involves both natural and forced convection. The relative importance of each mode of heat transfer is determined by the value of the coefficient Gr/Re 2 : Natural convection effects are negligible if Gr/Re 2 << 1. Free convection dominates and the forced convection effects are negligible if Gr/Re 2 >> 1. Both effects are significant and must be considered if Gr/Re 2 1. 72