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Free Convection

This document discusses free convection, which is a self-sustained flow driven by a temperature gradient without external forcing. It defines key terms like buoyancy effect, Grashof number, Rayleigh number, and provides examples of calculating heat transfer via free convection for some basic geometries.

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Srinivasan 21BME1128
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23 views

Free Convection

This document discusses free convection, which is a self-sustained flow driven by a temperature gradient without external forcing. It defines key terms like buoyancy effect, Grashof number, Rayleigh number, and provides examples of calculating heat transfer via free convection for some basic geometries.

Uploaded by

Srinivasan 21BME1128
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Free Convection

A free convection flow field is a self-sustained flow driven by the


presence of a temperature gradient. (As opposed to a forced
convection flow where external means are used to provide the
flow.) As a result of the temperature difference, the density field
is not uniform also. Buoyancy will induce a flow current due to
the gravitational field and the variation in the density field. In
general, a free convection heat transfer is usually much smaller
compared to a forced convection heat transfer. It is therefore
important only when there is no external flow exists.
cold
Flow is unstable and a circulatory
pattern will be induced.
T  r
T  r

hot
Basic Definitions
Buoyancy effect:

Surrounding fluid, cold, r

Warm, r Net force=(r- r)gV


Hot plate

The density difference is due to the temperature difference and it can be


characterized by ther volumetric thermal expansion coefficient, b:
1 r 1 r  r 1 r
b   ( )P   
r T r T  T r T
r  bT
Grashof Number and Rayleigh Number
Define Grashof number, Gr, as the ratio between the buoyancy force and the
viscous force:
g bTL 3
g b (TS  T ) L
3
Gr  
 2
2
• Grashof number replaces the Reynolds number in the convection correlation
equation. In free convection, buoyancy driven flow sometimes dominates the
flow inertia, therefore, the Nusselt number is a function of the Grashof number
and the Prandtle number alone. Nu=f(Gr, Pr). Reynolds number will be
important if there is an external flow. (see chapter 11.5, combined forced and
free convection.

• In many instances, it is better to combine the Grashof number and the


Prandtle number to define a new parameter, the Rayleigh number, Ra=GrPr.
The most important use of the Rayleigh number is to characterize the laminar
to turbulence transition of a free convection boundary layer flow. For
example, when Ra>109, the vertical free convection boundary layer flow over
a flat plate becomes turbulent.
Problem
A vertical plate of 0.75 m height is at 1700C
and is exposed to air at a temperature of
1050C and one atmosphere. Calculate
i) Mean heat transfer coefficient
ii) Rate of heat transfer per unit width of the
plate
Problem
A vertical pipe of 12 cm outer diameter, 2.5 m
long at a surface temperature of 1200C is in a
room where the air is at 200C. Calculate the
heat loss per meter length of the pipe.
Problem
A vertical plate of 0.7 m wide and 1.2 m
height maintained at a temperature of 900C in
a room at 300C. Calculate the convective heat
loss.

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