Heat Transfer

Convection - Solved Problems

Dr. M. Subramanian

Department of Chemical Engineering

SSN College of Engineering

September 25, 2019

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems
Example 1:Thermally Developing Flow
Consider the flow of a gas with density 1 kg/m3 , viscosity 1.5 × 10−5
kg/(m.s), specific heat Cp = 846 J/(kg.K) and thermal conductivity
k = 0.01665 W/(m.K), in a pipe of diameter D = 0.01 m and length
L = 1 m, and assume the viscosity does not change with temperature.
The Nusselt number for a pipe with (L/D) ratio greater than 10 and
Reynolds number greater than 20000 is given by

Nu = 0.026 Re0.8 Pr1/3

While the Nusselt number for a laminar flow for Reynolds number less
than 2100 and (Re Pr D/L) < 10 is

Nu = 1.86 [Re Pr (D/L)]1/3

If the gas flows through the pipe with an average velocity of 0.1 m/s, the
heat transfer coefficient is (GATE-2005)
(a) 0.68 W/(m2 .K) (b) 1.14 W/(m2 .K)
(c) 2.47 W/(m2 .K) (d) 24.7 W/(m2 .K)

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:
From the given data,
Dv ρ 0.01 × 0.1 × 1
Re = = = 66.7
µ 1.5 × 10−5
Cp µ 846 × 1.5 × 10−5
Pr = = = 0.76
k 0.01665
Re · Pr · (D/L) = 66.7 × 0.76 × (0.01/1) = 0.507

Hence, using the expression of Nu valid for this condition, we get

Nu = 1.86 [Re Pr (D/L)]1/3 = 1.86 × (0.507)1/3 = 1.483

By definition, Nu = hD/k. Therefore,

Nu × k 1.483 × 0.01665
h= = = 2.47 W/(m2 .K) (c) X
D 0.01
Dr. M. Subramanian Convection
Solved Problems (contd..)

Example 2:Heat Transfer Coefficient

Hot liquid is flowing at a velocity of 2 m/s through a metallic pipe
having an inner diameter of 3.5 cm and length 20 m. The
temperature at the inlet of the pipe is 90◦ C. Following data is
given for liquid at 90◦ C:
Density = 950 kg/m3
Specific heat = 4.23 kJ/kg.◦ C
Viscosity = 2.55 × 10−4 kg/m.s
Thermal conductivity = 0.685 W/m.◦ C

The heat transfer coefficient (in kW/m2 .◦ C) inside the tube is

(GATE-2008)

(a) 222.22 (b) 111.11 (c) 22.22 (d) 11.11

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:
From Dittus-Boelter relation, we have Nu = 0.023 Re0.8 Pr0.33 .
For the given data,
Dv ρ 0.035 × 2 × 950
Re = = = 260784
µ 2.55 × 10−4
CP µ 4.23 × 1000 × 2.55 × 10−4
Pr = = = 1.575
k 0.685
Nu = 0.023 × (260784)0.8 × (1.575)0.33 = 575.2
hD
i.e., = 575.2
k
0.675
=⇒ h = 575.2 ×
0.035
= 11, 257 W/m2 .◦ C = 11.3 kW/m2 .◦ C (d) X

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)
Example 3:Heat Transfer Rate
Air is flowing at a velocity of 3 m/s perpendicular to a long pipe as
shown in the figure below. The outside diameter of the pipe is d = 6 cm
and temperature at the outside surface of the pipe is maintained at
100◦ C. The temperature of the air far from the tube is 30◦ C.
Data for air: Kinematic viscosity, ν = 18 × 10−6 m2 /s;
Thermal conductivity, k = 0.03 W/(m.K)
hD
Using the Nusselt number correlation: Nu = = 0.024 × Re0.8 , the
k
rate of heat loss per unit length (W/m) from the pipe to air (up to one
decimal place) is (GATE-2015-50)

6 cm
Surface temperature 100◦ C

Air velocity 3 m/s, Temperature 30◦ C

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection
Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:

Re = Dv ρ/mu = Dv /(µ/ρ) = Dv /ν
= 6 × 10−2 × 3/(18 × 10−6 ) = 10000
hD
Nu = 0.024 × Re0.8 = 0.024 × (10000)0.8 = 38.037 =
k
k 0.03
h = 38.037 × = 38.037 × = 19.02 W/m2 .K
D 6 × 10−2
Q = hA∆T = h(πDL)∆T
Q/L = h(πD)∆T
= 19.02 × π × 6 × 10−2 × (100 − 30) = 251 W/m

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Example 4:Heat Transfer by Convection from a Sphere

A 200 W heater has a spherical casing of diameter 0.2 m. The heat
transfer coefficient for conduction and convection from the casing
to the ambient air is obtained from Nu = 2 + 0.6Re1/2 Pr1/3 , with
Re = 104 and Pr = 0.69. The temperature of the ambient air is
30◦ C and the thermal conductivity of air is k = 0.02 W/m.K.
1 Find the heat flux from the surface at steady state.
2 Find the steady state surface temperature of the casing.
3 Find the temperature of the casing at steady state for
stagnant air. Why is this situation physically infeasible?
(GATE-2001)

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:
Heat flux (q) from the surface is given by

Q Q 200
q= = = = 1591.5 W/m2
A 4πr 2 4 × π × 0.12

Nusselt number (Nu) for convection:

Nu = 2 + 0.6Re1/2 Pr1/3 = 2 + 0.6 × (10000)1/2 × (0.69)1/3 = 55.02

Convective heat transfer coefficient (h):

Nu · k 55.02 × 0.02
h= = = 5.502W/(m2 .K)
D 0.2
For heat transfer by convection,

q = h(T − T∞ )

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Substituting the known quantities, we get

1591.5 = 5.502 × (T − 30)

=⇒ T = 319.3◦ C

i.e., The steady state surface temperature of spherical casing is 319.3◦ C.

If the air is stagnant, then Re = 0. This leads to Nu = 2. Therefore, the
heat transfer coefficient for this condition becomes,

Nu · k 2 × 0.02
h= = = 0.2 W/(m2 .K)
D 0.2

Using this value of h, for the heat flux of 1591.5 W/m2 , we get

q = h(T − T∞ )
1591.5 = 0.2 × (T − 30)
=⇒ T = 7987.5◦ C

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

This situation (the condition of stagnant air) cannot be maintained

for a long time, as explained below:
Surface temperature of 7987.5◦ C leads to reducing the density of
nearby air sharply, as ρ ∝ T −1 (as from the ideal gas relation, we
have ρ ∝ P/(RT )). This leads to setting up of convection
currents, and hence the increase of Nusselt number, thereby
reducing the surface temperature.

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Example 5:Momentum & Heat Transfer Analogy

Air flows through a smooth tube, 2.5 cm diameter and 10 m long,
at 37◦ C. If the pressure drop through the tube is 10000 Pa,
estimate
(a) the air velocity through the tube and the friction factor
(b) the heat transfer coefficient using Colburn Analogy
[jH = (St)(Pr)0.67 ], where St is the Stanton Number and Pr is
the Prandtl Number.
Gas constant, R = 82.06 cm3 .atm/mol.K. Darcy friction factor
= 0.184/Re0.2 . Other relevant properties of air under the given
conditions: viscosity = 1.8 × 10−5 kg/m.s, density = 1.134 kg/m3 ,
specific heat capacity, Cp = 1.046 kJ/kg.◦ C, thermal conductivity
= 0.028 W/m.◦ C. (GATE-2002)

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:
Pressure drop due to friction is related to velocity as

2fLρv 2
∆P = (1)
D
Given: f = Darcy friction factor = 0.184/Re0.2 .

Darcy friction factor = 4 × Fanning friction factor

In Eqn.(1), f denotes Fanning friction factor. Therefore,

f = 0.25 × 0.184/Re0.2 = 0.046/Re0.2

Expanding,
0.046 0.046µ0.2
f = = (2)
(Dv ρ/µ)0 .2 (Dv ρ)0.2

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Solved Problems (contd..)

Substituting this in Eqn.(1),

2 × 0.046 × µ0.2 Lρv 2

∆P =
D 1.2 v 0.2 ρ0.2
0.092µ0.2 Lρ0.8 v 1.8
=
D 1.2
Substituting for the known quantities,

0.092 × (1.8 × 10−5 )0.2 × 10 × (1.134)0.8 × v 1.8

10000 =
(2.5 × 10−2 )1.2

Solving, v = air velocity through the tube = 47.6 m/s.

From Eqn.(2),

0.046 × (1.8 × 10−5 )0.2

f = = 0.0049
(2.5 × 10−2 × 22.02 × 1.134)0.2
Dr. M. Subramanian Convection
Solved Problems (contd..)

By Colburn analogy,
f
jH = (St)(Pr)0.67 =
2
where
St = Stanton number = Nu/(Re · Pr) = h/(ρCp v )
Pr = Prandtl number = Cp µ/k
f = Fanning friction factor
Therefore,
!0.67
h 1046 × 1.8 × 10−5 0.0049
× =
1.134 × 1046 × 47.6 0.028 2

Solving, h = heat transfer coefficient = 180.5 W/m2 .K

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Local Heat Transfer Coefficient from Temperature Profile

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection

Local Heat Transfer Coefficient from .. (contd..)

Dr. M. Subramanian Convection