Forced Convection-Internal Flow

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Hydrodynamic boundary layer development in a
circular tube, Laminar flow

• Vavg = um=Average or mean velocity of the fluid

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
 S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• The region of the flow in which the effects of the
viscous shearing forces caused by fluid viscosity are
felt is called the velocity boundary layer or just the
boundary layer.

• The region from the pipe inlet to the point at which

the boundary layer merges at the centreline is called
the hydrodynamic entrance region, and the length
of this region is called the hydrodynamic entry
length(xh).

xh = 0.04 D ReD (From Data Handbook)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• The region beyond the entrance region in which the
velocity profile is fully developed and remains
unchanged is called the hydrodynamically fully
developed region.

• The Reynolds number(Re) for flow in a circular

tube is defined as

where um is the mean fluid velocity over the tube

cross section and D is the tube diameter.

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Because the velocity varies over the cross section and
there is no well-defined free stream, it is necessary to
work with a mean velocity um when dealing with
internal flows.
• ReD can also be defines in terms of mass flow rate( )

where

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
velocity profile

The velocity profile in fully

developed pipe flow is
parabolic for laminar flow.

The velocity profile in fully

developed pipe is much
flatter in turbulent flow, due
to turbulent mixing in the
radial direction
 Pressure Gradient (Pressure drop) and Friction
Factor in Fully Developed Flow

where f = Darcy or Moody’s friction factor

L = length of the pipe or tube
D = diameter of the pipe or tube
ρ = density of the fluid
um = mean velocity of the fluid
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• This quantity friction factor ( f ) is not to be confused
with the friction coefficient ( Cf ), sometimes called
the Fanning friction factor, which is defined as :

friction coefficient,

friction factor,

(Available in data handbook)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• For fully developed laminar flow :

• For fully developed Turbulent flow

– The Moody Chart

– Colebrook equation (implicit relation)

– S. E. Haaland Equation (explicit relation)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
The Moody Chart (From Data Hand Book)
 Thermal boundary layer development in a heated
circular tube

• For laminar flow the thermal entry length(xt) may be

expressed as : xt = 0.04 D ReD Pr
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Variation of the friction factor and the convection heat transfer
coefficient in the flow direction for flow in a tube (Pr >1).
Hydrodynamic(xh) and Thermal (xt) entry length :

For Laminar Flow:

xh ≈ 0.04 D ReD
xt ≈ 0.04 D ReD Pr

For Turbulent Flow:

xh = xt ≈ 10 D

NOTE: When the flow is hydrodynamically and

thermally fully developed then it is called FULLY
DEVELOPED FLOW
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
 General Procedure to calculate h, q

Step 1. Using data hand book, Obtain the properties of

the given fluid (liquid or air) at BULK MEAN
temperature,
Tb or Tm = (Tmi + Tmo)/ 2
where Tmi = mean temperature at inlet (oC)
Tmo = mean temperature at outlet(oC)

• The properties of the fluid taken in general are

density(ρ),absolute or dynamic viscosity(μ), Prandtl
number(Pr), thermal conductivity(kf), specific
heat(cp)
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Step 2: Calculate Reynolds Number (Re)

• Check for the Laminar or Turbulent flow based on

the ReD obtained.
• Step 3: Choose the appropriate empirical correlation
for Nusselt number (Nu) with the help of Data hand
book.
• Check the flow conditions (Laminar/Turbulent/Const.
wall temp./Const. heat flux/Fully developed or NOT)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Calculate Hydrodynamic entry length(xh) and Thermal
entry length(xt).
If both (xh and xt ) < L , → Fully developed.

Step 4: Calculate convection heat transfer coefficient ,h

(W/m2 oC)
Nusselt number ,Nu = hD / kf → h = ____W/m2 oC

Step 5: Calculate the rate of heat transfer(q) using

Newton’s law of convection

q = h As (Tw-Tm) W , where Tm = (Tmi + Tmo)/ 2

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
1. Engine oil is pumped with a mean velocity of
um = 0.6 m/s through a bundle of n = 80 tubes each
of inside diameter D = 2.5 cm and length L = 10 m.
The physical properties of the oil are ν = 0.75x10-4
m2/s and ρ = 868 kg/m3. Calculate the pressure drop
across each tube and the total power required for
pumping the oil through 80 tubes to over come the
fluid friction flow.

Solution: Given data: um = 0.6 m/s ; D = 2.5 cm ; n=80;

L = 10 m; ν = 0.75x10-4 m2/s ; ρ = 868 kg/m3
1 hp = 735 W
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Reynolds Number, Re:

Re = 200 ( < 2300)→ Laminar flow

• Friction factor, f = 64/Re = 0.32

• Pressure drop, = 2 X 104 N/m2

• Volume flow rate or Discharge, Q = A * um * n

= (π/4 x D2)*um*n
= 2.356 x10-2 m3/s
• Pumping power = ∆P X Q = 471.2 W = 0.63 hp
2. Consider the heating of atmospheric air flowing with
a velocity of 0.5 m/s inside a thin walled tube 2.5 cm
in diameter in the hydrodynamically and thermally
developed region. Heating can be done either by
condensing steam on the outer surface of the tube ,
thus maintaining a uniform surface temperature, or by
electric resistance heating , thus maintaining a
uniform surface heat flux. Calculate the heat transfer
coefficient for both these heating conditions by
assuming the air properties can be evaluated at 350K.
Solution: Given data: um = 0.5 m/s; h = ?
D = 2.5 cm =0.025m, Air properties at 350K
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Properties of air at 350 K :
ν = 20.76 x 10-6 m2/s ; kf = 0.03 W/m K
• Reynolds number, ReD = umD/ ν = 602 ( < 2300)
→ Laminar Flow
Case(i): Heating by condensing steam(uniform
surface temperature/constant wall temperature)

(From Data hand book ,refer 1.2.2)

Nu = 3.66

Nu = hD/kf → h = 4.39 W/m2 oC

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Case(ii): Electric resistance heating (Uniform
surface heat flux/constant heat flux)
(From Data hand book ,refer 1.2.7)
Nu = 4.36

Nu = hD/kf → h = 5.24 W/m2 oC

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
3. Air at 1 atm and 200oC is heated as it flows through a
tube with a diameter of 1-inch (2.54 cm) at a velocity
of 10 m/s. Calculate the heat transfer per unit length
of tube if a constant heat flux condition is maintained
at the wall and the wall temperature is 20oC above the
air temperature, all along the length of the tube.

How much would the bulk temperature increase over

a 3-m tube length?

Solution:
Given data: P = 1 atm ; D = 2.54 cm = 0.0254 m ;
L = 1 m ; um = 10 m/s ; Tw = 220oC ;
Let Tm= (Tmi+Tmo)/2 = 200oC
Step 1:
The properties of air at bulk mean temperature of
200oC are:
ν = 34.85 X10-6 m2/s; ρ = 0.746 kg/m3; Pr = 0.680
cp = 1026 J/kg.K; kf = 0.03931 W/m.K;

Step 2:
Reynolds Number , ReD = um D / ν = 7288.4
ReD > 2300 → Turbulent flow

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Step 3: To choose the correlation for Nu under Turbulent
flow condition.
xh = xt ≈ 10 D = 10 X 0.0254 = 0.254 m.
Length of the cylinder is 1 m which is greater than the
Hydrodynamic(xh) and thermal(xt ) entry lengths, which
implies it is fully developed flow.

From Data hand book, using 2.3.1 (fully developed flow)

Dittus – Boelter equation
Nu = 0.023 ReD0.8 .Prn [0.6 < Pr< 100]
n = 0.4 for heating of fluids
n = 0.3 for cooling of fluids
Therefore , Nu = 24.25S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Step 4: Nu = 24.25 = hD/kf
→ h = 37.54 W/m2 oC

Step 5: The rate of heat transfer per unit length, q/L

q = h (πDL) (Tw-Tm)
q/L = h (πD) (Tw-Tm)
= 37.54 (π x 0.0254) (20)
= 60 W/m (Ans)

How much would the bulk temperature increase (∆Tm )

over a 3-m length of the tube?
Solution: Make an energy balance to calculate the
increase in bulk temperature in a 3.0-m length of tube
Energy balance:
Heat gained by the air = heat lost by the tube (L =3m)
= (60 W/m) x 3 m =180 W

w.k.t mass flow rate, = ρ (π/4 D2) um

= 3.78x10-3 kg/s

Therefore, (3.78x10-3 ) .1026. ∆Tm = 180

∆Tm = 46.41 oC
(∆Tm =Tmo - Tmi)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
4. Water at 60oC enters a tube of 1-in (2.54-cm)
diameter at a mean flow velocity of 2 cm/s. Calculate
the exit water temperature if the tube is 3.0 m long
and the wall temperature is constant at 80oC.
(Refer properties of water in the next page)

Hint: 1.Using the same procedure as in previous

problem ,First calculate the exit temperature Tmo by
taking properties at 60oC. (Ans = 71.98oC)
2. Repeat the procedure now to calculate the exit
temperature by taking properties at Tm = (60+Tmo)/2
(Ans = 71.88oC)
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
Properties of water (Data Handbook)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
5. A 2.0-cm-diameter tube having a relative roughness
of 0.001 is maintained at a constant wall temperature
of 90oC.Water enters the tube at 40oC and leaves at
60oC. If the entering velocity is 3 m/s, calculate the
length of tube necessary to accomplish the heating.
Soln:
Given data: D = 2 cm = 0.02 m; Tw = 90oC;
Tmi = 40oC; Tmo = 60oC; um = 3 m/s; L = ?
Relative roughness (ε/D) = 0.001

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Bulk mean temperature, Tb or Tm = (Tmi +Tmo)/2
= (40+60)/2= 50oC
Fluid properties at Tm =50oC
ρ = 990 kg/m3 ; ν = 0.5675 x 10-6 m2/s; Pr = 3.68
μm= 5.62 x 10-4 kg/m.s [ ν = μ /ρ]
kf = 0.6396 W/m.K; cp= 4180 J/kg.K

• Reynolds Number, ReD = umD/ ν = 105,726

ReD > 2300 → Turbulent Flow

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• Nusselt Number, Nu :
Using data handbook, 2.3.3
Constant wall temperature, Fully developed(?)
Turbulent flow

n = 0.11 ,for heating of fluids at const. wall temp.

f = friction factor (Refer Moody Chart) = 0.022
μm = dynamic coefficient at Tm = 5.62 x 10-4 kg/m.s
μw = dynamic coefficient at Tw = 3.18 x 10-4 kg/m.s
Nu = 570
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• ReD = umD/ ν = 105,726 = 1 x 105 Moody Chart
• Relative roughness (ε/D) = 0.001
• Nu = hD/kf → h = 18230 W/m2 oC

• Energy balance (to obtain the tube length)

Heat lost by tube = heat gained by the water
hAs(Tw-Tm) = cp(Tmo - Tmi)
h(πDL)(Tw-Tm) = 78003
L = 1.70 m (Ans)

(Note: xh=xt = 10D = 0.2 m < L (length obtained),

which implies the flow is fully developed. Hence the
correlation chosen for Nu is satisfied)

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
6. Air at 300 K and 1 atm enters a smooth tube having a
diameter of 2 cm and length of 10 cm. The air
velocity is 40 m/s. What constant heat flux must be
applied at the tube surface to result in an air
temperature rise of 5oC? What average wall
temperature would be necessary for this case?
Answer: Tw = 370 K

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
• For flow through noncircular pipes, the Reynolds
number is based on the hydraulic diameter Dh
defined as

where Ac is the cross-sectional area of the pipe and

p is its wetted perimeter.

• The hydraulic diameter is defined such that it reduces

to ordinary diameter D for circular pipes

S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru
 References
1.Frank P. Incropera, David P. Dewitt, Theodore L.
Bergman, Adrienne S. Lavine - ‘Fundamentals of Heat
and Mass Transfer’ – John Wiley & Sons - 2007 - 6e.
2.Holman J. P. & Bhattacharyya S. -‘Heat Transfer’ -
McGraw Hill Education (India) Private Limited - 2011 -
10e
3.M. Necati Ozisik - ‘Heat Transfer: A Basic Approach’ –
McGraw Hill Inc. US – 1994.
4.Cengel Y. A. & Ghajar A. J. - ‘Heat and Mass Transfer’ -
McGraw Hill Education (India) Private Limited - 2011 -
4th Edition
5.C P Kothandaraman & S Subramanyan, - “Heat and Mass
Transfer Data book”, New Age International Publishers,
2014, 8th edition.
S. Bhanu Prakash
Mechanical Engineering Department
Amrita School of Engineering,Bengaluru