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Convection 3

Natural convection is a fluid motion driven by gravity, where differences in fluid density cause circulation, such as warmer air rising and cooler air sinking. It is significant in both natural phenomena, like weather systems and ocean currents, and engineering applications, including cooling processes. The effectiveness of natural convection depends on factors like density variation, gravitational acceleration, and fluid viscosity.

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Irshad Ahmad
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11 views1 page

Convection 3

Natural convection is a fluid motion driven by gravity, where differences in fluid density cause circulation, such as warmer air rising and cooler air sinking. It is significant in both natural phenomena, like weather systems and ocean currents, and engineering applications, including cooling processes. The effectiveness of natural convection depends on factors like density variation, gravitational acceleration, and fluid viscosity.

Uploaded by

Irshad Ahmad
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Natural convection is a flow whose motion is caused by some parts of a fluid being heavier than other parts.

In most cases this leads to natural circulation: the


ability of a fluid in a system to circulate continuously under gravity, with transfer of heat energy.

The driving force for natural convection is gravity. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth from the weight of the overlying fluid. The pressure at the
bottom of a submerged object then exceeds that at the top, resulting in a net upward buoyancy force equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. Objects of higher
density than that of the displaced fluid then sink. For example, regions of warmer low-density air rise, while those of colder high-density air sink. This creates a
circulating flow: convection.

Gravity drives natural convection. Without gravity, convection does not occur, so there is no convection in free-fall (inertial) environments, such as that of the
orbiting International Space Station. Natural convection can occur when there are hot and cold regions of either air or water, because both water and air become
less dense as they are heated. But, for example, in the world's oceans it also occurs due to salt water being heavier than fresh water, so a layer of salt water on
top of a layer of fresher water will also cause convection.

Natural convection has attracted a great deal of attention from researchers because of its presence both in nature and engineering applications. In nature,
convection cells formed from air raising above sunlight-warmed land or water are a major feature of all weather systems. Convection is also seen in the rising
plume of hot air from fire, plate tectonics, oceanic currents (thermohaline circulation) and sea-wind formation (where upward convection is also modified by Coriolis
forces). In engineering applications, convection is commonly visualized in the formation of microstructures during the cooling of molten metals, and fluid flows
around shrouded heat-dissipation fins, and solar ponds. A very common industrial application of natural convection is free air cooling without the aid of fans: this
can happen on small scales (computer chips) to large scale process equipment.

Natural convection will be more likely and more rapid with a greater variation in density between the two fluids, a larger acceleration due to gravity that drives the
convection or a larger distance through the convecting medium. Natural convection will be less likely and less rapid with more rapid diffusion (thereby diffusing
away the thermal gradient that is causing the convection) or a more viscous (sticky) fluid.

The onset of natural convection can be determined by the Rayleigh number (Ra).

Differences in buoyancy within a fluid can arise for reasons other than temperature variations, in which case the fluid motion is called gravitational
convection (see below). However, all types of buoyant convection, including natural convection, do not occur in microgravity environments. All require the
presence of an environment which experiences g-force (proper acceleration).

The difference of density in the fluid is the key driving mechanism. If the differences of density are caused by heat, this force is called as "thermal head" or
"thermal driving head." A fluid system designed for natural circulation will have a heat source and a heat sink. Each of these is in contact with some of the fluid in
the system, but not all of it. The heat source is positioned lower than the heat sink.

Most fluids expand when heated, becoming less dense, and contract when cooled, becoming denser. At the heat source of a system of natural circulation, the
heated fluid becomes lighter than the fluid surrounding it, and thus rises. At the heat sink, the nearby fluid becomes denser as it cools, and is drawn downward by
gravity. Together, these effects create a flow of fluid from the heat source to the heat sink and back again.

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