FREE AND NATURAL CONVECTION

No velocity evident, but flow occurs naturally due to buoyancy forces.

In any force convection heat transfer:-
h=f(g,,T,L,,,Cp,K)
where {,,Cp,K} = Thermo physical properties of fluid.
=Isobaric volume expansion coefficient of fluid.
1 v
= { }
v T
For ideal gas like air
1
= /k
T
where T = Mean film temperature.
Where signifies the magnitude of volume changes a fluid may suffer due to change in its
temperature and hence indicates the magnitude of buoyancy forces that may come into
action due to density changes of fluid.
air > water
T = (Tw-T )
L = Characteristic length of the body.
In forced convection heat transfer, T has no sole. It is fully dominated by velocity of flow.
All the variables in free convection heat transfer can be grouped into 3 dimensionless
numbers from dimension analysis.They are:-
1.Grashof Number(Gr)
2.Nusselt Number(Nu)
3.Prandtl Number(Pr)
'Gr' replaces 'Re' in free convection heat transfer.
inertia force X buoyancy force
Gr = 2
viscous force
hL
Nu =
Kf
In only free convection heat transfer:-
Nu = f(Gr.Pr) {product of Gr and Pr}
In any forced convection heat transfer:-
Nu = f(Re,Pr) {both individually}
Usually:-
Nu = C Gr Pr m
where C and m are constants which change from case to case.
m = for laminar flow.
m = 1/3 for turbulent flow.
In case of free convection heat transfer, flow is decided as laminar or turbulent flow based
on the value of (Gr.Pr) product.
If Gr.Pr < 109 ,the flow is laminar flow.
Gr.Pr > 109 ,the flow is turbulent flow.
1. The product (Gr.Pr) is called Raleigh number (Ra).

Steps in solving problem:-

2. Obtain .
3. Get Gr.
4. Gr.Pr product.
5. Select the value of m based on the nature of flow.
6. Find out h.
7. Find out q.

Fick's law of diffusion:-

Gas A Gas B

Gas A
Gas B

Ficks law states that the rate of mass transfer per unit area in a given direction is directly
proportional to the concentration gradient or density gradient of the fluid along that
direction.
m
= mass flow along x-axis
A

m
( along x)
A x

m
= D ( ) kg/s. m2
A c x

Where D = Diffusion coefficient of fluid ( m 2 /s).

c

V D
c
( m2 /s) ( m2 /s)
( m 2 /s)
Momentum diffusion Heat energy diffusion Mass diffusion rate
rate rate

v
Schmidt = Sc = ( D )
c
Sc plays same role as that of Pr in mass transfer.\
hL
Nu =
Kf
hL
Sherwood no. Sh =
Dc

Heat Transfer Mass Transfer

Pr Sc
Nu Sh