ME 6302

Spring, 2018
HW Set # 2
Due: February 19, 2017
PROBLEM 1

Consider the steady-state flow of an incompressible and constant-property fluid parallel to a flat plate.
The fluid has a negligibly small viscosity.

a) Do you expect the development of a thermal boundary layer?

b) Assuming that a thermal boundary layer forms, write the appropriate energy conservation
−1
equation and by order-of-magnitude analysis prove that: δ th ≈ xPex 2
, where Peclet number is
U ∞ x ρ CP U ∞ x
=
defined as Pex =
k α
y 12 T − Ts
c) By defining η = Pex and θ = prove that the energy equation reduces to
x T∞ − Ts
η 
θ ′′ +   θ ′ =
0 (1)
2
d) Specify the boundary conditions of Eq. (1), and solve the equation. Prove that
η 
θ (η ) = erf   (2)
2
e) Prove that

1
Nu x ( x ) =
1
Pex 2 (3)
π

PROBLEM 2

Problem 3.5. The top surface of an electronic package can be idealized as a flat horizontal surface,
which is cooled by a gas with free stream temperature of 293 K. At the trailing edge (the downstream

= 1.1×10 .
edge) of the plate, the Reynolds number is Re
5
 a) Measurement shows that the temperature of the plate (which is assumed to be uniform) is 395
K. The desired temperature of the plate surface is 365 K, however. By what factor should the
fluid velocity be increased to satisfy the surface temperature requirement?
b) Assume that the fluid is atmospheric air originally flowing at a velocity of 2 m/s. What
would be the maximum surface temperature if the total dissipated power was reduced to
one third of its original value, but only the downstream half of the plate was heated?
PROBLEM 3

Problem 3.13. In a wind tunnel air at 20 °C and 0.1 bar flows at a velocity of 265 m/s over a model plane
wing. The wing can be idealized as a 0.1 m – long flat plate. The surface of the plate must be maintained
at 55 °C. To maintain the wing at the desired temperature an electric heater is used. Calculate the
electric power needed for this purpose.