Flat plates convection equations

Under conditions of limiting current, the system can be analyzed using the traditional convective-diffusion equations. For example, the correlation for flow between two flat plates is... 

Equation (8.12) is a form of the convective dijfusion equation. More general forms can be found in any good textbook on transport phenomena, but Equation (8.12) is sufficient for many practical situations. It assumes constant diffusivity and constant density. It is written in cylindrical coordinates since we are primarily concerned with reactors that have circular cross sections, but Section 8.4 gives a rectangular-coordinate version applicable to flow between flat plates. 

This velocity profile is commonly called drag flow. It is used to model the flow of lubricant between sliding metal surfaces or the flow of polymer in extruders. A pressure-driven flow—typically in the opposite direction—is sometimes superimposed on the drag flow, but we will avoid this complication. Equation (8.51) also represents a limiting case of Couette flow (which is flow between coaxial cylinders, one of which is rotating) when the gap width is small. Equation (8.38) continues to govern convective diffusion in the flat-plate geometry, but the boundary conditions are different. The zero-flux condition applies at both walls, but there is no line of symmetry. Calculations must be made over the entire channel width and not just the half-width. 

The diffusivities thus obtained are necessarily effective diffusivities since (1) they reflect a migration contribution that is not always negligible and (2) they contain the effect of variable properties in the diffusion layer that are neglected in the well-known solutions to constant-property equations. It has been shown, however, that the limiting current at a rotating disk in the laminar range is still proportional to the square root of the rotation rate if the variation of physical properties in the diffusion layer is accounted for (D3e, H8). Similar invariant relationships hold for the laminar diffusion layer at a flat plate in forced convection (D4), in which case the mass-transfer rate is proportional to the square root of velocity, and in free convection at a vertical plate (Dl), where it is proportional to the three-fourths power of plate height. 

These relationships have been used by Spalding in the dimensionless presentation both of theoretical values obtained in his approximate solution of the boundary layer equations (58) and of the experimental data (51, 55, 60). Emmons (3), who has solved the problem of forced convection past a burning liquid plane surface in a more rigorous fashion, shows graphically the rather close correspondence between values obtained from his exact solution and that of Spalding, and between the calculated values for flat plates and the experimental values for spheres. 

The boundary layer equations were derived in a previous chapter, or may be deduced from the general convection equations in the early part of this chapter. For two-dimensional, steady flow over a flat plate of an incompressible, constant-property fluid, the continuity, x-momentum and the energy equations are as follows ... 

Consider laminar forced convective flow over a flat plate at whose surface the heat transfer rate per unit area, qw is constant. Assuming a Prandtl number of 1, use the integral equation method to derive an expression for the variation of surface temperature. Assume two-dimensional flow. 

Consider, for example, assisting turbulent mixed convection over a vertical flat plate. This situation is schematically shown in Fig. 9.20. If it is assumed that the boundary layer assumptions apply, the governing equations for the mean velocity components and temperature are ... 

Because, for flow over a heated surface. r>ulc>x is positive and ST/ y is negative. S will normally be a negative. Hence, in assisting flow, the buoyancy forces will tend to decrease e and e, i.e., to damp the turbulence, and thus to decrease the heat transfer rate below the purely forced convective flow value. However, the buoyancy force in the momentum equation tends to increase thle mean velocity and, therefore, to increase the heat transfer rate. In turbulent assisting flow over a flat plate, this can lead to a Nusselt number variation with Reynolds number that resembles that shown in Fig. 9.22. 

In order to illustrate the use of the boundary layer equations, consider, first, two-dimensional forced convection flow over a flat plate that is buried in a porous material in such a way that it is aligned with the fluid flow. The situation being considered is thus as shown in Fig. 10.10. 

It turns out that Eq. (5-56) can also be applied to turbulent flow over a flat plate and in a modified way to turbulent flow in a tube. It does not apply to laminar tube flow. In general, a more rigorous treatment of the governing equations is necessary when embarking on new applications of the heat-trans-fer-fluid-friction analogy, and the results do not always take the simple form of Eq. (5-56). The interested reader may consult the references at the end of the chapter for more information on this important subject. At this point, the simple analogy developed above has served to amplify ouf understanding of the physical processes in convection and to reinforce the notion that heat-transfer and viscous-transport processes are related at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels. 

Churchill, S. W. A. Comprehensive Correlating Equation for Forced Convection from Flat Plates, AlChE J., vol. 22, p. 264, 1976. 

Conduction with Heat Source Application of the law of conservation of energy to a one-dimensional solid, with the heat flux given by (5-1) and volumetric source term S (W/m3), results in the following equations for steady-state conduction in a flat plate of thickness 2R (b = 1), a cylinder of diameter 2R (b = 2), and a sphere of diameter 2R (b = 3). The parameter b is a measure of the curvature. The thermal conductivity is constant, and there is convection at the surface, with heat-transfer coefficient h and fluid temperature I. ... 

Now that we have introduced the heat convection coefficient, we will define our first dimensionless number, the Nusselt number, which is used in heat transfer studies. We represent the size of a particular plant part by a characteristic dimension d, which for a flat plate is the quantity / in Equation 7.10 and for a cylinder or sphere is the diameter. This leads to... 

Solutions of Convection Equations for a Flat Plate 376 The Energy Equation 378... 

We start this chapter with a general physical description of the convection mechanism. We then discuss (he velocity and thermal botmdary layers, and laminar and turbitlent flows. Wc continue with the discussion of the dimensionless Reynolds, Prandtl, and Nusselt nuinbers, and their physical significance. Next we derive the convection equations on the basis of mass, momentiim, and energy conservation, and obtain solutions for flow over a flat plate. We then nondimeiisionalizc Ihc convection equations, and obtain functional foiinis of friction and convection coefficients. Finally, we present analogies between momentum and heat transfer. 

B Derive the differential equations that govern convection on the basis of mass, momentum, and energy balances, and solve these equations for some simple cases such as laminar flow over a flat plate,... 

This is the appropriate correlation to use when there is heat or mass (i.e., substitute Nu by Sh) transfer from a sphere immersed in a stagnant film is studied, Nu = 2. The second term in (5.294) accounts for convective mechanisms, and the relation is derived from the solution of the boundary layer equations. For higher Re3molds numbers the Nusselt number is set equal to the relation resulting from the boundary layer analysis of a flat plate ... 

To illustrate the use of the transport equations, the following problem is posed. An electrochemical cell containing vertical flat sheets of copper as the anode and cathode is operated with an aqueous CUSO4 electrolyte. The copper plates are connected to a DC power supply so that oxidation and reduction reactions proceed at the anode and cathode (Cu -1- 2e — Cu at the cathode Cu -> Cu -I- 2e at the anode). For the case when there is no forced or natural convection during current flow, we derive a simple expression between the constant applied current density and the steady-state cupric ion concentration profile. The cation flux and current density equations for the flat plate electrode/no convection cell are... 

Let us investigate steady-state convective diffusion on the surface of a flat plate in a longitudinal translational flow of a viscous incompressible fluid at high Reynolds numbers (the Blasius flow). We assume that mass transfer is accompanied by a volume reaction. In the diffusion boundary layer approximation, the concentration distribution is described by the equation... 

In Chapter 5, we learned the foundations of convection. Integrating the governing equations for laminar boundary layers, we obtained expressions for the heat transfer associated with forced convection over a horizontal plate and natural convection about a vertical plate. We also found analytically, as well as by the analogy between heat and momentum, that the thermal and momentum characteristics of laminar flow over a flat plate are related by... 

Discussion of Correlation for Specific Shapes. The equation for elliptical cylinders fits the approximate analysis of Raithby and Hollands [224] but has not been verified by experiment except in the limiting cases of a vertical plate (C/L = 0) and a circular cylinder (C/L = 1.0). The vertical plate predictions by Eq. 4.48 are slightly different than those based on the more accurate specialized equations given in the section on external natural convection in flat plates. 

The authors of most experimental studies and analyses have focused their attention on the local values defined in Fig. 4.44. Churchill [55] fitted the local Nu values for assisting flow using Eq. 4.159 with m = 3 and with each average value on the right side of the equation replaced by its local value counterpart. Mucoglu and Chen [201] have solved the inclined flat plate problem for uniform wall temperature and heat flux and have presented local heat transfer results for mixed convection. 

The material presented earlier was confined to steady-state flows over simply shaped bodies such as flat plates, with and without pressure gradients in the streamwise direction, or stagnation regions on blunt bodies. The simplicity of these flow configurations allows reduction of the problems to the solution of steady-state ordinary differential equations. The evaluation of convective heat transfer to more complex three-dimensional configurations, characteristic of real aerodynamic vehicles, involves the solution of partial differential equations. Even when the latter are confined to steady-state problems, they require extensive use of computers in the solution of finite difference or finite element formulations Nonsteady flows further complicate the problems by introducing another dimension, namely, time. 

J. W. Rose, Approximate Equations for Forced-Convection Condensation in the Presence of a Noncondensing Gas on a Flat Plate and Horizontal Tube, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 23, pp. 539-546, 1980. 

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