Heat transfer empirical correlations

FLOW OUTSIDE TUBES PARALLEL TO AXIS. Some membrane separators have bundles of hollow fibers in a shell-and-tube arrangement with liquid or gas flowing parallel to the tube axis on the outside of the tubes. The external flow passages are irregular in shape and not uniform, since the fibers are not held in position as are the tubes in a heat exchanger. Empirical correlations for the external mass-transfer coefficient have been proposed using an equivalent diameter to calculate the Reynolds number. For a bundle of fibers with diameter d packed in a shell with c void fraction, the equivalent diameter is... 

Another concept sometimes used as a basis for comparison and correlation of mass transfer data in columns is the Clulton-Colbum analogy (35). This semi-empirical relationship was developed for correlating mass- and heat-transfer data in pipes and is based on the turbulent boundary layer model... 

Likewise, the microscopic heat-transfer term takes accepted empirical correlations for pure-component pool boiling and adds corrections for mass-transfer and convection effects on the driving forces present in pool boiling. In addition to dependence on the usual physical properties, the extent of superheat, the saturation pressure change related to the superheat, and a suppression factor relating mixture behavior to equivalent pure-component heat-transfer coefficients are correlating functions. 

Results of diying tests can be correlated empirically in terms of overall heat-transfer coefficient or length of a transfer unit as a function of operating variables. The former is generally apphcable to all types of dryers, while the latter applies only in the case of continuous diyers. The relationship between these quantities is as follows. 

The mathematical principles of convective heat transfer are complex and outside the scope of this section. The problems are often so complicated that theoretical handling is difficult, and full use is made of empirical correlation formulas. These formulas often use different variables depending on the research methods. Inaccuracy in defining material characteristics, experimental errors, and geometric deviations produce noticeable deviations between correlation formulas and practice. Near the validity boundaries of the equations, or in certain unfavorable cases, the errors can be excessive. 

This method for vertical thermosiphon reboilers is based on semi-empirical correlations of experimental data and is stated to predict heat transfer coefficients 30 percent, which is about the same range of accuracy for most boiling coefficient data. The advantage of this method is that it has had significant design experience in the industry to support it. It is also adaptable to other types of reboilers used in the industry. See Figures 10-110 and 10-111. 

Data correlated by Fair provides an empirical relationship for heat transfer ... 

When two or more phases are present, it is rarely possible to design a reactor on a strictly first-principles basis. Rather than starting with the mass, energy, and momentum transport equations, as was done for the laminar flow systems in Chapter 8, we tend to use simplified flow models with empirical correlations for mass transfer coefficients and interfacial areas. The approach is conceptually similar to that used for friction factors and heat transfer coefficients in turbulent flow systems. It usually provides an adequate basis for design and scaleup, although extra care must be taken that the correlations are appropriate. 

The complex flow pattern on the shell-side, and the great number of variables involved, make it difficult to predict the shell-side coefficient and pressure drop with complete assurance. In methods used for the design of exchangers prior to about 1960 no attempt was made to account for the leakage and bypass streams. Correlations were based on the total stream flow, and empirical methods were used to account for the performance of real exchangers compared with that for cross flow over ideal tube banks. Typical of these bulk-flow methods are those of Kern (1950) and Donohue (1955). Reliable predictions can only be achieved by comprehensive analysis of the contribution to heat transfer and pressure drop made by the individual streams shown in Figure 12.26. Tinker (1951, 1958) published the first detailed stream-analysis method for predicting shell-side heat-transfer coefficients and pressure drop, and the methods subsequently developed... 

As was shown before, the Leidenfrost temperature is the second transformation of heat transfer mechanisms. Empirical correlations have been established by film boiling data obtained from water at high pressure levels. For a wide range of steam-water mixture velocities, the correlation for hFB reported by Bishop et al. (1965), as shown in Eq. (4-37), is recommended for use in design. 

In the design of an industrial scale reactor for a new process, or an old one that employs a new catalyst, it is common practice to carry out both bench and pilot plant studies before finalizing the design of the commercial scale reactor. The bench scale studies yield the best information about the intrinsic chemical kinetics and the associated rate expression. However, when taken alone, they force the chemical engineer to rely on standard empirical correlations and prediction methods in order to determine the possible influence of heat and mass transfer processes on the rates that will be observed in industrial scale equipment. The pilot scale studies can provide a test of the applicability of the correlations and an indication of potential limitations that physical processes may place on conversion rates. These pilot plant studies can provide extremely useful information on the temperature distribution in the reactor and on contacting patterns when... 

The data of Fig. 20 also point out an interesting phenomenon—while the heat transfer coefficients at bed wall and bed centerline both correlate with suspension density, their correlations are quantitatively different. This strongly suggests that the cross-sectional solid concentration is an important, but not primary parameter. Dou et al. speculated that the difference may be attributed to variations in the local solid concentration across the diameter of the fast fluidized bed. They show that when the cross-sectional averaged density is modified by an empirical radial distribution to obtain local suspension densities, the heat transfer coefficient indeed than correlates as a single function with local suspension density. This is shown in Fig. 21 where the two sets of data for different radial positions now correlate as a single function with local mixture density. The conclusion is That the convective heat transfer coefficient for surfaces in a fast fluidized bed is determined primarily by the local two-phase mixture density (solid concentration) at the location of that surface, for any given type of particle. The early observed parametric effects of elevation, gas velocity, solid mass flux, and radial position are all secondary to this primary functional dependence. 

With the above functions and empirical correlations, it becomes possible to calculate the overall convective heat transfer coefficient hc by Eqs. (16, 4, and 22-24). Figure 26 shows a plot presented by Lints and Glicksman which compares predictions by this method with experimental data from several different sources. Reasonably good agreement is obtained over a range of bed densities corresponding to approximately 0.5 to 3% volumetric solid concentration. 

To obtain approximate solutions for convection heating problems, we only need to identify a heat transfer problem that has a given theoretical or empirical correlation for hc. This is usually given in the form of the Nusselt number (Nu),... 

Of the three general categories of transport processes, heat transport gets the most attention for several reasons. First, unlike momentum transfer, it occurs in both the liquid and solid states of a material. Second, it is important not only in the processing and production of materials, but in their application and use. Ultimately, the thermal properties of a material may be the most influential design parameters in selecting a material for a specific application. In the description of heat transport properties, let us limit ourselves to conduction as the primary means of transfer, while recognizing that for some processes, convection or radiation may play a more important role. Finally, we will limit the discussion here to theoretical and empirical correlations and trends in heat transport properties. Tabulated values of thermal conductivities for a variety of materials can be found in Appendix 5. 

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