13/3/2018 Horizontal Plate Natural Convection Equations and Calculator | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.

com

Horizontal Plate Natural Convection Equations and Calculator

Heat Transfer Engineering
Thermodynamics
Engineering Physics

Horizontal Plate Isothermal Heated Natural Convection Equation and Calculator

Average heat transfer coefficient and plate temperature for an isothermal (constant temperature) heated horizontal flat plate's lower
surface or a cooled plate's upper surface in a natural convection environment.

ALL calculators require a Premium Membership

Preview: Horizontal Plate Isothermal Heated Natural Convection Calculator

https://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/horizontal_plate_natural_convection_13968.htm 1/4
13/3/2018 Horizontal Plate Natural Convection Equations and Calculator | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.com

Premium Member login Required to Access this Calculator Resource

Member Login
E-Mail or Username
E-Mail or Username
Password
Password
Login Forgot password?
Lost password?
E-Mail or Username
E-Mail or Username
Get Password I have password
Not registered yet? Signup here
About Memberships Membership

Calculations is based on Nusselt number correlations.

q = h · A · ( Tp - Ta )

Film Temperature
Tf = ( Tp - Ta )

Fluid density at the film temperature is automatically calculated from the following relationship based on the perfect gas law:

ρ = ρref (Tref + 273) / (Tf + 273)

Prandtl Number
Pr = v / α

α = k / (ρ · Cp)

v=μ/ρ

Grashof Number
Gr = g · cte · ( Tp - Ta ) · ( A / (2W + 2L) )3 / v2

Rayleigh Number
Ra = Gr · Pr

The Nusselt number is calculated as:

For Ra values between 105 and 1011

Nu = 0.27 (Gr · Pr) 0.25

h is Average heat transfer coefficient

h = Nu · k / ( A / (2W + 2L) )

Convective Heat Transfer

qconv = h ·A · ( Tp - Ta )

Radiative heat transfer

qrad = σ · A e · ( Tp4 - Ta4 )

Total Heat Transfer

qtot = qconv + qrad

Where:

Tf = Film temperature °C
Tp = Plate temperature °C
Ta = Ambient Temperature °C
Tref = Reference Temperature °C

https://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/horizontal_plate_natural_convection_13968.htm 2/4
13/3/2018 Horizontal Plate Natural Convection Equations and Calculator | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.com

Cp = Specific Heat J/kg- °C

cte = Coefficient of thermal expansion (1/K)
k = Thermal Conductivity (W/m - °C)
μ = Dynamic Viscosity ( kg/m-s )
ρ = Density (kg/m3)
ρref = Density (kg/m3)
Nu = Nusselt Number
W = Width of Plate (m)
L = Length of Plate (m)
a = Area of plate (m2 )
e = Emissivity
Pr = Prandtl number
Ra = Raleigh number - for a fluid is a dimensionless number associated with buoyancy-driven flow, also known as free convection or
natural convection.
h = Average heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 - °C)
g = 9.81 (m/s2)
h = Average Heat Transfer (W/m2 - °C )
σ = .00000005678 0r 5.678 x 10-8
qconv = Convective Heat Transfer (W)
qrad = Radiative Heat Transfer (W)
qtot = Total uniform heat load on plates (W)

References

Hatfield, D. W. and D. K. Edwards, Edge and Aspect Ratio Effects on Natural Convection from the Horizontal Heated Plate Facing
Downwards , Int. J. Heat Transfer, vol. 24, p. 1019, 1981.

Fujii, T. and H. Imura, Natural Convection Heat Transfer from a Plate with Arbitrary Inclination , Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 15, p. 755,
1972.

Clifton, J. V. and A. J. Chapman, Natural Convection on a Finite-Size Horizontal Plate , Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 12, p. 1573, 1969.

Holman, J.P., Heat Transfer , 7th ed., McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, 1990. p. 333 - 352

Related:

Thermal Properties of Metals

Thermal Properties of Non-Metals

Rotating Measurements?
ATi solves rotating and unique measurements
wirelessly. Learn more about ATi.

© Copyright 2000 - 2018, by Engineers Edge, LLC www.engineersedge.com

All rights reserved
https://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/horizontal_plate_natural_convection_13968.htm 3/4
13/3/2018 Horizontal Plate Natural Convection Equations and Calculator | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.com

Disclaimer | Feedback | Advertising | Contact

User Reviews/Comments:

There are currently no comments available.

Add a Comment (you must be logged in to post comment Register):

Name:

Email: (Optional)

Comment:

Add

Membership
Register | Login

Search

Home
Engineering Book Store
Engineering Forum
Excel App. Downloads
Online Books & Manuals
Engineering News
Engineering Videos
Engineering Calculators
Engineering Toolbox
GD&T Training Geometric
Dimensioning Tolerancing
DFM DFA Training
Training Online Engineering
Advertising Center

TRANSLATE

Print Webpage

Copyright Notice

https://www.engineersedge.com/heat_transfer/horizontal_plate_natural_convection_13968.htm 4/4