Chapter 3

Forced convection – External flow

Flow over a flat plate
(Formulae & Problems)
Forced convection
General Hint:

If velocity is given, then the problem is considered as forced convection problem

Heat Transfer from flat surfaces – Flow over a flat plate (External flow)
Tw  T
i) Mean film temperature, T f 
2
Tw – Plate surface temperature T – Fluid temperature

All the thermo physical properties of the fluid (like density, viscosity, specific heat,
thermal conductivity) should taken corresponding to mean film temperature

ii) Criteria for flow type

Re < 5 x 105 - Laminar flow

Re > 5 x 105 - Turbulent flow
Forced convection
For flat plate laminar flow: (from Pg No: 112 of HMT data book, 6th Edition)

1. Local Nusselt number, Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333

2. Local heat transfer coefficient, hx = (Nux k / L)

3. Average heat transfer coefficient, h = 2hx

4. Heat transfer rate, Q = h A  Tw  T 

5.

Velocity boundary layer thickness, hx
 5 x  Re  0.5

6. Thermal boundary layer thickness,  Tx   hx  Pr  0.333

7. Local friction coefficient, Cfx = 0.664 (Re)-0.5

C fL  1.328(Re) 0.5

8. Average friction coefficient,

Forced convection
For flat plate Turbulent flow: (from Pg No: 113 of HMT data book, 6th Edition)

1. Local Nusselt number, Nux = 0.0296 (Re)0.8 (Pr)0.333

2. Local heat transfer coefficient, hx = (Nux k / L)

3. Average heat transfer coefficient, h = 1.25 hx

4. Heat transfer rate, Q = h A  Tw  T 

5.

Velocity boundary layer thickness, hx
 0. 381 x  Re  0.2

6. Thermal boundary layer thickness,  Tx   hx

7. Local friction coefficient, Cfx = 0.592 (Re)-0.2 for Re > 5 x 105 & Re < 107
Cfx = 0.37 (log10 Re)-2.584 for Re > 107 & Re < 109

Note: The flow is fully turbulent right from the leading edge of the plate
Forced convection
For flat plate Combined flow: (from Pg No: 114 of HMT data book, 6th Edition)

1. Average Nusselt number, Nu = Pr0.333 [0.037(Re)0.8 – 371]

2. Average heat transfer coefficient, h = (Nu k / L)

3. Heat transfer rate, Q = h A  Tw  T 

C fL  0.074(Re) 0.2  1742(Re) 1.0

4. Average friction coefficient,

Note: The flow is laminar at the start and becomes turbulent as it flows over the plate

Check for Turbulent / Combined flow:

If Re(L or D) > 5 x 105, take least count of L or D = 0.001m and estimate the Rex=0.001

If Rex=0.001 < 5 x 105, then the flow is a combined flow

If Rex=0.001 > 5 x 105, then the flow is a fully turbulent flow

Forced convection
1) Air at 20oC, at a pressure of 1 bar is flowing over a flat plate at a velocity of 3 m/s. If the plate
is maintained at 60oC, calculate the heat rate transfer per unit width of the plate taking the length
of the plate along the flow of air is 2 m.
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 20o C Pressure, P = 1 bar Velocity, U = 3m/s
Plate surface temperature = 60o C Width, W = 1m Length, L = 2m
To find: Heat transfer rate per unit width (Q/W)

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 For a flat plate laminar flow,
Tf = 40o C Local Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333
Nux = 175.27
Properties of air at 40o C
(HMT Data book, Pg: 33)
ρ = 1.128 kg/m3 Local hx = (Nux k / L) Average h = 2 hx (for laminar flow)
k = 0.02756 W/mK hx = 2.415 W/m2K h = 4.83 W/m2K
γ = 16.96 x 10-6 m2/s
Pr = 0.699

Re = (UL/γ) = 3.5377 x 105 Heat transfer rate, Q = h A (Tw – Tά)

Re < 5 x 105 Laminar flow Q = h (LW) (Tw – Tά) (Q/W) = 386.4 W/m
(Q/W) = h L (Tw – Tά)
Forced convection
2) Air at 25oC, flows over a flat plate maintained at 135 oCat a speed of 5 m/s. The plate is 3 m
long and 1.5 m wide. Calculate the local heat transfer coefficient at x=0.5 m and the heat
transferred from the first 0.5 m of the plate.
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 25o C Distance, x = 0.5 m Velocity, U = 5m/s
Plate surface temperature = 135 o C Width, W = 1m Length, L = 2m
To find: i) hx=0.5, ii) Q for x=0.5

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 For a flat plate laminar flow,
Tf = 80o C Local Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333
Nux = 100.9
Properties of air at 80o C
ρ = 1.000 kg/m3
k = 0.03047 W/mK Local hx = (Nux k / L) Average h = 2 hx (for laminar flow)
γ = 21.09 x 10-6 m2/s hx=0.5 = 6.14 W/m2K h = 12.29 W/m2K
Pr = 0.692

Heat transfer rate, Q = h A (Tw – Tά)

Rex = (Ux/γ) = 1.18 x 105
Q = h (Lx) (Tw – Tά)
Re < 5 x 105 Laminar flow
Qx=0.5 = 1013.9 W
Forced convection
3) Air at 20oC, at atmospheric pressure flows over a flat plate of at a velocity of 3 m/s. If the plate
is 1m wide and is at 80oC, calculate the following at x=300mm i) Hydrodynamic boundary layer
thickness, ii) Thermal boundary layer thickness, iii) Local friction coefficient, iv) Average friction
coefficient, v) Local heat transfer coefficient, vi) Average heat transfer coefficient, vii) Heat
transfer rate.
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 20o C Distance, x = 0.3 m Velocity, U = 3m/s
Plate surface temperature = 80o C Width, W = 1m
To find: i) δhx ii) δTx, iii) Cfx, iv) CfL, iv) hx, v) h, vi) Q

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 Rex = (Ux/γ) = 0.501 x 105
Tf = 50o C Re < 5 x 105 Laminar flow

Properties of air at 50o C

ρ = 1.093 kg/m3 Velocity BL
k = 0.02826 W/mK δhx = 5 χ (Re)-0.5
γ = 17.95 x 10-6 m2/s δhx = 6.7 x 10-3 m
Pr = 0.698
Forced convection
Thermal BL Local hx = (Nux k / L)
δTx = δhx (Pr)-0.333
hx=0.3 = 6.205 W/m2K
δTx = 7.5 x 10-3 m

Local friction coefficient Average h = 2 hx (for laminar flow)

Cfx = 0.664 (Re)-0.5
h = 12.41 W/m2K
Cfx = 2.96 x 10-3

Average friction coefficient Heat transfer rate, Q = h A (Tw – Tά)

Cfx = 1.328 (Re)-0.5
Q = h (Lx) (Tw – Tά)
Cfx = 5.9 x 10-3 Qx=0.3 = 223.38 W

For a flat plate laminar flow,

Local Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333
Nux = 65.9
Forced convection
4) Air at 25oC flows over 1m x 3m (3m long) horizontal plate maintained at 200 oC at 10 m/s.
Calculate the average heat transfer coefficient for both laminar and turbulent regions. Take Re
(critical) = 3.5 x 105. (Dec 2004, Anna Univ)
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 25o C Length, L = 3m Velocity, U = 10 m/s
Plate surface temperature = 200 o C Critical Re = 3.5 x 105
To find: i) h for laminar flow, ii) h for turbulent flow

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 Rex = (UL/γ) = 1.23 x 106
Tf = 112.5o C ~ 110oC
Here Re(critical)=3.5 x 105 i.e. flow is laminar till
Re = 3.5 x 105, after that flow is turbulent

Properties of air at 110o C

ρ = 0.922 kg/m3 CASE I: For laminar flow
k = 0.03274 W/mK For a flat plate laminar flow,
γ = 24.29 x 10-6 m2/s Local Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333 where Re = 3.5 x 105
Pr = 0.687 Nux = 173.33
Forced convection
Local hx = (Nux k / L) Average h = 2 hx (for laminar flow)
hx = 1.89W/m2K hlamimar = 3.78 W/m2K

CASE II: For Turbulent flow

For a flat plate turbulent flow,
Local Nux = 0.0296 (Re)0.8 (Pr)0.333 where Re = 1.23 x 106
Nux = 1945

Local hx = (Nux k / L)
Average h = 1.25 hx (for turbulent flow)
hx = 21.22 W/m2K
hturbulent = 26.525 W/m2K

Average heat transfer coefficient for laminar flow = 3.78 W/m2K

Average heat transfer coefficient for turbulent flow = 26.525 W/m 2K
Forced convection
5) Air at 20oC is flowing over a flat plate of 1 m long, 0.5 m wide at a velocity of 100 m/s. The flow
over the whole length of the plate is made turbulent. Calculate the following i) Thickness of the
boundary layer, ii) Mean value of the heat transfer coefficient
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 20o C Velocity, U = 100 m/s
Length, L = 1m Width = 0.5 m
The flow is turbulent over the entire length
To find: i) δ, ii) h

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 Rex = (UL/γ) = 6.64 x 106
Tf = 20o C Re > 5 x 105 Turbulent flow

Properties of air at 20o C No check is required for combined flow as the

ρ = 1.205 kg/m3 problem clearly tells that it is fully turbulent flow
k = 0.02593 W/mK
γ = 15.06 x 10-6 m2/s
For a flat plate turbulent flow,
Pr = 0.703
Local Nux = 0.0296 (Re)0.8 (Pr)0.333 where Re = 1.23 x 106
Nux = 7552
Forced convection
Local hx = (Nux k / L) Average h = 1.25 hx (for turbulent flow)
hx = 195.8 W/m2K hturbulent = 244.75 W/m2K

Boundary layer thickness

δ = 0.37 χ (Re)-0.2
δhx = 0.0159 m

Boundary layer thickness = 0.0159 m

Average heat transfer coefficient = 244.75 W/m2K
Forced convection
6) Air at 0oC flows over a heated flat plate maintained at 100 oC at a speed of 90 m/s. The plate is
60 cm long and 75 cm wide. Calculate the following i) Average friction coefficient, ii) Average
heat transfer coefficient and iii) Rate of energy dissipation
Given:
Fluid Temperature, Tά = 0o C Velocity, U = 90 m/s
Plate surface temperature = 100 oC Length, L = 0.6m Width = 0.75 m

To find: i) CfL, ii) h and iii) Q

Solution:
Film Temp, Tf = (Tw+ Tά) /2 Rex = (UL/γ) = 3 x 106
Tf = 50o C Re > 5 x 105 Check is required for type for flow

Properties of air at 50o C Check for combined flow:

ρ = 1.093 kg/m3 Rex = (ULlc/γ) = (90 x 0.001) / (17.95 x 10-6) = 5 x 104
k = 0.02826 W/mK Rex = 5 x 104 < 5 x 105.
γ = 17.95 x 10-6 m2/s
Pr = 0.698
Hence the flow is a combined laminar turbulent flow
Forced convection
For a flat plate combined flow,
Average CfL=0.074(Re)-0.2 – 1742 (Re)-1.0
CfL=3.16 x 10-3

For a flat plate combined flow, Average h = (Nu k / L)

Average Nu = (Pr)0.333 [0.037(Re)0.8 – 871] h = 198.5 W/m2K
Nu = 4215

Rate of heat dissipation, Q = h A (Tw – Tά)

Q = h (LW) (Tw – Tά)
Q = 8932.5 W

The flow is a combined laminar – turbulent flow

Average friction coefficient = 3.16 x 10-3
Average heat transfer coefficient = 198.5 W/m2K
Rate of heat dissipation = 8932.5 W
Home work
 Atmospheric Air at 275 K and a free stream velocity of 20 m/s flows over a flat plate 1.5 m
long that is maintained at an uniform temperature of 325 K. Calculate the average heat transfer
coefficient over the region where the boundary layer is laminar, the average heat transfer
coefficient over the entire length of the plate and the total heat transfer rate from the plate to the
air over the length 1.5 m and width 1 m. Assume the transition occurs at Re C=2 x 105.
(June 2006, Anna Univ)

 Air at a pressure of 8 kN/m2 and a temperature of 250oC flows over a flat plate 0.3 m wide
and 1 m long at a velocity of 8 m/s. If the plate is maintained at a temperature of 78 oC, estimate
the rate of heat to be removed continuously from the plate. (April 1997, Bharathiyar Univ)