WOLLEGA UNIVERSITY, NEKEMTE

COLLAGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Mechanical Engineering
MEng 3121 – Heat Transfer solved problems of Chapter-3
1. Air at 20C at atmospheric pressure flows over a flat plate at a velocity of 3 m/s. if the plate is 1 m wide and 80 C, calculate
the following at x = 300 mm.
1. Hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness,
2. Thermal boundary layer thickness,
3. Local friction coefficient,
4. Average friction coefficient,
5. Local heat transfer coefficient
6. Average heat transfer coefficient,
7. Heat transfer.

Given: Fluid temperature T = 20C Velocity U = 3 m/s

Wide W=1m Surface temperature Tw = 80C
Distance x = 300 mm = 0.3 m

Solution: We know, Film temperature

We know,

Reynolds number Re =

Since Re < 5  105, flow is laminar

For Flat plate, laminar flow,
1. Hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness:

2. Thermal boundary layer thickness:

3. Local Friction coefficient:

4. Average friction coefficient:

5. Local heat transfer coefficient (hx):

Local Nusselt Number Nux = 0.332 (Re)0.5 (Pr)0.333
 We know
Local Nusselt Number

6. Average heat transfer coefficient (h):

7. Heat transfer:

We know that,
2. 20 mm diameter of copper tubes at 30 mm pitches perpendicular to flow and 25 mm pitches along the flow. The
entry velocity of air is 1 m/s, and the air temperature is 20°C. The tube wall is at 40°C and the number of tubes
along the flow is 6(or Bank is 6 rows deep). Determine the value of convection coefficient h if arranged in:

a. For the aligned arrangement by using the Grimison correlation,

ST = 30mm, SD = 25mm, C1 = 0.367, m = 0.586
b. for staggered arrangement
ST = 30mm, SD = 25mm, C1 = 0.451, m = 0.568
b. Work out the value of h for staggered arrangement

3. Air at 270C and 1 atm flows over a flat plate at a speed of 2 m/s. The viscosity of air at 270C is 1.85×10−5kg/m.s.
Assume unit depth in the Z direction.
a. Calculate the boundary-layer thickness at distances of 20 cm and 40 cm from the leading edge of the plate.( Take: P
= 1.0132×105, R =287)
b. For the flow system assume that the plate is heated over its entire length to a temperature of 60 0C. Calculate the heat
transferred in (i) the first 20 cm of the plate and (ii) the first 40 cm of the plate.(take: the properties are
ν=17.36×10−6m2/s, k = 0.02749 W/m·0C, Pr = 0.7, cp=1.006 kJ/kg·0C)
Solution
a. The density of air is calculated from ρ = p/RT=1.0132×105/(287)(300)=1.177 kg/m3
The Reynolds number is calculated as
@x=20 cm: Re = (1.177)(2.0)(0.2)1.85×10−5 =25,448
@x=40 cm: Re = (1.177)(2.0)(0.4) 1.85×10−5 =50,897
The boundary-layer thickness is calculated from Equation Rex =U∞X/ν:
@x=20 cm: δ= (4.64)(0.2)/(25,448)1/2 = 0.00582 m
@x=40 cm: δ= (4.64)(0.4)/(50,897)1/2 = 0.00823 m
b. The total heat transfer over a certain length of the plate is desired; so we wish to calculate average heat-transfer
coefficients. evaluating the properties at the film temperature:
Tf = 27+60/2 = 43.50C=316.5K
@x=20 cm: Rex =U∞X/ν = (2)(0.2)/17.36×10−6 = 23,041
Nux = hxx/k = 0.332Re x 1/2 Pr1/3
= (0.332)(23,041)1/2(0.7)1/3 = 44.74
hx = Nux(k/x) = (44.74)(0.02749)/0.2 = 6.15 W/m2.0C
The average value of the heat-transfer coefficient is twice this value, or
haver. = (2)(6.15)=12.3W/m2.0C
The heat flow is:
q = haver. A(Tw−T∞)
If we assume unit depth in the z direction,
q = (12.3)(0.2)(60−27) = 81.18 W
@x=40 cm: Rex =U∞X/ν = (2)(0.4)/17.36×10−6 = 46,082
Nux = hxx/k = 0.332Re x 1/2 Pr1/3
= (0.332)(46,082)1/2(0.7)1/3 = 63.28
hx = Nux(k/x) = (63.28)(0.02749)/0.4 = 4.349 W/m2.0C
haver. = (2)(4.349) = 8.698 W/m2.0C
q = (8.698)(0.4)(60 −27) = 114.8 W
4. Water at 30°C flows over a flat plate with a free stream velocity of 0.6 m/s at 0.5 m from the leading edge.
Determine:
i. the local friction coefficient
ii. The average friction coefficient
iii. The local wall shear stress.
The property of water at 30°C from tables is:
Use the following correlations
Solution
Example 7.8: Water at 30°C flows over a flat plate with a free stream velocity of 0.6 m/s. Determine the local and average
friction coefficient at 0.5 m from the leading edge. Also determine the local wall shear stress.
Solution: The property of water at 30°C is read from tables.

Example 8.1: In a process water at 30°C flows over a plate maintained at 10°C with a free stream velocity of 0.3 m/s.
Determine the hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness, thermal boundary layer thickness, local and average values of friction
coefficient, heat transfer coefficient and refrigeration necessary to maintain the plate temperature. Also find the values of
displacement and momentum thicknesses. Consider a plate of 1 m × 1 m size.
Example 8.2: Sodium potassium alloy (25% + 75%) at 300°C flows over a 20 cm long plate element at 500°C with a free
stream velocity of 0.6 m/s. The width of plate element is 0.1 m.
Determine the hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layer thicknesses and also the displacement and momentum thicknesses.
Determine also the local and average value of coefficient of friction and convection coefficient. Also find the heat transfer
rate.

Example 8.5: Water at 10°C flows over a flat plate with a uniform heat flux of 8.3 kW/m2. The velocity of flow is 0.3 m/s.
Determine the value of convective heat transfer coefficient and also the temperature at a distance of 1 m from the leading
edge.
Solution: As the film temperature cannot be specified the properties will be taken at 10°C for the first trial
ν = (1.788 + 1.006) × 10–6/2 = 1.393 × 10–6m2/s
Pr = (13.6 + 7.03)/2 = 10.31
k = (0.5524 + 0.5978)/2 = 0.5751 W/mK
at 1 m, Rex= 0.3 × 1/1.393 × 10–6= 2.154 × 105 ∴laminar
The average temperature difference
Example 8.9: Air at –10°C flows over a flat surface at 10°C with a free stream velocity of 80 m/s. The length of the plate is
3.1 m. determine the location at which the flow turns turbulent. Also determine the local and average value of convection
coefficient assuming that the flow is turbulent although. Compare the value of local heat transfer coefficient calculated using
the equation obtained by analogy.

Example 8.10: Water at 30°C flows over a flat plate 1 m × 1 m at 10°C with a free stream velocity of 4 m/s. Determine the
thickness of boundary layers, displacement thickness, momentum thickness, local and average value of drag coefficient and
convection coefficient.
 FLOW ACROSS BANK OF TUBES
In most heat exchangers in use, tube bundles are used with one fluid flowing across tube bundles.
First it is necessary to define certain terms before discussing heat transfer calculations. Two types of tube arrangement are
possible.
(i) in line and
(ii) staggered.
The distance between tube centers is known as pitch. The pitch along the flow is known as (S n ) and the pitch in the
perpendicular direction is called (Sp).These are shown in Fig. 8.5.

Due to the obstruction caused by the tubes, the velocity near the tube increases and this increased value has to be used in the
calculation of Reynolds number. In the case of in line the actual velocity near the tubes

In the case of staggered arrangement the larger of the value given by above equation and this is to be used

This is because of the larger obstruction possible in the staggered arrangement. For number of rows of tubes of 10 or more
Reynolds number to be calculated based on Vmax. The property values should be at Tf . The value of C and n are tabulated
below in Table 8.1. For larger values of Sp/D, tubes can be considered as individual tubes rather than tube bank

Table 8.1.Values of constant and index for equation above

In case the number of tubes is less than 10 in depth, the value of convection coefficient should be multiplied by the fraction
given in table below
Table 8.2.Correction factors for tube banks with rows less than 10 values of (hN/h10)

The calculation may appear tedious, but such flows are very common in practical equipments and hence the importance. If
the number of rows in the flow direction is greater than 20, then the following correlation is applicable. This equation is
found applicable for less than 20 rows deep also (up to 4)

Property values at T∞ Rebased on Vmax

The values of C and m are tabulated below.

Liquid metals are now in use in heat exchangers.

The available correlation for tube bank is

For finned tubes correlations are more complicated but are available in hand books.
Example 8.20: 20 mm OD copper tubes are arranged in line at 30 mm pitch perpendicular to flow and 25 mm pitch along the
flow. The entry velocity of air is 1 m/s, and the air temperature is 20°C. The tube wall is at 40°C. Determine the value of
convection coefficient if the number of tubes along the flow is 6 (or Bank is 6 rows deep).
Example 8.21: Work out the value of h for staggered arrangement using data of example 8.20.

Problem 8.26: A bank of tubes consists of 10 mm tubes 100 numbers arranged in a square array of 15 mm pitch. The tube
wall is at 40°C and air enters at 20°C with a velocity of 4 m/s. Determine the value of convection coefficient and the heat
transferred to the air for 1 m length of tubes in the array.
Problem 8.27: For the data in problem 8.26, assume that the pitch parallel to flow direction is reduced to 10 mm, determine
the value of convection coefficient for staggered arrangement.

Problem 8.28: Water flows over 20 mm tubes 6 rows deep inline arrangement with 40 mm square pitch. Water enters at 20°C
and the tube wall is at 60°C. The velocity of water is 1.2 m/s at enetry. Determine the value of convection coefficient.
Solution: The property values are:
Problem 8.29: Using the data or problem 8.28 except that the bank is of staggered arrangement with the longitudinal pitch
reduced to 18 mm, calculate the value of convection coefficient.
Solution: In this case, distance