Lecture 18 February 13, 2004

Last Day
• Intro to momentum and thermal boundary layers

Today
• Steady/ Unsteady Flow
• Laminar/Turbulent Flow
• Flow Separation
• Internal/External Flows
• Governing Equations – Axioms of Mechanics

Introduction to convection continued

If we think about a boundary layer, we can determine both

the shear stress and the heat flux by manipulating the
velocity and temperature gradients. Right at the wall the
velocity is zero (no-slip) condition, and the heat flux is by
conduction only. We can evaluate the heat flux using
Fourier’s Law

The shear stress at the wall can analogously be determined

using Newton’s law of viscosity
Note that these two equations have exactly the same form!

We can also describe the convective heat transfer process

using our now familiar Newton’s law of cooling,

All of the heat energy conducted through the surface is then

carried away by conduction and convection by the fluid
passing over the surface, and we can equate the two above
expressions.

First, lets non-dimensionalize our variables.

The Nusselt number, Nu, is a non dimensional number that

describes the convective heat transfer process. It looks
very similar to the Biot number, but the conductivity is that
of the fluid, not a solid. The interpretation is very different
also – looking at the above equation we can see that Nu is
the non-dimensional temperature gradient at the wall. We
can now use Nu to solve convective heat transfer problems
for any fluid, and that is the great advantage of non
dimensional representations.

Just from thinking about conservation of momentum we

can reason
• Pressure drops (shear stresses) will be greater in
turbulent flows compared to laminar flows
• Heat transfer rates will be higher in turbulent flows
than in laminar flows.

Recall the Reynolds number,

,
which is another non-dimensional number that
characterizes a flow. For low Re, we find laminar flows,
while for high Re we find turbulent flows. The Reynolds
number can be interpreted as a ratio of inertial forces to
viscous forces.

Let’s now think about flow separation.

Laminar/turbulent flow

Turbulent flow is unsteady. Turbulent flow is three

dimensional.