4.4.11. Correlation Heat Transfer Coefficient
Table of Contents
A convective flux boundary condition can be used to model problems where a full conjugate heat transfer simulation is deemed impractical. To facilitate specification of these models, Aria includes a number of heat transfer coefficient correlations [44] that cover laminar and turbulent flows of forced and free convection of gas and liquids (including liquid metals) for internal and external flow geometries.
All correlations define a Nusselt number from which the heat transfer coefficient
is computed as
(4.26)
where is the scalar thermal conductivity and
is a characteristic length for the problem. As shown in the example below, correlations are defined in
heat transfer correlation coefficient command blocks and are referenced in the convective flux boundary condition command block.
Begin Sierra myJob
...
Begin Aria Material my_fluid
...
# Define k, rho, cp, mu models
thermal conductivity = constant value = 1.0
specific heat capacity = constant value = 1000.0
density = constant value = 10.0
viscosity = constant value = 0.01
End
...
Begin aria region my_region
...
Begin equation system energy
...
# Define conv flux BC using specified correlation
Begin convective flux boundary condition bar_coupling
add surface surface_1
use correlation convection model pipe_flow
use advective bar my_bar
End
# Equivalent line cmd
# BC Bar_Flux for energy on surface_1 = generalized_nat_conv bar = my_bar hcorr = pipe_flow
# Define h
Begin heat transfer correlation coefficient pipe_flow
laminar correlation = type 2 # Nu = 3.666 analytic laminar pipe flow
turbulent correlation = type 72 # Gnielisnki correlation w/ Nu = func(Re, Pr, f)
# Define Reynolds number above which the turbulent correlation will be used
transition Reynolds Number = 3000
# Define additional inputs needed to compute Nu
compute characteristic length model = hydraulic diameter
compute friction factor model = smooth tube
compute fluid velocity model = advection_velocity
compute reynolds number
compute prandtl number
End
# Postprocess average htc
postprocess average of expression heat_transfer_coefficient on surface_1 as avg_htc
End
End
End
In this example, laminar and turbulent correlations are used to model the conjugate heat transfer of internal flow past a pipe. To place emphasis on the correlation, details concerning the advective bar fluid model or pipe heat conduction model have been omitted.
To start, all heat transfer correlation models must define the thermal conductivity and characteristic length
. The thermal conductivity is always specified as a material property, whereas the characteristic length is specified via a line command. In this example, the
hydraulic diameter model (as specified in the advective bar block) would be used for the characteristic length.
In the above example, the type 72 Gnielinski correlation has been used. For this correlation, the Nusselt number is a function of the Reynolds number , Prandtl number
, and non-dimensional friction factor. Correspondingly, line commands need to be specified to compute each of these non-dimensional parameters. Here, for the friction factor computation, the
smooth tube model has been specified whereas the Reynolds number and Prandtl number will be computed from material properties defined in aria material command block and applied to the volume bar block. Note a characteristic speed also needs to be specified to compute the Reynolds number. Here, the compute fluid velocity line command specifies to use the advection_velocity expression.
While this example has highlighted how to define and use a forced convection correlation with modeled using a 1D advective bar, in a similar manner free convection correlations can be defined with the bulk fluid temperature
modeled using a bulk node.
Below is an example of using an external free convection correlation with a bulk node. To start, we see the use advective bar line command has been replaced with the use bulk element line command, where the specified name now refers to a bulk node. Next, for the correlation, is now a function of
and the
Rayleigh number. As this free convection correlation does not depend on a friction factor, or Reynolds number, there is no need to specify them. This includes any unused prerequisites (e.g. characteristic speed). Unlike before, the Rayleigh number is automatically computed for the given correlation from its prerequisites and so no line command is needed. However, the Rayleigh number prerequisites do need to be specified. Note that material properties are now pulled from the material assigned to the bulk node.
Begin Sierra myJob
...
# Define k, rho, cp, mu models
Begin Aria Material my_bulk_material
viscosity = user_function name = air_viscosity X = temperature
density = user_function name = air_density X = temperature
specific heat = user_function name = air_specheat X = temperature
thermal conductivity = user_function name = air_cond X = temperature
End
...
Begin aria region my_region
...
# Define bulk node
Begin bulk fluid element my_bulk_node
...
material = my_bulk_material
Initial Temperature = 600.0
# Setting a large volume here will in effect result in an infinite reservoir
bulk element volume = constant v = 1.0e10
bulk eq energy for temperature using p0 with mass src
End
Begin equation system energy
...
# Define conv flux BC using specified correlation
Begin convective flux boundary condition bulk_node_coupling
add surface surface_1
use correlation convection model external_free_conv
use bulk element my_bulk_node
End
# Define h
Begin heat transfer correlation coefficient external_free_conv
LAMINAR CORRELATION = type 64
TURBULENT CORRELATION = type 64 # Churchill-Chu free convection
# Define D_h as a constant instead of using an expression
characteristic length = 1.0
# Define additional inputs needed to compute Nu(Ra, Pr)
gravitational constant = 9.8 # g
wall length = 1.0 # L
compute prandtl number # Pr
compute wall temperature # T_w
compute fluid temperature # T_f
End
# Postprocess average htc
postprocess average of expression heat_transfer_coefficient on surface_1 as avg_htc
End
End
End
Note
In some cases, it is desirable to use one of the built in heat transfer correlations with a fixed reference temperature. The current work around is to couple the surface to a bulk node with a large volume assigned in order to mimic an infinite reservoir. The reference temperature will fluctuate near the initial temperature conditions applied to the bulk node.
Warning
Both laminar and turbulent correlations are always required to be specified. When both correlations are free convection correlations, default constant expressions of one are set for the transitional Reynolds number, characteristic speed, and Reynolds number (if not already provided). This behavior will be fixed in the future so that specification of both correlations is not always required. For now, setting both correlations to the same type can be used as a work around.
As shown in these examples, depending on the correlation, additional line commands will need to be specified. The supported line commands can be found here. If a correlation prerequisite is not met, an error will be thrown indicating the prerequisite expressions that the correlation needs. Supported correlations are listed next.
4.4.11.1. Correlations Listing
The following parameters will be referred to in the various correlation definitions:
Symbol |
Name |
|---|---|
friction factor |
|
flow Reynolds number |
|
flow Prandtl number |
|
flow Rayleigh number |
|
flow Prandtl number evaluated with wall conditions |
|
fluid temperature |
|
wall temperature |
|
wall length |
|
gravitational constant |
|
ratio of annulus inner diameter to outer diameter |
|
fluid density |
|
dynamic viscosity |
|
kinematic viscosity |
|
expansion coefficient |
|
wall angle (in radians) |
|
entrance length |
4.4.11.2. Forced Convection (Internal)
- Type 1
This correlation applies to cases of fully-developed internal laminar flow with a constant wall flux or constant wall temperature, for which a Nusselt number may be determined analytically.
(4.27)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
- Type 2
This correlation applies to cases of fully-developed internal laminar flow with a constant wall flux or constant wall temperature, for which a Nusselt number may be determined analytically.
(4.28)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
- Type 3
This correlation by Hausen applies to cases of thermally fully-developed laminar flow with entrance effects.
(4.29)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
or unheated entrance
- Type 4
This correlation by Nusselt applies to cases of thermally fully-developed turbulent flow with entrance effects.
(4.30)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Type 14
This correlation by Azer-Chao applies to cases of constant surface temperature liquid metals in tubes.
(4.31)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Liquid Metal
- Type 15
This correlation by Sliecher applies to cases of constant surface temperature liquid metals in tubes.
(4.32)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Liquid Metal
- Range
and
- Type 23
This correlation by Petukhov applies to cases of turbulent gas flow with friction factor correlation for smooth surfaces.
(4.33)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 25
This correlation by Dittus-Boelter applies to cases of turbulent flow.
(4.34)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
and
- Type 26
This correlation by Sieder-Tate applies to cases of turbulent gas flow.
(4.35)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
gas
- Range
and
- Type 39
This correlation by Sieder-Tate applies to cases of turbulent liquid flow.
(4.36)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Liquid
- Range
and
- Type 72
This correlation by Gnielinski applies to cases of turbulent gas flow in a circular tube with friction factor correlation for smooth surfaces.
(4.37)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 73
This modified correlation by Gnielinski applies to cases of turbulent flow in an annulus with friction factor correlation for annular surfaces where the inner wall is heated and the outer wall is insulated.
(4.38)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
- Type 74
This modified correlation by Gnielinski applies to cases of turbulent flow in an annulus with friction factor correlation for annular surfaces where the inner wall is insulated and the outer wall is heated.
(4.39)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas|Liquid
- Range
4.4.11.3. Forced Convection (External)
- Type 5
This modified Ranz-Marshall correlation applies to cases of thermally fully-developed flow with entrance effects.
(4.40)
- Region
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Liquid
- Type 18
This correlation applies to cases of flow over a sphere.
(4.41)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 21
This correlation by Zhulkauskas applies to cases of aligned cylindrical tube bank in cross flow.
(4.42)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 27
This correlation by Whitaker applies to cases of gas flow over a sphere.
(4.43)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 28
This correlation by Hilpert applies to cases of cylinder in cross flow.
(4.44)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 34
This correlation by Zhulkauskas applies to cases of cylinder in cross flow
(4.45)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 35
This correlation by Churchill-Bernstein applies to cases of cylinder in cross flow.
(4.46)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 36
This correlation applies to cases of flow over a flat plate.
(4.47)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 37
This correlation applies to cases of flow over a flat plate.
(4.48)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 38
This correlation applies to cases of flow over a flat plate.
(4.49)
- Regime
Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
4.4.11.4. Free Convection (External)
- Type 58
This correlation by Churchill-Chu applies to free convection from a vertical surface, or non-vertical surface if angle is less than
(measured from vertical).
(4.50)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and
- Type 59
This correlation by Churchill-Chu applies to free convection from a vertical surface, or non-vertical surface if angle is less than
(measured from vertical).
(4.51)
- Regime
Laminar
- Phase
Liquid
- Range
and
- Type 60
This correlation by Churchill-Chu applies to free convection from a vertical surface.
(4.52)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Type 61
This correlation by McAdams applies to free convection from a horizontal surface; either the upper surface of a heated plate or the lower surface of a cooled plate.
(4.53)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 62
This correlation by McAdams applies to free convection from a horizontal surface; either the upper surface of a cooled plate or the lower surface of a heated plate.
(4.54)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 63
This correlation by Morgan applies to free convection from a horizontal cylinder.
(4.55)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 64
This correlation by Churchill-Chu applies to free convection from a horizontal cylinder.
(4.56)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
- Type 65
This correlation by Churchill-Chu applies to free convection from a sphere.
(4.57)
- Regime
Laminar|Turbulent
- Phase
Gas
- Range
and