Heat Transfer: Characteristic Numbers

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University – Siniloan Campus
CHU, Veronica Mae D. October 25, 2019
Reynold’s Number
In 1883, Irish scientist Osborne Reynolds discovered the dimensionless number
that predicts fluid flow based on static and dynamic properties such as velocity, density,
dynamic viscosity and characteristics of the fluid.
The Reynolds number expresses the ratio of inertial (resistant to change or
motion) forces to viscous (heavy and gluey) forces. The Reynolds number, referred to
as Re, is used to determine whether the fluid flow is laminar or turbulent.
Where:
Re = Reynold's number (unitless)
ρ = the density of the fluid (kg/m^3)
V = the velocity of the fluid (m/s)
L = the "characteristic length"or

diameter of the fluid flow (m)
μ = the viscosity of the fluid (kg/m-s)
Figure 1: Derivation of Reynolds Number

(https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/reynolds.html)
Figure 2: The Moody chart for pipe friction with smooth and rough walls
(https://www.simscale.com/docs/content/simwiki/numerics/what-is-the-reynolds-
number.html)
Prandtl Number
The Prandtl number is a dimensionless number, named after its inventor, a

German engineer Ludwig Prandtl, who also identified the boundary layer. The Prandtl
number is defined as the ratio of momentum diffusivity to thermal diffusivity.
The momentum diffusivity, or as it is normally called, kinematic viscosity, tells us the
material’s resistance to shear-flows (different layers of the flow travel with different
velocities due to e.g. different speeds of adjacent walls) in relation to density.
Figure 3: Derivation of Prandtl Number

(https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/heat-transfer/introduction-to-heat-
transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-prandtl-number/)
Where:
ν is momentum diffusivity (kinematic viscosity) [m2/s]
α is thermal diffusivity [m2/s]
μ is dynamic viscosity [N.s/m2]
k is thermal conductivity [W/m.K]
cp is specific heat [J/kg.K]
ρ is density [kg/m3]
Kinematic viscosity
Fluid (m^2/s) Prandtl Number
Air 16.96 x 10^-6 0.669

Carbon Dioxide 9.294 x 10^-6 0.76
Hydrogen 118.6 x 10^-6 0.684
Water 0.657 x 10^-6 4.34
Mercury 0.109 x 10^-6 0.0252
Glycerine 223 x 10^-6 2450
Table 1: Prandtl Number Materials Table
transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-prandtl-number/)
Small values of the Prandtl number, Pr < 1, means the thermal diffusivity
dominates. Whereas with large values, Pr > 1, the momentum diffusivity dominates the
behavior. For example, the typical value for liquid mercury, which is about 0.025, indicates
that the heat conduction is more significant compared to convection, so thermal diffusivity
is dominant. When Pr is small, it means that the heat diffuses quickly compared to the
velocity.
In comparison to Reynolds number, the Prandtl number is not dependent on

geometry of an object involved in the problem, but is dependent solely on the fluid and
the fluid state. As such, the Prandtl number is often found in property tables alongside
other properties such as viscosity and thermal conductivity.
Nusselt Number
The Nusselt number is a dimensionless number, named after a German engineer
Wilhelm Nusselt. The Nusselt number is closely related to Péclet number and both
numbers are used to describe the ratio of the thermal energy convected to the fluid to
the thermal energy conducted within the fluid.
Figure 4: Derivation of Nusselt Number

transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-nusselt-number/)
Where:
kf is thermal conductivity of the fluid [W/m.K]
L is the characteristic length
h is the convective heat transfer coefficient [W/m2.K]

Froude Number
Froude number (Fr), in hydrology and fluid mechanics, dimensionless quantity
used to indicate the influence of gravity on fluid motion. The Froude number is a ratio of
inertial and gravitational forces.
Figure 5: Froude Number

(http://www.fsl.orst.edu/geowater/FX3/help/8_Hydraulic_Reference/Froude_Number_an
d_Flow_States.htm)
Fr = Froude number
V = velocity (m/s)
g = acceleration of gravity (9.81 m/s2)
D = hydraulic mean depth or characteristic length (m)
𝐴
where; 𝐷=
𝑇
A = cross sectional area of flow
T = top width
When Fr < 1, small surface waves can move upstream; when Fr > 1, they will be
carried downstream; and when Fr = 1 (said to be the critical Froude number), the velocity
of flow is just equal to the velocity of surface waves.
References:
Reynolds number
The Engineering ToolBox. “Introduction and definition of the dimensionless
Reynolds Number”. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/reynolds-number-d_237.html
NASA. “Reynolds Number”. (Last Updated at June 12, 2014).
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/reynolds.html.
SimScale. “What is the Reynolds Number?” Opened October 2019
https://www.simscale.com/docs/content/ simwiki/numerics/what-is-the-reynolds-
number.html
Prandtl Number
Nuclear Power. “Heat Transfer: Characteristic Numbers: What is Prandtl Number”
https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/heat-transfer/introduction-to-heat-
transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-prandtl-number/
Nusselt Number
Nuclear Power. “Heat Transfer: Characteristic Numbers: What is Nusselt Number”
https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/heat-transfer/introduction-to-heat-
transfer/characteristic-numbers/what-is-nusselt-number/
Froude Number
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2016). “Froude number” Encyclopædia
Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. https://www.britannica.com/science/Froude-
number
Corvallis Forestry Research Community. “Froude Number and Flow States”.
http://www.fsl.orst.edu/geowater/FX3/help/8_Hydraulic_Reference/Froude_Number_an
d_Flow_States.htm

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Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Laguna State Polytechnic University – Siniloan Campus

CHU, Veronica Mae D. October 25, 2019

Re = Reynold's number (unitless)

ρ = the density of the fluid (kg/m^3)

V = the velocity of the fluid (m/s)

L = the "characteristic length"or

μ = the viscosity of the fluid (kg/m-s)

Figure 1: Derivation of Reynolds Number

The Prandtl number is a dimensionless number, named after its inventor, a

Figure 3: Derivation of Prandtl Number

α is thermal diffusivity [m2/s]

μ is dynamic viscosity [N.s/m2]

k is thermal conductivity [W/m.K]

cp is specific heat [J/kg.K]

Air 16.96 x 10^-6 0.669

In comparison to Reynolds number, the Prandtl number is not dependent on

Figure 4: Derivation of Nusselt Number

kf is thermal conductivity of the fluid [W/m.K]

L is the characteristic length

h is the convective heat transfer coefficient [W/m2.K]

Figure 5: Froude Number

g = acceleration of gravity (9.81 m/s2)

D = hydraulic mean depth or characteristic length (m)

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