Nusselt number is variable or constant for laminar fully developed pipe flow?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maulik Chaudhary
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    laminar Pipe
Click For Summary
The Nusselt number for fully developed laminar flow in a pipe is 4.36 for constant heat flux and 3.66 for constant wall temperature, indicating it is not constant across different boundary conditions. The formula Nu = h D/K suggests a constant value, but this applies primarily to long pipes where the flow is fully developed. In shorter pipes, the Nusselt number varies along the length due to the influence of boundary conditions. The differences arise because the heat transfer coefficient (h) changes based on these conditions. Thus, the Nusselt number is not a single constant value but varies depending on the specific heat transfer scenario.
Maulik Chaudhary
Messages
1
Reaction score
2
It is the case that the Nusselt number along the fully developed (hydrodynamically and thermally) laminar flow through the constant cross section is 4.36 for constant heat flux and 3.66 for constant wall temperature. But the formula of the nusselt number is Nu = h Lc/K so for pipe it becomes Nu = h D/K where all of the terms are constant so my question is why does it have 2 different values for the different cases shown above when the formula clearly indicates that it should be constant irrespective of other conditions?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Why do you think it is constant? Do you know what the h stands for?
 
The values you gas are asymptotic values for very long pipes. For shorter pipes, Nu varies along the length of the pipe. Also, Nu depends on the wall boundary conditions (constant temperature vs constant heat flux).
 
Had my central air system checked when it sortta wasn't working. I guess I hadn't replaced the filter. Guy suggested I might want to get a UV filter accessory. He said it would "kill bugs and particulates". I know UV can kill the former, not sure how he thinks it's gonna murder the latter. Now I'm finding out there's more than one type of UV filter: one for the air flow and one for the coil. He was suggesting we might get one for the air flow, but now we'll have to change the bulb...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
5K
Replies
14
Views
10K
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
36K