What Causes Temperature Gradient at y=0 in Convective Heat Transfer?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter tonyjk
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Heat Heat transfer
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the temperature gradient at the boundary layer (y=0) in convective heat transfer, particularly the interplay between conduction and convection. Participants explore the implications of no-slip conditions, the behavior of fluid temperature at the boundary, and the concept of steady-state heat transfer.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how a temperature gradient can exist at y=0 when the fluid temperature equals the surface temperature (Ts), suggesting that the gradient may refer to the region just above the fluid layer.
  • Another participant explains that the thermal gradient applies for y ≥ 0, describing the wall as a heat reservoir and the fluid as a heat sink, with heat transfer occurring through conduction at the wall and convection above it.
  • Concerns are raised about how heat flux, measured in joules per second, can remain constant at a position x while the fluid is flowing, indicating confusion about the relationship between heat transfer and fluid motion.
  • A later reply clarifies that the incoming fluid, which is cooler, is warmed by the heat delivered from the wall, maintaining a constant temperature at a given position due to the balance of competing heat transfer processes.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of the temperature gradient at y=0 and the implications of steady-state conditions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specifics of how temperature can remain constant in a flowing fluid.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the complexity of steady-state heat transfer in a moving fluid, with assumptions about the behavior of temperature and heat flux that are not fully resolved. The interplay between conduction and convection is a central theme, with nuances in how these processes interact over time.

tonyjk
Messages
227
Reaction score
3
Hello,
Consider this exemple:
Convective_heat_transfer.png


At y = 0 It is said that the heat is transferred by conduction because the fluid has a velocity equal to 0 (no-slip conditions). But the temperature of the fluid for y=0 is equal to Ts(temperature of the surface) so how come there's a gradient in the temperature? Do they mean there's gradient at y=0 just above the layer of the fluid having a temperature equal to Ts? Another question, the conduction heat transfer at y = 0 is happening for 1s (J/S = W) but during this second the fluid is passing and it is not static like in a wall that issue is confusing me. Even the exchange of energy between the fluid that is not on the surface, this fluid is flowing and heat is transferred each second by qs = h(Ts-Tinf) and on each position x we have a gradient of temperature that is independent of the time. I am very confused about the steady state heat transfer by convection.

Hope someone can clarify it

Thank you
 
Science news on Phys.org
Yes, the thermal gradient they are referring to is for ## y \geq 0 ##. Think of the fluid as an infinite heat sink of temperature ## T_\infty ## and the wall as an infinite heat reservoir of temperature ## T_s ##. Heat will flow from the reservoir to the sink. Right at the wall, heat is delivered purely conductively. Just above ## y = 0 ##, however, there are two competing processes: flowing fluid is removing heat, while fluid just below is delivering heat from the wall. At steady state, these two processes just balance one another, so that the temperature at any given point stays constant in time.

Note that steady state does not imply that the fluid is static. In fact, for there to be a steady state in this situation, the fluid must be moving. Otherwise, there would just be a hot conductive front penetrating further and further into the fluid as time progresses.
 
Great. but for exemple, heat flux is joule per second, but during this second the fluid will flow but how the temperature will remain constant for a position x
 
Over a given time interval, fluid flowing from the left toward the right will replace warmed up fluid with fluid that would be cooler. I say "would be", because the heat delivered from the wall during the same time interval will warm up the incoming fluid just enough to keep the temperature at that position constant. These are the competing effects I was trying to describe above.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: tonyjk

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
5K