CORRELATION EQUATIONS: FORCED AND FREE CONVECTION

Abstract

There are many situations where analytic determination of the heat transfer coefficient h is difficult to obtain. As was shown in previous chapters, even after making many simplifying assumptions, analytical determination of h is generally not a simple mathematical problem. When complicating factors such as geometry, variable properties, turbulent flow, boiling, condensation, etc. are involved, the heat transfer coefficient is usually determined experimentally. This does not mean that each time there is a need for h for which there is no analytic solution we must conduct an experiment. Instead, we utilize the experimental results of other researchers. Experimental results are usually correlated and presented as dimensionless equations which are convenient to use. Such equations are known as correlation equations. They are extensively used in the solution of heat transfer problems and therefore deserve special attention.