1

Lucrarea nr. II.3 Work no. II.3

COEFICIENTUL DE
TRANSFER TERMIC PRIN
CONVECIE LIBER

1. Principiul lucrrii

Convecia termic reprezint
procesul de transfer termic care se
realizeaz ntre suprafaa unui solid i un
fluid adiacent, aflat n micare. Ea este
rezultatul efectelor combinate ale
conduciei termice i micrii fluidului.
Dac micarea fluidului se datoreaz n
exclusivitate forelor gravitaionale,
determinate de diferene de densitate,
datorate variaiei temperaturii n fluid,
convecia se numete liber sau natural.
Ca urmare a unui transfer de cldur
de la o suprafa cald la particulele de
fluid adiacente, acestea i vor modifica
temperatura, respectiv densitatea.
Particulele mai calde, cu o densitate mai
mic se vor ndeprta de suprafa, locul
lor fiind ocupat de particulele mai reci i
cu o densitate mai mare. Se genereaz
astfel o micare liber a particulelor de
fluid i ca urmare a conduciei interioare
ntre particule, apare i un transfer de
cldur prin convecie liber.

HEAT TRANSFER
COEFFICIENT IN FREE
CONVECTION

1. The principle of the work

The thermal convection is the
process of heat transfer accomplished
between the surface of a solid and an
adjacent fluid that is in motion. It is the
result of the combined effects of thermal
conduction and fluid motion. If the
motion of the fluid is caused exclusively
by gravitational forces, induced by
density differences, due to the variation of
temperature in the fluid, convection is
called free or natural convection.
As a result of the heat transfer from
a hot surface to the adjacent fluid
particles, these will change their
temperature and therefore their density.
The warmer particles and thus lighter,
with a lower density, will be removed
from the surface, their place being taken
by the colder particles and thus heavier,
with a higher density. In this way a free
motion of the fluid particles is generated
and, as a result of inner conduction
between particles, a free convection heat
transfer occurs.
2
Coeficientul de transfer termic prin
convecie, ntr-un proces termic staionar,
se determin din ecuaia lui Newton:
The convection heat transfer coeffi-
cient for a stationary thermal process is
determined from Newtons law:

( )
(

=
K m
W
2
f p
t t A
Q
&
, (1)
n care Q
&
reprezint fluxul termic
transmis prin convecie, A aria
suprafeei de transfer de cldur; t
p

temperatura medie a suprafeei corpului, t
f

- temperatura medie a fluidului.
Deci, coeficientul de transfer de cl-
dur prin convecie ntre o suprafa i
fluidul adiacent reprezint fluxul termic
convectiv transmis prin unitatea de supra-
fa, corespunztor unei diferene de
temperatur suprafa - fluid de un grad.
Acest coeficient nu este o proprietate de
material, se determin experimental n
funcie de toate variabilele care influen-
eaz convecia, cum ar fi de exemplu
geometria suprafeei, natura micrii
fluidului, proprietile fluidului.
n aceast lucrare se urmrete
determinarea experimental a coeficien-
tului de transfer termic prin convecie
liber de la suprafaa unui perete cilindric
nclzit la aerul nconjurtor. Pentru
aceasta se vor msura mrimile din
ecuaia de definiie a coeficientului (1).

where Q
&
is the heat flux transferred by
convection, A the heat transfer surface
area, t
p
the average temperature of the
bodys surface, t
f
- the average
temperature of the fluid.
Accordingly, the convection heat
transfer coefficient between a solid sur-
face and the adjacent fluid is the heat flux
transferred by convection through the unit
surface, corresponding to a difference in
temperature surface - fluid of one degree.
This coefficient is not a property of the
material or of the fluid; it is determined
experimentally as function of all variables
that influence convection, such as the
surface geometry, the nature of fluid
motion, the properties of the fluid.
Within this work, the aim is to
determine experimentally the heat transfer
coefficient for free convection from the
surface of a heated cylindrical wall to the
surrounding air. The quantities occurring
in the definition equation of the
coefficient (1) will be measured.

3
Peretele tubular este nclzit cu
ajutorul unei rezistene electrice. Puterea
electric consumat de rezisten se
transform n flux termic, care se
transmite n regim staionar prin suprafaa
lateral a peretelui ctre mediul exterior,
att prin convecie, ct i prin radiaie.
Astfel:
The tubular wall is heated by an
electric resistance. The electric power
consumed by the resistance is
transformed into heat flux that is
transferred in steady state conditions
through the lateral surface of the wall to
the surroundings, both by convection and
radiation. Thus:
[ ] W
r c
Q Q P
& &
+ = , (2)
n care P reprezint puterea absorbit de
rezistena electric de nclzire,
c
Q
&
-
fluxul termic transmis prin convecie,
r
Q
&

- fluxul termic transmis prin radiaie.
Temperatura medie a peretelui se
msoar cu ajutorul unor termocupluri
amplasate pe generatoarea cilindrului pe o
lungime efectiv, mai mic dect
lungimea rezistenei de nclzire L, la
capetele creia sunt conectate aparatele de
msur a tensiunii U i intensitii I a
curentului electric. n acest caz, puterea
electric efectiv este:
where P is the power absorbed by the
heating electric resistance,
c
Q
&
- the heat
flux transferred by convection,
r
Q
&
- the
heat flux transferred by radiation.
The average temperature of the wall
is measured by several thermocouples
placed on the generatrix of the cylinder
on an effective length
ef
L , less than the
length of the heating resistance L, at
whose ends are connected the apparatus
for the measuring of the electric current
voltage U and intensity I. For this case,
the effective electric power is:

L
L
I U
L
L
P P
ef ef
ef
= = , (3)
n care U reprezint tensiunea curentului
electric msurat la capetele rezistenei de
nclzire, I intensitatea curentului
electric, L
ef
=510 mm este lungimea
efectiv a cilindrului, L=568 mm este
lungimea rezistenei de nclzire.
in which U is the electric current voltage
that is measured at the ends of the heating
resistance, I the electric current
intensity, L
ef
=510 mm is the effective
length of the cylinder, L=568 mm is the
length of the heating resistance.
4
Fluxul termic transmis prin radiaie
prin suprafaa efectiv a tubului ctre
mediul nconjurtor considerat ca fiind
infinit i aflat la temperatura ambiant se
determin cu relaia:
The heat flux transferred by radi-
ation through the effective surface of the
tube towards the surroundings considered
to be infinite and at ambient temperature,
is calculated with relation:

[ ] W
100 100
4 4
ef
f pm
N r
A
T T
C Q
(
(

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|
=
&
, (4)
n care 05 , 0 = reprezint coeficientul
energetic de emisie al suprafeei tubului
din nichel, ) K (m W 768 , 5
4 2
=
N
C este
coeficientul de radiaie al corpului absolut
negru, T
pm
i T
f
sunt temperaturile
absolute medii ale suprafeei, respectiv
aerului nconjurtor, A
ef
aria efectiv a
suprafeei tubului.
Aria efectiv a suprafeei laterale a
tubului este:
in which 05 . 0 = is the emissivity of the
tubes surface made of nickel,
) K (m W 768 , 5
4 2
=
N
C - the radiation
coefficient of the black body, T
pm
and T
f
are the average absolute temperatures of
the surface and surrounding air,
respectively, A
ef
the effective area of the
tubes surface.
The effective area of the tubes
lateral surface is:
] m [
2
ef ef
L D A = , (5)
n care mm 60 = D reprezint diametrul
exterior al tubului.

where mm 60 = D is the external
diameter of the tube.

5
2. Schema instalaiei i
modul de lucru

Schema instalaiei experimentale este
prezentat n figura 1.
2. Scheme of experimental
installation and test procedure

The schematic of the experimental
installation is shown on Fig. 1.



Fig. 1. Schema instalaiei expe-
rimentale pentru determinarea
coeficientului de transfer de cldur n
convecie liber
Fig. 1. The schematic of the expe-
rimental installation for the determination
of the convection heat transfer coefficient

Instalaia const dintr-un tub metalic
(1) nclzit n interior de o rezisten
electric de nclzire (2). Reglarea
fluxului termic transmis aerului
nconjurtor se realizeaz cu ajutorul
autotransformatorului (3), prin
modificarea tensiunii i a intensitii
curentului electric de alimentare a
The installation is made of a
metallic tube (1) heated inside by an
electric resistance (2). The adjustment of
the heat flux transferred to the
surrounding air is accomplished by an
autotransformer (3), through the variation
of the voltage and intensity of the electric
current that supplies the resistance.
6
rezistenei. Pentru evitarea transferului de
cldur n direcie longitudinal, capetele
tubului sunt izolate termic. Controlul
temperaturii pe lungimea tubului se
realizeaz cu ajutorul termocuplurilor
IV, fixate prin lipire pe generatoare.
Msurarea tensiunii electrice de
alimentare a rezistenei de nclzire se
efectueaz cu ajutorul voltmetrului (4), iar
a intensitii curentului electric, cu
ampermetrul (5).
Msurarea temperaturii suprafeei
peretelui cilindric se face cu ajutorul
termocuplurilor III, VI, VII, VIII i IX,
fixate prin lipire pe suprafaa tubului, pe o
semicircumferin, aflat pe poriunea
efectiv de lucru. Milivoltmetrul (6),
etalonat n grade Celsius, este conectat
succesiv la termocuplurile IIX prin
intermediul comutatorului (7). Tempera-
tura medie a aerului nconjurtor se
msoar cu ajutorul unui termometru de
camer.
Se prezint n continuare modul de
lucru.
Se leag instalaia la reeaua de
alimentare i apoi se pune n funciune
prin rotirea comutatorului (8). Se regleaz
tensiunea de alimentare a rezistenei de
nclzire cu ajutorul auto-
transformatorului (3) pentru care se va
In order to avoid the heat transfer in
longitudinal direction, the ends of the
tube are thermally insulated. The control
of the temperature along the tube is made
by thermocouples IV, fixed by
adhesion on the generatrix. The
measurement of the electric voltage of the
heating resistance is performed with
voltmeter (4) and that of the electric
current, with ammeter (5).

The temperature measurement on
the cylindrical wall surface is performed
with thermocouples III, VI, VII, VIII and
IX, fixed by adhesion on the tubes semi-
circumference on its effective working
segment. The milivoltmeter (6), gauged in
Celsius degrees, is connected
successively to thermocouples IIX
through switch (7). The mean temperature
of the surrounding air is measured with a
room thermometer.

The working procedure is the
following.
The installation is connected to the
electric supply and set into operation
turning switch (8). The voltage of the
heating resistance is adjusted through the
autotransformer (3) in order to obtain a
value of the tubes surface temperature.
7
obine o valoare a temperaturii suprafeei
tubului. Dup stabilizarea regimului
termic (indicat prin valori constante n
timp ale temperaturii termocuplurilor I, II,
III, IV i V de pe generatoarea tubului), se
fac determinrile experimentale.
Se msoar urmtoarele mrimi:

tensiunea i intensitatea curentului
electric de alimentare a rezistenei de
nclzire la voltmetrul (4) i ampermetrul
(5);
temperatura suprafeei peretelui
cilindric prin comutarea succesiv la
milivoltmetrul (6) a termocuplelor III, VI,
VII, VIII i IX;
temperatura aerului nconjurtor la
termometrul de camer.
Se modific apoi regimul termic
prin manevrarea autotransformatorului,
pentru nc cel puin dou determinri
diferite.
Dup efectuarea determinrilor
experimentale se deconecteaz instalaia
de la reea cu ajutorul comutatorului (8),
apoi se readuce autotransformatorul (3) n
poziia iniial.
Mrimile msurate se nscriu n
tabelul 1.
After thermal conditions remain
stationary (indicated by constant values of
temperature in thermocouples I, II, III, IV
and V from tube generatrix) the
experimental determinations can be
performed.
The following quantities will be
measured:
the voltage and the current
supplied to the heating resistance, at
voltmeter (4) and ammeter (5);

the temperature of the cylindrical
wall surface through the successive
commutation, at millivoltmeter (6), of
thermocouples III, VI, VII, VIII and IX;
the temperature of surrounding air
at the room thermometer.
Afterwards the thermal regime is
changed through the manipulation of the
autotransformer, for at least two more
dissimilar determinations.
When the experimental determina-
tions are completed, the installation is dis-
connected from the electric supply with
the switch (8), then the autotransformer
(3) is brought back to its initial position.
The measured quantities will be
noted in Table 1.


8



Table 1. Mrimi msurate Table 1. The measured quantities
Indicaia termocuplurilor
Thermocouples indication
p
t
Nr.


Tensiunea

Voltage



U
Intensi-
tatea
curen-
tului
electric
The
electric
current
I

Tempera-
tura
aerului

The air
tempe-
rature

f
t
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX
- V A C C
1
2
3

3. Prelucrarea datelor experimentale

Pe baza mrimilor msurate se
calculeaz:
puterea electric efectiv cu relaia
(3);
temperatura medie a suprafeei
tubului:
3. Experimental data processing

Based on the measured quantities,
there will be calculated the following:
the effective electric power with
relation (3);
the average temperature of the
tubes surface:
[ ] C
t t t t t
t
IX VIII VII VI III
sm

+ + + +
=
5
; (6)

9
fluxul termic transmis prin radiaie
cu relaia (4);
coeficientul de transfer de cldur
prin convecie:
the heat flux transferred by
radiation with relation (4);
the convection heat transfer
coefficient:

( )
ef f pm
r ef
A t t
Q P

=
&
(7)
Rezultatele experimentale obinute
pot fi generalizate pe baza teoriei
similitudinii la toate instalaiile asemenea
tubului experimental din punct de vedere
geometric, hidrodinamic i termic.
Conform acestei teorii, se poate exprima
o funcie criterial care este aceeai
pentru toate instalaiile asemenea cu
modelul din laborator, de forma:
The experimental results can be
generalized on the basis of the principle of
similarity for all installations that are
geometrically, hydro-dynamically and
thermally similar with the experimental
tube. According to the theorem of
similarity, a function of criteria can be
expressed, which is the same for all
installations similar to the model from the
laboratory and which has the following
form:
( )
n
C Pr Gr Nu = (8)
n care se evideniaz urmtoarele criterii
de similitudine:
criteriul Nusselt:
where the following criteria of similarity
can be distinguished:
the Nusselt criterion:

=
D
Nu , (9)
determinat din asemnarea fenomenului
de transfer de cldur prin convecie. El
depinde de coeficientul de convecie ,
de dimensiunea geometric caracteristic
D i de conductivitatea termic a aerului
(tab. 3);
is determined from the convection heat
transfer similarity. It depends on the
convection heat transfer coefficient , the
reference geometric dimension D and the
thermal conductivity of air (Tab.3);

10
criteriul Grasshof: the Grasshof criterion:

( )
2
3
Gr

=
f pm
t t D g
, (10)
caracteristic fenomenului de transfer de
cldur prin convecie liber i determinat
de forele gravitaionale, ascensionale. El
depinde de coeficientul de dilatare
volumic a aerului, - inversul
temperaturii medii a fluidului,
fm
T
exprimate n [K] i dat de ecuaia (13):
which is characteristic for the process of
heat transfer by free convection and
determined by gravitational, ascendant
forces. It depends on the volumetric
expansion coefficient of air, - the
inverse of the mean fluid temperature
fm
T
expressed in [K] and given by eq. (13):
[ ]
1
K
1

=
fm
T
, (11)
de acceleraia gravitaional g, de
diametrul exterior al tubului D, de
temperaturile medii ale peretelui i ale
aerului
pm
t i
f
t , i de viscozitatea
cinematic a aerului , (tab. 3) ;
criteriul Prandtl:
the acceleration of gravity g, the external
diameter of the tube D, the average
temperatures of the wall and air
pm
t and
f
t and the kinematic viscosity of air ,
(Tab. 3);
the Prandtl criterion:

a

= Pr , (12)
determinat din asemnarea proprietilor
fizice ale fluidului. El depinde de
coeficientul de viscozitate cinematic al
aerului i de coeficientul de difuzivitate
termic al aerului, a.
Valorile coeficienilor i i ale
invariantului lui Prandtl se obin prin
interpolare liniar din tabelul 3, n funcie
which is determined from the similarity of
the fluid physical properties. It depends on
the coefficient of kinematical viscosity of
air and the coefficient of thermal
diffusivity of air a.
The values of coefficients and , and
those of the Prandtl invariant are obtained
from Table 3 through linear interpolation,
11
de temperatura medie a stratului limit
termic corespunztoare fiecrui regim
termic:
with respect to the average temperature of
the thermal boundary layer, corresponding
to each thermal regime:

2
f pm
fm
t t
t
+
= (13)
Pentru a exprima complet funcia
criterial (8) trebuie determinai cei doi
coeficieni, C i n.
Pe baza mrimilor calculate la
primele dou determinri experimentale
se poate scrie urmtorul sistem de dou
ecuaii:
In order to express completely the
similarity function (8), the two
coefficients C and n must be determined.
Based on the quantities calculated
from the two experimental determinations,
the following system of two equations can
be written:

( )
( )

=
=
2 2 2
1 1 1
Pr Gr Nu
Pr Gr Nu
C
C
(14)
din care rezult: from which results:

2 2
1 1
2
1
Pr Gr
Pr Gr
lg
Nu
Nu
lg
= n (15)
i: and:

( )
n
C
1 1
1
Pr Gr
Nu

= . (16)
Funcia criterial obinut va fi
verificat i n cazul celei de-a treia
determinri, iar valoarea calculat a
coeficientului de transfer de cldur prin
convecie liber se va compara cu
valoarea obinut experimental.

Mrimile calculate se centralizeaz
n tabelul 2.
The obtained similarity function will
be verified also by the third determination
and the calculated value of the heat
transfer coefficient for free convection
will be compared in this case with the
value determined experimentally.

The calculated quantities will be
centralized in Table 2.

12

Tab. 2. Mrimi calculate Tab. 2. Calculated quantities
Mrimi fizice

Physical
quantities
Criterii de similitudine

Criteria of similarity
Constante

Constants
Nr.

Puterea
electric
efectiv

The
effective
electric
power

ef
P
Temp.
medie
a suprafeei
tubului

The average
temperature
of the tubes
surface
sm
t
Fluxul
termic
transmis
prin radiaie

The heat
flux trans-
ferred by
radiation

r
Q
&


Coef. de
convecie

The convec-
tion heat
transfer
coefficient







N
u
s
s
e
l
t
,




N
u





G
r
a
s
s
h
o
f
,



G
r






P
r
a
n
d
t
l
,





P
r






C





n
Coef. de
convecie
calculat

The
calculated
convection
coefficient


[ ] W C] [ [ ] W
(

K m
W
2

(

mK
W

(

s
m
2

[-] [-] [-] [-] [-]
(

K m
W
2

1
2
3


13


Tab. 3. Proprietile fizice ale aerului
la bar 981 , 0
Tab. 3. The physical properties of
air at bar 981 . 0
t
6
10 Pr t
6
10 Pr
C
o

mK
W

s
m
2
- C
o

mK
W

s
m
2
-
30 0,0258 16,68 0,71 120 0,032 25,9 0,71
40 0,0265 17,6 0,71 140 0,0333 28,2 0,71
50 0,0272 18,58 0,71 150 0,0336 29,4 0,71
60 0,0279 19,4 0,71 160 0,0344 30,6 0,71
70 0,0286 20,65 0,71 180 0,0357 33 0,71
80 0,0293 21,5 0,71 200 0,037 35,5 0,71
90 0,03 22,82 0,71 250 0,04 42,2 0,71
100 0,0307 23,6 0,71 300 0,0429 49,2 0,71


4. Calculul erorilor i
interpretarea rezultatelor

Eroarea de determinare a
coeficientului de transfer de cldur prin
convecie provine din erorile de msurare
a tensiunii i intensitii curentului
electric, dimensiunilor tubului i
rezistenei electrice de nclzire i a
temperaturilor.
Pe baza relaiilor (7), (5), (3) i (4),
prin logaritmare, difereniere i trecere la
diferene finite, apoi prin nsumarea

4. The errors calculation and
the results analysis

The error made at the determination
of the convection heat transfer coefficient
comes from the measuring errors of the
electric current voltage and intensity, of
the tubes and heating electric resistance
dimensions and of the temperatures.
Based on relations (7), (5), (3) and
(4), through logarithmation, differentiation
and conversion to finite differences, and
then through the absolute value errors
14
erorilor n valoarea lor absolut, rezult
expresia erorii relative a coeficientului de
transfer de cldur prin convecie:
addition, the expression of the convection
heat transfer coefficient relative error will
be obtained:
( )
sm
sm
ef
ef
f
sm
ef N
ef
ef
ef f
sm
f sm ef N
f
sm
ef N
ef
ef
ef ef
r
t t
t
L
L
D
D
T
T
DL C
L
L
UI
L
L
D
D
T
T
T T T DL C
T
T
DL C
L
L
UI
L
L
L
L
I
I
U
U
L
L
UI

+
+

+
(
(

|
|

\
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|
+

(
(

|
|

\
|

\
|
+
+
+
(
(

|
|

\
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

+

=
4
4
4
4
3 3
4
4
4
100 100
100 100 100
4
100 100

Se analizeaz rezultatele obinute i
se compar valorile coeficientului de
transfer de cldur prin convecie liber
pentru diversele regimuri termice. De
asemenea, se compar valoarea
coeficientului de convecie obinut
experimental n cazul celui de-al treilea
regim cu cea obinut din ecuaia
criterial, verificndu-se astfel valorile
coeficientului C, respectiv exponentului
n.
All the obtained results will be
analyzed and the values of the convection
heat transfer coefficient will be compared
for the various thermal regimes.
Additionally, the value of the convection
coefficient obtained experimentally for the
case of the third regime will be compared
with that obtained from the similarity
equation, verifying in this way the values
of coefficient C and of exponent n,
respectively.







15

5. Bibliografie 5. References
1. Badea A. Necula H., Stan M., Ionescu L., Blaga P., Darie G. Echipamente i
instalaii termice. Editura Tehnic, Bucureti, 2003.
2. Kreith F. Handbook of thermal engineering, CRC, Boca Raton, Florida, 2000.
3. tefnescu D., Leca A., Luca A., Badea A., Marinescu M. Transfer de cldur
i mas. Teorie i aplicaii. Editura Didactic i Pedagogic, Bucureti, 1983.
4. Bcanu, G. Termodinamic, transfer de cldur i mas. Editura Dealul
Melcilor, Braov, 1998.
5. Dnescu, A. .a. Termotehnic i maini termice. Editura Didactic i
Pedagogic, Bucureti, 1985.











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