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6.7 Boundary Layer Analogies 409

TABLE 6.2 Continued

Group Definitio Interpretation

Grashof number g(Ts T)L3 Measure of the ratio of buoyancy forces to viscous forces
(GrL) 2
Colburn j factor Dimensionless heat transfer coefficient
St Pr 2/3
( jH)
Colburn j factor Dimensionless mass transfer coefficient
( jm) Stm Sc2/3

Jakob number cp(Ts Tsat) Ratio of sensible to latent energy absorbed during
(Ja) hfg liquidvapor phase change

Lewis number  Ratio of the thermal and mass diffusivities

(Le) DAB
Mach number V Ratio of velocity to speed of sound
(Ma) a
Nusselt number hL Ratio of convection to pure conduction heat transfer
(NuL) kf
Peclet number VL Ratio of advection to conduction heat transfer rates
(PeL)  ReL Pr
Prandtl number cp  Ratio of the momentum and thermal diffusivities

(Pr) k
Reynolds number VL Ratio of the inertia and viscous forces
(ReL) 
Schmidt number  Ratio of the momentum and mass diffusivities
(Sc) DAB
Sherwood number hmL Dimensionless concentration gradient at the surface
(ShL) DAB

Stanton number h NuL Modified Nusselt number

(St) Vcp ReL Pr

Mass transfer hm ShL Modified Sherwood number

Stanton number
V ReL Sc
(Stm)
Weber number V 2L Ratio of inertia to surface tension forces
(We)

6.7 Boundary Layer Analogies

As engineers, our interest in boundary layer behavior is directed principally toward the
dimensionless parameters Cf , Nu, and Sh. From knowledge of these parameters, we may
compute the wall shear stress and the convection heat and mass transfer rates. It is there-
fore understandable that expressions that relate Cf , Nu, and Sh to each other can be useful
tools in convection analysis. Such expressions are available in the form of boundary layer
analogies.