Nusselt Number Formula:
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The Nusselt Number is a dimensionless number that represents the ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer at a boundary in a fluid. It is used to characterize heat transfer in fluid dynamics and thermal engineering applications.
The calculator uses the Nusselt Number formula for all values of GrPr and constant wall temperature:
Where:
Explanation: This empirical correlation provides the Nusselt number for natural convection heat transfer with constant wall temperature conditions across all ranges of the Grashof-Prandtl product.
Details: Accurate Nusselt number calculation is crucial for designing heat exchangers, cooling systems, and various thermal engineering applications where natural convection plays a significant role in heat transfer.
Tips: Enter Grashof Number and Prandtl Number as positive values. Both values must be greater than zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is the physical significance of Nusselt Number?
A: The Nusselt Number quantifies the enhancement of heat transfer through convection compared to conduction alone. A higher Nu indicates more efficient convective heat transfer.
Q2: When is this specific correlation applicable?
A: This correlation is used for natural convection heat transfer with constant wall temperature conditions across all ranges of Grashof-Prandtl product.
Q3: What are typical ranges for Grashof and Prandtl numbers?
A: Grashof numbers can range from 10^3 to 10^12 for natural convection, while Prandtl numbers range from 0.01 (liquid metals) to 1000 (oils).
Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: This correlation assumes constant properties, constant wall temperature, and may have reduced accuracy for extreme fluid properties or complex geometries.
Q5: How does this differ from forced convection correlations?
A: Natural convection correlations (like this one) depend on Grashof number, while forced convection correlations typically depend on Reynolds number.