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Nusselt Number Formula:
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The Nusselt Number for an inclined plate with constant heat flux represents the ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer at the boundary. This specific correlation accounts for the effects of buoyancy-driven flow on an inclined surface with uniform heat flux.
The calculator uses the Nusselt Number formula:
Where:
Explanation: This correlation is derived for natural convection heat transfer from an inclined plate with constant heat flux boundary condition, where the exponent 0.2 indicates the power-law relationship between the combined Grashof-Prandtl product and the Nusselt number.
Details: Accurate Nusselt number calculation is crucial for predicting heat transfer rates in natural convection applications involving inclined surfaces, such as solar collectors, electronic cooling systems, and building heat transfer analysis.
Tips: Enter the Grashof number and Prandtl number with properties evaluated at the elevated temperature. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero for valid calculation.
Q1: What is the range of validity for this correlation?
A: This correlation is typically valid for natural convection on inclined plates with constant heat flux in the laminar flow regime, usually for Grashof numbers between 10^4 and 10^9.
Q2: How does plate inclination affect the Nusselt number?
A: The inclination angle affects the buoyancy force component normal to the plate surface, which influences the heat transfer rate. This correlation incorporates those effects through the property evaluation method.
Q3: What are typical values for Nusselt number in natural convection?
A: For natural convection, Nusselt numbers typically range from 1 to 100, with lower values indicating weaker convection and higher values indicating stronger convective heat transfer.
Q4: Why are properties evaluated at elevated temperature?
A: Properties are evaluated at the film temperature or elevated temperature to account for temperature-dependent fluid properties that significantly affect natural convection flows.
Q5: Can this correlation be used for vertical plates?
A: While similar in form, vertical plate correlations may use different constants. This specific correlation is optimized for inclined plates with constant heat flux boundary conditions.