Nusselt Number Formula For Liquid Metals At Constant Wall Temperature:
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The Nusselt Number for liquid metals at constant wall temperature is a dimensionless number that represents the ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer at a boundary. This specific correlation is particularly useful for liquid metals due to their unique thermal properties and high thermal conductivity.
The calculator uses the Nusselt Number formula for liquid metals:
Where:
Explanation: This empirical correlation accounts for the combined effects of fluid flow (Reynolds Number) and thermal properties (Prandtl Number) on heat transfer characteristics of liquid metals at constant wall temperature conditions.
Details: Accurate Nusselt Number calculation is crucial for designing heat exchangers, nuclear reactors, and other thermal systems involving liquid metals. It helps predict heat transfer rates and optimize thermal performance in engineering applications.
Tips: Enter Reynolds Number and Prandtl Number values. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the corresponding Nusselt Number for liquid metals at constant wall temperature conditions.
Q1: Why is this specific formula used for liquid metals?
A: Liquid metals have exceptionally high thermal conductivity and low Prandtl numbers compared to conventional fluids, requiring specialized correlations that account for their unique heat transfer characteristics.
Q2: What are typical ranges for this correlation?
A: This correlation is typically valid for Reynolds numbers between 10,000-100,000 and Prandtl numbers around 0.01-0.1, which are characteristic of liquid metals.
Q3: When should this correlation be applied?
A: This correlation is specifically designed for liquid metals (such as sodium, potassium, or mercury) flowing in tubes with constant wall temperature boundary conditions.
Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: This correlation may not be accurate for very low or very high flow rates, for non-circular geometries, or for fluids that are not liquid metals.
Q5: How does this compare to other Nusselt number correlations?
A: This correlation is specifically tuned for liquid metals, which have different heat transfer behavior than conventional fluids due to their high thermal conductivity and low Prandtl numbers.