9-19E A hot plate with an insulated back is considered.

The rate of heat loss by natural convection is to be

determined for different orientations.
Assumptions 1 Steady operating conditions exist. 2 Air is an ideal gas with constant properties. 3 The local
atmospheric pressure is 1 atm.
Insulation

Properties The properties of air at 1 atm and the film temperature of

(Ts+T)/2 = (130+75)/2 = 102.5F are (Table A-15)

Plate
Ts = 130F

k 0.01535 Btu/h.ft.F

0.1823 10 3 ft 2 /s
Pr 0.7256

L = 2 ft

1
1

0.001778 R -1
Tf
(102.5 460) R

Air
T = 75F

Analysis (a) When the plate is vertical, the characteristic length is

the height of the plate. Lc L 2 ft. Then,

Ra

g (Ts T ) L3

Pr

(32.2 ft/s 2 )(0.001778 R -1 )(130 75 R )(2 ft ) 3

(0.1823 10 3 ft 2 /s ) 2

Nu 0.825

0.492

Pr

8 / 27

0.387 Ra 1 / 6
9 / 16

(0.7256 ) 5.503 10 8

0.825

0.387(5.503 10 8 ) 1 / 6

0.492

0.7256

102.6

8 / 27

9 / 16

k
0.01535 Btu/h.ft.F
Nu
(102.6 ) 0.7869 Btu/h.ft 2 .F
L
2 ft
2
2
As L ( 2 ft ) 4 ft 2
h

and

Q hAs (Ts T ) (0.7869 Btu/h.ft 2 .F)(4 ft 2 )(130 75)C 173.1 Btu/h

(b) When the plate is horizontal with hot surface facing up, the characteristic length is determined from

Ls

As
L2
L 2 ft

0.5 ft .
P
4L 4
4

Then,

Ra

g (T s T ) L3c

Pr

(32.2 ft/s 2 )(0.001778 R -1 )(130 75 R )(0.5 ft ) 3

(0.1823 10

ft /s )

(0.7256 ) 8.598 10 6

Nu 0.54 Ra1 / 4 0.54(8.598 106 )1 / 4 29.24

k
0.01535 Btu/h.ft.F
Nu
( 29.24 ) 0.8975 Btu/h.ft 2 .F
Lc
0.5 ft

and

Q hAs (T s T ) (0.8975 Btu/h.ft 2 .F)(4 ft 2 )(130 75)C 197.4 Btu/h

(c) When the plate is horizontal with hot surface facing down, the characteristic length is again 0.5 ft
and the Rayleigh number is Ra 8.598 10 6 . Then,
2

Nu 0.27 Ra1 / 4 0.27(8.598 106 )1 / 4 14.62

k
0.01535 Btu/h.ft. F
Nu
(14.62) 0.4487 Btu/h.ft 2 .F
Lc
0.5 ft

and

hA (T T ) (0.4487 Btu/h.ft 2 .F)(4 ft 2 )(130 75)C 98.7 Btu/h

Q
s
s

9-49 Water in a tank is to be heated by a spherical heater. The heating time is to be determined.
Assumptions 1 Steady operating conditions exist. 2 The temperature of the outer surface of the sphere is
constant.
Properties Using the average temperature for water (15+45)/2=30
as the fluid temperature, the properties of water at the film
Resistance
temperature of (Ts+T)/2 = (85+30)/2 = 57.5C are (Table A-9)
k 0.6515 W/m.C

0.474 10 6 m 2 /s

Water
T,ave = 30C

Pr 3.12

0.501 10 3 K -1

D = 6 cm

heater
Ts = 85C
D = 6 cm

Also, the properties of water at 30C are (Table A-9)

996 kg/m 3 and C p 4178 J/kg.C

Analysis The characteristic length in this case is Lc = D = 0.06 m. Then,

Ra

g (Ts T ) D 3

2
Nu 2

Pr

(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.501 10 3 K -1 )(85 30 K )(0.06 m ) 3

(0.474 10 6 m 2 /s ) 2

0.589 Ra 1 / 4

1 0.469 / Pr

9 / 16 4 / 9

0.589(8.108 10 8 ) 1 / 4

1 0.469 / 3.12

9 / 16 4 / 9

(3.12) 8.108 10 8

89.14

k
0.6515 W/m.C
Nu
(89.14 ) 967.9 W/m 2 .C
D
0.06 m
As D 2 (0.06 m) 2 0.01131 m 2
h

The rate of heat transfer by convection is

2
2

Q
conv hAs (T s T ) (967.9 W/m .C)(0.01131 m )(85 30) 602.1 W
The mass of water in the container is
m V (996 kg/m 3 )(0.040 m 3 ) 39.84 kg

The amount of heat transfer to the water is

Q mC p (T2 T1 ) (39.84 kg)(4178 J/kg.C)(45 - 15)C = 4.994 10 6 J

Then the time the heater should be on becomes

t

Q
4.994 10 6 J

8294 s 2.304 hours

602.1 J/s
Q

9-57 A heat sink with equally spaced rectangular fins is to be used to cool a hot surface.
The optimum fin height and the rate of heat transfer from the heat sink are to be
determined.

Assumptions 1 Steady operating conditions exist. 2 Air is an ideal gas with constant
properties. 3 The atmospheric pressure at that location is 1 atm.
W = 12.1 cm

Properties The properties of air at 1 atm and 1

atm and the film temperature of (Ts+T)/2 =
(65+25)/2 = 45C are (Table A-15E)

k 0.02699 W/m.C

L = 18 cm

1.749 10 5 m 2 /s
Pr 0.7241

1
1

0.003145 K -1S
Tf
(45 273) K

65C

T= 25C

Analysis The characteristic length in this case is the height of the surface Lc = L = 0.18
m. Then,
Ra

g (Ts T ) L3

Pr

(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.003145 K -1 )(65 25 K )(0.18 m ) 3

(1.749 10

m /s )

(0.7241) 1.703 10 7

The optimum fin spacing is

S 2.714

L
0.18 m
2.714
0.007605 m 7.605 mm
1/ 4
Ra
(1.703 107 )1 / 4

The heat transfer coefficient for this optimum fin spacing case is
h 1.307

k
0.02699 W/m.C
1.307
4.638 W/m 2 .C
S
0.007605 m

The criteria for optimum fin height H in the literature is given by H hAc / pk (not in the
text) where Ac/p t/2 for rectangular fins. Therefore,
H

ht

2k

(4.638 W/m 2 .C)(0.001 m)

0.00362 m
2 (177 W/m.C)

The number of fins and the total heat transfer surface area is
n

w
w
0.121

16 fins
st
s
0.007605

As 2nLH 2 16 (0.18 m)(0.00362 m) = 0.02085 m 2

Then the rate of natural convection heat transfer becomes

hA (T T ) ( 4.638 W/m 2 .C)(0.02085 m 2 )(65 25)C 3.87 W
Q
s
s

9-67 The absorber plate and the glass cover of a flat-plate solar collector are maintained
at specified temperatures. The rate of heat loss from the absorber plate by natural
convection is to be determined.
Assumptions 1 Steady operating conditions exist. 2 Air is an ideal gas with constant
properties. 3 Heat loss by radiation is negligible. 4 The air pressure in the enclusure is 1
Absorber
atm.
Plate
80C

Properties The properties of air at 1 atm and the average

temperature of (T1+T2)/2 = (80+40)/2 = 60C are (Table A15)

Solar
radiation

k 0.02808 W/m.C

2m

1.896 10 5 m 2 /s
Pr 0.7202
1
1

0.003003 K -1
Tf
(60 273)K

L = 2.5 cm
Glass
Cover,
40C

Insulation

Analysis For 0 , we have horizontal rectangular

enclosure. The characteristic length in this case is the
distance between the two glasses Lc = L = 0.025 m
Then,
Ra

g (T1 T2 ) L3

Pr

(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.003003 K -1 )(80 40 K )(0.025 m ) 3

(1.896 10

1708
Nu 1 1.44 1
Ra

Ra 1 / 3

1
18

m /s )

(0.7202) 3.689 10 4

1708

1 1.44 1
4
3
.
689

10

(3.689 10 4 ) 1 / 3

1
18

3.223

Then
As H W (2 m)(3 m) 6 m 2

T T2
(80 40)C
Q kNuAs 1
(0.02808 W/m.C)(3.223)(6 m 2 )
869 W
L
0.025 m

For 20 , we obtain
1708
Nu 1 1.44 1
Ra cos

1708

1708(sin 1.8 ) 1.6

Ra cos

1 1.44 1

(3.689 10 4 ) cos(20)

( Ra cos ) 1 / 3

1
18

(3.689 10 4 ) cos(20) 1 / 3

4
18
(3.689 10 ) cos(20)

1708 sin(1.8 20) 1.6

T T2
(80 40)C
Q kNuAs 1
(0.02808 W/m.C)(3.152)(6 m 2 )
850 W
L
0.025 m

For 90 , we have vertical rectangular enclosure. The Nusselt number for this geometry
and orientation can be determined from (Ra = 3.689104 - same as that for horizontal
case)

3.152

Nu 0.42 Ra 1 / 4 Pr 0.012

0.3

2m

0.025 m

0.42(3.689 10 4 ) 1 / 4 (0.7202) 0.012

0.3

1.557

T T2
(80 40)C
Q kNuAs 1
(0.02808 W/m.C)(1.557)(6 m 2 )
420 W
L
0.025 m

Discussion Caution is advised for the vertical case since the condition H/L < 40 is not
satisfied.