What is convective heat transfer?

A Combustion File downloaded from the IFRF Online Combustion Handbook

ISSN 1607-9116
Combustion File No:

276

Version No:

Date:

29-03-2004

Author(s):

Jeff Rhine

Source(s):

See CF

Sub-editor:

Jeff Rhine

Referee(s):

John Ward

Status:

Published

Sponsor:

RhinEnergY

1. What is Convective Heat Transfer?

Convective heat transfer occurs between a moving fluid and a solid surface or to
another point in the fluid. In thermal plant design, convection to or from a surface is
normally the main concern.
Convection also embraces the mechanism of molecular conduction occurring in fluids.
This fluid motion can be induced by either density / temperature differences in the
fluid - so called free or natural convection - or by external transfer of momentum to the
fluid which is termed forced convection.

2. What is a Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient

The convective heat transfer between the fluid and the surface occurs across a thermal
boundary layer through which the temperature of the fluid changes and, in theory, the
heat exchange can be defined by calculation of conduction at the surface. However, the
precise determination of the necessary temperature gradient in the fluid at the surface
is very difficult and it is more convenient to express the heat transfer in terms of an
overall temperature difference.

Thus, the rate of convective heat transfer between the surface at a temperature Ts and
the fluid at Tf is given by Newtons Law of Cooling, written as:

q = h (Tf Ts)

Where:
q is the heat flux (W/m2)
h is the convective heat transfer coefficient, sometimes referred to as the
film heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)
T is the temperature (K)

h is dependent on a number of factors:

-

fluid velocity profile

turbulence

fluid properties and temperature

temperature difference across the boundary layer

upstream thermal and hydrodynamic conditions

Therefore, h and q will often vary with position.

Conditions

Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient

W/m2K

Natural convection from a 5cm diameter

horizontal tube in air with T = 30 C

6.5

Natural convection from a 2cm diameter

horizontal tube in water with T = 30 C

890

Air with a velocity of 2 m/s passing over a

0.2m square plate

12

Air with a velocity of 6 m/s passing over a

10 cm diameter tube

31

Air with a velocity of 17.5 m/s flowing in

a 10cm diameter tube

45.5

Water at 0.5 kg/s flowing in a 2.5cm tube

3500

Table 1: Typical values of convective heat transfer coefficient h showing how h

varies with fluid properties and system geometry (for illustrative purposes only)

It is possible to predict the heat transfer for flow over surfaces but this is can be very
difficult and requires very high levels of accuracy. It is customary, therefore, in all but
the simplest cases to use empirical equations to obtain h and these are often expressed
in the form of non-dimensional numbers such as the Nusselt number, Reynolds number
and Prandlt number for forced convection and the Grashof number and Rayleigh
number for free convection.

3. Why is Convective Heat Transfer Important in Heating

Plant Design?
Convective heat transfer can be a significant proportion of the heat transfer between
the hot combustion products and the surfaces in certain types of industrial heating
plant, particularly when fired with gaseous fuels producing non-luminous flames. For
example in the firetube (1st pass) of a natural gas-fired shell boiler around 40% of the
heat transferred from the flame will be by convective heat transfer. Likewise, in a
watertube boiler a large proportion of the heat transfer in the superheater and
ecomoniser sections will be via convection. Moreover, some designs of metal reheating
furnaces are specifically designed to promote high rates of convective heat transfer by,
for example, directing a high-velocity jet of combustion products to impinge onto the
stock.
Natural convection is important in calculating the heat losses from the external
surfaces of plant and both single-phase and two-phase convection need to be quantified
for process fluid heat transfer, for example boiling and condensation.

Glossary terms
convective heat transfer coefficient The thermal power (Watts) that is transferred
from a solid surface to the surrounding flowing fluid, per square meter of surface and
per Kelvin of temperature difference between the surface and the fluid.
turbulence Turbulent fluid motion is an irregular condition of flow in which the various
quantities show a random variation with time and space coordinates, so that statistically
distinct average values can be observed.
Nusselt number - The dimensionless ratio of convective heat transfer to the heat
transfer that would occur by conduction alone
Reynolds number Non-dimensional criteria, a measure of the relative importance of
inertia forces -associated with convective effects- and viscous forces. Re =
(characteristic length * velocity of fluid * density of fluid/viscosity of fluid).
Prandlt Number A dimensionless ratio of the diffusivity of momentum to the thermal
diffusivity
Grashof Number The ratio (Interia force)(Buoyancy force)/(Viscosity force) and
relates temperature difference and buoyancy forces for flows which depend on such
forces and is therefore used in natural convection
Rayleigh Number The product of Grashof Number and Prandtl Number and serves as a
measure of the turbulence for natural convection and is analogous to Reynolds Number
for forced convection.
Non-luminous flames Flames mainly from gaseous fuels producing combusting gases,
which contain no particulate matter, e.g. carbon particles, and the radiation comes from
the water and carbon dioxide in the flame. Generally non-luminous flames appear blue in
colour while luminous flames appear yellow.
Firetube The large diameter tube in a shell boiler in which the combustion takes place
and which makes up the first pass of the boiler.
Shell boiler A steam or hot water boiler where the combustion products pass down the
inside of various diameter tubes immersed in water.
Watertube boiler - A boiler, often producing high pressure superheated steam, in which
the water and steam pass down tubes externally heated by hot combustion products.
Superheater Part of a boiler (watertube or shell) where saturated steam is
superheated to above its boiling point.
Ecomoniser Part of a watertube boiler where return or make-up cold water is heated
inside tubes (often extended surface) over which pass comparatively low-temperature
combustion products.

Keywords
Heat transfer, convection, convective heat transfer coefficient, boilers, furnaces

Related Combustion Files

67 What is thermal radiation?
138 How do I measure total heat transfer with a heat flux meter?

279 How do I calculate forced convective heat transfer for flows over and inside
single tubes?
280 How do I calculate natural convective heat transfer from various surfaces and
geometries?

Sources
[1] North American Manufacturing Company, Combustion Handbook, Volume 1, Third
Edition, 2001
[2] J M Rhine and R J Tucker, Modelling of Gas Fired Furnaces and Boilers, McGraw-Hill
Book Company, 1991 ISBN 0077073053

File Placing
[Basic Scientific Principles]; [Heat and Mass Transfer]; [Convection]

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