Example 14:

Consider flow between two parallel plates separated by a distance 2 H with a uniform
heat flux imposed on both plates. The fluid is driven between the plates by an applied
pressure gradient in the x-direction. Assume the flow is laminar and fully developed
(du/dx = 0, v = 0, and w = 0). (a) Determine the fully developed velocity distribution of
the fluid as a function of the mean velocity. (b) Determine the fully developed
temperature distribution as a function of the surface and mean temperatures.
(c) Determine the Nusselt number for this flow.

Known: Pressure driven laminar flow between parallel plates with uniform surface heat
flux on both sides, H, du/dx = 0, v = 0, and w = 0

Assumptions:

1. steady flow 6. laminar flow

2. constant properties
3. Newtonian fluid
4. negligible radiation
5. negligible gravity effects
6. negligible viscous dissipation
Find: (a) u(y) and um, (b) T(y) and Tm, (c) Nu
7. fully developed
8. negligible end effects
9. conduction in y-direction much
greater than conduction in x-direction
y

Solution:
x
Answer: 2H
u(y)
3 ⎡ ⎛ y ⎞2⎤ H 2 dp
(a) u = um ⎢1− ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ , um = −
2 ⎣ ⎝H⎠ ⎦ 3 µ dx

35 ⎡ ⎛ y ⎞2 ⎛ y ⎞4 ⎤ 17 um H 2 dTm
(b) T = Ts − (Ts − Tm ) ⎢5 − 6 ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥, (Ts − Tm ) =
€ 136€ ⎣ ⎝H⎠ ⎝H⎠ ⎦ 35 α dx

(c) Nu = 8.23
€ €
 (a) Derivation of velocity distribution, u(y), and mean velocity, um

Conservation of mass for constant property flow:

! ∂u ∂v ∂w
∇⋅V = + + =0
∂x ∂y ∂z

For fully developed flow, v = w = 0, thus

€ ∂u
= 0 and u( y )
∂x

Momentum equation for constant property flow of a Newtonian fluid:

€ !€
⎛ ∂V ! !⎞ ! !
ρ⎜ + V ⋅ ∇V ⎟ = µ ∇ 2V − ∇p + ρ g
⎝ ∂t ⎠

x-component for 2-D steady flow in Cartesian coordinates:

€ ⎛ ∂u ⎛ ∂ 2 u ∂ 2 u ⎞ ∂p
∂u ⎞
ρ ⎜ u + v ⎟ = µ ⎜ 2 + 2 ⎟ − + Fx
⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ∂x

d 2 u ∂p
µ =
€ dy 2 ∂x

y-momentum reduces to ∂p ∂y = 0 , so p( x ) and

€
d 2 u 1 dp
=
dy 2 µ dx
€ €
Integrate twice to get:
€ 1 dp y 2
u( y ) = + C1 y + C2
µ dx 2

Impose boundary conditions: u(−H ) = 0 and u( H ) = 0 (no-slip at wall):

€
H 2 dp
u(−H ) = − H C1 + C2 = 0
2 µ dx
€ €

H 2 dp
u( H ) = + H C1 + C2 = 0
€ 2 µ dx

€
 Adding these equations we get:

H 2 dp
⇒ C2 = − and ⇒ C1 = 0
2 µ dx

H 2 dp ⎡ ⎛ y ⎞ ⎤
2

u( y ) = − €⎢1− ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
€ 2 µ dx ⎣ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦

Thus, the velocity profile is parabolic.

€ Recall definition for mean velocity, u , and mass flow rate, m˙ :
m

m˙ = ρ um A = ∫ A
ρ u dA
€
1
um =
ρA
∫ A
ρ u dA
€
Returning to flat plate example where W is the width of the plate perpendicular to flow:
€
H 2 dp ⎡⎛ y ⎞ ⎤
2
1 W H 1 H
um =
ρ (2H ) W
∫ 0
∫− H ρ u dy dz = H
∫ 0
⎢⎜ ⎟ −1⎥ dy
2µ dx ⎣⎝ H ⎠ ⎦

H dp ⎛ y 3 ⎞ H H 2 dp ⎛ 1 ⎞
um = ⎜ − y⎟ = ⎜ −1⎟
€ 2 µ dx ⎝ 3H 2 ⎠ 0 2 µ dx ⎝ 3 ⎠

H 2 dp
um = −
€ 3µ dx

dp 3µ
= − 2 um
dx H
€
Substituting into velocity profile:
€
3 ⎡ ⎛y⎞ ⎤
2

u( y ) = um ⎢1− ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
2 ⎣ ⎝H⎠ ⎦

€
 (b) Derivation of temperature distribution, T(x, y), and mean temperature, Tm

Energy equation for constant property flow of a Newtonian fluid:

⎛ ∂T ! ⎞
ρ c p ⎜ + V ⋅ ∇T ⎟ = k ∇ 2T + µ Φ + q˙
⎝ ∂t ⎠

For 2-D steady flow in Cartesian coordinates:

€ ⎛ ∂T ∂T ⎞ ⎛ ∂ 2T ∂ 2T ⎞
ρ c p ⎜ u + v ⎟ = k⎜ 2 + 2 ⎟ + µΦ + q˙
⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠

u ∂T ∂ 2T ∂ 2T ∂ 2T
= where we assume >>
€ α ∂x ∂ y 2 ∂y 2 ∂x 2

3 ⎡ ⎛y⎞ ⎤
2

Substitute in u( y ) = um ⎢1− ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ :
€ 2 ⎣ ⎝H⎠ ⎦ €

∂ 2T 3 um dTm ⎡ ⎛ y ⎞ ⎤
2

2 = ⎢1 − ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
€ ∂y 2 α dx ⎣ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦

∂T dTm
For constant surface heat flux recall that: = = constant
∂x dx
€
Integrate twice to obtain:

3 um dTm ⎛ y 2 y4 ⎞
€
T= ⎜ − ⎟ + C1 y + C2
2 α dx ⎝ 2 12 H 2 ⎠

Impose boundary conditions T (−H ) = T (+H ) = Ts (note that Ts is unknown):

€
3 um dTm ⎛ H 2 H 2 ⎞
T (H ) = ⎜ − ⎟ + C1 H + C2 = Ts
2 α € dx ⎝ 2 12 ⎠

3 um dTm ⎛ H 2 H 2 ⎞
T (H ) = ⎜ − ⎟ − C1 H + C2 = Ts
€ 2 α dx ⎝ 2 12 ⎠

3 um H 2 dTm ⎛ 5 ⎞
⇒ C2 = Ts − ⎜ ⎟ and ⇒ C1 = 0
€ 2 α dx ⎝12 ⎠

€
€
 3 um H 2 dTm ⎡ 5 1 ⎛ y ⎞ 1 ⎛y⎞ ⎤
2 4

Ts − T = ⎢ − ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
2 α dx ⎣12 2 ⎝ H ⎠ 12 ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦

Recall definition for mean temperature:

€ 1 1 H
Tm =
ρ um A c v
∫ A
ρ u c v T dA =
2 um H
∫ −H
u T dy

1 H
⎧⎪ 3 ⎡ ⎛ y ⎞ 2 ⎤⎫⎪ ⎧⎪ 3 um H 2 dTm ⎡ 1 ⎛ y ⎞ 1 ⎛ y ⎞
4 2
5 ⎤⎫⎪
€
Tm =
um H
∫ 0
⎨ um ⎢1− ⎜ ⎟ ⎥⎬ ⎨Ts −
⎪⎩ 2 ⎣ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦⎪⎭ ⎪⎩ 2 α
⎢ ⎜ ⎟ − ⎜ ⎟ + ⎥⎬ dy
dx ⎣12 ⎝ H ⎠ 2 ⎝ H ⎠ 12 ⎦⎪⎭

After many steps:

€ 17 um H 2 dTm
(Ts − Tm ) =
35 α dx

(Ts − T ) = 35 ⎡⎢5 − 6 ⎛ y ⎞2 + ⎛ y ⎞4 ⎤⎥
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
€ (Ts − Tm ) 136 ⎣ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦
(c) Derivation of Nusselt number, Nu
€ Recall definition of heat transfer coefficient:

kf ∂T
h=
(Ts − Tm ) ∂y y= H

hDh Dh ∂T 4 As 4 (2H )W
Nu = = where Dh = = = 4H
€ kf (Ts − Tm ) ∂y y= H
P 2W

4H ∂ ⎪⎧ 35 ⎡⎛ y ⎞ 4 ⎛ y ⎞2 ⎤⎪⎫
Nu = ⎨T − (Ts − Tm )⎢⎜⎝ H ⎟⎠ − 6 ⎜⎝ H ⎟⎠ + 5⎥⎬⎪
€ (Ts − Tm ) ∂y ⎪⎩ s 136 € ⎣ ⎦⎭ y=H

4H ⎛ 35 ⎞ ⎡ ⎛ y3 ⎞ ⎛ y ⎞⎤
Nu = ⎜ − ⎟( s m ) ⎢4 ⎜ 4 ⎟ −12 ⎜ 2 ⎟ ⎥
T − T
€ (Ts − Tm ) ⎝ 136 ⎠ ⎣ ⎝H ⎠ ⎝ H ⎠ ⎦ y=H

⎛ 35 ⎞⎛ −8 ⎞ 140
Nu = 4H ⎜ − ⎟⎜ ⎟ = = 8.2353 (Same as in Table 8.1)
⎝ 136 ⎠⎝ H ⎠ 17
€