CHAPTER 6

Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis

6.1 INTRODUCTION
Energy, or heat, transfer requires a fourth fundamental dimension.
That fourth fundamental dimension is heat, which is the transfer of
energy from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower tem-
perature; thus, the fourth dimension could be temperature or it could
be heat. The SI system of units uses temperature as a fundamental
dimension. In most cases, we will do the same.

6.2 IDEAL GAS LAW1(PP118
119)

Imagine yourself living in county Kent, southeast of London, during
the first decade of the nineteenth century. Your vocation is country
squire, but your avocation is natural philosophy. Every couple of
months you ride to London to attend a meeting of the Royal Society
where the latest natural philosophy is presented. Upon receipt of the
Society’s Proceedings, you read it avidly. Of late, you have become
interested in the physical behavior of gases. You know Boyle’s Law,
which states that PV 5 κB, where P is pressure, V is volume, and κB is
a constant. You also know Charles’ Law and Guy Lussac’s Law,
which state that, when all other process variables are held constant,
V 5 κCGL 3 T, where, again, V is volume, T is temperature, and κCGL
is another constant. You have just learned in the latest Proceedings
that Amedeo Avogadro has hypothesized that for dilute gases, equal
volumes contain equal numbers of gas molecules. One day, after a
hearty breakfast, you retire to your library with the intention of sum-
marizing these gas laws in one mathematical expression.

You begin by considering a cylinder of gas at a given temperature.

You assume the gas molecule has mass and that its collision with the
cylinder wall is perfectly elastic. Pressure, you assume, is the reversal
of momentum that occurs when the gas molecules rebound from collid-
ing with the cylinder wall. You also assume that the size of the gas
molecule is negligible compared to the radius of the cylinder. Your
84 Dimensional Analysis

question is: what is the relationship between pressure and the other
variables of the process?

There are no geometric variables. The material variable is molecu-

lar mass m [M]. The process variables are absolute temperature K [θ],
pressure P [L21MT22], and the number of gas molecules per unit
volume N [L23]. You realize you need a dimensional constant for this
problem; it is the gas constant per unit mass R [L2T22θ21].
Your Dimension Table is
Variables m K N P R

Dimensions L 0 0 23 21 2
M 1 0 0 1 0
T 0 0 0 22 22
θ 0 1 0 0 21

Thus, you write the Dimension matrix as

2 3
0 0 23 21 2
61 0 0 1 0 7
6 7
40 0 0 22 22 5
0 1 0 0 21
The largest square matrix within the Dimension matrix is 4 3 4.
Starting from the rightmost column, the Rank matrix is
2 3
0 23 21 2
60 0 1 0 7
R5640 0
7
22 22 5
1 0 0 21
and its determinant is
 
0 23 21 2 

0 0 1 0 
jRj 5  5 26
0 0 22 22 
1 0 0 21 
Thus, the Rank of the Dimension matrix is 4. The number of
dimensionless parameters is
NP 5 NVar 2 R 5 5 2 4 5 1
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 85

The inverse of the Rank matrix is

2 3 2 3
0 23 21 2 0 21 20:5 1
6 0 0 1 0 7 6 20:3 21 20:3 07
R21 5 640
756 7
0 22 22 5 4 0 1 0 05
1 0 0 21 0 21 20:5 0
You identify the Bulk matrix as
2 3
0
617
B56
405
7

0
and 2R21 3 B is
2 32 3 2 3
0 21 20:5 1 0 1
6 20:3 21 20:3 0 76 1 7
7 6 6 1 7
2R21 3 B 5 2 6
4 0 5 4
756
5 4
7
1 0 0 0 21 5
0 21 20:5 0 0 1
Since there are no rows entirely of zero in 2R21 3 B, there will be
no columns entirely of zero in (2R21 3 B)T. Thus, there are no irrele-
vant variables in this example.
You next write your Total matrix as

2 Π1 3
m 1 0 0 0 0
K 6 1 0 21 20:5 17
6 7
T5N 6 1 20:3 21 20:3 07
6 7
P 4 21 0 1 0 05
R 1 0 21 20:5 0
To obtain the dimensionless parameter, you assign the power for
each variable, listed along the left side of the Total matrix, from the
appropriate element of column Π1. Your dimensionless parameter is
mNRK
Π1 5
P
You, therefore, write your solution in functional notation as
 
mNRK
f ðΠ1 Þ 5 f 50
P
86 Dimensional Analysis

But, you realize the function can be written as

mNRK
5κ
P

Rearranging the above equation yields

 κ 
RK 5 3P
mN
But, mN is the weight of an individual gas molecule times the num-
ber of gas molecules per unit volume; thus, the above equation becomes
RK 5 κVP
where you identify κ as the inverse of the number of gas “moles.” In
other words,
nRK 5 PV
You immediately write to the Royal Society about your result.

6.3 FLOWING HOT WATER HEATER (BOUSSINESQ’S

PROBLEM)1(PP124
126),2(PP551
555),3(PP95
97),4
You live in a hard water area of the United States where deposit accu-
mulates in your hot water heater. The deposit develops from heating
the hard water, which causes gypsum to precipitate from it. You decide
that the solution is a hot water heater that heats and flushes the hot
zone simultaneously, thereby ensuring a deposit-free heating zone. So,
you sketch a pipe through which water flows on demand over a heat-
ing element. The heating element transmits energy, in the form of heat,
to the water and the flowing water flushes any micro-precipitant down-
stream. The question is: how does heat transmission relate to the other
variables of your invention?

The geometric variable is the size of the thermal conductor, i.e., the
heating element L [L]. The material variables are water heat capacity
CP [L21MT22θ21] and water heat conductivity k [L2MT23θ21]. The
process parameters are heat transferred q [L2MT23], water flow veloc-
ity v [LT21], and temperature difference between the heating element
and the water ΔK [Δθ].
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 87

Your Dimension Table is

Variables L ΔK v q CP k

Dimensions L 1 0 1 2 21 1
M 0 0 0 1 1 1
T 0 0 21 23 22 23
θ 0 1 0 0 21 21

The Dimension matrix is

2 3
1 0 1 2 21 1
60 0 0 1 1 1 7
6 7
40 0 21 23 22 23 5
0 1 0 0 21 21

You identify the largest square matrix in the Dimension matrix as

2 3
1 2 21 1
6 0 1 1 1 7
R56
4 21
7
23 22 23 5
0 0 21 21

and then, you calculate the determinant of R, which is

 
 1 2 21 1 

 0 1 1 1 
jRj 5  51
 21 23 22 23 
 0 0 21 21 
Thus, the Rank of the Dimension matrix is 4. The number of
dimensionless variables is
NP 5 NVar 2 R 5 6 2 4 5 2
Using a free-for-use matrix calculator on the Internet, you find the
inverse of the Rank matrix to be
2 321 2 3
1 2 21 1 21 24 22 1
6 0 1 1 1 7 6 0 1 0 1 7
R21 5 6 7 6
4 21 23 22 23 5 5 4 21 21 21
7
1 5
0 0 21 21 1 1 1 22
88 Dimensional Analysis

Your Bulk matrix is

2 3
1 0
60 07
B56
40
7
05
0 1
and 2R21 3 B is
2 32 3 2 3
21 24 22 1 1 0 1 21
6 0 1 0 1 7 60 07 6 0 21 7
2R 3 B 5 2 6
21
4 21
76 756 7
21 21 1 54 0 05 4 1 21 5
1 1 1 22 0 1 21 2
Calculating matrix V to determine if your analysis includes any
irrelevant variables, you obtain, with variable identification,
v q CP k
2 3T
1 21  
6 0 21 7 1 0 1 21
V 5 ð2R21 3 BÞT 5 6
4 1
7 5
21 5 21 21 21 2
21 2
No column of matrix V is entirely comprised of zeroes; thus, you
have no irrelevant variables in this example.

Your Total matrix is

2 Π1 Π2 3
L 1 0 0 0 0 0
ΔK 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
v 6 1 21 21 24 22 1 7
T5 6 7
q 6 0 21 0 1 0 1 7
6 7
CP 4 1 21 21 21 21 1 5
k 21 2 1 1 1 22
The dimensionless parameters, reading down the Πi columns of the
Total matrix, are
LvCP k2 ΔΘ
Π1 5 and Π2 5
k vqCP
You want q to be your dependent variable, but q is in the denomi-
nator of Π2. That is not an optimal location for a dependent variable.
However, inverting Π2 moves q into the numerator, a more
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 89

appropriate location for a dependent variable. You also note that

inverting Π1, then multiplying it with Π21
2 produces a simpler dimen-
sionless parameter, namely
  
21 21 k qvCP q
Π 1 Π2 5 5 5 Π3
LvCP k 2 ΔK kLΔK
Therefore, the solution in functional notation is
f ðΠ1 ; Π3 Þ 5 0
or
Π3 5 κ 3 f ðΠ1 Þ
The total number of experiments NExpts
Total
required to define the above
function is

NExpts
Total
5 51 5 5

You wonder how many experiments you would have to perform if

you had analyzed your invention dimensionally. Thus, you write the
dimensional solution for your invention as
q 5 κ 3 f ðL; ΔK; v; CP ; kÞ
The required experiments to define this new function is

NExpts
Total
5 55 5 3125

Comparing the number of experiments required for your project,

you opt to validate your invention using the dimensionless solution.
After experimentally validating your invention, you discuss it with
your attorney and learn that someone else has already patented your
idea. Thus, another lesson learned at the University of Life: check with
your patent attorney before commencing experimental work to con-
firm an idea.

6.4 FILM COEFFICIENT FOR BATCH MIXER HEAT

TRANSFER1(PP122
124),2(PP535
537)
At some point in our careers as chemical engineers, we will operate a
batch mixer. From a safety viewpoint, we are concerned about remov-
ing the heat that may occur upon mixing two liquids. We want to avoid
thermal “runaway” when adding one fluid to another fluid control,
90 Dimensional Analysis

upon fluid mixing. From a production capacity viewpoint, we are con-

cerned with applying heat fast enough to initiate reaction in a reason-
able amount of time. Therefore, consider a reactor with a coiled pipe
placed internally to add or remove heat from the mixing liquids. The
reactor is equipped with a turbine agitator that moves the contained
liquids quickly enough that heat transfer within the mixing liquids is not
the limiting factor. The rate at which fluid flows through the internal
coil establishes a temperature difference between the inside and outside
of the internal coil. As with any fluid flowing over a surface, a thin film
forms along the internal surface of the coil. Heat must “diffuse” through
this film when being transferred into or from the reactor. Thus, the rate
of heat transfer inside the coil depends upon the thickness of this film,
and film thickness depends upon fluid viscosity, fluid velocity, and coil
diameter. We define the heat transfer film coefficient as
q
h5
AtðΔKÞ
where q is the heat transferred into or from the the reactor [L2MT22],
A is the area through which heat transfers [L2], t is time [T], and ΔK is
temperature difference [θ]. Thus, the heat transfer film coefficient has
dimensions of [MT23θ21].

The question is: what is the relationship of h to the various operating

variables of the reactor? The geometric variable is pipe diameter D [L].
The material variables are fluid heat capacity CP [L2T22θ21], fluid heat
conductivity k [LMT23θ21], and dynamic viscosity μ [L21MT21]. The
process variables are heat transfer film coefficient h [MT23θ21] and
mass rate of fluid per unit area Q [L22MT21]. The Dimension Table is
Variables h Q CP D k μ

Dimensions L 0 22 2 1 1 21
M 1 1 0 0 1 1
T 23 21 22 0 23 21
θ 21 0 21 0 21 0

The Dimension matrix is

2 3
0 22 2 1 1 21
6 1 1 0 0 1 1 7
6 7
4 23 21 22 0 23 21 5
21 0 21 0 21 0
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 91

The largest square matrix for this Dimension matrix is 4 3 4, which

is as follows:
2 3
2 1 1 21
6 0 0 1 1 7
R564 22
7
0 23 21 5
21 0 21 0
The determinant of R is
 
 2 1 1 21 

 0 0 1 1 
jRj 5  50
 22 0 23 21 
 21 0 21 0 

Thus, R cannot be a 4 3 4 matrix. So, what does this mean? It

means we have at least one irrelevant fundamental dimension in our
analysis. We must delete one fundamental dimension from our analy-
sis. We will delete temperature θ. The new Dimensional Table is
Variables h Q CP D k μ

Dimensions L 0 22 2 1 1 21
M 1 1 0 0 1 1
T 23 21 22 0 23 21

and the new Dimension matrix is

2 3
0 22 2 1 1 21
4 1 1 0 0 1 1 5
23 21 22 0 23 21
The largest square matrix for the new Dimension matrix is 3 3 3,
which is as follows:
2 3
1 1 21
R540 1 1 5
0 23 21
Its determinant is
 
1 1 21 

jRj 5  0 1 1  5 2
0 23 21 
92 Dimensional Analysis

Thus, the Rank of the new Dimension matrix is 3. The number of

dimensionless parameters is
NP 5 NVar 2 R 5 6 2 3 5 3
The inverse of the Rank matrix is
2 321 2 3
1 1 21 1 2 1
R21 5 4 0 1 1 5 540 20:5 20:5 5
0 23 21 0 1:5 0:5
and the Bulk matrix is
2 3
0 22 2
B54 1 1 0 5
23 21 22
Therefore, 2R21 3 B is
2 32 3 2 3
1 2 1 0 22 2 1 1 0
2R21 3 B 5 2 4 0 20:5 20:5 54 1 1 0 5 5 4 21 0 21 5
0 1:5 0:5 23 21 22 0 21 1

Calculating matrix V to determine if our analysis includes any irrel-

evant variables, we obtain, with variable identification,
D k μ
2 3T 2 3
1 1 0 1 21 0
ð2R21 3 BÞT 5 4 21 0 21 5 5 41 0 21 5
0 21 1 0 21 1
No column of matrix V is entirely comprised of zeroes; thus, we
have no irrelevant variables in this example.
The Total matrix is
Π1 Π2 Π3
2 3
h 1 0 0 0 0 0
Q6 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 7
7
6 7
CP 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 7
T5 6 7
D6 6 1 1 0 0 22 2 7
7
6 7
k 4 21 0 21 1 1 0 5
μ 0 21 1 23 21 22
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 93

The dimensionless parameters, reading down each Πi column of the

Total matrix, are
hD QD μCP
Π1 5 ; Π2 5 ; Π3 5
k μ k
Note that Π1 is the Nusselt number, Π3 is the Prandtl number, and
Π2 is one of the variant forms of the Reynolds number.
The solution in functional form is
 
hD QD μCP
f ðΠ1 ; Π2 ; Π3 Þ 5 f ; ; 50
k μ k
and in terms of Π1, the functional solution is
 
QD μCP
Π1 5 κ 3 f ðΠ2 ; Π3 Þ 5 κ 3 f ; 50
μ k
Thus, the dimensionless solution requires 25 experiments while the
dimensional solution
h 5 f ðQ; CP ; D; k; μÞ
requires 3125 experiments to define h. The dimensionless solution
represents a significant cost savings with respect to research and engi-
neering effort. Also, this example shows that the Dimensional Analysis
result can be displayed on one plot. The experimental data for the
dimensional solution requires a book.

6.5 STEADY STATE HEAT TRANSFER IN BUBBLE

COLUMNS3(PP185
189)
Consider a cylindrical column into which liquid and gas are pumped
through bottom nozzles. Both fluids flow upward to the discharge
port at the top of the column. At steady state, how does the heat
transfer coefficient relate to the other pertinent variables of the
process?

The geometric variable is column diameter D [L]. The material vari-

ables are liquid density ρ [L23M], liquid heat capacity CP
[L2MT22θ21], and liquid thermal conductivity k [LMT23θ21]. The
process variables are gas volumetric flow rate Q [L3T21] and gravity
difference between the two fluids gΔρ [L21MT22].
94 Dimensional Analysis

The Dimension Table is

Variables h D ρ μ CP k Q gΔρ

Dimensions L 0 1 23 21 2 1 3 22
M 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1
T 23 0 0 21 22 23 21 22
θ 21 0 0 0 21 21 0 0

and the Dimension matrix is

2 3
0 1 23 21 2 1 3 22
6 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 7
6 7
4 23 0 0 21 22 23 21 22 5
21 0 0 0 21 21 0 0
The largest square matrix for this Dimension matrix is 4 3 4, which is
2 3
2 1 3 22
6 1 1 0 1 7
R56 4 22 23 21 22 5
7

21 21 0 0
Its determinant is
 
 2 1 3 22 

 1 1 0 1 
jRj 5  524
 22 23 21 22 
 21 21 0 0 
The Rank of this Dimension matrix is 4. The number of dimension-
less parameters is
NP 5 NVar 2 R 5 8 2 4 5 4
The inverse of R is
2 321 2 3
2 1 3 22 0:25 2 0:75 0
6 1 1 0 1 7 6 20:25 22 20:75 21 7
R21 5 6
4 22 23 21
7 56 7
22 5 4 0:25 0 20:25 1 5
21 21 0 0 0 1 0 1
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 95

and the Bulk matrix is

2 3
0 1 23 21
6 1 0 1 1 7
B56
4 23
7
0 0 21 5
21 0 0 0
Therefore, 2 R21 3 B is
2 32 3
0:25 2 0:75 0 0 1 23 21
6 20:25 22 20:75 21 7 6 1 7
6 76 1 0 1 7
2R21 3 B 5 2 6 76 7
4 0:25 0 20:25 1 54 23 0 0 21 5
0 1 0 1 21 0 0 0
2 3
0:25 20:25 21:25 21
6 21:25 1 7
6 0:25 1:25 7
56 7
4 0:25 20:25 0:75 0 5
0 0 21 21

Calculating matrix V to determine if our analysis includes any irrel-

evant variables, we obtain, with variable identification,
CP k q gΔρ
2 3T 2 3
0:25 20:25 21:25 21 0:25 21:25 0:25 0
6 21:25 0:25 1:25 1 7 6 20:25 0:25 20:25 0 7
ð2R21 3BÞT 5 6
4 0:25 20:25 0:75 0 5
7 56
4 21:25 1:25 0:75 21 5
7

0 0 21 21 21 1 0 21

No column of matrix V is entirely comprised of zeroes; thus, we

have no irrelevant variables in this example.
The Total matrix is
Π1 Π2 Π3 Π4
2 3
h 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
D 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
ρ 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
μ 6 0 0 7
6 0 0 1 0 0 0 7
T5 6 7
CP 6 0:25 20:25 21:25 21 0:25 12 0:75 0 7
6 7
k 6 21:25 0:25 1:25 1 20:25 22 20:75 21 7
6 7
Q 4 0:25 20:25 0:75 0 0:25 0 20:25 1 5
gΔρ 0 0 21 21 0 1 0 1
96 Dimensional Analysis

The dimensionless parameters, reading down each Πi column of the

Total matrix, are
hCP0:25 Q0:25 Dk 0:25 ρk 1:25 Q0:75 μk
Π1 5 ; Π 2 5 ; Π 3 5 ; Π4 5
k 1:25 CP Q
0:25 0:25
CP gΔρ
1:25 C P gΔρ

It is best to use dimensionless parameters with whole number indi-

ces on their variables. Doing so makes it easier to interpret their physi-
cal meaning. We can achieve whole number indices on variables by
combining the members of a given set of dimensionless parameters.
For example, from the above set of dimensionless parameters, we can
combine Π2, Π3, and Π4 to obtain a variant of the Reynolds number,
namely
Π3 ρk1:25 Q0:75 =CP1:25 gΔρ ρQ
5 5
Π2 Π4 ðDk0:25 =CP Q0:25 Þðμk=CP gΔρÞ μD
0:25

Similarly, combining Π1 and Π2 produces the Nusselt number

 0:25 0:25  
hCP Q Dk 0:25 hD
Π1 Π2 5 5
k 1:25 CP Q
0:25 0:25 k
Combining Π2 and Π3 gives us a variant of the Froude number,
thus
Π3 ρk 1:25 Q0:75 =CP1:25 gΔρ ρQ2
5 5
Π52 ðDk 0:25 =CP0:25 Q0:25 Þ5 D5 gΔρ

We can obtain a variant of the Prandtl by combining the dimen-

sionless parameters, i.e.,

Π4 ðμk=CP gΔρÞ μCP

5 5 5 Pr
Π2 Π3
3
ðDk =CP Q Þ ðρk Q =CP gΔρÞ ρkD3
0:25 0:25 0:25 3 1:25 0:75 1:25

The solution to this example in functional form is

!
Π3 Π3 Π4
f Π1 Π 2 ; ; ; 5 f ðNu; Re; Fr; PrÞ 5 0
Π2 Π4 Π52 Π32 Π3

In terms of the heat transfer coefficient, the solution is

Nu 5 κ 3 f ðRe; Fr; PrÞ
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 97

The total number of experiments required to define the above func-

tion is

NExpts
Total
5 53 5 125

If we solve this example dimensionally, we obtain the functional

solution:
h 5 κ 3 f ðD; ρ; μ; CP ; k; Q; gΔρÞ
The required experiments to define the function is

NExpts
Total
5 57 5 78;125

which dramatically shows the benefits of developing a project using

Dimensional Analysis compared to our normal process development
procedures.

6.6 HEAT TRANSFER INSIDE TUBES5

Consider a fluid flowing inside a pipe or tube. The heat transferred to
the flowing fluid is
q 5 hAΔKΔt
where q is the heat transferred to the flowing fluid, h is the convective
heat transfer coefficient for the process, A is the area through which heat
is transferred, ΔK is the temperature difference between the pipe’s wall
temperature and the average temperature of the flowing fluid, given by
KAve 5 (KCenterLine 2 KWall)/2, and Δt is the time duration of heat flow.

The geometric variable is pipe diameter D [L]. The material variables

are fluid density ρ [L23M], fluid dynamic viscosity μ [L21MT21], fluid
heat capacity CP [L2MT22θ21], fluid thermal conductivity k
[LMT23θ21], and fluid heat transfer coefficient h [MT23θ21]. The pro-
cess variables are fluid velocity v [LT21], average fluid temperature
KAve [θ], and pipe wall temperature K [θ]. The Dimensional Table is
Variables KAve KPipe D v μ ρ CP k h

Dimensions L 0 0 1 1 21 23 2 1 0
M 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
T 0 0 0 21 21 0 22 23 23
θ 1 1 0 0 0 0 21 21 21
98 Dimensional Analysis

from which we write the Dimension matrix, which is

2 3
0 0 1 1 21 23 2 1 0
60 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 7
6 7
40 0 0 21 21 0 22 23 23 5
1 1 0 0 0 0 21 21 21

The largest square matrix for this Dimension matrix is 4 3 4, which

is as follows:
2 3
23 2 1 0
6 1 0 1 1 7
R56
4 0
7
22 23 23 5
0 21 21 21

Its determinant is
 
 23 2 1 0 

 1 0 1 1 
jRj 5  521
 0 22 23 23 
 0 21 21 21 

The determinant for the Rank matrix is nonsingular; thus, the

Rank of this Dimension matrix is 4. The number of dimensionless
parameters is
NP 5 NVar 2 R 5 9 2 4 5 5
The inverse of R is
2 321 2 3
23 2 1 0 0 1 1 22
6 1 0 1 1 7 6 0 0 1 23 7
R21 5 64 0 22
7 56
5 4
7
23 23 1 3 1 0 5
0 21 21 21 21 23 22 2
and the Bulk matrix is
2 3
0 0 1 1 21
60 0 0 0 1 7
B56
40
7
0 0 21 21 5
1 1 0 0 0
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 99

and 2R21 3 B is
2 32 3
0 1 1 22 0 0 1 1 21
6 0 76
23 76 0 1 7
6 0 1 0 0 0 7
2R21 3 B 5 2 6 76 7
4 1 3 1 0 54 0 0 0 21 21 5
21 23 22 2 1 1 0 0 0
2 3
2 2 0 1 0
6 3 1 7
6 3 0 1 7
56 7
4 0 0 21 0 21 5
22 22 1 21 0
Calculating matrix V to determine if our analysis includes any irrel-
evant variables, we obtain, with variable identification,

2ρ CP k h 3
2 3T 2 3 0 22
2 2 0 1 0 62
6 3 0 22 7
3 3 0 1 1 7 6 7
ð2R21 3 BÞT 5 6
4 0
7 5 60 0 21 1 7
0 21 0 21 5 6
41
7
1 0 21 5
22 22 1 21 0
0 1 21 0

No column of matrix V is entirely comprised of zeroes; thus, we

have no irrelevant variables in this example.
The Total matrix is
Π1 Π2 Π3 Π4 Π5
2 3
KAve 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
KPipe 6 0 7
6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
D 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
6 7
v 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
6 7
T5 μ 6 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 7
6 7
ρ 6 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 22 7
6 7
6 7
CP 6 3 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 23 7
6 7
6 7
k 4 0 0 21 0 21 1 3 1 0 5
h 22 22 1 21 0 21 23 22 2
100 Dimensional Analysis

The dimensionless parameters, reading down each Πi column of the

Total matrix, are

KAve ρ2 CP3 KPipe ρ2 CP3 hD ρvCP

Π1 5 ; Π2 5 ; Π3 5 5 Nu; Π4 5 ;
h2 h2 k h
μCP
Π5 5 5 Pr
k
Manipulating the above dimensionless parameters in order to remove
indices .1 gives us
Π1 KAve ρ2 CP3 =h2 KAve
5 5
Π2 KPipe ρ2 CP =h2
3 KPipe
Π3 Π4 ðhD=kÞðρvCP =hÞ ρDv
5 5 5 Re
Π5 μCP =k μ
Π24 ðρvCP =hÞ2 v2
5 5
Π1 KAve ρ2 CP3 =h2 KAve CP

The solution to this example in functional form is

   
Π3 Π4 Π1 Π24 Π1 Π24
f Π3 ; Π5 ; ; ; 5 f Nu; Pr; Re; ; 50
Π5 Π2 Π1 Π2 Π1
The solution in terms of the heat transfer coefficient is
 
Π1 Π24
Nu 5 κ 3 f Pr; Re; ;
Π2 Π1
But, the fourth and fifth terms in these functions are generally con-
sidered negligible when analyzing such processes. Thus
Nu 5 κ 3 f ðPr; ReÞ
The total number of experiments required to define the above func-
tion is

NExpts
Total
5 52 5 25

If we solve this example dimensionally, we obtain the functional

solution:
h 5 κ 3 f ðKAve ; KPipe ; D; v; μ; ρ; CP ; kÞ
 Thermal Examples of Dimensional Analysis 101

The required number of experiments to define the dimensional func-

tion is

NExpts
Total
5 58 5 390; 625

This example, again, confirms the benefits of developing a project

using Dimensional Analysis compared to our normal process develop-
ment procedures.

6.7 SUMMARY
We progressed from three fundamental dimensions to four fundamen-
tal dimensions in this chapter. The additional fundamental dimension
increased the complexity of our Dimensional Analysis by adding a row
to the Dimension Table and by increasing the variables in each exam-
ple. We estimated the number of experiments required to establish the
function for each example and compared that estimation to the num-
ber of experiments required to confirm a dimensional result. The out-
come of that comparison was, in each case: develop projects using
Dimensional Analysis whenever possible.

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59.
5. W. McAdams, Heat Transmission, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New
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