Experimental Study of Forced Convection From Isothermal Circular and Square Cylinders and Toroids

Abstract

Experimental studies of forced convection heat transfer from different body shapes were conducted to determine the effects of Reynolds number and different characteristic body lengths on the area-averaged Nusselt number. Although the bodies differed significantly in their shapes, they had approximately the same total surface area, A = 11,304 mm2 ± 5%. This ensured that for a given free stream velocity and total heat transfer rate all bodies had similar trends for the relationship of Nusselt and Reynolds numbers. The experimental program range was conducted in the Reynolds number range 104≤ReA≤105 and Prandtl number 0.71. Finally, the empirical models for forced convection heat transfer were developed. These empirical models were valid for a wide range of Reynolds numbers 0≤ReA≤105. The present experimental correlations were compared with available correlation equations and experimental data. These comparisons show very good agreement.