It is common to correct for the effect of exponential dependence on inverse absolute temperature of the viscosity on the Nusselt number for laminar natural convection by multiplying the correlation for constant properties by a factor μ∞/μwn to obtain Nu=C Ra1/4μ∞/μwn. That there is a sound basis for the functional form of this corrective term is newly shown by employing an integral method to obtain closed-form solutions to the laminar boundary-layer equations for the case of a vertical plate of specified temperature immersed in such a liquid. The basis for the alternative means of correction by using the correlation for constant properties with viscosity evaluated at a special reference temperature is also shown.

Issue Section:
Technical Notes
Keywords:
viscosity, natural convection, laminar flow, boundary layers, Boundary Layer, Convection, Heat Transfer, Natural Convection
Topics:
Boundary layers, Natural convection, Temperature, Viscosity
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