Free Convection Heat Transfer From a Heated Horizontal Plate Facing Downwards

Abstract

<p> An experimental study of free convection heat transfer from a heated horizontal plate facing downwards in air is reported in this thesis. The results of this study are in good agreement with the results obtained by Fishenden and Saunders. This study also investigates the effects of restraining the development of the thermal boundary layer with 1/2" and 1" edge strips around the edges of the test plate. This study led to the conclusion that edge restrains tended to decrease the heat transfer from the plate. </p> <p> The range of Grashof Prandtl Number product investigated is between 4 x 10⁸ and 8 x 10⁹ resulting in the heat flux range of 0.7 Btu/hrft² to 102 Btu/hrft². Correlations are presented relating heat flux and temperature difference between plate surface temperature and ambient temperature. </p>