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Heat Transfer Engineering

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Experimental Investigations on Natural Convection

Heat Transfer Around Horizontal Triangular Ducts
a a
Mohamed E. Ali & Hany Al-Ansary
a
Mechanical Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Version of record first published: 11 Oct 2011.

To cite this article: Mohamed E. Ali & Hany Al-Ansary (2010): Experimental Investigations on Natural Convection Heat
Transfer Around Horizontal Triangular Ducts, Heat Transfer Engineering, 31:5, 350-361

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 Heat Transfer Engineering, 31(5):350–361, 2010
Copyright

C Taylor and Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 0145-7632 print / 1521-0537 online
DOI: 10.1080/01457630903373132

Experimental Investigations on
Natural Convection Heat Transfer
Around Horizontal Triangular Ducts

MOHAMED E. ALI and HANY AL-ANSARY

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Mechanical Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Experimental investigations have been reported on steady-state natural convection from the outer surfaces of horizontal
ducts with triangular cross sections in air. Two different horizontal positions are considered; in the first position, the
vertex of the triangle faces up, while in the other position, the vertex faces down. Five equilateral triangular cross-section
ducts have been used with cross-section side length of 0.044, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, and 0.13 m. The ducts are heated using
internal constant-heat-flux heating elements. The temperatures along the surface and peripheral directions of the duct
wall are measured. Longitudinal (perimeter-averaged) heat transfer coefficients along the side of each duct are obtained for
natural convection heat transfer. Total overall averaged heat transfer coefficients are also obtained. Longitudinal (perimeter-
averaged) Nusselt numbers and the modified Rayleigh numbers are evaluated and correlated using different characteristic
lengths. Furthermore, total overall averaged Nusselt numbers are correlated with the modified Rayleigh numbers. Moreover,
a dimensionless temperature group was developed and correlated with the modified Rayleigh number. For the upward-facing
case, laminar and transition regimes are obtained and characterized. However, for the downward-facing vertex case, only
the transition regime is observed. The local (perimeter-averaged) or the overall total Nusselt numbers increase as the
modified Rayleigh numbers increase in the transition regime. However, Nusselt numbers decrease as the modified Rayleigh
numbers increase in the laminar regime.

INTRODUCTION Free convection simulation from an elliptic cylinder was stud-

Steady-state natural convection from triangular ducts has
many engineering applications, e.g., cooling of electronic com-
ponents, design of solar collectors, and heat exchangers. Survey
of the literature shows that correlations for natural convection
from a vertical plate (McAdams [1] and Churchill and Chu [2]),
a horizontal surface (Goldstein et al. [3] and Lloyd and Moran
[4]), a long horizontal cylinder (Morgan [5] and Churchill and
Chu [6]), and spheres (Churchill [7]) have been reported for
different thermal boundary conditions. Recently, fluid flow and
heat transfer from an infinite circular cylinder has been reported
for both isothermal and isoflux boundary conditions in Newto-
nian and power-law fluids by Khan et al. [8] and [9], respectively.
This experimental investigation is supported by Saudi Arabian Basic Indus-
trial Company (SABIC) and the Research Center, College of Engineering at
King Saud University under project 22/427. This support is highly appreciated
and acknowledged.
Address correspondence to Professor Mohamed E. Ali, Mechanical Engi-
neering Department, King Saud University, PO Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi
Arabia. E-mail: mali@ksu.edu.sa
ied by Badr and Shamsher [10] and by Mahfouz and Kocabiyik
[11], and correlations for natural convection from helical coils
were reported by Ali [12–15] for different Prandtl numbers.
On the other hand, there are limited correlations available
in the literature for natural convection from the outer surface
of triangular ducts, which motivates the current investigation.
The approximation method suggested by Raithby and Hollands
[16] to predict heat transfer from cylinders of various cross
sections and for wide ranges of Prandtl and Rayleigh numbers
was simplified by Hassani [17] for two-dimensional cylinders of
arbitrary cross section. The laminar free convection from a hor-
izontal cylinder with cross section of arbitrary shape had been
theoretically analyzed for uniform surface temperature and uni-
form surface heat flux by Nakamura and Asako [18]. Nakamura
and Asako [18] also checked their analytical results by experi-
ments for a short modified triangular prism in water. However,
their results showed that the experimental mean heat transfer
coefficient is about 10 to 30% higher than their analytical value.
Recently, Zeitoun and Ali [19] have reported numerical sim-
ulations of natural convection heat transfer from isothermal

350
 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY 351

horizontal rectangular cross-section ducts in air. Their results

Ac
showed that as the aspect ratio increases, separation and circu- Power line
lation occur on the top surface of the duct at fixed Rayleigh num-
W VR
ber, and the corresponding behavior has been observed through
the isotherms. Zeitoun and Ali have also obtained a general cor- Bk
relation using the aspect ratio as a parameter. Most recently, Ali D
[20] has reported an experimental study for natural convection
heat transfer from rectangular and square ducts in air. His study H
has shown that there are two distinct regimes of heat transfer:
laminar and transition. These modes are fully reported and cor-
TCW
related using the modified Rayleigh numbers and the overall
correlation is also obtained. DA
This article presents the results of an experimental investiga-
tion of natural convection heat transfer from the outer surface
of triangular ducts with their axis oriented horizontally. The
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study focuses on the determination of local axial (perimeter-

averaged) and overall averaged heat transfer coefficient in di-
mensionless form of Nusselt numbers. Furthermore, general (a)
correlations using Nusselt numbers as function of the modified
Rayleigh numbers are obtained. A new dimensionless surface
temperature group was also obtained and correlated with the
modified Rayleigh number.

EXPERIMENT SETUP AND PROCEDURE

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-section view of the duct

(D) and the thermocouple locations in the longitudinal (axial)
direction (TCW) on three sides of the duct. The ducts are po-
sitioned such that the vertex of the triangle faces down in one
position and faces up in the second position. Five ducts are used
with equilateral cross-section side length of 0.044, 0.06, 0.08,
0.10, and 0.13 m, with the duct length being 1 m. The ducts (D)
were made from steel (polished mild steel). An electrical heat-
ing element (H) (0.0066 m outer diameter) was inserted into the
center of the duct. Bakelite end plates (Bk, thermal conductivity
= 0.15 W/mK [21]) that are 0.0206 m thick were attached at
both ends of each test duct (D) to reduce the rate of heat loss
from the duct ends.
The surface temperature was measured at 11 points in the
longitudinal direction of each duct at the three equilateral sur-
faces as seen in Figure 1a. Thirty-five calibrated chromel–alumel
(type K) self-adhesive thermocouples (0.3 s time response with
flattened bead) were affixed to the duct surfaces 0.1 m apart and
two of them were affixed to the outer surface of the Bakelite
end plates; one for each plate. Two thermocouples (0.01 inch
or 0.25 mm diameter, one at each plate) were inserted through
the Bakelite end plates in the axial direction and leveled with its
inside surface as seen in Figure 1a. The ambient air temperature
was measured by one more thermocouples mounted in the room.
The duct was oriented horizontally using two vertical stands in
a room away from air conditioning and ventilation openings to
minimize any possible forced convection. Those thermocouples
were connected to a 40 channel data acquisition system (DA),
heat transfer engineering
Figure 1 (a) Schematic of the experimental system showing the thermocou-
ple locations in the longitudinal (TCW) direction (see text for details). (b). Two
randomly selected temperature time dependence signals at various distances on
the duct surface showing steady-state condition.
which in turn was connected to a computer where the measured
temperatures were stored for further analysis.
The input electrical power (Ac) to the heating element (H)
is controlled by a voltage regulator (VR). The power consumed
by the duct is measured by a wattmeter (W) and assumed to be
uniformly distributed along the duct length. The heat flux per
unit surface area of the duct is calculated by dividing the con-
sumed power (after deducting the heat loss by axial conduction
through the Bakelite end plates) over the duct outer surface area.
The input power to the duct is increased for each duct from
about 2 to 680 W in two stages up to the duct dimensions. In
the first stage, the power is increased by increasing the voltage
in 4-V steps up to 26-V for possible laminar natural convection
regime. However, in the second stage, which represents the tran-
sition regime, the voltage is increased in 10-V steps. These steps
are stopped once the surface temperature reaches 160◦ C, which
represents the thermocouples’ limit. As a result, the experiment
is repeated about 17 times for each duct to account for the var-
ious input power levels. Temperature measurements are taken
vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 352 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY

after 2 h of setting a new input power to ensure that steady-state Therefore for each heat flux (run) there are 11 Tx longitudinal
conditions have been reached as shown in Figure 1b. The pro- temperature measurements. Consequently, once the electrical
cedure just outlined is used to generate natural convection heat input power to the duct is measured, qr and qBk can be calcu-
transfer data in air (Prandtl number ≈0.69). lated from Eq. (2) and the corresponding value of qc can then
be calculated from Eq. (1). Using this information, the axial
(perimeter averaged) heat transfer coefficient hx can be calcu-
ANALYSES OF THE EXPERIMENT lated from:
qc
hx = , x = 1, 2, 3, . . . , 11 (5)
The heat generated inside the duct wall dissipates from the Tx − T∞
duct surface by convection and radiation in addition to the heat
Hence, the nondimensional axial (perimeter averaged) Nusselt
lost by axial conduction through the Bakelite end plates:
number and the modified Rayleigh number are obtained from:
EIP = Electrical input power = As (qc + qr ) + ABk qBk (1)
hx x g β qc x4
Nux = , Ra∗x = (6)
where As is the duct total surface area, ABk is the Bakelite sur- k νkα
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face area normal to the direction of heat transfer by conduction All physical properties are evaluated at the axial perimeter av-
through the end plates, and qc and qr are the fraction of the heat eraged mean temperature θx for each qc .
flux dissipated from the duct surface by convection and radi- Since the duct surface is uniformly heated, the surface tem-
ation, respectively. The heat flux lost by radiation (qr ) and by perature distribution becomes another important parameter. A
axial conduction through the Bakelite end plates (qBk ) can be suitable way to account for the axial surface temperature dis-
calculated respectively by: tribution is by using a dimensionless surface temperature group

 (TiB − ToB ) χ = (Txq−T ∞) k
in a correlated form of Rayleigh number, as shown
qr = εσ T̄4 −, T4sur , qBk = kBk (2) c Lc
in the Results section.
δ
It should be noted that qr is estimated using the total overall
averaged surface temperature T̄ at each experimental run on a
Total Overall Averaged Heat Transfer Coefficient
given duct and ε is the surface emissivity of the duct, which
was taken to be 0.27 for polished mild steel [22]. Measurements
show that the fraction of radiated heat transfer is about 16 to In this case the perimeter-averaged heat transfer coefficient
20% of the total input power, while the axial conduction heat hx is first evaluated at each station x as in Eq. (5) and then the
lost through the Bakelite end plates is 0.5 to 1.1%. In the second overall longitudinal average h̄1 is obtained as:
term of Eq. (2), TiB and ToB are the measured inside and outside 
9
surface temperatures of the Bakelite end plates, respectively, h̄1 = hx /7 (7)
and kBk and δ represent the Bakelite thermal conductivity and x=3
thickness, respectively. The heat transferred by convection is
It should be mentioned that to obtain the overall average heat
assumed to dissipate uniformly from the outer surface of the
transfer coefficient by Eq. (7), two stations from each end are
duct. It is also assumed that the duct’s surface behaves as a
excluded to eliminate end effects, allowing only seven stations
gray surface such that the first part of Eq. (2) can be used for
to be used in the equation.
estimating the radiative heat lost.
Therefore, each heat flux qc is represented by only one over-
all averaged heat transfer coefficient, in contrast to the axial
Axial (Perimeter-Averaged) Heat Transfer Coefficient case where qc is presented by 11 hx terms along the longitudi-
nal direction given by Eq. (5). All perimeter-averaged physical
properties are first obtained at θx ; then the overall averaged
In this case the perimeter-averaged surface temperature at
properties are obtained the same way following Eq. (7). The
any station x in the longitudinal direction for each constant heat
nondimensional overall averaged Nusselt number and the mod-
flux (run) is determined by:
ified Rayleigh number are defined using either the duct length

3 as a characteristic length (L = 1 m) or one side of the equi-
Tx = Txj /3, (3) lateral cross-section triangle Lc as a characteristic length as
j=1 follows:
where j represents the thermocouples in the perimeter direction h̄1 L g β qc L4 h̄1 Lc
at any station x along the surface of the duct. The arithmetic NuL = , Ra∗L = or NuLc = ,
k νkα k
mean surface temperature is calculated along the axial direction
for each run by: g β qc L4c
Ra∗Lc = (8)
θx = 0.5 (Tx + T∞ ), x = 1, 2, . . . , 11 (4) νkα

heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010

 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY 353

In order to compare the present results with similar previously Table 1 Maximum percentage uncertainties of various quantities in the
published results, another way of averaged results using the laminar and transition regimes
overall averaged temperature is also used. In this way the tem- Transition range (%)
perature is first perimeter-averaged following Eq. (3), and then Laminar range (%),
the overall average temperature is obtained as: Quantity duct facing up Duct facing up Duct facing down

EIP 3.49 2.73 2.74


9 qBk 17.93 12.09 12.85
T̄ = Tx /7 (9) qr 17.87 10.76 11.95
x=3 qc 6.70 4.49 4.67
h 14.32 7.56 7.69
All physical properties are obtained in this case at the arithmetic Nux 14.33 7.57 7.71
Ra∗x 6.87 4.73 4.91
mean surface temperature,
NuL 16.20 8.7 8.69
Ra∗L 6.74 4.52 4.71
Tmean = 0.5 (T̄ + T∞ ) (10)

The overall averaged heat transfer coefficient for constant heat

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

flux is determined from:
qc
h̄2 =
(T̄ − T∞ )
and Nusselt and Rayleigh numbers using one side length of the
equilateral cross-section triangle Lc as a characteristic length
are defined in this case as:
h̄2 Lc g β (T̄ − T∞ ) L3c
NuLc = , RaLc =
k να
Experimental Uncertainty
In this section, the experimental uncertainty is to be estimated
for the calculated results on the basis of the uncertainties in
the primary measurements. It should be mentioned that some
of the experiments are repeated more than twice to check the
calculated results and the general trends of the data, especially
in the laminar range of the experiment. The error in measuring
the temperature, estimating the emissivity, and calculating the
surface area is ±0.2◦ C, ±0.02, and ±0.003 m2 , respectively.
The accuracy in measuring the voltage is taken from the manual
of the wattmeter as 0.5% of reading ±2 counts with a resolution
of 0.1 V, and the corresponding one for the current is 0.7% of
reading ±5 counts +1 mA with a resolution of 1 mA.
For each run, 40 scans of the temperature measurement are
made by the data acquisition system for each channel and the
mathematical average of these scans is obtained. Furthermore,
since the input power, as mentioned earlier, has two stages, one
for laminar and the other for transition, then using the already
mentioned errors produces the maximum itemized uncertainties
of the calculated results shown in Table 1 for each range using
the method recommended by Moffat [23]. Table 1 shows, in
general, that the uncertainty of the quantities in the laminar
regime is higher than that in the transition regime, which is
expected since both the input power and the temperature range
are very small.
heat transfer engineering
Experimental data are obtained for triangular ducts oriented
(11)
horizontally in air. Figure 2a and b shows the axial perimeter av-
eraged surface temperature normalized by the ambient temper-
ature t∞ versus the dimensionless axial (longitudinal) distance
along the duct for some selected values of qc using duct number
5 (Lc = 0.13 m) when the vertex of the triangle faces up. As
seen in Figure 2b, the temperature distribution at low heat flux is
(12) least affected by the end effects where the heat lost through the
Bakelite end plates is minimal. Therefore, the thermal boundary
layer thickness is expected to be limited and the convection ve-
locity to be small. As the heat flux inside the duct increases, the
surface temperature increases and the end effects become more
noticeable. In this case, both the thermal layer thickness and
the natural convection velocity increase, leading to an intensive
convection plume, which in turn enhances the heat transfer co-
efficient as seen in Figure 3a. The distance between the dashed
lines in Figure 2a and b shows that the temperature is almost
uniform and minimally affected by the end effects. Therefore,
in order to avoid the end effects, the test section of the duct is
chosen to be between these two dashed lines where the study
is focused. Figure 2a shows the axial temperature distributions
as in Figure 2b but for higher values of heat flux where the end
effects are noticeable.
The heat transfer coefficients corresponding to the temper-
ature profiles given by Figure 2a are presented in Figure 3a.
This figure shows a comparison between the axial perimeter-
averaged heat transfer coefficient and the overall averaged heat
transfer coefficient. Figure 3a shows the transition regime where
heat transfer coefficient increases as the heat flux increases. It is
worth mentioning that the data in this figure are for duct number
5 (Lc = 0.13 m) and correspond to the temperature distributions
given in Figure 2a. It should be noted that other ducts give sim-
ilar effects. On the other hand, Figure 3b shows that the heat
transfer coefficient corresponding to the temperature profiles in
Figure 2b decreases as the heat flux increases, confirming that
the laminar regime is achieved.
The axial perimeter averaged Nusselt numbers versus
the modified Rayleigh numbers are shown in Figure 4,
vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 354 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY

7.0 12

qc= 1396.96 W/m2

qc= 1396.96 W/m2
1210.42
6.0
11

hx(W/m2K)
t/t

1021.31
1210.42
5.0
835.97
1021.31
10

4.0
835.97
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9
3.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 x/L
x/L (a)
(a) 7.2

1.20

qc= 7.47 W/m2

qc= 22.86 W/m2 6.8

1.15
hx(W/m2K)

6.4 14.42
t/t

14.42
1.10 6.0 22.86

5.6
7.47
1.05

5.2
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
1.00 x/L
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 (b)
x/L Figure 3 Axial perimeter averaged heat transfer coefficient (solid lines) along
(b) the duct surface for selected heat fluxes for duct number 5 (Lc = 0.13 m). Dashed
lines present the overall averaged heat transfer coefficient given by Eq. (7): (a)
Figure 2 Perimeter-averaged dimensionless axial temperature distributions
transition regime and (b) laminar regime.
along the duct surface for selected heat fluxes for duct number 5 (Lc = 0.13 m):
(a) transition regime and (b) laminar regime.

(ii) The decrease in Nux at fixed x and at different heat flux

corresponding to the test section defined by the dashed lines
in Figure 2 using all ducts for all heat fluxes. Since the modi-
fied Rayleigh number is a function of qc and x4 , the following
observations can be drawn from this figure:
(i) At any fixed station x along the duct length, as the heat
flux increases the Nusselt number decreases down to a
minimum critical value, then increases as qc increases.
heat transfer engineering
corresponds to an increase in Ra∗x as indicated by the down-
ward inclined arrow.
(iii) At fixed heat flux, as x increases along the duct surface,
Nux increases. This corresponds to an increase in Ra∗x as
indicated by the upward inclined arrow.
(iv) Below the solid line, all the data are less sensitive to be dis-
tinguished either for qc or x and are collapsed on each other
with general trends of increasing Nux as Ra∗x increases.
vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY 355

1000
0.10 18%
8

6
Nux
4
100
χ

Duct # 1 (4.4 cm) Duct # 1 (4.4 cm)

2
Duct # 2 (6 cm) Duct # 2 (6 cm)
Duct # 3 (8 cm) Duct # 3 (8 cm)
Duct # 4 (10 cm)
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Duct # 4 (10 cm)

Duct # 5 (13 cm) Duct # 5 (13 cm)
10
1E+7 1E+8 1E+9 1E+10 1E+11 1E+12 0.01
1E+5 1E+6 1E+7 1E+8 1E+9
Rax* Ra
Lc
Figure 4 Local perimeter averaged Nusselt numbers versus the modified
Rayleigh numbers; solid line separates the laminar data (above the line) and the Figure 6 Local perimeter-averaged dimensionless surface temperature dis-
transition data (below the line). The inclined upward arrow shows the transition tributions for up-facing triangular ducts; solid line presents the fitting through
direction, while the downward arrow presents the laminar direction up to the the data given by Eq. (15).
solid line.
region, and it should be noted that this region has a high
Therefore, this region can be characterized as a transition experimental uncertainty as seen in Table 1.
region, as seen in Figure 5.
(v) The data above the solid line, as mentioned earlier, can be The correlation of the solid line in this figure segregating the
identified either by qc or x and cannot be collapsed on each laminar and transition data is
other. Hence, the general trend is Nux decreases as Ra∗x
increases at fixed location on the duct surface for different Nux = 0.325(Ra∗x )0.261 , 1.0 × 107 ≤ Ra∗x ≤ 1.0 × 1011 (13)
heat flux. Therefore, this region is defined as a laminar with a correlation coefficient of R = 98.2%. This line represents
the best curve fit through all the critical points of all the used
1000 ducts.
18 % Figure 5 is constructed to obtain a more general correlation
in the transition region for the data below the solid line in Figure
4. A least-squares power-law fit through the data set yields the
following correlation:
Nux = 0.429(Ra∗x )0.241 , 2.0 × 108 ≤ Ra∗x ≤ 1.0 × 1012 (14)
Nux
with a correlation coefficient of R = 97.5%, and an error band
100 of ±18% where 92.4% of the data fall within this band and the
error limits of the exponent inside this band are ±0.008. Since
the current problem involves a uniform surface heat flux, it is
important to investigate the surface temperature distribution.
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm)
Consequently, Figure 6 was developed using the dimensionless
Duct # 2 (6 cm)
Duct # 3 (8 cm) surface temperature χ vs. the modified Rayleigh numbers using
Duct # 4 (10 cm) one side of the equilateral cross-section triangle side length
Duct # 5 (13 cm) Lc as a characteristic length. The axial perimeter-averaged χ
10 plotted in Figure 6 for all up-facing triangular ducts shows a
1E+8 1E+9 1E+10 1E+11 1E+12
decreasing trend as the modified Rayleigh numbers increase.
Rax* A least-squares power-law fit through the data set yields the
Figure 5 Local perimeter-averaged Nusselt numbers versus the modified following correlation:
Rayleigh numbers for all ducts in the transition regime; solid line presents
∗ −0.198 ∗
the correlation obtained by Eq. (14). χ = 1.15 RaLc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ RaLc ≤ 6.0 × 108 (15)
heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 356 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY

1000 Dashed lines in Figure 7a represent an error band of ±15%

15 % where all the data fall within this band and the error limits of
the exponent inside this band are ±0.006 where the average
Nusselt numbers increase as the modified Rayleigh numbers
increase. Figure 7b is constructed to see the effect of using Lc as
a characteristic length on the behavior of the overall averaged
NuLc and Ra∗Lc . The fitting curve through the data points in this
Nu case is obtained as
L

0.203
NuLc = 0.789 Ra∗Lc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ Ra∗Lc ≤ 5.5 × 108 (17)
with a correlation coefficient of R = 96.4% and an error band
width of ±18% where 84.8% of the points fall within the band
and the error limits of the exponent inside this band are ±0.009.
Now we turn to the case where the vertex angle of the triangle
faces down, i.e., the duct is turned by 180 degrees. Figure 8a
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shows the axial perimeter-averaged surface temperature normal-

100 ized by the ambient temperature t∞ versus the dimensionless
1E+10 1E+11 1E+12 1E+13 axial (longitudinal) distance along the duct for some selected
RaL* values of qc using duct number 5 (Lc = 0.13 m). As seen in
(a) Figure 8a, the temperature distribution is almost uniform at the
middle (test section) between the dashed lines, but the tempera-
100 ture decreases significantly near the ends of the ducts from either
80
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm) side due to heat loss through the Bakelite end plates. It can also
Duct # 2 (6 cm) be seen that this heat loss increases as the heat flux increases.
60 Duct # 3 (8 cm)
Figure 8b shows the heat transfer coefficient corresponding to
Duct # 4 (10 cm)
Duct # 5 (13 cm) the temperature profiles given in Figure 8a. In this figure, as the
40 heat flux increases the heat transfer coefficient increases for all
values of the heat flux, in contrast to the case where the vertex
NuLc angle is facing up as discussed in Figure 3b. Therefore, in this
position of the duct the mode of heat transfer is characterized as
20 transition to turbulent for the studied range of heat flux. It should
be mentioned that lower values of heat flux have been tried and
gave no indication of the presence of a laminar range. Since the
experimental uncertainty is very high in the case of low heat
10 flux due to the low duct surface temperature, results cannot be
18% trusted and therefore are not shown here. Comparison between
the two duct orientations indicates that the laminar regime is
1E+005 1E+006 1E+007 1E+008 1E+009
observed only when the vertex angle faces up. This observation
RaLc could be attributed to the fact that the convection plume is go-
(b) ing up in a smooth way with no eddies or vortices (Figure 9a).
Figure 7 The overall averaged Nusselt numbers for the transition regime: (a)
However, the orientation where the vertex angle faces down and
using L = 1 m as a characteristic length; solid line presents the fitting through the flat surface of the triangle faces up is expected to give rise
the data given by Eq. (16); (b) using Lc as a characteristic length; solid line to eddies and vortices, which make the convection plume in the
presents the fitting through the data given by Eq. (17). transition regime. In this case, the laminar regime could not be
observed as shown in the flow pattern suggested by Figure 9b.
with a correlation coefficient of R = 95.2% and an error band Figure 10 shows all the local axial perimeter-averaged data
of ±18% where 87.8% of the data points fall within this band for this orientation of the duct to obtain a correlation in the transi-
and the error limits of the exponent inside this band are ±0.009. tion region between Nusselt number and the modified Rayleigh
The overall averaged results using the definitions of NuL and number as follows:
Ra∗L given by Eq. (8) are shown in Figure 7a for the transition
0.222
Nux = 0.688 Ra∗x , 9.0 × 107 ≤ Ra∗x ≤ 1.0 × 1012 (18)
region. The fitting curve through these data is obtained by the
following correlation, which is presented by the solid line in where the solid line represents this correlation with a correlation
Figure 7a with a correlation coefficient of R = 84.8%. coefficient of R = 97.3%, with the dashed lines showing an error

0.150 band of ±18% where 91.2% of the data fall within this band
NuL = 5.472 Ra∗L , 7.0 × 1010 ≤ Ra∗L ≤ 2.5 × 1012 (16) and the error limits of the exponent inside this band are ±0.008.
heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY 357

7.0
qc= 1402.74 W/m2
6.5

6.0
1169.93

991.53
tx / t

5.5

5.0
819.25
4.5

4.0
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(a) (b)
Figure 9 Possible changes in flow pattern with the position of the duct vertex.
3.5
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
x/L
(a)
with a correlation coefficient of R = 96.1% and an error band
of ±18% where 90% of the data points fall within this band and
12.0 with the same error limits of exponent as Eq. (15).
The overall averaged results using the definitions of NuL
and Ra∗L given by Eq. (8) are shown in Figure 12a for the transi-
11.5
qc= 1402.74 W/m2 tion region. The fitting curve through these data is obtained by
the following correlation, which is represented by the solid line
with a correlation coefficient of R = 93.1%:

0.156
hx(W/m2K)

11.0 NuL = 4.672 Ra∗L , 5.5 × 1010 ≤ Ra∗L ≤ 2.5 × 1012 (20)
1169.93
Dashed lines in Figure 12a represent an error band of ±15%
10.5
where all the data fall within this band with error limits of
991.53
1000
10.0 18 %
819.25

9.5
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
x/L
(b) Nux
Figure 8 Perimeter-averaged parameters along the down-pointing duct sur- 100
face for selected heat fluxes for duct number 5 (Lc = 0.13 m) (transition
regime): (a) dimensionless axial temperature distributions and (b) heat transfer
coefficients.

Duct # 1 (4.4 cm)

Duct # 2 (6 cm)
Duct # 3 (8 cm)
As seen in this figure, most of the data, especially at high heat Duct # 4 (10 cm)
fluxes, collapse on each other. Figure 11 was developed in a Duct # 5 (13 cm)
manner similar to Figure 6 to show the dimensionless surface 10
1E+7 1E+8 1E+9 1E+10 1E+11 1E+12
temperature χ vs. the modified Rayleigh numbers for the down- *
facing triangular ducts. A least-squares power-law fit through Rax
the data set yields the following correlation: Figure 10 Local perimeter-averaged Nusselt numbers versus the modified

−0.204 Rayleigh numbers for all ducts in the transition regime for the triangle facing
χ = 1.27 Ra∗Lc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ Ra∗Lc ≤ 6.0 × 108 (19) down; solid line presents the correlation obtained by Eq. (18).

heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010

 358 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY

1000
18% 15 %
0.10

Nu
L
4
χ
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm)
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm) Duct # 2 (6 cm)
2
Duct # 2 (6 cm) Duct # 3 (8 cm)
Duct # 3 (8 cm) Duct # 4 (10 cm)
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Duct # 4 (10 cm) Duct # 5 (13 cm)

100
Duct # 5 (13 cm) 1E+10 1E+11 1E+12 1E+13
0.01 RaL*
1E+5 1E+6 1E+7 1E+8 1E+9 (a)
Ra
Lc 100
Figure 11 Local perimeter-averaged dimensionless surface temperature dis-
80
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm)
tributions for down-facing triangular ducts; solid line presents the fitting through Duct # 2 (6 cm)
the data given by Eq. (19). Duct # 3 (8 cm)
60
Duct # 4 (10 cm)
exponent similar to those in Eq. (16). Figure 12b is constructed Duct # 5 (13 cm)
in a manner similar to Figure 7b to see the effect of using Lc as 40

a characteristic length on the behavior of the overall averaged

NuLc and Ra∗Lc when the ducts face down. The fitting curve NuLc
through the data points in this case is obtained as:

0.203 20
NuLc = 0.803 Ra∗Lc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ Ra∗Lc ≤ 5.5 × 108

(21)
with a correlation coefficient of R = 97% and an error band 10

width of ±18% where 84.8% of the points fall within the band 18%
and with error limits of exponent similar to those in Eq. (17).
1E+005 1E+006 1E+007 1E+008 1E+009
It should be noted that by inspecting Figures 6 and 11, which
show the dimensionless surface temperature for the two duct RaLc
orientations as well as the corresponding Eqs. (15) and (19), (b)
one could notice that those experimental data are less sensitive Figure 12 The overall averaged Nusselt numbers for the transition regime
to the duct orientation. Therefore, those data are gathered in for down-facing ducts: (a) using L = 1 m as a characteristic length; solid
one curve as shown in Figure 13 with the following best fitting line presents the fitting through the data given by Eq. (20); (b) using Lc as a
characteristic length; solid line presents the fitting through the data given by
correlation, which covers both orientations: Eq. (21).

−0.201
χ = 1.21 Ra∗Lc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ Ra∗Lc ≤ 6.0 × 108 (22)
for the same error band width of ±15 % and for R = 89.4 %.
with a correlation coefficient of R = 95.6% with the same error Furthermore, Figures 7b and 12b reveal the same pattern when
band width of ±18% and with the same error limits of exponent Lc is used as a characteristic length in the overall averaged
as Eq. (15). parameter with the following correlation:
The same remarks could apply to Figures 7a and 12a for

0.203
the overall average parameter with the following correlation NuLc = 0.797 Ra∗Lc , 3.0 × 105 ≤ Ra∗Lc ≤ 5.5 × 108
covering both orientations:

0.153 (24)
NuL = 5.014 Ra∗L , 5.5 × 1010 ≤ Ra∗L ≤ 2.5 × 1012
with a correlation coefficient of R = 96.7% with the same error
(23) band width of ±18%.
heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY 359

1000
0.10 Facing up ducts Eq. (14)
facing down ducts
8 Eq. (16)
Ali [20]
6

Nux
4
χ 100

2
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10
0.01 1E+8 1E+9 1E+10 1E+11 1E+12
1E+5 1E+6 1E+7 1E+8 1E+9 Rax*
RaLc
Figure 15 Comparison of the local perimeter averaged equations obtained
Figure 13 Local perimeter-averaged dimensionless surface temperature dis- for horizontal triangular ducts with those obtained by Ali [20] for rectangular
tributions for both orientations of the ducts; solid line represents the fitting ducts.
through the data given by Eq. (22).

to one, there is an agreement with the well-known fact that an

Figure 14 is constructed to compare our results of isoflux
isoflux surface’s Nusselt numbers are always higher than those
surface with the analytical isothermal surface temperature ex-
of an isothermal surface (Kays and Crawford [24] and Ali [20]).
pression developed by Hassani [17] and with the empirically
Figure 15 shows another comparison between Eq. (14), which
obtained correlation for short triangular prism in water by Naka-
represents the triangular ducts facing up, and Eq. (16), which
mura and Asako [18]. The experimental data points of overall
represents the ducts facing down, using the local perimeter-
averaged Nusselt numbers versus Rayleigh numbers, defined
averaged Nusselt numbers and the modified Rayleigh numbers
by Eq. (12), are shown in Figure 14 for all up-facing triangular
with the empirical correlation obtained by Ali [20] for horizon-
ducts used in this study. Although the comparison is not one
tal rectangular ducts using the same technique. It can be seen
that using triangular ducts enhances heat transfer by about 30 to
100
35% when the ducts are facing up and by about 42 to 29% when
Nakamura and Asako [18] the ducts are facing down. These percentages are estimated at
Hassani [17] Ra∗x = 3 × 108 and 7 × 1011 , respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

NuL An experimental study has been made on natural convec-

tion heat transfer from horizontal equilateral triangular ducts in
air. Nusselt numbers are observed to increase with the modi-
fied Rayleigh numbers as the axial distance x increases along
Duct # 1 (4.4 cm) the duct’s surface for any value of heat flux. Laminar regimes
10 Duct # 2 (6 cm)
are obtained only at very low heat flux when the vertex faces
Duct # 3 (8 cm)
up and this is characterized by a decrease in Nusselt number
Duct # 4 (10 cm)
as the modified Rayleigh number increases. However, in the
Duct # 5 (13 cm)
case where the vertex is facing downward, only the transition
1E+004 1E+005 1E+006 1E+007 1E+008 regime is observed and it is observed that Nusselt number in-
RaL creases as the modified Rayleigh number increases. General
Figure 14 Comparison of the overall averaged Nusselt numbers for the correlations are obtained for the two duct orientations using
isoflux surface ducts with the analytical expression of Hassani [17] and the the local perimeter averaged heat transfer data given by Eqs.
empirical correlation of Nakamura and Asako [18] of a triangular prism. (14) and (18). Furthermore, dimensionless perimeter-averaged
heat transfer engineering vol. 31 no. 5 2010
 360 M. E. ALI AND H. AL-ANSARY

axial surface temperatures are defined and correlated with the Subscripts
modified Rayleigh number for each orientation and for both of
them [Eqs. (15), (19), and (22)]. Moreover, more correlations 1 used for overall longitudinal-averaged heat transfer co-
are obtained using the overall average data when L or Lc is used efficient defined by Eq. (7)
as a characteristic length for each duct orientation and for both 2 used for overall averaged heat transfer coefficient de-
of them. It was found that the dimensionless surface tempera- fined by Eq. (11)
ture χ and the overall average parameters are less sensitive to Bk Bakelite
the duct’s orientation. Finally, a critical correlation is obtained j indices in the perimeter direction ranging from 1 to 3
to segregate the laminar and transition regimes when the duct L characteristic length, m
vertex faces up [Eq. (13)]. sur surroundings
x indices in the axial direction ranging from 1 to 11
x characteristic length, m
∞ ambient condition
NOMENCLATURE
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Superscript
As duct total surface area, 3Lc L, m2
ABk end plate cross-section area, m2 — average quantity
EIP electrical input power, W
g gravitational acceleration, m s−2
h heat transfer coefficient, W m−2 K−1 REFERENCES
k thermal conductivity, W m−1 K−1
L duct length, m [1] McAdams, W. H., Heat Transmission, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, New
Lc equilateral triangle cross-section side length of the York, chap. 7, 1954.
duct, m [2] Churchill, S. W., and Chu, H. H., Correlating Equations for Lami-
Nu Nusselt number, hL/k or hx/k, hLc /k nar and Turbulent Free Convection from a Vertical Plate, Interna-
qBk heat lost by conduction through the Bakelite end plates, tional Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 18, pp. 1323–1329,
W/m2 1975.
qc convection heat flux, W/m2 [3] Goldstein, R., Sparrow, E. M., and Jones, D. C., Natural Convec-
tion Mass Transfer Adjacent to Horizontal Plates, International
qr radiation heat flux, W/m2
Journal of Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 16, pp. 1025–1035, 1973.
RaLc Rayleigh number, gβ (T̄ − T∞ )L3c ν−1 α−1 [4] Lloyd, J. R., and Moran, W. R., Natural Convection Adjacent
Ra∗ Modified Rayleigh number, gβ qc x4 ν−1 α−1 k−1 or to Horizontal Surfaces of Various Planforms, ASME Paper 74-
gβqc L4 ν−1 α−1 k−1 WA/HT-66, 1974.
T temperature, K [5] Morgan, V. T., The overall convective heat transfer from smooth
t temperature, ◦ C circular cylinders in: Advances in Heat Transfer, vol. 11, eds. T. F.
TiB inside surface temperature of the Bakelite end plate, Irvine and J. P. Hartnett, Academic Press, New York, pp. 199–264,
K 1975.
ToB outside surface temperature of the Bakelite end plate, [6] Churchill, S. W., and Chu, H. H., Correlating Equations for Lam-
K inar and Turbulent Free Convection From a Horizontal Cylinder,
Tmean arithmetic mean temperature, K International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 18, pp.
1049–1053, 1975.
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[7] Churchill, S. W., Free convection around immersed bodies in:
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sphere, New York, section 2.5.7, 1983.
[8] Khan, W. A., Culham, J. R., and Yovanovich, M. M., Fluid Flow
Greek Symbols Around and Heat Transfer From an Infinite Circular Cylinder,
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q Lc
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no. 9, pp. 870–878, 2006.
ε emissivity
[10] Badr, H. M., and Shamsher, K., Free Convection From an Elliptic
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ν kinematics viscosity, m2 s−1 and Mass Transfer, vol. 36, no. 14, pp. 3593–3602, 1993.
σ Stefan–Boltzmann constant, (= 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 [11] Mahfouz, F. M., and Kocabiyik, S., Transient Numerical Simu-
K−4 ) lation of Buoyancy Driven Flow Adjacent to an Elliptic Tube,
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873, 2003.
[12] Ali, M. E., Experimental Investigation of Natural Convection from
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[13] Ali, M. E., Laminar Natural Convection from Constant Heat Flux
Helical Coiled Tubes, International Journal of Heat and Mass
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[14] Ali, M. E., Free Convection Heat Transfer from the Outer Surface
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[15] Ali M. E., Natural Convection Heat Transfer from Vertical Helical
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[16] Raithby, G. D., and Hollands, K. G. T., A general method of
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Mohamed E. Ali is a professor of heat transfer in the
Mechanical Engineering Department at King Saud
University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He received his
Ph.D. in 1988 from University of Colorado, Boul-
der. His main research interests are stability of flu-
ids with heat transfer, numerical and semi-analytical
heat transfer of stretched plate, experimental and nu-
merical natural convection heat transfer from differ-
ent objects (coils, rectangles, squares, and triangular
ducts), and nano-fluid heat transfer. He has published
more than 50 articles in well-recognized journals and proceedings. He is a
referee for most international journals in his field. He has collaborated in re-
search with professors at University of Colorado at Boulder, Northwestern
University at Evanston, IL, and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich,
Switzerland.
Hany Al-Ansary is an assistant professor in the Me-
chanical Engineering Department at King Saud Uni-
versity, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He received his Ph.D.
from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, in
2004. His research interests are in the areas of so-
lar thermal energy utilization, heating/ventilation/air
conditioning (HVAC), energy conservation, and heat-
operated refrigeration systems. He is currently in-
volved in a number of research projects funded by
King Saud University, King Abdulaziz City for Sci-
ence and Technology, and the Saudi Telecom Company. His research work has
so far resulted in two patent applications. During his course of study at Georgia
Tech, he received more than two years of cooperative training at GE Power
Systems in Atlanta, GA, that involved analysis of the performance of heavy-
duty gas turbines and selection of appropriate conversion and modification.
He is currently the director of the Intellectual Property Program at King Saud
University.
vol. 31 no. 5 2010