Flow and Heat Transfer of Non-Newtonian Fluids on a Flat Plate

Abstract

An experimental study is presented of the flow and heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluids (CMC-, PVA-solution in water) past a flat plate, in order to obtain fundamental information about the behavior of non-Newtonian fluids in motion, especially in turbulent flow, and their characteristics of heat transfer. Velocity and temperature distributions of the fluids past a plate are measured in the range of the main velocities of 10∼70cm/sec and of the heat fluxes of 0.9∼1.8×104kcal/hr·m2. As the main velocity of the fluid is increased the velocity and temperature distributions and the heat transfer characteristics approach those of Newtonian fluids. The behavior of momentum and heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluids becomes the same as that of Newtonian fluids at the main velocity larger than the value at which the shape factor of velocity boundary layer is nearly equal to that of the fully turbulent flow of Newtonian fluids (a1.3). These characteristics of flow and heat transfer can not be accounted for by the Reynolds number based on the power-law model.