Single-blow experimental prediction of heat transfer coefficients: A comparison of four commonly used techniques

Abstract

Four commonly used data reduction methods for predicting heat transfer coefficients from single-blow experimental data are described and are applied to the same experimental data. The simplest mathematical model is used in all the methods for consistency, and the experimental inlet forcing function is incorporated in the analyses. Only the coefficients predicted from the least squares and differential fluid enthalpy methods are deemed to be consistent. Values obtained from the maximum slope and shape factor methods were found to be considerably lower. The data for the least squares method are recommended for predicting the heat transfer coefficients for fluid flow through randomly packed beds of spheres over the range 290 < Re m < 1140. The data are correlated by the expression j h ϵ = 0.186 Re m −0.263. Coefficients predicted by the above equation are higher than those obtained by previously accepted correlations.