Turbulence in Thermal and Material Transport

Abstract

Publisher Summary The development of effective basic correlations of thermal and material transport in turbulent shear flow rests primarily upon an extension of the understanding of the mechanics of turbulence. This chapter presents some elementary considerations of the nature of turbulent flow with particular emphasis upon thermal and material transport. The present approach to the prediction of thermal transport in turbulent flow neglects the effect of thermal flux and temperature distribution upon the relationship of thermal to momentum transport. In a description of thermal transport in steady, uniform flow it is necessary to consider the conservation of internal and kinetic energy under conditions involving gross motion of the fluid. The chapter discusses the significance of Prandtl number and Reynolds number of fluid. Prediction of convective thermal transport to turbulent streams has usually been sufficient to determine the corresponding thermal flux at the boundary for a specified area. It is clear from the discussion that it relates to material transport in turbulent streams under conditions where no chemical reactions occur and where the influence of temperature and gravitational gradients can be neglected. Because the gross motion of the fluid is of particular importance, a complete understanding of the transport of momentum is usually necessary to permit an evaluation of the over-all material transport.