Heat transfer of a high Prandtl number oil in laminar flow

A numerical model was developed for the purpose of studying the flow and heat transfer of a hypothetical oil in laminar flow within a horizontal pipeline. Free convection, work of compression, and axial conduction were neglected, but the fluid properties - i.e., density, specific heat, viscosity, and thermal conductivity - were allowed to vary and the effect of viscous dissipation was included in the analysis of the system. The mathematical forms of the momentum, continuity, and energy equations require that numerical solutions be obtained with a digital computer. These numerical approximations of the partial differential equations are presented and the results discussed. The model was used for the evaluation of the significance of the viscous dissipation term and the determination of the importance of allowing each property to vary as a function of temperature. The results obtained indicate the importance of viscous dissipation and variable fluid properties, primarily viscosity, in the proper evaluation of a crude oil pipeline system --Abstract, page ii