Derivation of unifying formulae for convective heat transfer in compressible flow fields

Abstract Although many theoretical and experimental studies on convective heat transfer exist, the consistent analytical expression of advection heat flux vector in convection as well as its reference temperature in the thermal driving force remains unclear. Here we show theoretically and experimentally the unifying formulae for three-dimensional (3D) heat flux vector of forced and natural convections for compressible laminar flows based on the first law of thermodynamics. It is indicated for a single-phase compressible fluid that advection is no other than heat transfer owing to mass flow in the forms of enthalpy and mechanical energy by gross fluid movement, driven by the temperature difference between the fluid temperature and the potential temperature associated with the relevant adiabatic work done. A simple formula for the total convective heat flux vector of natural convection is also suggested and reformulated in terms of logarithmic density difference as the thermal driving force. The theoretical calculations agree well with the laminar flow experiment results. Our discovery of advection heat transfer for compressible flows caused by the temperature differential in which the potential temperature is regarded as the unifying reference temperature represents a previously unknown thermal driving mechanism. This work would bring fundamental insights into the physical mechanism of convective heat transfer, and opens up new avenue for the design, calculation and thermal management of the 3D convection heat flux problems using the novel thermal driving force for compressible laminar and turbulent flows