Heat Transfer to Liquid Metals With Variable Properties

The problem of heat transfer to liquid metals with variable physical properties for the case of fully developed turbulent flow in cylindrical tubes of constant diameter is studied, the fluid under consideration being heated or cooled by a constant and uniform heat flux at the wall. The similarity theory between momentum and heat transfer is used. Using the von Karman universal velocity profile the differential equations for turbulent flow with heat transfer are solved for the Prandtl number and the kinematic viscosity, each having five different sets of temperature-dependent exponents of a₁ and a₂. Calculated temperature distributions, mixing-cup temperatures, as well as relations between Nusselt versus Peclet numbers are presented for the cases of heat addition, heat extraction, and the nonvariable-property case.