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Dimensionless quantity characterising the development of Natural Thermal Convection:

\mbox{Ra} = \mbox{Gr} \cdot \mbox{Pr} = \frac{g \, \beta \, \Delta T \, L^3}{\nu \cdot a}

where

Temperature gradient across Natural Thermal Convection

Kinematic viscosity of the fluid

Thermal expansion coefficient of the fluid

Thermal Diffusivity of the fluid

Characteristic length of Natural Thermal Convection

Standard gravity constant

Prandtl number



See also


Physics / Thermodynamics / Heat Transfer

Dimensionless Heat Transfer Numbers ] [ Prandtl number ] [ Grashof number ] 



For the Natural Thermal Convection in the annulus between two concentric pipes:

\mbox{Ra}_D = \frac{8}{(D_o - D_i)^3} \cdot \frac{ \left[ \ln D_o/D_i \right]^4 }{D_i^{-3/5}+D_o^{-3/5}}  \cdot \mbox{Ra}_L =
 \frac{ \left[ \ln D_o/D_i \right]^4 }{D_i^{-3/5}+D_o^{-3/5}} \cdot \frac{g \, \beta \, \Delta T }{\nu \cdot a}

where

outer pipe

inner pipe

annulus gap