Laminar Free Convection Over Two-Dimensional and Axisymmetric Bodies of Arbitrary Contour

A rapid computation procedure is described for the prediction of heat transfer in laminar free convection boundary layers, either two-dimensional or axisymmetrical, over isothermal smooth objects with fairly arbitrary shape. The analysis employs suitable coordinate transformation which makes it possible to express the solutions of the governing conservation equations in terms of a sequence of universal functions that depend on the fluid Prandtl number and a configuration function. The latter is completely determined by the body contour and its orientation relative to the body force that generates the motion. Several of the leading universal functions have been evaluated and tabulated. The theory was applied to a number of body configurations and the results compared well with published analytical and/or experimental information. Some new results are also obtained for the local Nusselt number over horizontal elliptical cylinders and ellipsoids or revolution.