An analysis for forced convection heat transfer from external surfaces to non-Newtonian fluids

A theoretical analysis has been proposed for the forced convection heat transfer from external surfaces immersed in non-Newtonian fluids of the power-law model. The integral treatment previously introduced for Newtonian fluids has been successfully extended to the non-Newtonian fluids over a flat plate and a wedge of an arbitrary included angle. The integral momentum and energy equations are transformed into a pair of characteristic equations, which can readily be solved for the velocity shape factor and the boundary layer thickness ratio, once the exponents in the expressions for the power-law model, free stream velocity and wall temperature variation are specified. It has been also found that an asymptotic expression derived under the assumption of large Prandtl number, is valid practically for all power-law fluids, and hence, can be used for a speedy, and yet accurate estimation of the local heat transfer to non-Newtonian fluids.