Natural convection heat transfer to liquid metals below downward facing horizontal surfaces (Q794528)

For special applications to liquid metals two-dimensional natural convection below an infinite strip and axisymmetric convection below a circular plate are calculated for a uniform surface temperature as well as for a uniform surface heat flux. The laminar boundary-layer equations are solved iteratively, starting with a forced convection of an unknown upstream velocity, which is determined with potential theory. Locally similar solutions are obtained for velocity and temperature profiles. Finally, a heat balance fixes the upstream velocity with respect to buoyancy forces.