Dimensionless Numbers

A. Salih
Dept. of Aerospace Engineering
IIST, Thiruvananthapuram

The nondimensionalization of the governing equations of fluid flow is important for both
theoretical and computational reasons. Nondimensional scaling provides a method for developing
dimensionless groups that can provide physical insight into the importance of various terms in the
system of governing equations. Computationally, dimensionless forms have the added benefit of
providing numerical scaling of the system discrete equations, thus providing a physically linked
technique for improving the ill-conditioning of the system of equations. Moreover, dimensionless
forms also allow us to present the solution in a compact way. Some of the important dimensionless
numbers used in fluid mechanics and heat transfer are given below.
Nomenclature
Archimedes Number:
Re2
Ar =
Fr
Atwood Number:

gL3(s )
2

(1 2)
(1 + 2)
Note: Used in the study of density stratified flows.
A =

Biot Number:
hL
conductive resistance in solid
Bi =
=
Ks
convective resistance in thermal boundary layer
Bond Number:
Bo =
Brinkman Number:
Br =

We
Fr

U2
K(Tw To)

gL2

Note: Brinkman number is related to heat conduction from a wall

to a flowing viscous fluid. It is commonly used in polymer
processing.
Capillary Number:
We
Re

Ca =
Cauchy Number:

U2
K

Ca = M2 =
Centrifuge Number:
We
Ro2

Ce =

2L3

Dean Number:
Re
(R h)1/2
Note: Dean number deals with the stability of two-dimensional
flows in a curved channel with mean radius R and width 2h.
De =

Deborah Number:

relaxation time
De =
=
tp
characteristic time scale
Note: Commonly used in rheology to characterize how "fluid" a
material is. The smaller the De, the more the fluid the material
appears.
Eckert Number:

U2
cpT
Note: Eckert number represents the kinetic energy of the flow
relative to the boundary layer enthalpy difference. Ec plays an
important role in high speed flows for which viscous dissipation
is significant.
Ec =

Ekman Number:

Ek =
L2
Etvs Number:
Eo =
Euler Number:
Eu =
p

viscous force
Coriolis force

=
We
Fr
=

gL2

pressure force

U2

inertial force

Fourier Number:
t
rate of heat conduction
Fo =
=
2
L
rate of thermal energy stored
Note: Fourier number represents the dimensionless time. It may
be interpreted as the ratio of current time to time to reach steadystate.
Froude Number:
U2
Fr =
gL

inertial force
gravitational force

Galileo Number:

Re2
Fr

Ga =

2gL3
2

Graetz Number:
di Pe
L

Gz =

Grashof Number:
g(Thot Tref)L3
Gr =
2

Udi

buoyancy force
viscous force

Hagen Number:

dp
L3
dx
2
Note: It is the forced flow equivalent of Grashof number.
Hg =

Jakob Number:
cp(Tw Tsat)
hfg
Note: Jakob number represents the ratio of sensible heat to latent
heat absorbed (or released) during the phase change process.
Ja =

Knudsen Number:

Kn =
=
L

length of mean free path

characteristic dimension

Laplace Number:

Re2
We

La =
Lewis Number:
Le =

thermal diffusivity

L
2

DAB

mass diffusivity

Mach Number:
U
M =
=
a

inertial force
elastic (compressibility) force

Marangoni Number:
d
LT
dT

Note: Marangoni number is the ratio of thermal surface tension

force to the viscous force.
Ma =

Morton Number:

We3
Fr Re4

Mo =

g4
3

Nusselt Number:
hL
Kf
Note: Nusselt number represents the dimensionless temperature
gradient at the solid surface.
Nu =

Ohnesorge Number:
Oh =
Peclet Number:
UL
Pe =

We1/2
Re

(L)1/2

inertia (convection)
Diffusion

Prandtl Number:

Pr =
=

momentum diffusivity
thermal diffusivity

Rayleigh Number:
buoyancy
Ra = Gr Pr = g(Thot Tref)L3
=

viscous rate of heat diffusion

Reynolds Number:
UL
Re =

inertial force
viscous force

Richardson Number:
Gr
g(Thot Tref)L
Ri =
=
Re2
U2

buoyancy force
inertial force

 Rossby Number:
U
Ro =
L

inertial force
Coriolis force

Rotating Froude Number:

Fr
Ro2

FrR =

2L
g

Schmidt Number:
Sc = Le Pr =

DAB

momentum diffusivity
mass diffusivity

Sherwood Number:
hmL
DAB
Note: Sherwood number represents the dimensionless
concentration gradient at the solid surface.
Sh =

Stanton Number:
Nu
h
=
Re Pr
Ucp
Note: Stanton number is the modified Nusselt number. It is used
in analogy between heat transfer and viscous transport in
boundary layers.
St =

Stefan Number:
cpdT
specific heat
St =
=
Lm
latent heat
Note: Stefan number is useful in the study of heat transfer during
phase change.
Stokes Number:
Uo
stopping distance of a particle
Stk =
=
dc
characteristic dimension of the obstacle
Note: Commonly used in particles suspended in fluid.
For Stk << 1, the particle negotiates the obstacle.
For Stk >> 1, the particle travels in straightline and eventually
collides with obstacle.
Strouhal Number (for oscillatory flow):
L
inertia (local)
St =
=
Utref
inertia (convection)
Note: If tref is taken as the reciprocal of the circular frequency of
the system, then
L
St =
U

 Taylor Number:
Ta =

2i2L4
2

where L = [ri(ro ri)3]1/4

 Weber Number:
U2L
We =

inertial force
surface tension force

 Womersley Number:
= ( Re St)1/2 = L

()1/2
1/2

Note: Womersley number is used in biofluid mechanics. It is a

dimensionless expression of the pulsatile flow frequency in
relation to the viscous effects.
Nomenclature:

a
cp
DAB
dT
dc
di
g
h
h
hfg
hm
K
K
Kf
Ks
L
Lm
R
ri
ro
Thot
Tref
To
Tsat
Tw
T
t
tref
tp
U
Uo
dp/dx
d/dT

p
T

1
2
l

speed of sound
specific heat at constant pressure
mass diffusivity coefficient
temperature difference between phases
characteristic dimension of the obstacle
hydraulic diameter of the duct
gravitational acceleration
heat transfer coefficient
width of the channel
latent heat of condensation
mass transfer coefficient
bulk modulus of elasticity
thermal conductivity of fluid
thermal conductivity of fluid
thermal conductivity of solid
characteristic length scale
latent heat of melting
radius of the channel
radius of the inner cylinder
radius of the outer cylinder
temperature of the hot wall
reference temperature
bulk fluid temperature
saturation temperature
wall temperature
quiescent temperature of the fluid
time
reference time
characteristic time scale
characteristic velocity scale
fluid velocity far away from the object
pressure gradient
rate of change of surface tension with temperature
thermal diffusivity of fluid
volumetric thermal expansion coefficient
characteristic pressure difference of flow
characteristic temperature difference
difference in density of the two phases
length of mean free path
viscosity of fluid
kinematic viscosity of fluid
density of fluid
density of heavier fluid
density of lighter fluid
density of solid
surface tension
relaxation time
angular velocity
circular frequency
angular velocity of inner cylinder