A fine wire of diameter D is positioned across a passage to determine flow velocity from heat transfer character- istics. Current is passed through the wire to heat it, and the heat is dissipated to the flowing fluid by convection. The resistance of the wire is determined from electrical measurements, and the temperature is known from the resistance.
(a) For a fluid of arbitrary Prandtl number, develop an expression for its velocity in terms of the difference between the temperature of the wire and the free stream temperature of the fluid.
(b) What is the velocity of an airstream at 1 atm and 25°C, if a wire of 0.5-mm diameter achieves a tem- perature of 40°C while dissipating 35 W/m?