Bulk Fluid Temperature Review Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics Directory | Heat Transfer Directory

The fluid temperature (T_b), referred to as the bulk temperature, varies according to the details of the situation. For flow adjacent to a hot or cold surface, T_b is the temperature of the fluid that is "far" from the surface, for instance, the center of the flow channel. For boiling or condensation, T_b is equal to the saturation temperature.

The concept of the bulk temperature is that adiabatic mixing of the fluid from a given cross section of the duct will result in some equilibrium temperature that accurately reflects the average temperature of the moving fluid, more so than a simple average like the film temperature .