Análisis comparativo de la convección natural y forzada: Fundamentos, ventajas y aplicaciones en sistemas térmicos y agroindustriales
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17268/agroind.sci.2026.02.12Keywords:
transferencia de calor, convección natural, convección forzada, coeficiente de convección, aplicaciones industrialesAbstract
Este estudio se realiza un análisis detallado, tanto técnico como bibliométrico, de los procesos de transferencia de calor mediante convección natural y forzada. Se abordan sus principios físicos fundamentales, formulaciones matemáticas, variables que condicionan su desempeño y aplicaciones relevantes en los sectores térmico y agroindustrial. La investigación se sustentó en el examen de 169 publicaciones científicas difundidas entre 2010 y 2024, empleando herramientas especializadas como VOSViewer y Bibliometrix para explorar tendencias, ejes temáticos y vacíos existentes en la literatura. La convección natural, reconocida por su eficiencia energética y simplicidad estructural, ha mostrado efectividad en sistemas pasivos como el secado solar o la refrigeración sin partes móviles. Por otro lado, la convección forzada, al requerir intervención mecánica, permite un control más preciso de las condiciones térmicas, resultando fundamental en procesos como el enfriamiento de baterías, la pasteurización, la esterilización y el funcionamiento de paneles fotovoltaicos térmicos. Los hallazgos bibliométricos reflejan un incremento sostenido en estudios sobre dinámica de fluidos computacional (CFD), uso de nanofluidos y mejoras geométricas. Se concluye que ambos mecanismos de convección pueden integrarse estratégicamente según las exigencias térmicas, energéticas y operativas de cada sistema, favoreciendo el diseño de soluciones térmicas robustas, sostenibles y adaptables a diversos entornos industriales.
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