Tutorial-2
1. A composite cylindrical wall is composed of two materials of thermal conductivity
kA and kB, which are separated by a very thin, electric resistance heater for which
interfacial contact resistances are negligible.
Liquid pumped through the tube is at a temperature 𝑇 , and provides a convection
coefficient ℎ at the inner surface of the composite. The outer surface is exposed to
ambient air, which is at 𝑇 , and provides a convection coefficient of ℎ . Under
steady-state conditions, a uniform heat flux of 𝑞 is dissipated by the heater.
(a) Sketch the equivalent thermal circuit of the system and express all
resistances in terms of relevant variables.
(b) Obtain an expression that may be used to determine the heater temperature,
𝑇 .
(c) Obtain an expression for the ratio of heat flows to the outer and inner fluids,
𝑞 /𝑞 . How might the variables of the problem be adjusted to minimize this
ratio?
2. Consider one-dimensional conduction in a plane composite wall. The outer surfaces
are exposed to a fluid at 25∘ 𝐶 and a convection heat transfer coefficient of
1000 W/m ⋅ K. The middle wall B experiences uniform heat generation 𝑞 , while
there is no generation in walls A and C. The temperatures at the interfaces are 𝑇
261∘ C and 𝑇 211∘ 𝐶 .
(a) Assuming negligible contact resistance at the inter faces, determine the
volumetric heat generation 𝑞 and the thermal conductivity kB.
(b) Plot the temperature distribution, showing its important features.
(c) Consider conditions corresponding to a 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡 at the exposed surface
of material A ℎ 0). Determine 𝑇 and 𝑇 and plot the temperature
distribution throughout the system.
3. A plane wall of thickness 2𝐿 and thermal conductivity 𝑘 experiences a uniform
volumetric generation rate 𝑞. As shown in the sketch for Case 1, the surface at 𝑥
𝐿 is perfectly insulated, while the other surface is maintained at a uniform,
constant temperature 𝑇 . For Case 2, a very thin dielectric strip is inserted at the
midpoint of the wall 𝑥 0 in order to electrically isolate the two sections, A and
B. The thermal resistance of the strip is 𝑅 0.0005 m ⋅ K/W. The parameters
associated with the wall are 𝑘 50 W/m ⋅ K, 𝐿 20 mm, 𝑞 5 10 W/m , and
𝑇 50∘ C.
(a) Sketch the temperature distribution for Case 1 on 𝑇 𝑥 coordinates. Identify
the location of the maximum temperature in the wall and calculate this
temperature.
(b) Sketch the temperature distribution for Case 2 on the same 𝑇 𝑥 coordinates.
(c) What is the temperature difference between the two walls at 𝑥 0 for Case 2?
(d) What is the location of the maximum temperature in the composite wall of
Case 2? Calculate this temperature.
4. A quartz window of thickness 𝐿 serves as a viewing port in a furnace used for
annealing steel. The inner surface 𝑥 0) of the window is irradiated with a uniform
heat flux 𝑞 due to emission from hot gases in the furnace. A fraction, 𝛽, of this
radiation may be assumed to be absorbed at the inner surface, while the remaining
radiation is partially absorbed as it passes through the quartz. The volumetric heat
generation due to this absorption may be described by an expression of the form
𝑞 𝑥 1 𝛽 𝑞 𝛼𝑒
where 𝛼 is the absorption coefficient of the quartz. Convection heat transfer occurs
from the outer surface (𝑥 𝐿) of the window to ambient air at 𝑇 and is
characterized by the convection coefficient ℎ. Convection and radiation emission
from the inner surface may be neglected, along with radiation emission from the
outer surface. Determine the temperature distribution in the quartz, expressing your
result in terms of the foregoing parameters.
5. A thin flat plate of length 𝐿, thickness 𝑡, and width 𝑊 ≫ 𝐿 is thermally joined to
two large heat sinks that are maintained at a temperature 𝑇 . The bottom of the
plate is well insulated, while the net heat flux to the top surface of the plate is
known to have a uniform value of 𝑞 .
(a) Derive the differential equation that determines the steady-state temperature
distribution T(x) in the plate.
(b) Solve the foregoing equation for the temperature distribution, and obtain an
expression for the rate of heat transfer from the plate to the heat sinks.
6. A rod of diameter 𝐷 25 mm and thermal conductivity𝑘 60 W/m ⋅ K protrudes
normally from a furnace wall that is at 𝑇 200∘ 𝐶 and is covered by insulation of
thickness 𝐿ins 200 m.. The rod is welded to the furnace wall and is used as a hanger
for supporting instrumentation cables. To avoid damaging the cables, the
temperature of the rod at its exposed surface, 𝑇 , must be maintained below a
specified operating limit of 𝑇 100∘C The ambient air temperature is 𝑇 25∘ 𝐶,
and the convection coefficient is ℎ 15 W/m ⋅ K.
(a) Derive an expression for the exposed surface temperature 𝑇 as a function of
the prescribed thermal and geometrical parameters. The rod has an exposed
length 𝐿 , and its tip is well insulated.
(b) Will a rod with Lo = 200 mm meet the specified operating limit? If not, what
design parameters would you change? Consider another material, increasing
the thickness of the insulation, and increasing the rod length. Also, consider
how you might attach the base of the rod to the furnace wall as a means to
reduce To.
7. A brass rod 100 mm long and 5 mm in diameter extends horizontally from a casting
at 200∘ 𝐶. The rod is in an air environment with 𝑇 20∘ 𝐶 and ℎ 30 W/m ⋅ K.
What is the temperature of the rod 25, 50, and 100 mm from the casting?
8. A flaked cereal is of thickness 2𝐿 1.2 mm. The density, specific heat, and
thermal conductivity of the flake are 𝜌 700 kg/m , 𝑐 2400 J/kg ⋅ K, and 𝑘
0.34 W/m ⋅ K, respectively. The product is to be baked by increasing its temperature
from 𝑇 20∘ 𝐶 to 𝑇 220∘ 𝐶 in a convection oven, through which the product is
carried on a conveyor. If the oven is 𝐿 3 m long and the convection heat transfer
coefficient at the product surface and oven air temperature are ℎ 55 W/m ⋅
K 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇 300∘ 𝐶, respectively, determine the required conveyor velocity, 𝑉. An
engineer suggests that if the flake thickness is reduced to 2𝐿 1.0 mm the conveyor
velocity can be increased, resulting in higher productivity. Determine the required
conveyor velocity for the thinner flake.
9. A steel strip of thickness 𝛿 12 mm is annealed by passing it through a large furnace
whose walls are maintained at a temperature 𝑇 corresponding to that of combustion
gases flowing through the furnace ( 𝑇 𝑇 ). The strip, whose density, specific
heat, thermal conductivity, are 𝜌 7900 kg/m , 𝑐 640 J/kg ⋅ K, 𝑘 30 W/m ⋅
∘ ∘
K, is to be heated from 300 𝐶 to 600 𝐶. Neglect radiation for this problem.
(a) For a uniform convection coefficient of ℎ 100 W/m ⋅ K and 𝑇 𝑇
∘
700 𝐶, determine the time required to heat the strip. If the strip is moving at
0.5 m/s, how long must the furnace be?
(b) The annealing process may be accelerated (the strip speed increased) by
increasing the environmental temperatures. For the furnace length obtained
in part (a), determine the strip speed for 𝑇 𝑇 850∘ 𝐶 and 𝑇 𝑇
1000 C For each set of environmental temperatures ( 700, 850, and 1000∘ 𝐶 ),
∘
plot the strip temperature as a function of time over the range 25∘ C 𝑇
600∘ 𝐶.
10. As part of a heat treatment process, cylindrical, 304 stainless steel rod (k = 16.2
W/(m·K), ρ 8000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 and Cp = 500 J/(kg·K)) of 100-mm diameter is cooled
from an initial uniform temperature of 500°C by suspending them in an oil bath
at 30°C. If a convection coefficient of 500 W/m2.K is maintained by circulation of
the oil, how long does it take for the centerline of the rod to reach a temperature
of 50°C? What is the rod surface temperature as this moment? Use Heisler charts
provided in class slides.
