ADVANCED TRANSPORT

PROCESSES
Energy Transport
Heat Conduction Through a
composite wall

Heat Conduction through Composite

Wall
Conduction through a Composite Walls: The composite wall shown in
the Figure below is exposed to a fluid at bulk temperatures of Ta and Tb
where Ta > Tb . There is a steady flow of heat because of the
temperature difference. Determine the heat flux and the heat flow at
the surface.
Schematic diagram

Heat Conduction through a Slab: Case

1
Assumption
non-flow system, v =0

No energy generation( production)

No work done on the system by external force
Boundary Conditions
B.C.1 T=T0 at x = x0
B.C.1 T=T1 at x = x1
Energy Transport Mechanism

ex q x ( 12 v 2 H )v [ v] q x

Shell Energy Balance

x
T

WHqx|x

WH(qx|x+x)

x
Rate of Energy
in by molec.
transport

WH (q x q x x ) 0
q x q x x
0
x

Rate of Energy
out by molec.
transport

=0

(1)
(2)
4

Heat Conduction through Composite

Wall
Taking the limit as x is close to zero

dq x
0
dx

(3)

Integrating (3)

q x C1 q0

(4)

Applying Fouriers Law of heat conduction

k01

dT
q0
dx

(5a)

dT
k12
q0
dx
dT
k 23
q0
dx

(5b)
(5c)
5

Heat Conduction through Composite

Wall
Rearranging and integrating (5a) (5b) and (5c) with the boundary
condition T=T0 at x=x0, T=T1 at x=x1 and T=T2 at x=x2

q0
T0 T1
( x1 x0 )
k01
q0
T1 T2
( x2 x1 )
k12
q0
T3 T2
( x3 x2 )
k 23

(6a)
(6b)
(6c)

Using Newtons Law of cooling

q0
h0
q
T3 Tb 0
h3

Ta T0

(7)

(8)
6

Heat Conduction through Composite

Wall
Adding (6a), (6b), (6c), (7) and (8) together

q0 q0
q0
q0
q0
Ta Tb
( x1 x0 )
( x2 x1 )
( x3 x2 )
h0 k01
k12
k 23
h3

(9)

Rearranging (9) we get the heat flux as

q0

Ta Tb
1 ( x1 x0 ) ( x2 x1 ) ( x3 x2 ) 1

k01
k12
k 23
h3
h0

(10)

The heat flow can then be calculated as

Q0 WHq0

(11)

Heat Conduction through Composite

Wall
Using (10) in (11) we get
WH (Ta Tb )
Q0
1 ( x1 x0 ) ( x2 x1 ) ( x2 x3 ) 1

k01
k12
k 23
h3
h0

(12)

In terms of the overall heat transfer coefficient

Q0 U (WH )(Ta Tb )

(13)

From (12) and (3) we get overall heat transfer coefficient U as

1 1 ( x1 x0 ) ( x2 x1 ) ( x3 x2 ) 1

U h0
k01
k12
k 23
h3

(14)

In general, for systems with n slabs

n (x x
1 1
1
j
j 1 )

U h0 j 1 k j 1, j
hn

(15)
8