Charlie

Wu

Differential Equations of Heat Transfer

Intro:

The aim of this section is to analyze the treatment of heat transfer through a differential

control volume. The detailed step by step derivation of the general energy differential equation
is left to the textbook, though key assumptions and concepts will be addressed.

In order to properly apply the fundamental energy differential equation in problem
solving, it is necessary to identify which assumptions are valid. From these assumptions, we are
often able to arrive at one of the special cases of the differential energy equation.

Method

General Energy Equation:

+ + =

1.
2.
3.
4.

!!

No Shaft Work : !"! = 0

Incompressible fluid flow
Heat generation encapsulated in term
for all relevant cases to the course, dissipation function = 0

Problem Specific Simplifications:

1. Inclusion of heat generation term determined by presence of heat source or heat

generation, units W [=] J/s
2. constant thermal conductivity
= !

3. No fluid motion heat transfer solely through conduction. Energy equation simplifies to
the following:

2 +
=

4. Steady state, no temporal variation all time derivative terms become 0

Common Forms Used in this Level of Class:

In general, the most common form of the differential equation we use in an undergraduate heat
transfer class is:

2 +

Where, =

!
!!!

. k is the thermal heat conductivity (often specified) and has the units of

[W/(m*K)], is the density of the material, and ! is the specific heat capacity of the object. is the
heat generation per volume and has units of [W/m^3).

Charlie Wu

!"

!"

Useful to note is that !" = !" + , where the v term is simply velocity and
!"

!"

!"

the = !" + !" + !" . When there is no fluid flow of the system the velocity goes to
!"

zero and when the system is at steady state, !" goes to 0. This simplifies the equation to:

2 +
= 0

Remember that is the heat generation per volume and is not the heat flow
through the object. In questions, this term will be generated by some external or
internal source like electricity or a chemical reaction. Furthermore, if there is no such
heat generation, the equation can further simplify to:
2 = 0

Boundary Conditions
Following the thorough simplification of the general energy differential equation, a first or second order
differential equation is obtained. Recall from the previous semester that boundary conditions are
applied at this step in order to solve for the constants which result from each integration. The general
rule of thumb is that one distinct boundary condition is required for each order of integration. The
following boundary conditions for temperature are listed:

1. Isothermal Boundaries: constant T along given boundary

!"
2. Insulated Boundaries: !" = 0
3. Equality of heat transfer to surface by conduction and that leaving surface by convection