TUT_1

Heat and Mass Transfer (MENG01I02)

2009-2010

Tutorial-2 Conduction
1. Consider a 1.2-m-high and 2-m-wide glass window whose thickness is 6 mm
and thermal conductivity is k _ 0.78 W/m C. Determine the steady rate of
heat transfer through this glass window and the temperature of its inner
surface for a day during which the room is maintained at 24C while the
temperature of the outdoors is _5C. Take the convection heat transfer
coefficients on the inner and outer surfaces of the window to be h1 _ 10
W/m2 C and h2 _ 25 W/m2 C, and disregard any heat transfer by
radiation.
Properties The thermal conductivity of the glass is given to be k = 0.78 W/mC.
Analysis The area of the window and the individual resistances are
Glass
A (12
. m) (2 m) 2.4 m2

1
1

0.04167 C/W
2
h1 A (10 W/m .C) (2.4 m 2 )
L
0.006 m
Rglass

0.00321 C/W
k1 A (0.78 W/m. C) ( 2.4 m 2 )
1
1
Ro Rconv,2

0.01667 C/W
h2 A (25 W/m 2 .C) (2.4 m 2 )
Rtotal Rconv,1 R glass Rconv,2

Ri Rconv,1

Q
T1

Ri
T1
The steady rate of heat transfer through window glass is then
0.04167 0.00321 0.01667 0.06155 C/W

Rglass

T T
[24 ( 5)] C
Q 1 2
471 W
Rtotal
0.06155 C / W
The inner surface temperature of the window glass can be determined from

T T

Q 1 1 T1 T1 QR
conv ,1 24 C (471 W)(0.04167 C / W) 4.4 C
Rconv ,1

Ro
T2

2. The Composite wall of an oven consists of three materials, two of which are
of known thermal conductivity, KA = 20 W/m.K and KC = 50 W/m.K , and
known thickness, LA =0.3 m and LC = 0.15 m. The third material, B, which is
sandwiched between materials A and C, is of known thickness, LB = 0.15 m,
but unknown thermal conductivity KB. Under steady state operating
conditions, measurements reveal an outer surface temperature of Ts.o = 20
C, an inner surface temperature of Ts.i = 600 C , and an oven air
temperature of T = 800 C. The inside convection coefficient h is known to
be 25 W/m2.K. What is the value of KB ?

3. A thin electrical heater is wrapped around the outer surface of a long

cylindrical tube whose inner surface is maintained at a temperature of 5C.
The tube wall has inner and outer radii of 25 and 75 mm respectively, and a
thermal conductivity of 10 W/m.K. The thermal contact resistance between
the heater and the outer surface of the tube (per unit length of the tube) is
Rt,c=0.01 m.K/W. The outer surface of the heater is exposed to a fluid of
temperature 10C and a convection coefficient of h=100 W/m2. K.
Determine the heater power per unit length of tube required to maintain the
heater at To=25C.

Applying an energy balance to a control surface about the heater,

Rt,c

4. A hollow aluminum sphere, with an electrical heater in the center, is used in

tests to determine the thermal conductivity of insulating materials. The inner
and outer radii of the sphere are 0.15 and 0.18 m, respectively, and testing is
done under steady-state conditions with the inner surface of the aluminum
maintained at 250 C. In a particular test, a spherical shell of insulation is cast
on the outer surface of the sphere to a thickness of 0.12 m. The system is in a
room for which the air temperature is 20 C and the convection coefficient at
the outer surface of the insulation is 30 W/m2.K. If 80 W are dissipated by the
heater under steady-state conditions, what is the thermal conductivity of the
insulation ? For Aluminum K= 230 W/m.K.

5. A thin walled copper tube having an outside metal radius r = 0.008m carries
steam at 383 K. It is inside a room where the surrounding air temperature is
298K. It is insulated with 85% magnesia insulation having an approximate
thermal conductivity of 0.071W/m.
(a) What is the critical thickness of insulation for an external convective
coefficient h = 4.0 W/m2.K? (Assume negligible conductive resistance due
to the wall of the copper tube.)

(b) Under these conditions, determine the radial heat transfer rate per meter
of tube length, q, for:
(i) a 0.004 m thick layer of insulation
(ii) an rc thick layer of insulation
(iii) an insulation layer of outer radius of 0.05 m.
Solution

6. A 3 mm diameter spherical ball at 50 oC is covered with 1mm thick plastic

insulation which has a thermal conductivity of 0.13 W/mC. It is required to
determine if the plastic insulation will increase or decrease the heat transfer rate
from the ball. Assume the outer heat transfer coefficient as ho= 20 W/m2.K

Properties The thermal conductivity of plastic cover is given to be k = 0.13

W/mC.
Analysis The critical radius of plastic insulation for the spherical ball is

Insulat
ion

Since the outer temperature of the ball with insulation is smaller than critical radius
of insulation, plastic insulation will increase heat transfer from the wire.