CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Heat Transfer 431

Tutorial 2

1. A long 10 mm diameter electric copper cable is embedded in the centre of a 250

mm square concrete block (k = 0.128 W/m.K). The outside temperature of the
concrete is 25 oC and the rate of electrical energy dissipation in the cable is 150 W/m.
Determine the surface temperature of the cable. Sketch the flux plot for the heat
transfer process.

The conduction shape factor for a long cylinder of diameter d buried in a square block
of side w is given by,
2
.
w
ln 108
.
d
Ans: 639 oC

2. Steam at 100 oC flows in a pipe of diameter 25 mm parallel to a cold water line of

diameter 50 mm at 15 oC. The two pipes are buried in concrete (k = 0.87 W/m.K) with
a centre to centre distance of 50 mm. The convective heat transfer coefficients for the
steam and water are 200 W/m 2.K and 42 W/m 2.K, respectively. Calculate the
conduction shape factor for the geometry. Draw the thermal network for the exchange
of heat between the two fluids indicating the values of thermal resistances. Hence,
calculate the overall heat transfer coefficient (based on steam pipe area) and the heat
transfer per metre length between the pipes. Assume that the pipe walls are thin and
the thermal conduction resistance of the walls is negligible.

The conduction shape factor for two long parallel cylinders of radii r1 and r2 buried in an
2
infinite medium is given by, , where H is the centre distance
2
1 H r1 r2
2 2
cosh
2r1r2
between the cylinder axes.
Ans: 3.763, 24.45 W/m2.K, 163.2 W/m

3. In one dimensional steady heat transfer in a fin of uniform cross section, show that
nodal temperature at the ith node along the fin may be expressed as

hp( x2 ) hp ( x2 )
Ti + 2 = Ti +1 + Ti 1 + T
kA kA

where x is the grid spacing. Also show that, the boundary node ( i = N ) temperature
at the fin tip is given by
hx hp( x) 2 hx hp( x) 2
TN + + 1 = TN 1 + T +
k 2kA k 2kA

Derive a nodal temperature expression in a similar form for the fin base boundary and
an expression for the base heat flow.
4. An aluminium (k = 204 W/m.K) rod 25 mm in diameter and 150 mm long protrudes
from a wall maintained at 300 oC. The environment temperature is 38 oC. The heat
transfer coefficient along the rod surface and at the tip is 17 W/m 2.K. Using the
expressions derived in Question 3, establish a set of simultaneous equations suitable
for an iterative scheme. Illustrate the application of Gauss-Siedel iterative technique for
2 iteration cycles. Select at least 2 internal nodes along the rod. Calculate the heat flow
at the base of the rod.
Ans: 300 oC, 279.7 oC, 267.3 oC, 262.6 oC, 40.66 W

5. Write down the nodal equations for steady state temperatures at nodes 1 to 9 in the
figure below. Use Gauss-Siedel iteration to illustrate the calculation scheme for 2
iterative cycles. (You may attempt to develop a computer program for this)

Ans: 17.8 oC , 19.5 oC , 29.9 oC , 51.2 oC , 54.6 oC , 67.7 oC , 77.7 oC , 79.8 oC , 86.9 oC

6. The half-cylinder shown in the figure has k = 20 W/m.K and is exposed to the
convection environment at 20 oC. The lower surface is maintained at 300 oC. Write
down the nodal equations for temperatures and the heat loss to the ambient.

Ans: Not available

Associate Professor TT Chandratilleke