Instructional Material

AE 138 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

(Week 1-2)
Heat Transfer

Arnold R. Elepaño
Associate Professor
Agricultural and Bio-Process Division
Institute of Agricultural Engineering
College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology
University of the Philippines Los Baños

I. Introduction

 Heat is a form of energy in transition and the temperature difference is the driving
potential for its propagation.
 Physical (natural laws) are statements in terms of concepts that have been found to
be true through many years of experimental observations. A physical law is called a
general law if the application of it is independent of the medium under consideration.
Otherwise it is called a particular law.

II. Heat Conduction

 The process of heat transfer by molecular motion, supplemented in some cases by
the flow of free electrons, through a body (solid, liquid, or gaseous) from a region of
high temperature to a region of low temperature.
 It is the only mechanism by which heat can flow in opaque solids.
 For any given temperature difference, the rate of heat flow by conduction through
different materials of the same length and cross section will vary with the particular
ability of the various materials to conduct heat.
 The relative capacity of a material to conduct heat is known as its conductivity.
 In general, solids are better conductors of heat than liquids, and liquids are better
conductors than gases. This is accounted for by the difference in molecular
structure.
 The time rate of energy transfer by conduction is quantified macroscopically by
Fourier’s law which states that the rate of heat transfer across any plane normal to
the x direction, Qx, is proportional to the wall area, A, and the temperature gradient
in the x direction, dT/dx:

Qx = -kA dT/dx;
where:
dT/dx = T/ L
k = thermal conductivity, W/ m.K
A = cross-sectional area, m2
T = temperature difference, K
L = length, m

III. Heat Convection

 Heat transfer by convection occurs when heat moves from one place to another by
means of currents that are set up within some fluid medium. These currents are

Heat Transfer
 known as convection currents and result from the change in density that is brought
about by the expansion of the heated portion of the fluid.
 When any portion of a fluid is heated, it expands and its volume per unit of mass
increases. Thus the heated portion becomes lighter, rises to the top, and is
immediately replaced by a cooler, heavier portion of the fluid.
 The rate of energy transfer from the surface to the air can be quantified by the
Newton’s Law of Cooling;

Qc = hc A (Ts – Tf)
where:
hc = heat transfer coefficient, W/ m2.K
A = surface area, m2
Ts = surface temperature, °C
Tf = fluid temperature, °C

IV. Thermal Radiation

 Heat transfer by radiation occurs in the form of a wave motion similar to light waves
wherein the energy is transmitted from one body to another without the need for
intervening matter. Heat energy transmitted by wave motion is called radiant
energy.
 Radiation can pass through certain types of substances (transparent and
semitransparent materials) as well as through vacuum.
 The amount of radiant energy that will pass through a material depends on the
degree of transparency.
 When radiant energy is transferred from a hot body to a cold through some
intervening medium such as air, the temperature of the intervening medium is
unaffected by the passage of the radiant energy. This is because the molecules of
air are relatively few and widely separated that the waves of radiant energy can
easily pass between them so that only a very small part of the radiant energy is
intercepted and absorbed by the molecules of the air.
 The amount of radiant energy that is either reflected or absorbed by a material
depends on the nature of the material’s surface i.e. its texture and its color.
Materials with a light-colored, highly polished surface such as a mirror, reflect a
maximum of radiant energy. Materials with rough, dull, dark surfaces will absorb the
maximum amount of radiant energy.
 The rate at which energy is emitted, Qe, from a surface of are A is quantified
macroscopically by a modified form of the Stefan-Boltzmann Law:
Qe = AT4
where:
 = emissivity, a property of the surface that indicates how
effectively the surface radiates.

 = Stefan Boltzmann constant = 5.669 x 10-8 W/m2.K4

T = absolute temperature of the surface, K

V. Glossary
 Absorptivity of a Surface - ratio of rate at which a given surface absorbs radiation to
the rate of radiation of a black body at the same temperature.
 Ambient Temperature - temperature of surrounding medium.
 Black Body - hypothetical body capable of absorbing all radiation at the maximum
rate for a given temperature.
 Emissivity of a Surface - expressed as the ratio at which the given surface emits
radiation to the rate of radiation of a black body at the same temperature.
 Enthalpy - is a property of state; is the sum of internal energy of a substance and its
pressure - specific volume of product at the given state. It is a measure of the
energy of the air expressed in kJ/kg dry air.
 Heat - is the form of energy that provides differences in temperature of molecular
materials.

Heat Transfer
  Heat Balance - is the difference between the heat gained (or generated) within the
building and the entire heat test from the building.
 Heat Capacity or Specific Heat - refer to the ratio of the heat capacities of the
material to that of water.
 Latent Heat - is the heat for evaporation of a saturated liquid into a saturated vapor.
It is the heat gained or lost without a change in temperature when a substance
passes from one state to another as a solid, liquid, or gas.
 Latent Heat of Evaporation - is the change of heat (energy) required to change unit
mass of a substance from a liquid to a gas.
 Specific Heat - the heat energy required to raise the temperature of unit mass of a
substance by 1°C.
 Specific Volume - specific volume is the volume of space occupied by a pound of dry
air at standard atmospheric pressure. Specific volume is expressed in m³/kg dry air.
 Temperature - ability of a body to give up or to receive heat.
 Thermal Conductivity - the amount of heat transmitted in unit time across unit area
through unit thickness for unit temperature change.

VI.References

Kakac S. & Y. Yener. 1985. Heat Conduction. Second Edition. Hemisphere Publishing Co.

Oosthuizen P.H. & D. Naylor. 1999. An Introduction to Convection Heat Transfer Analysis.
McGraw-Hill Book Co.

Holman, J.P. 1990. Heat Transfer. Seventh Edition. McGraw-Hill Book Co.

JUNELLE V. ADRIAS, PAE

Instructor 1

Heat Transfer