Fundamentals of heat

transfer

Fairconditioning
 We know that heat exists in
three forms.
Heat can be transferred from
one object/surface/space to
another by three modes of heat
transfer

Fairconditioning
There are three modes of heat transfer
① Conduction
② Convection
③ Radiation

Fairconditioning
Lets jog our memory of high
school physics, a bit !

Fairconditioning
Identify the heat transfer process.

~ Write down your answers

Fairconditioning
Identify the heat transfer process.

Fairconditioning
Identify the heat transfer process.

Fairconditioning
Answers

Convection Convection Radiation

and
Radiation

Fairconditioning
Conduction
① Conduction is a flow of heat
within/between materials.
② Convection is a transfer of heat
by means of a moving stream of
air or water (fluid).
③ Radiation is a transfer of heat by
means of electromagnetic waves
through space, from a warmer
object to a cooler one.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Conduction is the process of heat transfer in a solid
or a fluid at rest by direct molecular interaction
between adjacent molecules.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 As discussed earlier regarding HOTTER COOLER

sensible heat, here are two

objects with different molecular
motion.
 What will happen if these
objects come in contact ?

~ Think for a minute before going to

the next slide.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 When these objects come in HOTTER COOLER

contact, the random motion

from the hotter object will be
transferred to the cooler objects
by collision of molecules.
 This is how conduction takes
place.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 It is important to remember, HOTTER COOLER

that for conduction to take place,

the molecules should be closely
located to each other.
 In liquids and gases, the
molecules are placed far apart.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Is ‘air’ a good conductor of heat ?

~ Think about the answer

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Is ‘air’ a good conductor of heat ?
NO, it is not.

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Is ‘air’ a good conductor of heat ?
NO, it is not.

WHY ??

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Is ‘air’ a good conductor of heat ?
NO, it is not.

WHY ??

~ What do you think could be reason?

Fairconditioning
Conduction
 Is ‘air’ a good conductor of heat ?
NO, it is not.

WHY ??
Because air being a gas, the molecules are placed far
apart. Hence it is not a good conductor of heat.

Fairconditioning
Characteristics of conduction
 Requires a temperature difference between both
sides of the surface.
 Heat flows from high to low temperature.
 Requires contact.

Fairconditioning
Fairconditioning
Convection
 Convection is the process of heat transfer by flowing
and mixing motions in fluids. It is primarily
dependent on temperature difference.
 Natural convection occurs when molecules of cool
air absorb heat from a warm surface, rise and carry it
away.
 As a gas or liquid acquires heat by convection, the
fluid expands and becomes less dense, rising on top
of the denser and cooler fluid. The resulting currents
transfer heat by natural convection.

Fairconditioning
Convection
 Requires a fluid to be present (air).
 Is directional. Heat never convects down (unless its
forced).
 Requires a temperature change.
 Requires a fluid medium.
 Can be blocked completely by obstacles.
 Convection is reduced by clothing in people or
layered air spaces in building materials. Trapped air
pockets become additional insulation.

Fairconditioning
Convection is affected by gravity
 Two opposing walls. One is warm the other is cold.
 The air flows from the warm wall upwards and
descends down the colder wall losing its heat.

Air gap

Wall section
Fairconditioning
Forced convection
 Convection also occurs when the air is moved by a
fan or by the wind. In this case the air is circulated
between warmer and cooler areas and is called
forced convection. This exchange of air from one
area to another can be an important mechanism of
heat transfer.

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 Radiation is the process of heat transfer by means
of electromagnetic waves. It is a part of the
electromagnetic spectrum called infrared.

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 Radiation is the process of
heat transfer by means of
electromagnetic waves. It is a
part of the electromagnetic
spectrum called infrared.
 Any two objects that can see
each other through a
medium that is transparent Feeling warm near a fire place due to
to light, such as air or radiation
vacuum, exchange radiant
energy.

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 This exchange can be
stopped when the rays are
blocked by an opaque
object.

Direct radiation is blocked by the opaque

areas of the hat.

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 Objects at room
temperature emit energy
in the infrared and when
they are hot enough to
glow they radiate in the
visible part of the
spectrum.

As temperature increases, wavelength

decreases. Human eye is sensitive to
the visible spectrum
Fairconditioning
Radiation
 A body will radiate heat in
all directions.
 Radiation is affected by
 Temperature of the object
 Hotter bodies will lose heat
because they emit more than
they can absorb

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 A body will radiate heat in
all directions.
 Radiation is affected by
 Temperature of the object
 Viewing angle
 For eg, if you can see the fire
place/heater completely, you
might feel the radiation a lot
more as compared to if you
view it only partially

Fairconditioning
Radiation

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 Radiation is affected by
 Temperature of the object
 Viewing angle
 Radiative properties of
materials
 For eg, black objects will
absorb more radiation than
white objects.

Fairconditioning
Radiation
 Radiation is affected by
 Temperature of the object
 Viewing angle
 Radiative properties of
materials
 The opacity or transparency
of the object
 For eg, Radiation through
clear glass is much higher than
a tinted glass.

Fairconditioning
What has all this got to do
with buildings ???

Fairconditioning
Well.. Buildings also lose and
gain heat through these
three fundamental heat
transfer methods

Fairconditioning
Let’s look at it closely ..
In the next lecture

Fairconditioning