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Conduction and Convection Heat Transfer

Assignment- Week 3
TYPE OF QUESTION: MCQ
Number of questions: 10 Total mark: 10 X 1 = 10
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QUESTION 1:

1. Consider one-dimensional steady state heat conduction, without heat generation, in a

plane wall of thickness L. The two faces of the wall are maintained at temperatures T1
and T2, respectively (T1>T2) as shown in the figure. The conductivity of the wall is given
by k  k0   exp  b   T ; where k0 and b are constants and T is temperature.

T1

T2

For the non-linear temperature distribution (shown by the solid line) as depicted in the
figure, the value of constant b must be
(a) positive
(b) negative
(c) zero
(d) any nonzero value.

Correct Answer: d
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Detailed Solution:

Governing differential equation for one-dimensional steady state heat conduction across the
thickness of the wall is given by

d  dT 
dx 

 k0   exp  b   T  0
dx 

2
 dT 
or  
k0   exp  b   T
d 2T
dx 2
  exp  b     0
 dx 

2
 dT 
2   exp  b    
or
dT
  dx 
dx 2 
k0   exp  b   T 
The denominator of the right hand side is always positive, since it represents the thermal
2
 dT 
conductivity of the material. Also   is always positive. Thus, the sign of  exp  b   will
 dx 
d 2T d 2T
decide the sign of . For the temperature distribution shown in the figure, is negative.
dx 2 dx 2
This is possible only when  exp  b   is positive.  exp  b   will be positive for any non-zero

value of b

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QUESTION 2:

The one-dimensional (in the radial direction) steady state heat conduction equation in cylindrical
coordinates is given by

1   T 
(a) 0   kr   Q
r r  r 

T 1   T 
(b)  c p   kr   Q
t r r  r 

1   T 
(c) 0   kr   Q
r 2 r  r 

T 1   2 T 
(d)  c p   kr   Q
t r r  r 

where  is the density, cp is the constant pressure specific heat, k is the thermal
conductivity, T is the temperature, t is the time and Q  is the rate of generation of thermal
energy per unit volume.

Correct Answer: a
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Detailed Solution:

(Refer to lecture 14 for more details)

The one-dimensional (in the radial direction) heat conduction equation in solid in cylindrical
coordinates is given by

T 1   T 
cp   kr   Q
t r r  r 

at steady state, the temporal term vanishes, and hence, the equation is given as

1   T 
0  kr   Q
r r  r 

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QUESTION 3:

The temperature variation for steady state one-dimensional heat conduction through a cylindrical
shell with no internal heat generation, is
(a) parabolic
(b) hyperbolic
(c) cannot be determined by the provided information
(d) logarithmic

Correct Answer: c
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Detailed Solution:

Governing differential equation for steady state one-dimensional heat conduction through a
cylindrical wall with no internal heat generation is given by
1   T 
 kr 0
r r  r 
Without the knowledge of the nature of thermal conductivity variation, the above equation can at
best be simplified to

T
kr  constant
r

Therefore, to determine the temperature profile, the information must be provided about the
nature of variation of thermal conductivity.

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QUESTION 4:

Consider a long cylindrical tube of inner and outer radii, ri and ro, respectively, length,  L and
thermal conductivity, k. Its inner and outer surfaces are maintained at temperatures Ti and To,
respectively (Ti>To). Assuming one-dimensional steady state heat conduction in the radial
direction, the thermal resistance in the wall of the tube is

1 r 
(a) ln  o 
2 kL  ri 
2

1
(b)
2 2 ri k

1 r 
(c) ln  o 
2 kL  ri 

1 r 
(d) ln  o 
2 ri k  ri 

Correct Answer: a
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Detailed Solution:

The rate of heat transfer through an element of thickness dr at a radius r, is given by,

 k  2 r  L 
dT dT
Q    kA
dr dr
where  L is the length of the cylinder.
ro To
dr
Thus Q  k 2 2 L  dT
ri r Ti

ro
or Q ln  2 2 kL(Ti  To )
ri

2 2 kL(Ti  To ) Ti  To
or Q 
ro r
ln ln o
ri ri
2 kL
2

1 r 
Thermal resistance is given by Rt h  ln  o 
2 kL  ri 
2

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QUESTION 5:

A long solid cylinder of radius 2R has a uniform volumetric heat generation Q  (W/m3). The

temperature at the outer surface of the cylinder is maintained at Tw . Considering one-

dimensional steady state heat conduction in the radial direction with constant thermal
conductivity k, the maximum temperature at the center of the cylinder is given by

Q  2R 
2

(a) Tw 
k

Q  R 
2

(b) Tw 
2k

Q  4R 
2

(c) Tw 
k

Q  R 
2

(d) Tw 
k
where Tw is the wall temperature.

Correct Answer: d

Detailed Solution:

Governing differential equation for one-dimensional steady state heat conduction across the
thickness of the wall is given by
1   T  Q
r  0
r r  r  k
Integrating twice with respect to r, we get
dT Qr C1 Tw Tw
  2R
dr 2k r
Qr 2
T   C1 ln r  C2 0
x
4k
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where C1 and C2 are arbitrary, independent constants of integration.

The boundary conditions are:
dT
At r  0,  0 and at x  2R, T  Tw
dr
Applying the boundary conditions, the constants of integration are evaluated as

Q  2R 
2

C1  0 and C2  Tw  .
4k
Therefore, the temperature distribution is

Q  2 r 2 
T  Tw  R  
k  4

The temperature at the center of the cylinder (r=0) of the wall is

QR 2
T0  Tw 
k

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QUESTION 6:

A cylinder made of metal of conductivity 80 W/mK is to be insulated with a material of

conductivity 0.2 W/mK. If the convective heat transfer coefficient with the ambient atmosphere
is 5 W/m2K, the critical radius of insulation is
(a) 2 cm
(b) 4 cm
(c) 8 cm
(d) 50 cm

Correct Answer: b
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Detailed Solution:

The critical radius of insulation for the cylinder is given by

k
rcr 
h
where, k is the thermal conductivity of insulating material
Substituting k =0.2 W/mK and h = 5 W/m2K, we get
0.2
rcr   0.04 m=4 cm
5

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QUESTION 7:

A long cylindrical pipe (carrying steam inside) is wrapped with an insulating material.
(a) Up to the critical radius of insulation, added insulation will decrease the heat transfer
(b) Beyond the critical radius of insulation, added insulation will not affect the heat
transfer
(c) Heat transfer is maximum at the critical radius of insulation
(d) Heat transfer is zero at the critical radius of insulation

Correct Answer: c

Detailed Solution:

(Refer lecture 16 for more details)

Up to the critical radius of insulation, heat transfer rate increases. On further adding the
insulating material, it decreases. Therefore, the heat transfer will be maximum at the critical
radius of insulation.

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QUESTION 8:

When the radius of a pipe is equal to the critical radius, any insulation added to the pipe will only
(a) decrease the heat loss from the pipe
(b) increase the heat loss from the pipe
(c) may increase or decrease the heat loss from the pipe
(d) keep the heat loss unaltered

Correct Answer: a

Detailed Solution:

(Refer to lecture 15-16 for more details)

When the radius of a pipe is equal to the critical radius, an addition of more insulation will lead
to a reduction in heat transfer rate from the pipe.

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QUESTION 9:

If the radius of a current carrying wire is greater than the critical radius of insulation, then the
addition of electrical insulation will
(a) decrease the heat loss from the wire
(b) increase the heat loss from the wire
(c) will not affect the heat loss
(d) cannot be determined from the given information

Correct Answer: a
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Detailed Solution:

(Refer to lecture 15-16 for more details)

If the radius of a current carrying wire is greater than the critical radius, then the addition of
electrical insulation will decrease the heat loss from the wire.

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QUESTION 10:

Consider a long cylindrical tube of inner and outer radii, 30 mm and 75 mm, respectively, and
thermal conductivity, 15 W/mC. The tube is heated on the inner surface at a rate of 10 5 W/m2
and dissipates heat by convection from the outer surface to a fluid at 100C with heat transfer
coefficient of 400 W/m2C. Assuming one-dimensional steady state heat conduction in the
radial direction, the temperature of outside surface of the tube will be
(a) 200C
(b) 250C
(c) 300C
(d) 350C

Correct Answer: a
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Detailed Solution:

The rate of heat transfer on the inner surface is given by

Q  2 r1Lq

where r1  0.03 m and q  105 W/m2

The rate of heat transfer from the outer surface of the tube is
Q  2 r2 Lh T2  T 

where r2  0.075 m , T  100C and Tw is the temperature of outside surface of the tube.
Equating the rate of heat transfer, we get
Q  2 r1Lq  2 r2 Lh T2  T 

r1q 0.03 105

or T2  T   100   200C
r2 h 0.075  400

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