Thermal Engineering and Heat Transfer

(ME-2215)

Course coordinator: Zahir U. Ahmed, PhD

Designation : Professor
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Khulna-9203, Bangladesh
 The Heat Diffusion Equation
 Primary objective in a conduction analysis is to determine
temperature field from imposed boundary conditions.

 Then conduction heat flux at any point or other important heat

quantities, such as thermal stresses, deflections, and insulation
thickness optimization can be computed easily.

To obtain temperature distributions, consider a homogeneous medium

within which there is no bulk motion (advection).

2
 The Heat Diffusion Equation
Define an infinitesimally small control volume, dx.dy.dz. The
conduction heat rates perpendicular to each of the control surfaces at
the x-, y- and z-coordinate locations are defined by qx, qy and qz,
respectively.

Conduction heat rates at the

opposite surfaces can be determined
upon using Taylor series expansion,
and neglecting higher order terms:
q x
q x  dx  q x  dx
x
q y
q y  dy  q y  dy
y
q
q z  dz  q z  z dz
z 3
 The Heat Diffusion Equation
Conservation of Energy: Ein  Eg  Eout  Est
where, T
Eg  qdxdydz Est   c p dxdydz
t
So,
T
qx  q y  qz  qdxdydz  q x  dx  q y  dy  qz  dz   c p dxdydz
t
or,

q x q y q T
 dx  dy  z dz  qdxdydz   c p dxdydz
x y z t

4
 The Heat Diffusion Equation
T
Now, q x   kdydz
x
T
q y   kdxdz
y
T
q z   kdxdy
z

Now substituting all into the energy equation, and dividing by dxdydz,

  T    T    T  T
k  k  k   q  c p
x  x  y  y  z  z  t

This is the heat diffusion equation in Cartesian coordinates. This

is the basic tool for heat conduction analysis. 5
 The Heat Diffusion Equation: Simplifications
  T    T    T  T
k  k  k   q   c p
x  x  y  y  z  z  t

If thermal conductivity k is constant:

 2T  2T  2T q 1 T
   
x 2 y 2 z 2 k  t

 2T  2T  2T q
Steady-state:    0
x 2 y 2 z 2 k
One-dimensional and no heat generation:
 2T
0
x 2 6
 The Heat Diffusion Equation:

Exercise

In cylindrical coordinate:

 2T 1 T 1  2T  2T q 1 T
    
r 2 r r r 2  2 z 2 k  t

In spherical coordinate:

1 2 1   T  1  2T q 1 T
 rT    sin   2 2  
r r 2 r 2 sin      r sin   2 k  t

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The Heat Diffusion Equation: Compact Equation

The one-dimensional, time-dependent heat conduction equation in

the rectangular, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems can be
written in the form of single equation:

1   n T  q 1 T
 r  
r n r  r  k  t
where,
0 for rectangular coordinates

n  1 for cylindrical coordinates
2
 for spherical coordinates

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Boundary and Initial Conditions:
To determine the temperature distribution in a medium, heat diffusion
equation is solved based on physical conditions at the boundaries.
Three kinds of boundary conditions commonly used:

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Case study
Consider one-dimensional, steady-state heat conduction in a plate with
constant thermal conductivity in a region 0≤x≤L. Energy is generated in the
medium at a rate of q0exp(-βx), while the boundary surfaces at x=0 are kept
insulated and at x=L dissipate heat by convection into a medium at
temperature T∞ with a heat transfer coefficient h W/(m2.oC). Write the
mathematical formulation of this heat conduction problem.

Governing equation:
d 2T qo   x
 e 0 in 0  x  L
dx 2 k

Boundary condition:
dT
0 at x  0
dx
dT
k  h T  T  at x  L 10
dx
Case study
Consider one-dimensional, steady-state heat conduction in a hollow
cylinder with constant thermal conductivity in the region a≤r≤b. Heat is
generated in the cylinder at a rate of q0 W/m3, while heat is dissipated by
convection into fluids flowing inside and outside the cylindrical tube. Heat
transfer coefficients for the inside and outside fluids are ha and hb,
respectively, and the temperatures of the inside and outside fluids are Ta
and Tb, respectively. Write the mathematical formulation of this heat
conduction problem.
Governing equation:
1 d  dT  qo
r  0 in a  r  b
r dr  dr  k
Boundary condition:
dT
k  ha Ta  T  at r  a
dr
dT
k  hb Tb  T  at x  L 11
Case study
A long copper bar of rectangular cross section, whose width w is much
greater than its thickness L, is maintained in contact with a heat sink at its
lower surface, and the temperature throughout the bar is approximately
equal to that of the sink T0. Suddenly, an electric current is passed through
the bar and an airstream of temperature T∞ is passed over the top surface,
while the bottom surface continues to be maintained at T0. Write the
mathematical formulation of this heat conduction problem.

Governing equation:
 2T q 1 T
 
dx 2 k  t
Boundary condition: T  0, t   T0
T
k  h T ( L, t )  T 
x x t
T ( x, 0)  T0 12
One-dimensional Steady-state Conduction

Despite inherent simplicity, one-dimensional steady-state models

may be used to accurately represent numerous engineering systems.

Governing equation:
d  dT 
k 0
dx  dx 
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One-dimensional Steady-state Conduction

The governing equation is integrated twice for a temperature

distribution:

T ( x)  C1x  C2

Applying boundary conditions:

T (0)  Ts,1 and T ( L)  Ts,2

The temperature distribution is:

 x
T ( x)  Ts,2  Ts,1  Ts,1
L
So, the temperature varies linearly with x.
The conduction heat transfer rate:
qx  kA
dT kA
dx

L
 
Ts,1  Ts,2 , independent of x. 14
Thermal Resistance

An analogy exists between the diffusion of heat and electrical charge.

Let’s define the thermal resistance as:

Rt ,cond 
 Ts,1  Ts,2 

L
qs kA

Thermal resistance for convection is;

Rt ,conv 
 Ts  T 

1
q hA
[Recall, Newton’s law of cooling: q  hA Ts  T  ]
Circuit representations provide a useful tool for both conceptualizing
and quantifying heat transfer problems.
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Equivalent Thermal Circuit

The equivalent thermal circuit for the plane wall with convection:

The heat transfer rate is determined from:

qx 
 T,1  Ts,1  Ts,1  Ts,2  Ts,2  T,2 
 
1/  h1A L /  kA 1/  h2 A
[Since qs is constant throughout is network.]

In terms of the overall temp. differences:

qx 
 T,1  T,2 
Rtotal
where, 1 L 1
Rtotal    16
h1 A kA h2 A
The Composite Wall
 Equivalent thermal circuits may also be applied for more complex
system, such as composite walls.
 Composite walls may involve any number of series and parallel
thermal resistances due to layers of different materials.

The one-dimensional heat transfer rate is:

T,1  T,4
qx 
 Ri

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 The Composite Wall

The summation includes all resistances.

So,
T,1  T,4
qx 
1/ h1A   LA / k A A   LB / k B A    Lc / kc A   1/ h4 A  

This can also be written for each element as,

T,1  Ts,1 Ts,1  Ts,2 Ts,2  Ts,3
qx     ...........
1/ h1A LA / k A A LB / k B A

18
The Composite Wall

Overall heat transfer coefficient

It is often convenient to with an overall heat transfer coefficient U,

which is defined as,

qx  UAT is the overall temp. difference

The overall heat transfer coefficient is thus related to the total thermal
resistance,
1 1
U 
Rtot A 1/ h1  LA / k A  LB / k B  Lc / kc  1/ h4

In general, T 1
Rtot   Ri  
q UA 19
Problem

20
Problem

21