MCL242: Heat and Mass Transfer

Tutorial sheet 2

Problem 1: Assume steady-state, one-dimensional heat conduction through the sym-

metric shape shown.

Assuming that there is no internal heat generation, derive an expression for the thermal
conductivity k(x) for these conditions: A(x) = (1−x), T (x) = 300(1−2x−x3 ), and q = 6000
W , where A is in square meters, T in kelvins, and x in meters.
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Solution: k = (1−x)(2+3x 2)

Problem 2: A solid, truncated cone serves as a support for a system that maintains
the top (truncated) face of the cone at a temperature T 1, while the base of the cone is at
a temperature T 2 < T 1. The thermal conductivity of the solid depends on temperature
according to the relation k = ko − aT , where a is a positive constant, and the sides of the
cone are well insulated. Do the following quantities increase, decrease, or remain the same
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with increasing x: the heat transfer rate qx , the heat flux qx , the thermal conductivity k,
and the temperature gradient dT /dx?
Solution: Heat transfer rate remains the same; heat flux and dT/dx decrease; thermal
conductivity increases.

Problem 3: A cylinder of radius ro , length L, and thermal conductivity k is immersed

in a fluid of convection coefficient h and unknown temperature T∞ . At a certain instant
the temperature distribution in the cylinder is T (r) = a + br2 , where a and b are constants.
Obtain expressions for the heat transfer rate at ro and the fluid temperature. Solution:
qx = −4 ∗ π ∗ r02 ∗ L ∗ k ∗ b, T∞ = a + br02 + 2kbr0 /h

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 Problem 4: Steady-state, one-dimensional conduction occurs in a rod of constant thermal
conductivity k and variable cross-sectional area Ax (x) = Ao eax , where Ao and a are constants.
The lateral surface of the rod is well insulated. Write an expression for the conduction
heat rate, qx (x). Use this expression to determine the temperature distribution T (x) and
qualitatively sketch the distribution for T (0) > T (L).
q
Solution: qx = −kA0 eax dT /dx, Tx = T0 − kaA 0
(1 − e−ax )

Problem 5: An apparatus for measuring thermal conductivity employs an electrical

heater sandwiched between two identical samples of diameter 30 mm and length 60 mm,
which are pressed between plates maintained at a uniform temperature To = 77◦ C by a

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circulating fluid. A conducting grease is placed between all the surfaces to ensure good
thermal contact. Differential thermocouples are imbedded in the samples with a spacing
of 15 mm. The lateral sides of the samples are insulated to ensure one-dimensional heat
transfer through the samples.

(a) With two samples of SS316 in the apparatus, the heater draws 0.353 A at 100 V and
the differential thermocouples indicate ∆T1 = ∆T2 = 25.0◦ C. What is the thermal
conductivity of the stainless steel sample material? What is the average temperature
of the samples?

(b) By mistake, an Armco iron sample is placed in the lower position of the apparatus
with one of the SS316 samples from part (a) in the upper portion. For this situation,
the heater draws 0.601 A at 100 V and the differential thermocouples indicate ∆T1 =
∆T2 = 15.0◦ C . What are the thermal conductivity and average temperature of the
Armco iron sample?

(c) What is the advantage in constructing the apparatus with two identical samples sand-
wiching the heater rather than with a single heater–sample combination? When would
heat leakage out of the lateral surfaces of the samples become significant? Under what
conditions would you expect ∆T1 6= ∆T2 ?

Solution: (a) k = 15 W/m.K, Tavg = 127◦ C, (b) k = 70 W/m.K, Tavg = 107◦ C

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 Problem 6: A method for determining the thermal conductivity k and the specific heat
cp of a material is illustrated in the sketch. Initially the two identical samples of diameter
D = 60 mm and thickness L = 10 mm and the thin heater are at a uniform temperature of
Ti = 23.00◦ C, while surrounded by an insulating powder. Suddenly the heater is energized
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to provide a uniform heat flux qo on each of the sample interfaces, and the heat flux is
maintained constant for a period of time, ∆to . A short time after sudden heating is initiated,
the temperature at this interface To is related to the heat flux as
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00 t
To (t) − Ti = 2qo
πρcp k

For a particular test run, the electrical heater dissipates 15.0 W for a period of ∆to = 120
s and the temperature at the interface is To (30s) = 24.57◦ C after 30 s of heating. A long
time after the heater is deenergized, t  ∆to , the samples reach the uniform temperature
of To (∞) = 33.50◦ C. The density of the sample materials, determined by measurement of
volume and mass, is ρ = 3965 kg/m3 . Determine the specific heat and thermal conductivity

of the test material.

Solution: Cp = 765 J/kg.K, k = 35.4 W/m.K

Problem 7: Uniform internal heat generation at q̇ = 5 × 107 W/m3 is occurring in a

cylindrical nuclear reactor fuel rod of 50 mm diameter, and under steady-state conditions
the temperature distribution is of the form T (r) = a + br2 , where T is in degrees Celsius
and r is in meters, while a = 800◦ C and b = −4.167 × 105◦ C/m2 . The fuel rod properties
are k = 30 W/m·K, ρ = 1100 kg/m3 , and cp = 800 J/kg·K.

(a) What is the rate of heat transfer per unit length of the rod at r = 0 (the centerline)
and at r = 25 mm (the surface)?

(b) If the reactor power level is suddenly increased to q̇2 = 108 W/m3 , what is the initial
time rate of temperature change at r = 0 and r = 25 mm?

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Solution: (a) 0 at r = 0 and 98.2 kW at r = 25 mm, (b) 56.82◦ C/s

Problem 8: The steady-state temperature distribution in a one-dimensional wall of ther-

mal conductivity 50 W/m·K and thickness 50 mm is observed to be T (◦ C) = a + bx2 , where
a = 200◦ C, b = −2000◦ C/m2 , and x is in meters.

(a) What is the heat generation rate q̇ in the wall?

(b) Determine the heat fluxes at the two wall faces. In what manner are these heat fluxes
related to the heat generation rate?

Solution: (a) 2 × 105 W/m3 , (b) 0 at x = 0 and 104 W/m2 at x = 50 mm.

Problem 9: The plane wall with constant properties and no internal heat generation
shown in the figure is initially at a uniform temperature Ti . Suddenly the surface at x = L
is heated by a fluid at T∞ having a convection heat transfer coefficient h. The boundary at
x = 0 is perfectly insulated.

(a) Write the differential equation and identify the boundary and initial conditions that
could be used to determine the temperature as a function of position and time in the
wall.

(b) On T −x coordinates, sketch the temperature distributions for the following conditions:
initial condition (t ≤ 0), steady-state condition (t → ∞), and two intermediate times.
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(c) On qx − t coordinates, sketch the heat flux at the locations x = 0 and x = L. That is,
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show qualitatively how qx (0, t) and qx (L, t) vary with time.

(d) Write an expression for the total energy transferred to the wall per unit volume of the
wall (J/m3 ).
R∞
Solution: (d) Lh 0 [T∞ − T (L, t)] dt