Conduction

numerical
1. The interior dimensions of a compact refrigerator are 46 46 82 cm. It is surrounded
on all sides by 5 cm of polystyrene foam. At what rate does it lose heat to a 20 room if
the interior of the fridge is kept at 4 .
2. Which of the following radiant heating systems transfers heat to a 20 room at a faster
rate if both are the same length?
hot water steam
70
102
temperature
pipe material
copper
cast iron
pipe inner diameter 2.5 cm
3.0 cm
pipe thickness
1.0 mm 4.5 mm
Enggcyclopedia > Blog > Process Design > Heat Transfer > Sample Problem Heat
transfer by conduction across a furnace wall

Sample Problem Heat transfer by conduction across a

furnace wall
Sample Problem Statement

Determine the heat transfer rate per unit area, by means of conduction for a furnace wall made of
fire clay. Furnace wall thickness is 6" or half a foot. Thermal conductivity of the furnace wall
clay is 0.3 W/mK. The furnace wall temperature can be taken to be same as furnace operating
temperature which is 6500C and temperature of the outer wall of the furnace is 1500C.
Solution

Solution to this sample problem is quite straightforward as

demonstrated below.
As per EnggCyclopedia's heat conduction article,
For heat transfer by conduction across a flat wall, the heat transfer rate is expressed by following
equation,

For the given sample problem,

T1 = 6500C
T2 = 1500C
L = 12" = 12 0.0254 m = 0.3048 m
k = 0.3 W/mK
Hence,
Heat transfer rate per unit area of the wall is calculated as,
Q/A = k (T1 - T2)/L
Q/A = 0.3(650-150)/0.3048 W/m2 = 492.13 W/m2
This figure multiplied by the area of the furnace wall, will determine the total heat transfer rate in
Joules/sec i.e. Watt.