Solutions - Assignment 1

Q1. Consider steady-state conditions for one-dimensional

conduction in a plane wall having a thermal conductivity as 25
W/m.K and a thickness L is 0.5 m, with no internal heat
generation. Determine the heat flux (W/m2), given temperature at
both surfaces T1 =400 K and T2=300 K in the figure below:

Sol 1.

Fourier’s law and corresponding temperature gradient for heat

conduction in 1-D system is given by:
T
qx  kA (1)
x
T T1  T2
 (2)
x L
Substitute temperature values for both surfaces of wall in Eq. 2
and use temperature gradient in Eq.1, to get heat transfer rate.

Note – Since heat transfer takes place in decreasing temperature

direction, qx will be negative in sign according to given x direction.
qx = - 5000 W/m2

Q2. The rear window of an automobile is defogged by passing

warm air over its inner surface. If the warm air is at T ,i = 40˚C
and the corresponding convection coefficient is hi = 30 W/m2.K,
what are the inner and outer surface temperatures of 4-mm-thick
window glass, if the outside ambient air temperature is T,o = -
10˚C and the associated convection coefficient is ho = 65
W/m2.K, (Take thermal conductivity of glass =1.4 W/m.K)
Sol 2.
The heat flux can be obtained for the shown system as:
T ,1  T ,2
q" 
1 L 1 (3)
 
ho k hi

Substitute heat flux for inner surface and outer surface in Eq. 4
and Eq. 5 to get respective surface temperatures:
q"  hi (Ts ,i  T ,o ) (4)

q"  ho (Ts ,o  T ,o ) (5)

Ts,i = 7.7 ˚C and Ts,o = 4.9˚C

Q3. The composite wall of an oven consists of three materials,

two of which are of known thermal conductivity, kA = 20 W/m.K
and kC = 50 W/m.K, and known thickness, LA = 0.30 m and LC =
0.15 m. The third material, B, which is sandwiched between
materials A and C, is of known thickness, LB = 0.15 m, but
unknown thermal conductivity kB. Under steady-state operating
conditions, measurements reveal an outer surface temperature of
Ts,o = 20˚C, an inner surface temperature of Ts,i = 600˚C, and an
oven air temperature of T͚= 800˚C. The inside convection
coefficient h is known to be 25 W/m2K. The value of kB is:
Sol 3.

For the shown thermal circuit of given system, heat flux can be
written as Eq.6:
Ts ,i  Ts ,o
q" 
LA L L (6)
 B  C
kA kB kC

Also, heat flux can be obtained by convective heat transfer rate as

given by Eq. 7
q"  h (T  Ts ,i ) (7)
Equate heat flux from Eq.6 and Eq. 7 to get unknown thermal
conductivity kB .
kb = 1.53 W/m.K
Q4. Assume steady-state, one-dimensional heat conduction
through the axisymmetric shape shown in below figure. Assuming
constant properties and no internal heat generation, sketch the
temperature distribution on T- x coordinates

Sol 4. Energy balance for the given object (Eq. 8) and fourier’s
law (Eq. 1) gives Eq. 9

Ein  Eout  qx (8)

T
Ax  const (9)
x
Hence, product of the cross-sectional area normal to the heat rate
and temperature gradient remains a constant and independent of
distance x. It follows that since Ax increases with x, then dT/dx
must decrease with increasing x. Hence, the temperature
distribution will be given by option B.