TUTORIAL 2:

THERMAL ENGINEERING MEC551

1. Is heat transfer a scalar or vector quantity? Explain. Answer the same question for
temperature.

2. How does transient heat transfer differ from steady heat transfer? How does one-
dimensional heat transfer differ from two-dimensional heat transfer?

3. Write down the one-dimensional transient heat conduction equation for a plane
wall with constant thermal conductivity and heat generation in its simplest form,
and indicate what each variable represents.

4. What is a thermal symmetry boundary condition? How is it expressed

mathematically?

5. How is the boundary condition on an insulated surface expressed mathematically?

6. Consider a medium in which the heat conduction equation is given in its simplest
1   T  .
form as  rk   q'  0
r r  r 
(a) Is heat transfer steady or transient?
(b) Is heat transfer one-, two-, or three-dimensional?
(c) Is there heat generation in the medium?
(d) Is the thermal conductivity of the medium constant or variable?

7. Consider a medium in which the heat conduction equation is given in its simplest
form as

(a) Is heat transfer steady or transient?

(b) Is heat transfer one-, two-, or three-dimensional?
(c) Is there heat generation in the medium?
(d) Is the thermal conductivity of the medium constant or variable?
8. Consider a large plane wall of thickness L = 0.4 m,thermal conductivity k = 2.3
W/m · °C, and surface area A =30 m2. The left side of the wall is maintained at a
constant temperature of T1 = 90°C while the right side loses heat by convection to
the surrounding air at T∞= 25°C with a heat transfer coefficient of h = 24 W/m2·
°C. Assuming constant thermal conductivity and no heat generation in the wall,
(a) express the differential equation and the boundary conditions for steady one-
dimensional heat conduction through the wall,
(b) obtain a relation for the variation of temperature in the wall by solving the
differential equation, and
(c) evaluate the rate of heat transfer through the wall.

9. A spherical container of inner radius r1 = 2 m, outer radius r2 = 2.1 m, and thermal

conductivity k = 30 W/m · °C is filled with iced water at 0°C. The container is
gaining heat by convection from the surrounding air at T∞ =25°C with a heat
transfer coefficient of h=18 W/m2· °C. Assuming the inner surface temperature of
the container to be 0°C,
(a) express the differential equation and the boundary conditions for steady one-
dimensional heat conduction through the container,
(b) obtain a relation for the variation of temperature in the container by solving
the differential equation, and
(c) evaluate the rate of heat gain to the iced water.

10. Consider a water pipe of length L = 17 m, inner radius r1 = 15 cm, outer radius r2
= 20 cm, and thermal conductivity k = 14 W/m · °C. Heat is generated in the pipe
material uniformly by a 25-kW electric resistance heater. The inner and outer
surfaces of the pipe are at T1 = 60°C and T2 = 80°C, respectively. Obtain a
general relation for temperature distribution inside the pipe under steady
conditions and determine the temperature at the center plane of the pipe.