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
 Radial System
Cylinder

For steady-state condition,

with no heat generation:

1 d  dT 
 kr 0
r dr  dr 
The rate at which energy is
conducted across any cylindrical surface:
dT dT
qr  kA  k (2 rL)
dr dr
The above two equations suggest that the conduction heat transfer
rate qr is a constant in the radial direction. How?
2
 Radial System
Cylinder

By integrating twice, the general solution

for temperature distribution,
T  r   C1 ln r  C2

Boundary conditions:

T  r1   Ts,1 and T  r2   Ts,2

Applying these boundary conditions and solving:

Ts,1  Ts,2
T r   ln  r / r2   Ts,2
ln  r1 / r2 
Unlike plane wall case, the temperature distribution through a
3
cylindrical wall is logarithmic for the same surface conditions.
 Radial System
Cylinder

Recall the Fourier’s law,

qr  kA

dT 2 Lk Ts,1  Ts,2


dr ln  r2 / r1 

The thermal resistance for radial conduction in a cylindrical wall:

ln  r2 / r1 
Rt ,cond 
2 Lk

4
Radial System
Composite systems

qr 

2 Lk T,1  T,4 
1 ln  r2 / r1  ln  r3 / r2  ln  r4 / r3  1
   
2 r1Lh1 2 k A L 2 k B L 2 kC L 2 r4 Lh4 5
 Radial System
Sphere
For steady-state condition,
with no heat generation:

1 d  2 dT 
 kr 0
r 2 dr  dr 

The rate at which energy is

conducted across any cylindrical surface:
dT 2 dT
qr  kA  k (4 r )
dr dr

6
 Radial System
Sphere

By integrating twice, the general solution

for temperature distribution,
C
T  r    1  C2
r
Boundary conditions:

T  r1   Ts,1 and T  r2   Ts,2

Applying these boundary conditions and solving:

r r r  r1
T  r   r1 / r 2 Ts,1  r2 / r Ts,2
r2  r1 r2  r1

7
 Radial System
Sphere

Recall the Fourier’s law,

qr  kA
dT
dr
 4 k
r1r2
r2  r1

Ts,1  Ts,2 

The thermal resistance for radial conduction in a spherical wall:

r2  r1
Rt ,cond 
4 kr1r2

8
 Critical thickness of insulation: Cylinder

Consider a layer of insulation around a

circular pipe.

From the thermal network knowledge:

2 L Ti  T 
q
ln  ro / ri  1

k ro h
Critical thickness of insulation (ro) will be determined from the
concept of maximum heat transfer from the outer surface.
 1 1 
So, 2 L Ti  T    
 kr 2
dq
0  o hro   roc 
k
dro  ln  ro / ri  1  h
  
 k ro 
h 9
 Critical thickness of insulation: Sphere

By similar procedure, one can obtain an expression of critical radius

of insulation for sphere.

Thus, 2k
roc 
h

Applications and significance of critical thickness of

insulation?
See the referred books.

10
 Heat Transfer from Extended Surface

 Extended Surface is a generic term. It typically involves heat

transfer by conduction within a solid and heat transfer by
convection (and/or radiation) from the boundaries of the solid.

 The direction of heat transfer from the boundaries is perpendicular

to the principal direction of heat transfer in the solid.

 Extended surface is used specifically to enhance heat transfer.

 This extended surface is termed as fin.

11
 Fin
 Heat transfer rate can be increased if Ts is fixed:
i. by increasing h (such as by increasing fluid velocity)
ii. by reducing T∞
iii. by increasing surface area A.

This may be done by employing fin that extend from the wall to the
surrounding fluid.

What must the thermal conductivity be of a fin material? Large or small

 Applications of fin:
i. engine heads in IC engines
ii. Car radiator of automobiles
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iii. Cooling of electric transformers etc.
 Fin
 Fin configurations:
i. Straight fin - any extended surface attached to a plane wall
ii. Annular fin – circumferentially attached to a cylinder
iii. Pin fin - extended surface of circular cross section.

 Selection of particular fin configurations generally depend on space,

weight, manufacturing, and cost considerations, as well as on the fin
effectiveness and pressure drop increase due to flow over fins.
13
 Fin
 Energy equation for a fin (general analysis)
Assumptions:
i. Steady state condition
ii. one-dimensional heat conduction
iii. the rate at which energy is convected to the fluid must
be balanced by the rate at which energy transfer by conduction
iv. temperature is uniform across the fin thickness
v. thermal conductivity is constant, and convective heat
transfer coefficient is uniform over the fin surface
vi. no heat generation effect.

Energy balance:
qx  qxdx  dqconv
14
 Fin
 Energy equation for a fin (general analysis)
Fourier law:
dT
qx  kAc
dx
and
dq x dT d  dT 
q x  dx  q x  dx  kAc  k  Ac  dx
dx dx dx  dx 

dqconv  hdAs T  T 

So, from energy balance:

d  dT  h dAs
 Ac  T  T   0
dx  dx  k dx
d 2T  1 dAc  dT h dAs

2
   T  T   0, general form of
dx  Ac dx  dx Ac k dx 15
energy equation.
 Fin
 Uniform cross sectional area
Recall
d 2T  1 dAc  dT h dAs
2
   T  T   0
dx  Ac dx  dx Ac k dx

For uniform cross sectional area of a fin:

d 2T hp
  T  T   0 [ As  px]
dx 2 Ac k

Define excess temperature:   x   T  x   T

So, d 2
 m 2  0 where, m2  hp
dx 2 Ac k
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 Fin
 Uniform cross sectional area
d 2
 m 2  0
dx 2
The general solution of the equation:

  x   C1emx  C2emx

Boundary conditions: d
2. h  L   k
1.   0   Tb  T  b dx x  L
d
or 0
dx x  L

or   L  L
or   L    L  0 17
 Fin
 Case-1: convection heat transfer from the fin tip
The general solution of the equation:

  x   C1emx  C2emx
Boundary conditions:
dT
At x =0, T = Tb: At x =L, hAc T ( L)  T   kAc
dx x  L
d
   0   Tb  T  b  h  L   k
dx x  L
So,
b  C1  C2   
and h C1emL  C2emL  km C2emL  C1emL 
 C1  b  C2

18
 Fin
 Case-1: convection heat transfer from the fin tip
Solving for C1 and C2, after some manipulation,
h
cosh m  L  x   sinh m  L  x  Exercise.
 mk

b cosh mL 
h
sinh mL
mk

Heat transfer rate,

dT d
qb  q f  kAc  kAc
dx x 0 dx x 0
h
sinh mL  cosh mL
 q f  hpkA cb mk
h
cosh mL  sinh mL 19
mk
 Fin
 Case-2: convective heat loss from the fin tip is negligible
The general solution of the equation:

  x   C1emx  C2emx
Boundary conditions:
dT
At x =0, T = Tb: At x =L, kAc 0
dx x  L
   0   Tb  T  b d
 0
dx x  L
So,
b  C1  C2 and C1emL  C2emL  0
 C1  b  C2

20
 Fin
 Case-1: convection heat transfer from the fin tip
Solving for C1 and C2, after some manipulation,

 cosh m  L  x 

b cosh mL

Heat transfer rate,

dT d
qb  q f  kAc  kAc
dx x 0 dx x 0

sinh mL
 q f  hpkA cb  hpkA cb tanh mL
cosh mL
21
 Fin
 Case-3: Prescribed temperature at the fin tip
The general solution of the equation:

  x   C1emx  C2emx
Boundary conditions:

At x =0, T = Tb: At x =L, T  TL

   0   Tb  T  b   ( L)  L

So,
b  C1  C2 and  L  C1emL  C2emL

22
 Fin
 Case-3: convection heat transfer from the fin tip
Solving for C1 and C2, after some manipulation,
 L 
  sinh mx  sinh m  L  x 
  b 

b sinh mL
Heat transfer rate,
dT d
qb  q f  kAc  kAc
dx x 0 dx x 0


cosh mL  L
b
 q f  hpkA cb
sinh mL
23
 Fin
 Case-4: Very long fin
The general solution of the equation:

  x   C1emx  C2emx
Boundary conditions:

At x =0, T = Tb: At L  , TL  T

   0   Tb  T  b   L   L  0
This gives, 
 e mx
b
q f  hpkA cb
24
 Fin
 Summary of expressions

25
 Fin Performance: Effectiveness

 Although fins are primarily used to enhance heat transfer by

increasing, but there is no guarantee of such enhancement due to
fin’s own conduction resistance.

 As such, there is a need to measure performance, and this is done by

fin effectiveness.

 Fin effectiveness, f is defined as the ratio of the fin heat transfer

rate to the heat transfer rate that would exist without the fin.
qf Ac,b is the fin cross-sectional area at
f  the base.
hAc,bb qf expressions can be found in the table.

 The use of fins is not normally justified if  f  2.

26
 Fin Performance

 For very long fin case,

pk
f 
hAc

- fin effectiveness is enhanced by the use of high conductivity

materials.
- fin effectiveness can also be enhanced by increasing the ratio of
p/Ac. Thus, the use of thin, but closely spaced fin is preferred.
What will happen for too densely spaced fins?
- use of fins is better justified for low values of h. So, the need for
fins is stronger for gases than liquids and heat transfer is by free
convection.
27
 Fin Performance: Efficiency

 Fin efficiency, f is defined as the ratio of the actual heat transfer

through the fin to the maximum possible heat transfer from the
system: qf qf
f   Af is the fin surface area.
qmax hA f b

 For a straight fin of uniform cross-section and an adiabatic tip,

hpkAc b kAc tanh mL
f  tanh mL  tanh mL 
hpLb hpL mL
 For a straight fin with active tip, tanh mLc
f 
mLc
Lc is the corrected fin length:
Lc  L  t / 2, for rectangle fin Lc  L  D / 4, for pin fin 28
 Fin Performance: Efficiency

 Errors associated with the approximation is negligible if

ht/k or hD/2k ≤ 0.0625.

 If the width of a rectangular fin is much larger than its thickness

(w>>t), perimeter may be approximated as p=2w.
hp 2h
mLc  Lc  Lc
kAc kt

29
 Fin Performance: Overall Fin Efficiency

 This applies for an array of fins.

 The overall fin efficiency is expressed as,

qt qt
o  
qmax hAtb
where, N = Number of fins
At  NA f  Ab
30
 Fin Performance: Overall Fin Efficiency

 The total heat transfer rate:

qt  N f hA f b  hAbb

or,
 
qt  h  N f A f b  At  NA f b 
 
 
 
Af
 hAt 1  N 1   f  b
 At 

Now substituting,

1  f 
Af
o  1  N
At
31
Problem

32