Objective Type Questions:

1. A flat plate has thickness 5 cm, thermal conductivity 1 W/(mK), convective heat transfer coefficients on its two
flat faces of 10 W/(m2K) and 20 W/(m2K). The overall heat transfer co-efficient for such a flat plate is:
(a) 5 W/(m2K) (b) 6.33 W/(m2K) (c) 20 W/(m2K) (d) 30 W/(m2K)
2. A steel plate of thickness 5 cm and thermal conductivity 20 W/mK
is subjected to a uniform heat flux of 800 W/m2 on one surface 'A'
and transfers heat by convection with a heat transfer coefficient of
80 W/m2K from the other surface 'B' into ambient air T∞ of 25°C.
The temperature of the surface 'B' transferring heat by convection
is:
(a) 25°C (b) 35°C (c) 45°C (d) 55°C

3. The heat flow through a composite cylinder is given by the

equation:

1. A 2 mm long steel tube (k = 15 W/(m °C)) with an outside diameter of 760 mm and a thickness of 130
mm is covered with an insulation (k = 0.2 W/(m °C)) of 20 mm thickness. A hot gas with a heat transfer
coefficient of 400 W/(m2 °C) flows inside the tube, and the outer surface of the insulation is exposed to
cooler air with a heat transfer coefficient of 60 W/(m2 °C). Calculate the total thermal resistance of the
system for heat flow from hot gas to cooler air. [Ans. 0.02675 °C or K /W]
2. A 250 mm OD steam pipe maintained at T1 = 150°C is exposed to an ambient at T∞ = 25°C with a
convection heat transfer coefficient h = 50 W/(m2 °C). Calculate the thickness of the asbestos insulation
(k = 0.1 W/(m °C)) required to reduce the heat loss from the pipe by 50 per cent. [Ans. 2 mm]
3. A jet air craft compartment is assumed to be a cylindrical tube of 3 m diameter and 20m length. It is
lined inside with 3cm of insulating material of k=0.042W/m.K. It is flying at a height where the average
outside temperature is -30oC. Find the rate of heating required to maintain the compartment at 20 oC for
passenger comfort. [Ans. 13.06W]
4. A furnace wall has the inside surface temperature of 1100oC, while the ambient air temperature is 25oC.
The wall consists of 125mm thick refractory bricks (k=1.6W/m.K), 125mm thick fire bricks (k=0.3W/m.K)
and 12mm thick plaster (k=0.14W/m.K). There is an air gap which offers a thermal resistance of
0.16K/W. The heat transfer coefficient on the outside wall to the air is 17W/m 2K. Find (a) the rate of
heat loss per unit area of the wall surface. (b) The interface temperatures throughout the wall (c) The
temperature of the outside surface of the wall. [Ans: 1344W]
5. A steam pipe made of steel (k=58W/m.K) has I.D of 160mm and O.D of 170mm. The saturated steam
flowing through it is at 300oC, while the ambient air is at 50oC. It has two layers of Insulation; the inner
layer (k=0.17W/m.K) is 30mm thick and the outer layer (k=0.023W/m.K) is 50mm thick, the heat
transfer coefficients on the inside and outside walls are 30 and 5.8W/m 2.K respectively, find the rate of
heat loss per unit length of the pipe. [Ans: 82.94 W/m]
6. An Aluminium (k=185W/m.K) pipe of ID. 10cm and OD. 12cm carrying steam at 110 oC loses heat to the
room at 30oC having h=15W/m2K.
 Find (i) The rate of heat transfer (ii) The percentage reduction in heat transfer if insulation (k=0.2W/m.K)
of 5cm thickness covers the pipe. [Ans: 138 W/m, 69.5%]
7. A copper pipe having 35 mm OD and 30 mm ID carries liquid oxygen to the storage site of a space shuttle
at –182°C and 0.06 m3 /min. The ambient air is at 20°C and has a dew point of 10°C. How much
insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.02 W/(m K) is needed to prevent condensation on the
exterior of the insulation if the convective heat transfer coefficient h = 17 W/(m 2 K) on the outside? Take
thermal conductivity of copper kCu = 400 W/(m K).
8. Consider a pipe of inside radius r1 = 30 mm, outside radius r2 = 60 mm, and thermal conductivity k1 = 10
W/(m °C). The inside surface is maintained at a uniform temperature T1 = 350°C, and the outside surface
is to be insulated with an insulation material of thermal conductivity k 2 = 0.1 W/(m °C). The outside
surface of the insulation material is exposed to an environment at T2 = 20°C with a heat transfer
coefficient h2 = 10 W/(m2 °C). Determine the thickness of the insulation material needed to reduce the
heat loss by 25 per cent of that of the uninsulated pipe exposed to the same environmental conditions.
[Ans. 4.3 mm]