Heat and Mass Transfer

Chapter 17
“Steady-state conduction”
Steady-state conduction
• General steady-state situation without heat source:

• In one dimension: i = 0 (Cartesian coordinates),

i = 1 (cylindrical coordinates),
i = 2 (spherical coordinates)

 dT 
• The Fourier equation q x = − kA 
 dx 
• q : does not vary with time (steady state)
• k : depends on material (function of T and P)
• If dT/dx is large, significant variation of k with x may exist
• A : dependent on position
• sign of q : make q positive in the positive x direction.

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Steady-state one-dimensional conduction
 dT 
q x = − kA 
 dx 
• If heat is flowing normal to the principal surfaces,
area A is constant.
• In steady state without heat generation (i.e., no
heat accumulation), q is identical at all cross
sections.
• If k is assumed to be constant, dT/dx is also
identical at all cross sections (i.e., constant at
all distances).

T(x) is a straight line

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Steady-state 1D conduction in plane wall

“Thermal conductance” of this conduction case

• “Thermal resistance” = 1 / [thermal conductance]

Thermal resistance, R (Ch.15 & Ch.17):

Δ𝑇
for any type of heat transfer expressed by 𝑞 = 𝑅

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Steady-state 1D conduction with variable k
• If k varies with temperature, dT/dx is no longer constant.

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 Ch.15 & Ch. 17

Steady-state 1D conduction in composite walls

𝑘1 𝐴
𝑞𝑥,1 = 𝑇 − 𝑇2
𝐿1 1
𝑘2 𝐴
𝑞𝑥,2 = 𝑇 − 𝑇3
𝐿1 2
𝑘3 𝐴
𝑞𝑥,3 = (𝑇 − 𝑇4 )
𝐿3 3

Sum of
• In steady state, 𝑞𝑥,1 = 𝑞𝑥,2 = 𝑞𝑥,3 = 𝑞𝑥 three equations
Δ𝑇 𝑇1 −𝑇4
• 𝑞𝑥 = = Total thermal resistance, R=?
𝑅 𝑅
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿
• 𝑇1 − 𝑇4 = 𝑞𝑥 𝑘 1𝐴 + 𝑘 2𝐴 + 𝑘 3𝐴
1 2 3
𝐿1 𝐿 𝐿
➢𝑅 = + 𝑘 2𝐴 + 𝑘 3𝐴 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 = σ 𝑅𝑖
𝑘1 𝐴 2 3

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Steady-state 1D conduction through a hollow cylinder

• Radial heat flow at steady state

• dT/dr is not a constant!

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 Ch.17 & Example 1 in Ch.15

Steady-state 1D conduction through a hollow cylinder

Constant 𝑞𝑟 in steady state

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Steady-state 1D conduction through a hollow sphere

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Temperature profiles of steady-state 1D conduction
w/ constant k
• Plane slab: 0

• Hollow cylinder:

• Hollow sphere: 2

r or x
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