One-Dimensional Heat Conduction Equation

Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of change of

- +
conduction
at x
conduction
at x+x
generation inside
the element
= the energy content
of the element

E

Qx Qx x  Egen,element
   element
t
(1)
 Eelement
Qx  Qx x  E gen,element 
   (2)
t
• The change in the energy content and the rate of heat
generation can be expressed as
 Eelement  Et t  Et  mc  Tt t  Tt    cAx  Tt t  Tt  (3)


 Egen ,element  e genVelement  e gen Ax (4)

• Substituting into Eq. 2, we get

Tt t  Tt (5)
 
Qx  Qx x gen
 e
 Ax   cAx
t
• Dividing by Ax, taking the limit as x 0 and t 0,
and from Fourier’s law:
1   T  T
 kA  e

 gen   c (6)
A x  x  t
The area A is constant for a plane wall  the one dimensional
transient heat conduction equation in a plane wall is
  T  T
Variable conductivity: k   egen   c
 (7)
x  x  t
 2T e gen 1 T k
Constant conductivity:   ;  (8)
x 2
k  t c

The one-dimensional conduction equation may be reduces

to the following forms under special conditions
d 2T e gen (9)
 0
1) Steady-state: dx 2
k
 2T 1 T
2) Transient, no heat generation:  (10)
x 2
 t
d 2T (11)
3) Steady-state, no heat generation: 2
0
dx
 One-Dimensional Heat Conduction
Equation - Long Cylinder

Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of change of

- +
conduction
at r
conduction
at r+r
generation inside
the element
= the energy content
of the element

Eelement
Q r Q r r  E gen ,element 
t
(12)
 Eelement
Qr  Qr r  E gen ,element 
   (13)
t
• The change in the energy content and the rate of heat
generation can be expressed as
 Eelement  Et t  Et  mc  Tt t  Tt    cAr  Tt t  Tt  (14)


 Egen ,element  e genVelement  e gen Ar (15)

• Substituting into Eq. 12, we get

Tt t  Tt (16)
 
Qr  Qr r gen
 e
 Ar   cAr
t
• Dividing by Ar, taking the limit as r 0 and t 0,
and from Fourier’s law:
1   T  T
 kA  e

 gen   c (17)
A r  r  t
Noting that the area varies with the independent variable r
according to A=2rL, the one dimensional transient heat
conduction equation in a plane wall becomes
1   T  T (18)
Variable conductivity:  rk  e

 gen   c
r r  r  t
1   T  e gen 1 T
Constant conductivity: r   (19)
r r  r  k  t
The one-dimensional conduction equation may be reduces
to the following forms under special conditions
1 d  dT  e gen
r   0 (20)
1) Steady-state: r dr  dr  k
1   T  1 T
2) Transient, no heat generation: r  (21)
r r  r   t
d  dT 
3) Steady-state, no heat generation: r 0 (22)
dr  dr 
 One-Dimensional Heat Conduction
Equation - Sphere

1   2 T  T
Variable conductivity: r k  e

 gen   c (23)
r r 
2
r  t

1   2 T  e gen 1 T
Constant conductivity: r   (24)
r r  r  k
2
 t
General Heat Conduction Equation

Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of heat Rate of change

conduction - conduction
+ generation
= of the energy
at x, y, and z at x+x, y+y, inside the content of the
and z+z element element

Eelement
Qx  Qy  Qz Qx x  Qy y  Qz z
       E gen ,element  (25)
t
Repeating the mathematical approach used for the one-
dimensional heat conduction the three-dimensional heat
conduction equation is determined to be
Two-dimensional

 2T  2T  2T e gen 1 T
Constant conductivity:  2  2   (26)
x 2
y z k  t

Three-dimensional

 2T  2T  2T e gen
 2  2   0 (27)
1) Steady-state: x 2
y z k
 2T  2T  2T 1 T
2) Transient, no heat generation: x 2  y 2  z 2   t (28)

 2T  2T  2T
3) Steady-state, no heat generation: x 2  y 2  z 2  0 (29)
 Cylindrical Coordinates

1   T  1 T  T    T  T
 rk  2 k  k   e gen   c
r r  r  r     z  z  t
(30)
 Spherical Coordinates

1   2 T  1   T  1   T  T
 kr  2 2 k  2  k sin    egen   c

r r 
2
r  r sin      r sin      t

(31)
 Boundary and Initial Conditions

Specified Temperature Boundary Condition

For one-dimensional heat transfer

through a plane wall of thickness
L, for example, the specified
temperature boundary conditions
can be expressed as
T(0, t) = T1
T(L, t) = T2

The specified temperatures can be constant, which is the

case for steady heat conduction, or may vary with time.
 Specified Heat Flux Boundary Condition

The heat flux in the positive x-

direction anywhere in the medium,
including the boundaries, can be
expressed by Fourier’s law of heat
conduction as
dT Heat flux in the
q   k  positive x-
dx direction

The sign of the specified heat flux is determined by

inspection: positive if the heat flux is in the positive
direction of the coordinate axis, and negative if it is in
the opposite direction.
 Two Special Cases

Insulated boundary Thermal symmetry

k
T (0, t )
0 or
T (0, t )
0  
T L , t
2 0
x x x
(2-49) (2-50)
 Convection Boundary Condition

Heat conduction Heat convection

at the surface in a
selected direction = at the surface in
the same direction

T (0, t )
k  h1  T1  T (0, t )  (2-51a)
x
and
T ( L, t )
k  h2  T ( L, t )  T 2  (2-51b)
x
 Radiation Boundary Condition

Heat conduction Radiation exchange

at the surface in a
selected direction
= at the surface in
the same direction

T (0, t )
k  1 Tsurr
4
,1  T (0, t ) 4

x
and
T ( L, t )
k   2 T ( L, t ) 4  Tsurr
4

,2 
x
 Heat Generation in Solids -The Surface
Temperature

Rate of Rate of
heat transfer
from the solid
= energy generation
within the solid

For uniform heat generation within the medium

Q  e genV (W)
The heat transfer rate by convection can also be
expressed from Newton’s law of cooling as
- Q  hAs  Ts  T  (W)
e genV
Ts  T 
hAs
 Variable Thermal Conductivity, k(T)

• The thermal conductivity of a

material, in general, varies with
temperature.
• An average value for the
thermal conductivity is
commonly used when the
variation is mild.
• This is also common practice
for other temperature-
dependent properties such as
the density and specific heat.
 Variable Thermal Conductivity for One-
Dimensional Cases

When the variation of thermal conductivity with

temperature k(T) is known, the average value of the thermal
conductivity in the temperature range between T1 and T2 can
be determined from T

2
k (T )dT
T1
kave 
T2  T1
The variation in thermal conductivity of a material
with can often be approximated as a linear function
and expressed as
k (T )  k0 (1   T )
 the temperature coefficient of thermal conductivity.
 Variable Thermal Conductivity

• For a plane wall the

temperature varies linearly
during steady one-
dimensional heat conduction
when the thermal conductivity
is constant.
• This is no longer the case
when the thermal conductivity
changes with temperature
(even linearly).
Problem: A large plane wall is subjected to specified temperature on the left surface and
convection on the right surface. The mathematical formulation, the variation of
temperature, and the rate of heat transfer are to be determined for steady one-dimensional
heat transfer. The thermal conductivity is given to be k = 2.3 W/m ⋅°C.
Assumptions: 1) Heat conduction is steady and one-dimensional. 2) Thermal conductivity
is constant. 3) There is no heat generation.