Chapter 5

Transient conduction
Lumped system analysis (LSA)
Single convection resistance
 Lumped system analysis
Lumped system: A system in which temperature is independent of location (x or r)

h, T∞ r=0 r=r0
r=0 r=r0

x=-L x=0 x=L

Lumped Lumped Lumped

Ti Ti Ti
system system system

Real Real Real

system system system
x=0 x=L r=0 r=r0 r=0 r=r0
 When is lumped system analysis valid?
Condition for lumped system analysis:
Biot number (Bi) < 0.1
where,
h = Heat transfer coefficient
Lc = Characteristic length = V/As
k = Thermal conductivity

Characteristic length, Lc = V/As

V = volume As = surface area open to convection

h, T∞ h, T∞
r0 r0
V =4/3 πr03
h, T∞

V = A*(2L) V =πr02L
h, T∞

Thickness = 2L Solid Solid

A As=4πr02
As= 2 A cylinder As=2 πr0 L sphere
Plane wall Lc = L =thickness/2 Lc = r0/2 Lc = r0/3
L
-L 0 +L
 Lumped system analysis equations
Variation of temperature with time T(t):

As = Surface area open to convection

V = Volume of lumped system
ρ = Density of lumped system
Cp = Specific heat of lumped system

Time constant for the lumped system (τ):

Note: It takes 5 time constants (5*τ) to reach steady state value (T∞)
Total amount of heat lost (Q) in joules
A large plate of aluminium 5.0 cm thick and initially at 200 oC is suddenly exposed to a fluid with a temperature of 70 oC with a
convection coefficient of 525 W/m2.K.
Properties of aluminium: k = 215 W/m.K ρ = 2700 kg/m3 Cp = 0.9 kJ/kg.oC = 900 J/kg.oC

a) Is the lumped system analysis valid?

h, T∞
h, T∞
Thickness = 2L
A
Large plate

-L 0 +L

c) How much energy has been removed per unit area in part b.
b) Determine the temperature of the plate after 1 minute.
A long aluminium cylinder 5.0 cm in diameter and initially at 200 oC is suddenly exposed to a convection environment at 70 oC
and h = 525 W/m2.oC.
Properties of aluminium: k = 215 W/m.K ρ = 2700 kg/m3 Cp = 0.9 kJ/kg.oC = 900 J/kg.oC
a) Is the lumped system analysis valid?
h, T∞
r0
Solid
cylinder

L
c) How much energy has been removed per unit length in part b.

b) Determine the temperature of the cylinder after 1 min.

A thermocouple junction, which may be approximated as a sphere, is to be used for temperature measurement in a gas
stream. The convection coefficient between the junction surface and the gas is h = 400 W/m 2.K. The junction is initially at 25oC
while the gas steam is at 200oC.
Properties of the junction: k = 20 W/m.K Cp = 400 J/kg.K ρ = 8500 kg/m3
r0
b) Is the lumped system analysis valid?
Solid
sphere
h, T∞
Since Bi < 0.1, lumped system analysis is valid.
a) Determine the junction diameter needed for the
thermocouple to have a time constant of 1 second.

c) How long will it take for the junction to reach 199 oC?
Single term approximation
More accurate than lumped system analysis
 Single term approximation method
• Lumped system analysis is valid only if

 Plane wall (Lc = L = thickness/2)  Cylinder (Lc = r0/2)  Spheres (Lc = r0/3)
• If Bi > 0.1, then lumped system analysis is invalid

• Single term approximation method is valid for any value of Biot number.

 Plane wall (Lc = L = thickness/2)  Cylinder (Lc = r0)  Spheres (Lc = r0)
• Condition for single term approximation method

• Use this method if surface or center temperatures are given or need to be determined
Single term approximate solution (large plane walls)
Biot Number Fourier Number Thermal diffusivity thickness = 2L
(dimensionless) (dimensionless) (m2/s)
hL  .t k
Bi  Fo   h,T∞ h,T∞
k L 2
c p
T: Temperature at any time at any location ()
x=-L x=0 x=L

T0: Temperature at any time at centre ()

Infinite Cylinder
Single term approximate solution (infinitely long cylinders)
Biot Number Fourier Number Thermal diffusivity
(dimensionless) (dimensionless) (m2/s)
hro  .t k
Bi  Fo  2  r0
k ro c p
T: Temperature at any time at any location ()

h, T∞

T0: Temperature at any time at centre ()

Infinite Cylinder
T  T r
 C1 exp( 1 Fo) J 0 ( 1 )
2

Ti  T r0

Example:
If
 Single term approximate solution (spheres)
Biot Number Fourier Number Thermal diffusivity
(dimensionless) (dimensionless) (m2/s)
hro  .t k
Bi  Fo   r0
k ro
2
c p
h, T∞
T: Temperature at any time at any location ()

T0: Temperature at any time at centre ()

Infinite Cylinder
In a production facility, 3-cm-thick brass plates (k = 110 W/m. oC, ρ = 8530 kg/m3, CP = 380 J/kg.oC, α = 33.9x10-6 m2/s) that are
initially at a uniform temperature of 25oC are heated by passing them through an over maintained at 700oC. The plates remain
in the oven for a period of 10 min. Taking the convection heat transfer coefficient to be h = 80 W/m 2.oC, determine
a) the surface temperature of the plates when they come out of the oven
b) the center temperature of the plates when they come out of the oven
thickness = 2L = 3cm

h,T∞ h,T∞

Part (a) Use single term approximation method (because location is specified)
x=-L x=0 x=+L
hL
Bi   0.0109
k
 .t
Fo  2  90.4
L
Fo > 0.2, single term approximation is valid
 Part (b) Using single term approximation
(because location is specified)

single interpolation
Bi ζ1 C1
0.01 0.0998 1.0017
0.0109 0.1035 1.0018
0.02 0.1410 1.0033

To find surface temperature (x = L)

A beef slab of 65 kg mass (k = 0.47 W/m.oC, α = 0.13x10-6 m2/s) initially at 37oC is to be cooled by air (-6oC) with a velocity of
8m/s. The convection heat transfer coefficient is 22 W/m2.oC. Model the beef slab as a cylinder of 24 cm diameter and 1.4 m of
height. After certain time, the center temperature of the slab is dropped to 4 oC. Ignore heat transfer from the base ad top
surfaces for simplification. Determine
a) The characteristic length b) The biot number c) The Fourier’s number d) Time required
(hours)
Part (c)
From table B1:

Since location is specified, use single term approximation.

Part (a) By interpolation:
For cylinder, Bi ζ1 C1
Part (b) 5 1.9898 1.5029
5.617 2.0263 1.5167
6 2.0490 1.5253
A beef slab of 65 kg mass (k = 0.47 W/m.oC, α = 0.13x10-6 m2/s) initially at 37oC is to be cooled by air (-6oC) with a velocity of
8m/s. The convection heat transfer coefficient is 22 W/m2.oC. Model the beef slab as a cylinder of 24 cm diameter and 1.4 m of
height. After certain time, the center temperature of the slab is dropped to 4 oC. Ignore heat transfer from the base ad top
surfaces for simplification. Determine
a) The characteristic length b) The biot number c) The Fourier’s number d) Time required
(hours)

Since Fo > 0.2, single term approximation method is valid

Long cylindrical AISI stainless steel rods (k = 7.74 BTU/h.ft. oF, α = 0.135 ft2/h) of
4-in. diameter are heat treated by drawing them at a velocity of 10 ft/min
through a 30-ft-long oven maintained at 1700oF. The heat transfer coefficient in
the oven is 20 BTU/h.ft2.oF. If the rods enter the oven at 85oF, determine
a) The centerline temperature at the exit
b) The surface temperature at the exit

Part (a) Use one term approximation method (since location is specified)

hr0
Bi   0.4307
k
 .t
=
30 ft min 1 hr
= 0.05 h
Fo  2  0.243
10 ft 60 min r0
Fo > 0.2, single term approximation is valid.
Bi  0.4307

Bi ζ1 C1
0.4 0.8516 1.0932
0.4307 0.8789 1.0997
0.5 0.9408 1.1143

Centre temperature equation:

T0  T
 C1 exp( 1 Fo)
2

Ti  T
T0  227.94o F
Part (b) Use single term approximation (since location is specified)

At surface, r = r0

From table B4:

x J0(x)
0.8 0.8463
0.8789 0.8157
0.9 0.8075
A long cylindrical wood log (k = 0.17 W/m.oC, and α = 1.28x10-7 m2/s) is 10 cm in diameter and is initially at a uniform
temperature of 10oC. It is exposed to hot gases at 500oC in a fireplace with a heat transfer coefficient of 13.6 W/m 2.oC on the
surface. If the ignition temperature of the wood is 420 oC, determine how long it will be before the log ignites.

The wood will start to burn if:surface temperature (T) = ignition temperature (Tignition)

Use single term approximation since the location of the temperature is specified

hr0  .t  Condition (Fo > 0.2)

Bi  4 Fo  2
k r0  Check condition later (after finding time)
 x J0(x)
1.9 0.2818
1.9081 0.2771
2.0 0.2239

At surface, r = r0

From table B4:

Fo > 0.2, single term approximation is valid!

Chickens (freezing point = -2.8oC, k = 0.45 W/m.oC, α = 0.13x10-6 m2/s) with an average mass of 1.7 kg initially at a uniform
temperature of 15oC are to be chilled in agitated brine at -10 oC. The average heat transfer coefficient between the chicken and
the bring is determine experimentally to be 440 W/m2.oC. Taking the average density of the chicken to be 0.95 g/cm 3 and
treating the chicken as a spherical lump,
a) determine the center and surface temperature of the chicken in 2 h and 30 min.
b) determine if any part of the chicken will freeze during this process

Use One term approximation method (since

location is specified)

0.95g 1 kg 106 cm3 hr0

=
cm3 1000 g 1 m3 Bi   73.65
k
 .t
Fo  2
 0.206
r0
Fo > 0.2, single term approximation is valid.
 Bi = 73.65 At surface (r = r0)

The center and surface temperature are below the freezing point (-2.8 oC).
Bi ζ1 C1 Hence the chicken is frozen from the surface till the center.
50 3.0788 1.9962
73.65 3.0937 1.9975
100 3.1102 1.9990

At center (r =0)
Lumped system analysis
Two convection resistances
(Pipe submerged into a liquid filled tank)
Lumped system analysis (2 convection resistance)
Single convection case Multiple convection case
Lumped fluid
h, T∞ ho, T(t)
Thin
Solid Hollow h i , T∞
cylinder cylinder
A 1 m3 well mixed tank is filled with a liquid water (Cp = 4200 J/kg. oC, ρ = 1000 kg/m3) initially at 25oC. Liquid water is
submerged in a 3 m long heating pipe with a diameter of 0.1m. Steam flows through the pipe with a temperature of 150 oC and
an inside convection coefficient of 600 W/m2.K. The outside convection coefficient between the pipe surface and water is 200
W/m2.K.

a) Determine the time (hrs) needed to heat the water from 25 oC to 85oC.
Water
V= 1m3, Ti=25oC
ho=200W/m2.K

Steam pipe
D=0.1m
T∞=150oC,hi=600W/m2.K

L=3m

b) Is the lumped system assumption valid for water?

Yes, because it is well mixed. Hence the temperature of water will be independent of location. It will only change with time.
ρ = 1200 kg/m3 Cp = 2200 J/kg.K
Stirred liquid (ho, Ti)
V = 2.25 m3 Ti = 300 K
T = 450 K Th = T∞ = 500K
D = 20mm = 0.02m hi = 10 000 W/m2.K Condensing steam
ho = 2000 W/m2.K t = 60 min = 3600 s hi, T∞ D
L=?
Due to agitation (mixer), stirred liquid’s temperature is uniform
(doesn’t change with location). Thus it is a lumped system!
 Stirred liquid (ho, Ti  T)
450  500   1666.67 As  
 exp   (3600)
Condensing steam 300  500   (1200)(2.25)(2200)  
hi, T∞ D

As  1.372m 2  DL
L = 21.85 m
1 1 1
 
U hi ho

U  1666.67W / m 2 .K

T  T   UAs  
 exp   t 
Ti  T   VC P  
Lumped system analysis
Conduction and convection resistance
(Sphere with a very thin coating)
Lumped system analysis (conduction and convection resistance)
Solid sphere with thin coating
For thin spheres (thin coatings),

r0

L L = Thickness of coating
Solid sphere h, T∞
kC = Thermal conductivity of coating
(lumped system)

Thin coating
Lumped system analysis (conduction and convection resistance)
Overall heat transfer coefficient
Solid sphere with thin coating

L = Thickness of coating
r0 kC = Thermal conductivity of coating
L
Solid sphere h, T∞
Biot number (for solid sphere)
(lumped system)

Thin coating ks = Conductivity of solid sphere,

Lc = r0/3

Temperature variation (for solid sphere)

A solid steel sphere (AISI 1010), 300 mm in diameter, is coated with a dielectric material layer of thickness 2 mm and thermal
conductivity of 0.04 W/m.K. The coated sphere is initially at uniform temperature of 500 oC and is suddenly quenched in a large
oil bath for which T∞ = 100oC and h = 3300 W/m2.K. Estimate the time required (hours) for the coated sphere temperature to
reach 140oC.
Properties of steel (AISI 1010): ρ = 7832 kg/m3 Cp = 559 J/kg.K k = 48.8 W/m.K

D0 = 300 mm = 0.3 m r0 = D0/2 = 0.15 m

r0

L
Steel sphere h=3300W/m2.K
ks=48.8W/m.K T∞=100oC

Thin coating
t = 25355 s = 7.043 h kc = 0.05 W/m.K
L = 0.002m