PROBLEM 5.

91
KNOWN: Very thick plate, initially at a uniform temperature, Ti, is suddenly exposed to a surface
convection cooling process (T,h).
FIND: (a) Temperatures at the surface and 45 mm depth after 3 minutes, (b) Effect of thermal diffusivity
and conductivity on temperature histories at x = 0, 0.045 m.
SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) One-dimensional conduction, (2) Plate approximates semi-infinite medium, (3)
Constant properties, (4) Negligible radiation.
ANALYSIS: (a) The temperature distribution for a semi-infinite solid with surface convection is given
by Eq. 5.63.

T ( x, t ) Ti
T Ti

1/ 2
hx h 2 t

h ( t )
x
exp +
.
+
erfc
2
2 ( t )1/ 2 k
2 ( t )1/ 2

k
k

= erfc

At the surface, x = 0, and for t = 3 min = 180s,

T ( 0,180s ) 325o C

(15 325 )o C

= erfc ( 0 ) exp 0 +

1002 W 2 m 4 K 2 5.6 106 m 2 s 180s

1/ 2

6 2
2

100 W m K 5.6 10 m s 180s

erfc 0 +

20 W m K

( 20 W

m K)

= 1 [ exp ( 0.02520 )] [ erfc ( 0.159 )] = 1 1.02552 (1 0.178 )

T ( 0,180s ) = 325o C (15 325 ) C (1 1.0255 0.822 )

o

T ( 0,180s ) = 325o C 49.3o C = 276o C .

At the depth x = 0.045 m, with t = 180s,
T ( 0.045m,180s ) 325 C
o

(15 325 )o C

<

100 W m 2 K 0.045 m
0.045 m
= erfc
exp
+ 0.02520

1/ 2
20 W m K
2 5.6 106 m 2 s 180s

0.045 m
erfc
+ 0.159
1/ 2

2 5.6 106 m 2 s 180s

= erfc ( 0.7087 ) + [ exp ( 0.225 + 0.0252 )] [ erfc ( 0.7087 + 0.159 )] .

T ( 0.045m,180s ) = 325o C + (15 325 ) C [(1 0.684 ) 1.284 (1 0.780 )] = 315o C

o

<
Continued...

PROBLEM 5.91 (Cont.)

325

325

300

275
Temperature, T(C)

Temperature, T(C)

(b) The IHT Transient Conduction Model for a Semi-Infinite Solid was used to generate temperature
histories, and for the two locations the effects of varying and k are as follows.

275
250
225

225

175

125

200

75

175
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

50

100

200

250

300

250

300

k = 2 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 0

k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 0
k = 200 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 0

k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-5 m^2/s, x = 0

k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 0
k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-7m^2/s, x = 0

325

325

300

305
Temperature, T(C)

Temperature, T(C)

150
Time, t(s)

Time, t(s)

275

250

225

285

265

245

200

225

50

100

150

200

250

Time, t(s)
k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-5 m^2.K, x = 45 mm
k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2.K, x = 45 mm
k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-7m^2.K, x = 45mm

300

50

100

150

200

Time, t(s)
k = 2 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 45 mm
k = 20 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 45 mm
k = 200 W/m.K, alpha = 5.6E-6m^2/s, x = 45 mm

For fixed k, increasing alpha corresponds to a reduction in the thermal capacitance per unit volume (cp)
of the material and hence to a more pronounced reduction in temperature at both surface and interior
locations. Similarly, for fixed , decreasing k corresponds to a reduction in cp and hence to a more
pronounced decay in temperature.
COMMENTS: In part (a) recognize that Fig. 5.8 could also be used to determine the required
temperatures.