Practice Problems

1. Derive an expression for 3-D Fourier conduction equation for spherical coordinate
system.
2. Determine the heat transfer by convection over a surface of 0.5 m2 area if the surface is at
160°C and fluid is at 40°C. The value of convective heat transfer coefficient is 25
W/m2K. Also estimate the temperature gradient at the surface given k = 1 W/m K.
3. A steam pipe 160 mm ID and 170 mm OD is covered with two layers of insulation. The
thickness of the first layer is 30mm and for second layer is 50 mm. Thermal
conductivities of pipe and insulation are 50, 0.15, and 0.08 respectively. The temperature
of the steam pipe is 300oC and that of the outer surface of insulating layer is
50oC.Determine the quantity of heat loss per meter length of steam pipe and inters face
temperatures.
4. A copper pipe carries process steam at 100 oC and is 25mm OD and 22mm ID through a
room which is at 30oC .The cost of heating the steam is Rs100/kJ. Standard 85%
Magnesia insulation is available having ID of 25mm and OD of 40mm and cost per meter
length of pipe. How long must the pipe be in operation to save the insulation cost .The
resistance of the fluid film is roughly constant and equals 0.05, k for is 330 and k for
magnesia is 0.06.
5. Heat is conducted through a material with a temperature gradient of – 9000 °C/m. The
conductivity of the material is 25W/m K. If this heat is convected to surroundings at
30°C with a convection coefficient of 345W/m2K, determine the surface temperature. If
the heat is radiated to the surroundings at 30°C determine the surface temperature.
6. A pipe carrying steam at 230°C has an internal diameter of 12 cm and the pipe thickness
is 7.5 mm. The conductivity of the pipe material is 49 W/m K the convective heat transfer
coefficient on the inside is 85 W/m2K. The pipe is insulated by two layers of insulation
one of 5 cm thickness of conductivity 0.15 W/m K and over it another 5 cm thickness of
conductivity 0.48 W/m K. The outside is exposed to air at 35°C with a convection
coefficient of 18 W/m2K. Determine the heat loss for 5 m length. Also determine the
interface temperatures and the overall heat transfer coefficient based on inside and
outside areas.
7. A spherical vessel of ID 0.3 m and thickness of 20 mm is made of steel with conductivity
of 40 W/m K. The vessel is insulated with two layers of 60 mm thickness of conductivity
0.05 and 0.15 W/m K. The inside surface is at – 196°C. The outside is exposed to air at
30°C with convection coefficient of 35 W/m2K. There is a contact resistance of 1 × 10–3
m2°C/W between the two insulations. Determine the heat gain and also the surface
temperatures and the overall heat transfer coefficient based on the outside surface area of
the metallic vessel.
8. It is desired to increase the heat dissipated over the surface of an electronic device of
spherical shape of 5 mm radius exposed to convection with h = 10 W/m2K by encasing it
in a transparent spherical sheath of conductivity 0.04 W/m K. Determine the diameter of
the sheath for maximum heat flow. For a temperature drop of 120°C from device surface
determine the heat flow for bare and sheathed device.
9. A composite wall is made up of 3 layers of thicknesses 25 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm with
thermal conductivities of 1.7, kB and 9.5 W/m K. The outside surface is exposed to air at
20°C with convection coefficient of 15 W/m2K and the inside is exposed to gases at
1200°C with a convection coefficient of 28 W/m2 K and the inside surface is at 1080°C.
Determine the unknown thermal conductivity, all surface temperatures, resistances of
each layer and the over all heat transfer coefficient. Compare the temperature gradients in
the three layers.
10. In a slab of material 0.25 m thick and having a thermal conductivity of 45 W/m K, the
temperature °C at x under steady state is given by T = 100 + 200x – 400x2 when x is
measured from one face in m. Determine the heat flow at x = 0, x = 0.125 and x = 0.25 m
and also the temperatures and temperature gradients at these planes. If the difference in
heat flow at these sections is due to the heat generation, determine the heat generation
rate per unit volume.
11. A thermocouple is formed by soldering end-to-end wires of 0.5 mm dia. The thermal
diffusivity of the material is 5.3 × 10–6 m2/s. The conductivity of the material is 19.1W/m
K. The probe initially at 30°C is placed in a fluid at 600°C to measure the temperature of
the fluid. If the convective heat transfer coefficient between the wire and the fluid is 85
W/m2K, determine the time constant for the probe and also the time taken for it to read
598°C.
12. A slab of thickness 15 cm initially at 30°C is exposed on one side to gases at 600°C with
a convective heat transfer coefficient of 65W/m2K. The other side is insulated. Using the
following property values determine the temperatures at both surfaces and the centre
plane after 20 minutes, density: 3550 kg/m3, sp. heat = 586 J/kg K, conductivity = 19.5
W/m K. Also calculate the heat flow up to the time into the solid.
13. A long cylinder of radius 15 cm initially at 30°C is exposed over the surface to gases at
600°C with a convective heat transfer coefficient of 65 W/m2 K. Using the following
property values determine the temperatures at the centre, mid radius and outside surface
after 20 minutes. Density = 3550 kg/m3, sp. heat = 586J/kg K, conductivity = 19.5 W/m
K. Also calculate the heat flow.