Mechanical Engineering

Technical Interview Questions on

Heat Transfer

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 Heat Transfer
Description
Heat transfer is the flow of thermal energy driven by thermal non-equilibrium
(i.e. The effect of a non-uniform temperature field), commonly measured as a
heat flux (vector), i.e. The heat flow per unit time (and usually unit normal area)
at a control surface.
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts and methods of
heat transfer. The objectives of this integrated subject are to develop the
fundamental principles and laws of heat transfer and to explore the implications
of these principles for system behaviour; to formulate the models necessary to
study, analyses and design heat transfer systems through the application of these
principles; to develop the problem-solving skills essential to good engineering
practice of heat transfer in real-world applications.

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 Technical Interview Questions
1. Discuss thermal diffusivity.
Answer: Thermal diffusivity is expressed as the thermal conductivity divided
by the by the product of density and specific heat.
In a substance with high thermal diffusivity, heat moves rapidly through the
solid because the substance conducts heat quickly relative to its volumetric
heat capacity. If it is higher, then less time is required for certain
heat transfer to take place through the solid.
Thermal diffusivity is typically measured in mm²/s. Its symbol is α.
The thermal diffusivity of a material indicates the rate of heating and rate
of cooling of a material under transient conditions.
The physical significance of this quantity lies in the fact that the inverse of
thermal diffusivity is a measure of time required to establish the thermal
equilibrium in the specimen.
The rate of change of temperature depends on its numerical value.
Methods to find thermal diffusivity
(i) flash method
(ii) infrared detectors
(iii) intrinsic thermo-couples
2. Difference between thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity?
Answer: Thermal conductivity (k) represents its ability to conduct heat,
whereas thermal diffusivity (α) indicates how fast the heat is conducted.
3. What is thermal contact resistance?
Answer: When two solid bodies come in contact, heat flows from the hotter
body to the colder body. There is a temperature drop at the common
surfaces in contact. It is due to the thermal contact resistance existing
because of imperfect contact between the two contacting surfaces.
Further it is due to irregular surfaces.

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 Thermal contact resistance is the ratio of temperature drop and the
average heat flow across the contacting surfaces.
4. What is conductivity?
Answer: Conductivity indicates the degree of ease with which current can
flow through a solution and is represented by the reciprocal of specific
resistance.
5. What kind of method does the measurement of the conductivity have?
Answer: The two most common methods used to measure conductivity are:
(1) electrode; and (2) inductive.
There are two types of electrode method for measuring conductivity: the
2-electrode method and the 4-electrode method, which are hardly
influenced by dirt and polarization. The inductive method is suitable for
measuring a highly concentrated acid or alkaline solution, but is not
suitable for measuring a low-conductivity aqueous solution such as pure
water.
6. Calibration of conductivity sensors?
Answer: There is no standard or national organization that specifies a
standard liquid and device for contacting conductivity analyzers.
Generally, these analyzers are calibrated using a calibration solution
prepared. For this reason, the value of the conductivity sensor is assigned
based on the absolute value of the calibration solution to be used. Because
the sensor of each contacting conductivity analyzer does not deteriorate
significantly with time unlike the ph meter glass electrode, it rarely needs to
be calibrated.
7. As for the calibration solutions, what are used?
Answer: The calibration solutions for contacting conductivity analyzers
generally include sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl)
which can be prepared in the laboratory.

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8. Relationship between conductivity and resistivity
Answer: Resistivity (ω cm) is represented as the reciprocal of conductivity
(s/cm) and is also referred to as specific resistance. In the water treatment
industry, water with a resistance of 1 mω cm or more (conductivity of 1
μs/cm or less) is represented by its resistivity.
9. How does temperature affect conductivity readings?
Answer: The effect of temperature on conductivity readings depends on
the solution being measured. The effect is greatest in low ionic strength (low
conductivity) solutions. A general rule to follow is there will be a 2% change
(increase)/degree c. This rule can be followed for most aqueous solutions,
however if you require a high degree of accuracy, you should consult a
chart for the particular solution you are measuring.
10. What is the difference between conductivity and salinity?
Answer: The probe is the same for conductivity and salinity, but for salinity
readings a correction factor is applied to the conductivity value. The
correction factor takes the conductivity reading and converts it to ppm of
NaCl.
11. How do i find the correct temperature coefficient when not working with
water?
Answer: For water, the correction factor is set at a default value of 1.91%
per degree c. Check the conductivity of the sample at 25°c, then using the
same sample, find the conductivity at another temperature to see what
the percent change is. This will give you the temperature correction factor.
12. How should conductivity probes be cleaned?
Answer: Clean cells with mild liquid detergent and/or dilute nitric acid (1%
wt) by dipping or filling the cell with solution and agitating for 2 to 3 minutes.
Dilute HCl (hydrochloric acid) or H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) may also be used.
When stronger cleaning is needed, try concentrated HCl mixed into 50%

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 isopropanol (rubbing alcohol). Rinse the cell several times with distilled or
deionized water and recalibrate before use.
13. How should conductivity probes be stored?
Answer: Rinse it in distilled/deionized water when you are finished using it.
You can store your electrode either wet or dry. If it is stored dry you will need
to recondition the electrode before use.
14. Can conductivity be measured in aqueous solutions only?
Answer: No, all substances possess some conductive properties. Generally
organic compounds (such as benzene, alcohols, and petroleum products)
have very low conductivities, while metals have very high conductivities.
Measuring the conductivity of highly flammable liquids is very risky.
15. Accuracy of conductivity meters?
Answer: The accuracy of conductivity meters is not defined (but that of ph
meters is defined). Unlike ph meters, there is no national organization or
standard that specifies the accuracy of the standard solution and device
itself. At present, all manufacturers define the accuracy of each
conductivity meter in terms of the repeatability and linearity in the pseudo
input resistance of the converter itself, rather than a combination of
converter (or transmitter) and sensor.

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16. What is convection?
Answer: Conduction plus some velocity. It is the process of energy transport
affected by the mixing of a fluid medium.
17. How many types of convection are there?
Answer: It is of three types i.e. Forced convection, natural convection and
mixed convection.
18. What is the value of convective coefficient of oil in case of forced
convection?
Answer: 60-3000 w/m2 k
In forced convection, the flow of fluid is caused by a pump, fan or by
atmospheric winds. Convection mechanism involving phase changes
leads to the important fields of boiling and condensation.
19. What is meant by natural convection heat transfer process?
Answer: Is the heat transfer process where the heat transfer takes place due to the
natural temperature difference or density difference and no external forces are
employed for the fluid movement.
20. What are the important parts of thermal power plant?
Answer:
- boiler
- furnace
- turbine
- heat exchanger
- cooling tower
21. What is meant by heat transfer process? Write its 3 types.
Answer: Transfer of heat from one place to another place, which occurs as a result
of a temperature difference
- conduction
- convection
- radiation

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22. Write any 2 important differences between conduction and convection.
Answer:
* conduction
- heat transfer in bodies due to fixed molecules.
- this take place is solid bodies.
* convection
- heat transfer in bodies due to moving molecules.
- this take place in flawed liquid of gas
23. Write briefly about
a) Laminar flow b) turbulent flow c) parallel flow d) counter flow.
Answer:
- laminar flow: which the fluid particles move in regular path.
- turbulent flow: is the one in which the fluid particles move in zig-zig
path
- parallel flow: is the one where the 2 fluid steams move parallel to each other.
- counter flow: the one where the fluid steams move opposite to
each other.
24. Name the various types of heat exchangers.
Answer:
- parallel flow heat exchanger.
- recuperation heat exchanger.
- plate heat exchanger.
- counter flow
- regenerative
- shell& tube heat exchanger.
- cross flow heat exchanger.
- direct& indirect contact
- double pipe heat exchanger

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25. Write the expansion of lmtd.
Answer: log-mean temperature difference (ΔTlm)
26. Write the 2 limitations of plate heat exchangers.
Answer: plate exchangers are limited when high pressures, high temperatures,
or aggressive fluids are present.
Because of this problem these type of heat exchangers has only been used in small,
low pressure applications such as on oil coolers for engines.
27. Write 4 important parts of a shell and tube heat exchanger.
Answer:
- shell
- tubes
- rear header
- front header
- baffles
- tubes sheet
28. What is difference between condenser and heat exchanger?
Answer: A heat exchanger is a device that transfers heat from one fluid to
the others. A condenser is simply a heat exchanger. It compresses refrigerants into a
hot gas to then condense them into a liquid. Majorly condenser issued to cool the
required vapor and heat exchanger is used to heat the required liquid
29. Define heat transfer?
Answer: Heat transfer can be defined as the transmission of energy from
one region to another due to temperature difference.
30. What are the modes of heat transfer?
Answer:
1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Radiation.

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31. State Fourier’s law of conduction?
Answer: The rate of heat conduction is proportional to the area measured
normal to the direction of heat flow and to the temperature gradient in that
direction.
32. Define thermal conductivity?
Answer: Thermal conductivity is defined as the ability of a substance to
conduct heat.
33. What are the factors affecting the thermal conductivity?
Answer:
1. Moisture
2. Density of material
3. Pressure
4. Temperature e. Structure of material.
34. What is meant by free or natural convection?
Answer: It is fluid motion is produced due to change in density resulting
from temperature gradients, the mode of heat transfer is said to be free
or natural convection.
35. Define grashoff number [gr].?
Answer: It is defined as the ratio of product of inertia force and buoyancy
force to the square of viscous force.
Gr = inertia force x buoyancy force / [viscous force]2
36. Define Stanton number [st]?
Answer: It is the ratio of Nusselt number to the product of Reynolds number
and Prandtl number.
St = nu / re x pr.
37. What is meant by Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids?
Answer: The fluids which obey the newton’s law of viscosity are called
Newtonian fluids and those which do not obey are called no-Newtonian
fluids.

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38. What is meant by laminar flow?
Answer: Laminar flow: laminar flow is sometimes called stream line flow. In
this type of flow, the fluid moves in layers and each fluid particle follows a
smooth continuous path. The fluid particles in each layer remain in an
orderly sequence without mixing with each other.
39. What are the dimensionless parameters used in forced convection?
Answer:
1. Reynolds number [re].
2. Nusselt number [nu].
3. Prandtl number [pr].
40. Define Reynolds number [re]?
Answer: It is defined as the ratio of inertia force to viscous force.
Re = inertia force / viscous force
41. What is meant by absorptivity?
Answer: Absorptivity is defined as the ratio between radiation absorbed
and incident radiation. Absorptivity, α = radiation absorbed / incident
radiation.
42. What is meant by direct heat exchanger [or] open heat exchanger?
Answer: In direct contact heat exchanger, the heat exchange takes
place by direct mixing of hot and cold fluids.
43. What is meant by indirect contact heat exchanger?
Answer: In this type of heat exchangers, the transfer of heat between two
fluids could be carried out by transmission through a wall which separates
the two fluids.
44. What is meant by parallel flow heat exchanger?
Answer: In this type of heat exchanger, hot and cold fluids move in the
same direction.

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45. What is the difference between air conditioning and refrigeration?
Answer: Refrigeration is the process of providing and maintaining the
temperature in space below atmospheric temperature. Air conditioning is
the process of supplying sufficient volume of clean air containing a specific
amount of water vapour and maintaining the predetermined atmospheric
condition with in a selected enclosure.\
46. What is meant by transmissivity?
Answer: Transmissivity is defined as the ratio of radiation transmitted to the
incident radiation.
Transmissivity, τ = radiation transmitted / incident radiation.
47. What is meant by duty of a heat exchanger?
Answer: The rate of heat to be transferred is the duty of a heat exchanger
i.e. 50kw duty heat exchanger.
48. What are plate heat exchangers?
Answer: It consists of parallel plates. Fluid flowing in alternate parallel plates.
Fluid enter from same side of plates say lower side and leaves at the upper
side. It is like having distributors on both sides. After flowing through say four
plates the fluid enters another set of parallel plates. In these it enters at the
top and leaves at the bottom. These are suitable for any single or multi-
phase heat transfer.
49. Explain when one fluid is undergoing phase change, the direction of flow is
immaterial for finding Lmtd.
Answer: When one fluid is undergoing phase change, its temperature
remains constant. The two end temperature differences in parallel and
counter flow will be same. Hence during phase change of a fluid, direction
of flow makes no difference in the rate of heat transfer.
50. When will the outlet temperature of a cold fluid be higher than outlet
temperature of a hot fluid in a heat ex-changer?
Answer: It is possible in a counter flow heat ex-changer.

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51. What are baffles? Why are these used in heat exchangers?
Answer: Baffles are used in shell and tubes heat exchangers. Baffles are thin
plates inserted in the shell at regular intervals. Baffles are arbitrary partitions
and also support the tubes. Baffle plates are of shorter size than the inside
diameter of the shell and hence leave the passage for flow in the shell
across the tubes.
Due to the baffles, the flow becomes ‘cross flow’ across the tubes between
two baffles in the shell and thus the rate of heat transfer is increased.
52. Heat exchangers are classified into how many categories?
Answer: Nature of heat exchange process, relative direction of motion of
fluid, mechanical design of heat exchange surface and physical state of
heat exchanging fluids.
53. Based upon the nature of heat exchange process, the heat exchangers
are classified into how many categories?
Answer: Direct contact, regenerators and recuperator.
54. Common applications of finned surfaces are?
Answer:
Electrical motors
Economizers for steam power plant
Cooling coils
55. State common types of fins.
Answer:
Fins are of two types.
(i) fins are of constant area of cross section namely rectangular fins,
circular fins and square fins
(ii) fins are of varying area of cross section namely triangular fins,
trapezoidal fins and parabolic fins.

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56. List four applications of fins
Answer:
(i) evaporators and condensers of the refrigeration and air
conditioning equipment
(ii) on the body of compressors, pumps and motors
(iv) on the transformers
(v) in IC engines.
57. What is the significance of heat transfer?
Answer: Like transfer of a person from one city to another city, heat transfer
is heat energy in motion.
58. List the basic laws which govern heat transfer.
Answer:
1. First law of thermodynamics i.e. Law of conservation of energy
2. Second law of thermodynamics: heat flows along negative
temperature gradient.
3. Law of conservation of mass
4. Newton’s law of motion
5. The rate equations
59. How is the thermal resistance of a rectangular slab change under the
following conditions if?
Answer:
(i) the thermal conductivity is increased? —resistance will decrease.
(ii) the cross-sectional area is increased? –resistance will decrease.
(iii) the thickness of the slab is increased? – resistance will increase.

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