5.

LUMPED CAPACITANCE METHOD

T ,h

The temperature of

Energy Balance :

As
T (t )

the solid is assumed

spatially uniform

net rate of heat transfer

into the solid through

its boundaries

qst

The temperature is

rate of increase of
the internal energy

of the solid

qin

a function of time only

h (T T ) As = c p

qin = qst

T (t )

Initial condition:

T
V
t

T ( 0 ) = T0
Biot Number:

Temperature of a solid

T ( t ) = T + ( T0 T ) e

as a function of time

h As
t
cp V

= T + ( T0 T ) e

T (t )

Fourier Number:

T (t )

Fo =

initial

temperature

Bi =

Total energy Q [ J ]

Lc

kA
= s
1

hAs

hLc
k

h As

Q = qin ( t ) dt = h T T ( t ) As e
0

for time from 0 to t

Q = c pV (T T0 ) = mc p T

dt = c pV (T T0 ) 1 e

t =

cp V

current temperature T

V
As

Q [J ]

when t

h As

T T
ln 0
T T

T
T0
0

Time Constant

As
t
V

Lc =

Time needed to heat

a solid from T0 to

Bi < 0.1

thermal resistance

cp V

hAs

length

thermal resistance
convection

c pV

Characteristic

Lumped Capacitance is valid for

conduction
=

transfered to a solid

L2c

Time constant:

T0 >T cooling

T0

Biot Number

T0
temperature
T0 <T heating

initial

hLc
k

Bi =

= T + ( T0 T ) e Bi Fo

c pV
hAs

1
= c pV
hAs

The lower is the time constant

the faster is the heating of a solid

thermal
convection
capacitance thermal
resistance

Plane Wall

Cylinder

Sphere

As = dH = 2 rH

As = 2HW
H

V = LHW
L

V =

d2
4

As = d 2 = 4 r 2
d=2r

H = r H

V =

d3
6

d=2r

Lc =

L
2

Lc =

d r
=
4 2

Lc =

d r
=
6 3

Bi =

hL
k 2

Bi =

hr
k2

Bi =

hr
k3

4 3
r
3