Professional Documents
Culture Documents
KNOWN: Thermal conductivity, thickness and temperature difference across a sheet of rigid
extruded insulation.
FIND: (a) The heat flux through a 2 m × 2 m sheet of the insulation, and (b) The heat rate
through the sheet.
SCHEMATIC:
A = 4 m2
W
k = 0.029
m ⋅K qcond
T1 – T2 = 10˚C
T1 T2
L = 20 mm
x
dT T -T
q′′x = -k =k 1 2
dx L
Solving,
W 10 K
q"x = 0.029 ×
m⋅K 0.02 m
W
q′′x = 14.5 <
m2
W
q x = q′′x ⋅ A = 14.5 × 4 m 2 = 58 W <
m2
COMMENTS: (1) Be sure to keep in mind the important distinction between the heat flux
(W/m2) and the heat rate (W). (2) The direction of heat flow is from hot to cold. (3) Note that
a temperature difference may be expressed in kelvins or degrees Celsius.
Excerpts from this work may be reproduced by instructors for distribution on a not-for-profit basis for testing or instructional purposes only to students enrolled in
courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976
United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.