ChE 131 WFW Problem Set: Heat Transfer 1

1. Exposed hot surfaces are hazards that can potentially cause thermal burns on human skin tissue. Metallic
surface with a temperature above 70°C is considered extremely hot. Damage to skin tissue can occur
instantaneously upon contact with metallic surface at that temperature. In a plant that processes metal plates,
a plate is conveyed through a series of fans to cool its surface in an ambient temperature of 30°C. The plate
is 25 mm thick and has a thermal conductivity of 13.5 W/m∙K. An IR thermometer measures the bottom
surface of the plate to be 60°C. Obtain an expression for the variation of temperature in the metal plate.
Determine the minimum value of the convection heat transfer coefficient necessary to keep the top surface
below 47°C to avoid instantaneous thermal burn upon accidental contact of hot metal surface with skin tissue.

2. Consider a cylindrical wall of length , inner radius , and outer radius whose thermal conductivity varies in
a specified temperature range as ( ) = (1 + ), where and are two specified constants. The inner
surface of the shell is maintained at a constant temperature of while the outer surface is maintained at .
Obtain a relation for the heat transfer rate through the wall.

3. Liquid oxygen (LOX) for the space shuttle can be stored at 90 K prior to launch in a spherical container 4 m in
diameter. To reduce the loss of oxygen, the sphere is insulated with superinsulation that has an effective
thermal conductivity of 0.00012 W/m K. If the outside temperature is 20°C on the average and the LOX has
a heat of vaporization of 213 J/g, calculate the thickness of insulation required to keep the LOX evaporation
rate below 200 g/h.

4. To prevent heat loss from a fluid-filled vessel, it is decided to attach an electrical heater to the outside of the
wall. The passage of a current through the heater material yields a constant rate of energy generation, .
The inside bulk temperature and heat transfer coefficient are and ℎ , respectively. The outside values are
and ℎ , where < . Because the vessel is large, and the wall relatively thin, the wall may be analysed as
a planar system. Calculate the heating rate that is just sufficient to eliminate any heat loss from the inside of
the container.

5. One-dimensional, steady-state conduction with uniform internal energy generation occurs in a plane wall with
a thickness of 50 mm and a constant thermal conductivity of 5 W/m2-K. For these conditions, the temperature
distribution has the form ( ) = + + . The surface at x = 0 has a temperature of (0) = = 120℃
and experiences convection with a fluid for which = 20℃ and h = 500 W/m2-K. The surface at x=L is well
insulated.
a) Calculate the volumetric energy generation rate, .
b) Determine the coefficients , , and . Use the results to plot the temperature distribution.
c) Consider conditions for which the convection coefficient is halved, but the volumetric energy
generation rate remains unchanged. Determine the new values of , , and , and use the results to
plot the temperature distribution.
d) Under conditions for which the volumetric energy generation rate is doubled, and the convection
coefficient remains unchanged (h = 500 W/m2-K), determine the new values of , , and and plot the
corresponding temperature distribution. Referring to the results of parts (b), (c), and (d) as Cases 1, 2,
and 3, respectively, compare the temperature distributions for the three cases and discuss the effects
of h and on the distributions.