Conductive Heat Transfer

Heat transfer takes place as conduction in a soilid if there is a temperature gradient

Conduction as heat transfer takes place if there is a temperature gradient in a solid or stationary fluid
medium.
With conduction energy transfers from more energetic to less energetic molecules when neighboring
molecules collide. Heat flows in direction of decreasing temperatures since higher temperatures are
associated with higher molecular energy. Conductive heat transfer can be expressed with "Fourier's
Law":
q = k A dT / s (1)

where

q = heat transfer (W, J/s, Btu/hr)

A = heat transfer area (m2, ft2)

k = thermal conductivity of the material (W/m K or W/m °C, Btu/(hr °F ft2/ft))

dT = temperature gradient - difference - in the material (K or °C, °F)

s = material thickness (m, ft)

Example - Heat Transfer by Conduction

A plane wall is constructed of solid iron with thermal conductivity 70 W/m°C. Thickness of the wall is
50 mm and surface length and width is 1 m by 1 m. The temperature is 150 oC on one side of the
surface and 80 oC on the other.The conductive heat transfer through the wall can be calculated

q = (70 W/m °C) (1 m) (1 m) ((150 °C) - (80 °C)) / (0.05 m)

= 98000 (W)

= 98 (kW)

Heat Transfer through Plane Walls or Layers in Series

Heat conducted through several walls or layers in thermal contact can be expressed as

q = (T1 - Tn) / ((s1 / k1 A) + (s2 / k2 A) +... + (s / kn A)) (2)

n

where 

T1 = temperature inside surface (K or C, F)

Tn = temperature outside surface (K or C, F)

Example - Heat Transfer through a Furnace Wall 

A furnace wall of 1 m2 consist of 1.2 cm thick stainless steel inner layer covered with 5 cm outside
insulation layer of insulation board. The inside surface temperature of the steel is 800 K and the
outside surface temperature of the insulation board is 350 K. The thermal conductivity of the stainless
steel is 19 W/(m K) and the thermal conductivity of the insulation board is 0.7 W/(m K).

The conductive heat transport through the layered wall can be calculated as

q = ((800 K)- (350 K)) / (((0.012 m) / (19 W/(m K)) (1 m2)) + ((0.05 m) / (0.7 W/(m K)) (1 m2)))

= 6245 (W)

Thermal Conductivity Units

 Btu/(h ft2 F/ft)
 Btu/(h ft2 F/in)
 Btu/(s ft2 F/ft)
 MW/(m2 K/m)
 kW/(m2 K/m)
 W/(m2 K/m)
 W/(m2 K/cm)
 W/(cm2 C/cm)
 W/(in2 F/in)
 kJ/(h m2 K/m)
 J/(s m2 C/m)
 kcal/(h m2 C/m)
 cal/(s cm2 C/cm)

 1 W/(m K) = 1 W/(m oC) = 0.85984 kcal/(h m oC) = 0.5779 Btu/(ft h oF) = 0.048 Btu/(in
h oF)