Steady-State, One-Dimensional

Conduction

Chapter Three
Section 3.5, Appendix C
3.5 Conduction with Thermal Energy Generation
• Involves a local (volumetric) source of thermal energy due to conversion
from another form of energy in a conducting medium.

• The source may be uniformly distributed, as in the conversion from

electrical to thermal energy (Ohmic heating):
•
• EgI 2 Re
q= = (3.38)
∀ ∀
or it may be non-uniformly distributed, as in the absorption of radiation
passing through a semi-transparent medium. For a plane wall,

q ∝ exp ( −α x )
•

• Generation affects the temperature distribution in the medium and causes

the heat rate to vary with location, thereby precluding (排除) inclusion of
the medium in a thermal circuit.
 The Plane Wall
• Consider one-dimensional, steady-state conduction in a plane wall of
constant k, uniform generation, and asymmetric surface conditions:

• Heat Equation:
•
d ⎛ dT ⎞ •
dT q 2

⎜k ⎟ + q = 0 → + =0 (3.39)
dx ⎝ dx ⎠ dx 2
k

Is the heat flux q ′′ independent of x?

• General Solution:

= − ⎜ q/ 2k ⎞⎟ x 2 + C1 x + C2
⎛ •
T ( x)
⎝ ⎠

What is the form of the temperature distribution for

• • •
q = 0? q > 0? q < 0?
•
How does the temperature distribution change with increasing q ?
Symmetric Surface Conditions or One Surface Insulated:
• What is the temperature gradient at the
centerline or the insulated surface?
• Why does the magnitude of the temperature
gradient increase with increasing x?

• Temperature Distribution:
•
q L2 ⎛ x 2 ⎞
T ( x) = ⎜ 1 − 2 ⎟ + Ts (3.42)
2k ⎝ L ⎠

• How do we determine Ts?

Overall energy balance on the wall →
• i
− E out + E g = 0
•
−hAs (Ts − T∞ ) + q As L = 0
•
qL
Ts = T∞ + (3.46)
h
• How do we determine the heat rate at x = L?
 Radial Systems
Cylindrical (Tube) Wall Spherical Wall (Shell)

Solid Cylinder (Circular Rod) Solid Sphere

• Heat Equations:
Cylindrical Spherical
1 d ⎛ dT ⎞ • 1 d ⎛ 2 dT ⎞ •
⎜ kr ⎟+q =0 ⎜ kr ⎟+q =0
r dr ⎝ dr ⎠ r dr ⎝
2
dr ⎠
 • Solution for Uniform Generation in a Solid Sphere of Constant k with
Convection Cooling:
Temperature Distribution Surface Temperature
•
dT q r3 Overall energy balance:
kr 2
=− + C1
dr 3 i i
•
q ro
•
2
− E out + Eg = 0 → Ts = T∞ +
q r C1 3h
T =− − + C2
6k r Or from a surface energy balance:
i i
dT
|r =0 = 0 → C1 = 0 E in − E out = 0
dr
→ qcond ( ro ) = qconv
•
q ro 2
T ( ro ) = Ts → C2 = Ts +
•
6k •

q ro 2 ⎛ r 2 ⎞ q ro
T (r ) = → Ts = T∞ +
⎜1 − 2 ⎟ + Ts 3h
6k ⎝ ro ⎠

• A summary of temperature distributions is provided in Appendix C for plane,

cylindrical and spherical walls, as well as for solid cylinders and spheres. Note
how boundary conditions are specified and how they are used to obtain surface
temperatures.