Transport Phenomena – 105D

Practice Problems
Problem 1: A square isothermal chip is of width w = 5 mm on a side and is mounted in a substrate
such that its side and back surfaces are well insulated; the front surface is exposed to the flow of
a coolant at T∞ = 15°C. From reliability considerations, the chip temperature must not exceed T =
85°C.

If the coolant is air and the corresponding convection coefficient is h = 200 W/m2 · K, what is
the maximum allowable chip power? If the coolant is a dielectric liquid for which h = 3000
W/m2 · K, what is the maximum allowable power?

Solution:
Problem 2:

An aluminum plate 4 mm thick is mounted in a horizontal position, and its bottom surface is well
insulated. A special, thin coating is applied to the top surface such that it absorbs 80% of any
incident solar radiation, while having an emissivity of 0.25. The density ρ and specific heat c of
aluminum are known to be 2700 kg/m3 and 900 J/kg · K, respectively.

(a) Consider conditions for which the plate is at a temperature of 25°C and its top surface is
suddenly exposed to ambient air at T∞ = 20°C and to solar radiation that provides an incident
flux of 900 W/m2. The convection heat transfer coefficient between the surface and the air is h =
20 W/m2 · K. What is the initial rate of change of the plate temperature?

(b) What will be the equilibrium temperature of the plate when steady-state conditions are
reached?

Solution:
Problem 3:

The performance of gas turbine engines may be improved by increasing the tolerance of the
turbine blades to hot gases emerging from the combustor. One approach to achieving high
operating temperatures involves application of a thermal barrier coating (TBC) to the exterior
surface of a blade, while passing cooling air through the blade. Typically, the blade is made from
a high-temperature superalloy, such as Inconel (k = 25 W/m · K), while a ceramic, such as
zirconia (k = 1.3 W/m · K), is used as a TBC.

Consider conditions for which hot gases at T∞,o = 1700 K and cooling air at T∞,i = 400 K provide
outer and inner surface convection coefficients of ho = 1000 W/m2 · K and hi = 500 W/m2 · K,
respectively. If a 0.5-mm-thick zirconia TBC is attached to a 5-mm-thick Inconel blade wall by
means of a metallic bonding agent, which provides an interfacial thermal resistance of
R″t,c =10−4 m2·K/W, can the Inconel be maintained at a temperature that is below its maximum
allowable value of 1250 K? Radiation effects may be neglected, and the turbine blade may be
approximated as a plane wall. Plot the temperature distribution with and without the TBC. Are
there any limits to the thickness of the TBC?

Solution:
Problem 4

Consider one-dimensional conduction in a plane composite wall. The outer surfaces are exposed
to a fluid at 25°C and a convection heat transfer coefficient of 1000 W/m2 · K. The middle wall
B experiences uniform heat generation 𝑞𝐵̇ , while there is no generation in walls A and C. The
temperatures at the interfaces are T1 = 261°C and T2 = 211°C.

(a) Assuming negligible contact resistance at the interfaces, determine the volumetric heat
generation 𝑞𝐵̇ and the thermal conductivity kB.

(b) Plot the temperature distribution, showing its important features.

(c) Consider conditions corresponding to a loss of coolant at the exposed surface of material A (h
= 0). Determine T1 and T2 and plot the temperature distribution throughout the system.

Solution:
Problem 5:

A very long rod of 5-mm diameter and uniform thermal conductivity k = 25 W/m · K is
subjected to a heat treatment process. The center, 30-mm-long portion of the rod within the
induction heating coil experiences uniform volumetric heat generation of 7.5 × 106 W/m3.

The unheated portions of the rod, which protrude from the heating coil on either side, experience
convection with the ambient air at T∞ = 20°C and h = 10 W/m2 · K. Assume that there is no
convection from the surface of the rod within the coil.

(a) Calculate the steady-state temperature To of the rod at the midpoint of the heated portion in
the coil.

(b) Calculate the temperature of the rod Tb at the edge of the heated portion.

Solution:
Note: There are two regions in the fin, a) where heat is being generated and b) where heat is
being taken away through convection. Since the entire setting is in steady state, the power
generated within the coiled zone must be equal to the total rate of energy lost through
convection. As a result, only half of the geometry has been considered due to symmetry and the
two regions are coupled through the requirement of steady state!
Problem 6:

A thin flat plate of length L, thickness t, and width W ≫ L is thermally joined to two large heat
sinks that are maintained at a temperature To. The bottom of the plate is well insulated, while the
net heat flux to the top surface of the plate is known to have a uniform value of q′′

(a) Derive the differential equation that determines the steady-state temperature distribution T(x)
in the plate.

(b) Solve the foregoing equation for the temperature distribution, and obtain an expression for
the rate of heat transfer from the plate to the heat sinks.

Solution: