MODES OF HEAT TRANSFER

What is heat transfer?

According to thermodynamics systems, heat transfer is defined as, “The movement of heat
across the border of the system due to a difference in temperature between the system
and its surroundings.

How is Heat Transferred?

Heat is a form of energy that can be transferred by

three different modes from a hot body to cold body or
from higher to a lower temperatures.

 Conduction
 Convection
 Radiation

CONVECTION
It is a transfer of heat from one place to another due to the molecular movement of
fluids such as air or liquid.
When air molecules move from one place to another, they carry heat energy. Example,
an air conditioner cools space by cooling the rooms inside and removing hot air. The
room cooling rate depends on the following parameters;

 Cooling air velocity and temperature

 Cooling space area
 Room existing temperature

According to Newton’s law of cooling, the rate of convective heat transfer is directly
proportional to heat transfer is directly proportional to surface area, coefficient and
temperature difference.
Examples are movement of clouds, water heating, and air conditioning.
CONDUCTION
Conduction is the process whereby heat is transferred directly through a material, with
any bulk motion of the material playing no role in the transfer.
One mechanism for conduction occurs when the atoms or molecules in a hotter part of
the material vibrate or move with greater energy than those in a cooler part.
By means of collisions, the more energetic molecules pass on some of their energy to their
less energetic neighbors.
Thermal Conductors: Materials that conduct heat well.
Thermal Insulators: Materials that conduct heat poorly.
Examples:
1. Transfer of heat from the burner to the metal pan.
2. Hands get burned if we touch hot surfaces due to conductive heat transfer from hot
surfaces to our skin.
3. Ironing of clothes
Fourier’s Law
The rate of conduction heat transfer is directly proportional to the contact area, material
thermal conductivity, temperature difference, and inversely proportional to the thickness.

The amount of heat Q conducted through the bar from the warmer end to the cooler end
depends on a number of factors:

 Amount of heat is proportional to the time t during which conduction takes place
 Amount of heat is proportional to the temperature difference between the ends of the
bar
 Amount of heat is proportional to the cross-sectional area A of the bar
 Amount of heat is inversely proportional to the length L of the bar

CONDUCTION OF HEAT THROUGH A MATERIAL

The heat Q conducted during a time t through a bar of length L and cross-sectional area A is
(𝑘𝐴∆𝑇)𝑡
𝑄=
𝐿
Where ΔT is the temperature difference between the ends of the bar and k is the thermal
conductivity of the material.
SI Unit of Thermal Conductivity: J/(s·m·C)
Since 𝑘 = 𝑄𝐿/(𝑡𝐴 ∆𝑇) the SI unit for thermal
conductivity is J·m/(s·m2·C°) or J/(s·m·C°). The SI unit of power is the joule per second (J/s)
or watt (W), so the thermal conductivity is also given in units of W/ (m·C°).

Substance Thermal Conductivity,

Substance Thermal Conductivity, k
[J/(s·m·C°)]
k [J/(s·m·C°)]
METALS
OTHER MATERIALS
Asbestos 0.090 Aluminum 240
Body fat 0.20 Brass 110
Copper 390
Iron 79
Concrete 1.1 Lead 35
Diamond 2450 Silver 420
Glass 0.80 Steel 14
(stainless)
Goose down 0.025
GASES
Ice (0 °C) 2.2 Air 0.0256
Styrofoam 0.010 Hydrogen 0.180
Water 0.60 Nitrogen 0.0258
Oxygen 0.0265
Wood (oak) 0.15

Styrofoam is an excellent thermal insulator because it contains many

small, dead-air spaces. These small spaces inhibit heat transfer by
convection currents, and air itself has a very low thermal
conductivity.

Example
One wall of a house consists of 0.07 m thick insulation. The thermal conductivities of the
insulation is 0.30 J (s. m. °C) and the area of the wall is 35𝑚2 . The temperature inside the
house is 25 °C, while the outside temperature is 4 °C. Find the amount of heat conducted
through the wall in one hour.
Given:
k=0.30 J (s. m. °C)
A=35𝑚2
ΔT= 21 °C
T=3600 s
L=0.076 m
Solution

(𝑘𝐴∆𝑇)𝑡
𝑄=
𝐿
0.30 J s. m. °C)(35𝑚2 )(21℃)(3600 𝑠)
𝑄=
0.076 𝑚
793800
𝑄=
0.076
𝑄 = 10444736.84/1𝑥107 𝐽

RADIATION
Transfer of heat from one body to another body in the form of electromagnetic waves. It
does not require any medium unlike convection and conduction. Radiation heat is more
efficient in a vacuum.
A material that is a good absorber is also a good emitter of electromagnetic waves. A
material that absorbs completely is called a perfect blackbody.
Examples;

 Heat transfer from the sun to the earth

 Cooking food in the microwave
 Measuring human skin temperature using infrared thermometer

Radiation Equation

As temperature rises, the wavelengths in the spectra of the radiation emitted decreases
and shorter wavelengths radiations are emitted.
𝑸 = 𝒆𝝈𝑻𝟒 𝑨𝒕

Where,
𝝈=𝟓. 𝟔𝟕𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟖 J (s.𝒎𝟐 .𝑲𝟒 )
The emissivity e is a dimensionless number between zero and one. It is the ratio of what
an object radiates to what the object would radiate if it were a perfect emitter.
For perfect emitter ( An ideal blackbody ) e=1

Example
A supergiant star has a surface temperature of about 2900 K and emits a power of
approximately4𝑥1030 𝑊. Assuming that this superstar is a perfect emitter and spherical,
find its radius.

𝑸 = 𝒆𝝈𝑻𝟒 𝑨𝒕

𝑸/𝒕
𝒓=√
𝟒𝝅𝒆𝝈𝑻𝟒

𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟑𝟎 𝑾
𝒓=√
𝟒𝝅(𝟏)(𝟓.𝟔𝟕𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝑱 (𝒔.𝒎𝟐 .𝑲𝟒 )(𝟐𝟗𝟎𝟎𝑲)𝟒

𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟑𝟎
𝒓=√
𝟓𝟎𝟑𝟒𝟗𝟏𝟒𝟔.𝟔

𝒓 = √𝟕. 𝟗𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟐
𝒓 = 𝟐. 𝟖𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏 m
Application

A thermos bottle minimizes heat transfer via conduction, convection,

and radiation.
Check your Understanding
A. Multiple Choice
Read the questions and select the best answer.
1. Conductive heat transfer is directly proportional to the following except
a. area c. temperature
b. coefficient d. length
2. Which of the following is an example of a good conductor?
a. wood c. metal
b. Styrofoam d. glass
3.This mode of heat transfer does not need any medium.
a. Conduction c. convection
b. Radiation d. All of the above
4. Which of the following is an example of convection?
a. Ironing clothes
b. heat transfer from the sun to the earth
c. measuring human skin temperature using thermometer
d. cooling space area
5. Convective heat transfer coefficient depends on the type of media.
a. True c. Neutral
b. False d. None of the above
B. Essay
Answer the question briefly.
Why does hot air rises?

C. Solving Problem
Compute and show your solution.
What is the rate of heat flow through a glass window that is 4 m x 2m and 2.2cm thick if
the outside temperature is 28 °C and inside temperature is 35 °C?