PROBLEM 3.

54
KNOWN: Diameter of electrical wire. Thickness and thermal conductivity of rubberized sheath.
Contact resistance between sheath and wire. Convection coefficient and ambient air temperature.
Maximum allowable sheath temperature.
FIND: Maximum allowable power dissipation per unit length of wire. Critical radius of insulation.
SCHEMATIC:

.‘ Wire
Egen , D = 2 mm Tw,o Tin,i Tin,o Too
Air q’
” = 3x10-4 m2-K/W
Rt,c
R’t,c R’cond R’conv
Insulation, t = 2 mm Too, = 20oC
h = 10 W/m2-K

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Steady-state, (2) One-dimensional radial conduction through insulation, (3)
Constant properties, (4) Negligible radiation exchange with surroundings.
ANALYSIS: The maximum insulation temperature corresponds to its inner surface and is
independent of the contact resistance. From the thermal circuit, we may write

Tin,i  T Tin,i  T
E g  q  
R cond  R conv   
n rin,o / rin,i / 2 k   1/ 2 rin,o h
  
where rin,i  D / 2  0.001m, rin,o  rin,i  t  0.003m, and Tin,i  Tmax  50C yields the maximum
allowable power dissipation. Hence,

 50  20  C 30C
E g,max    4.51 W / m <
n 3

1 1.35  5.31 m  K / W
2  0.13 W / m  K 2  0.003m 10 W / m  K
2

The critical insulation radius is also unaffected by the contact resistance and is given by

k 0.13 W / m  K
rcr    0.013m  13mm <
h 10 W / m 2  K

Hence, rin,o < rcr and Eg,max could be increased by increasing rin,o up to a value of 13 mm (t = 12
mm).
COMMENTS: The contact resistance affects the temperature of the wire, and for q  E g,max
 4.51 W / m, the outer surface temperature of the wire is Tw,o = Tin,i + q  R t,c  50C   4.51W / m 

3 10 4

m  K / W /   0.002m   50.2C. Hence, the temperature change across the contact
2

resistance is negligible.
 PROBLEM 3.79
KNOWN: Wall of thermal conductivity k and thickness L with uniform generation q ; strip heater
with uniform heat flux qo ; prescribed inside and outside air conditions (hi, T,i, ho, T,o).

FIND: (a) Sketch temperature distribution in wall if none of the heat generated within the wall is lost
to the outside air, (b) Temperatures at the wall boundaries T(0) and T(L) for the prescribed condition,
(c) Value of q o required to maintain this condition, (d) Temperature of the outer surface, T(L), if
 but qo corresponds to the value calculated in (c).
q=0

SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Steady-state conditions, (2) One-dimensional conduction, (3) Uniform

volumetric generation, (4) Constant properties.
ANALYSIS: (a) If none of the heat generated within the wall is
lost to the outside of the chamber, the gradient at x = 0 must be zero.
Since q is uniform, the temperature distribution is parabolic, with
T(L) > T,i.

(b) To find temperatures at the boundaries of wall, begin with the

general solution to the appropriate form of the heat equation (Eq.3.40).
q 2
T x   x  C1x+C2 (1)
2k
From the first boundary condition,
dT
0  C1  0. (2)
dx x=o
Two approaches are possible using different forms for the second boundary condition.
Approach No. 1: With boundary condition  T  0   T1

q 2
T x   x  T1 (3)
2k
To find T1, perform an overall energy balance on the wall
E in  E out  E g  0


qL
h T  L   T,i   qL=0
 T  L   T2  T,i  (4)
h
Continued …
 PROBLEM 3.79 (Cont.)
and from Eq. (3) with x = L and T(L) = T2,

q 2 q 2 
qL  2
qL
T L   L  T1 or T1  T2  L  T,i   (5,6)
2k 2k h 2k
Substituting numerical values into Eqs. (4) and (6), find

T2  50 C+1000 W/m3  0.200 m/20 W/m 2  K=50C+10C=60C <

T1  60 C+1000 W/m3   0.200 m  / 2  4 W/m  K=65C.
2
<
Approach No. 2: Using the boundary condition
dT
k  h  T  L   T,i 
dx x=L
yields the following temperature distribution which can be evaluated at x = 0,L for the required
temperatures,

T x  
q
2k

x 2  L2 

qL
h

 T,i .

(c) The value of qo when T(0) = T1 = 65C

follows from the circuit
T1  T,o
qo 
1/ h o

qo  5 W/m 2  K  65-25  C=200 W/m 2 .


<

(d) With q=0, the situation is represented
by the thermal circuit shown. Hence,

qo  qa  qb

T1  T,o T1  T,i
qo  
1/ h o L/k+1/h i
which yields

T1  55 C. <
 PROBLEM 3.100
KNOWN: Materials, dimensions, properties and operating conditions of a gas-cooled nuclear reactor.
FIND: (a) Inner and outer surface temperatures of fuel element, (b) Temperature distributions for
different heat generation rates and maximum allowable generation rate.
SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Steady-state conditions, (2) One-dimensional conduction, (3) Constant properties,
(4) Negligible contact resistance, (5) Negligible radiation.
PROPERTIES: Table A.1, Thorium: Tmp ≈ 2000 K; Table A.2, Graphite: Tmp ≈ 2300 K.
ANALYSIS: (a) The outer surface temperature of the fuel, T2, may be determined from the rate equation
T − T∞
q′ = 2
R ′tot
where
ln ( r3 r2 ) 1 ln (14 11) 1
R ′tot = + = + = 0.0185 m ⋅ K W
2π k g 2π r3h 2π ( 3 W m ⋅ K )
(
2π ( 0.014 m ) 2000 W m ⋅ K
2
)
and the heat rate per unit length may be determined by applying an energy balance to a control surface
about the fuel element. Since the interior surface of the element is essentially adiabatic, it follows that

( ) (
q′ = q& π r22 − r12 = 108 W m3 × π 0.0112 − 0.0082 m 2 = 17, 907 W m )
Hence,
T2 = q′R ′tot + T∞ = 17, 907 W m ( 0.0185 m ⋅ K W ) + 600 K = 931K <
With zero heat flux at the inner surface of the fuel element, Eq. C.14 yields

& 22 ⎛
qr r 2 ⎞ qr
& 2 ⎛r ⎞
T1 = T2 + ⎜ 1 − 1 ⎟ − 1 ln ⎜ 2 ⎟
4k t ⎜ r 2 ⎟ 2k t ⎝ r1 ⎠
⎝ 2 ⎠

108 W m3 ( 0.011m ) ⎡ ⎛ 0.008 ⎞2 ⎤ 108 W m3 ( 0.008 m )

2 2
⎛ 0.011 ⎞
T1 = 931K + ⎢1 − ⎜ ⎟ ⎥− ln ⎜ ⎟
4 × 57 W m ⋅ K
⎣⎢ ⎝ 0.011 ⎠ ⎦⎥ 2 × 57 W m ⋅ K ⎝ 0.008 ⎠
Continued...
 PROBLEM 3.100 (Cont.)

T1 = 931K + 25 K − 18 K = 938 K <

(b) The temperature distributions may be obtained by using the IHT model for one-dimensional, steady-
state conduction in a hollow tube. For the fuel element ( q& > 0), an adiabatic surface condition is
prescribed at r1, while heat transfer from the outer surface at r2 to the coolant is governed by the thermal
resistance R ′′tot,2 = 2π r2 R ′tot = 2π(0.011 m)0.0185 m⋅K/W = 0.00128 m2⋅K/W. For the graphite ( q& = 0),
the value of T2 obtained from the foregoing solution is prescribed as an inner boundary condition at r2,
while a convection condition is prescribed at the outer surface (r3). For 1 × 108 ≤ q& ≤ 5 × 108 W/m3, the
following distributions are obtained.

2500 2500

2100 2100
Temperature, T(K)

Temperature, T(K)
1700 1700

1300 1300

900 900

500 500
0.008 0.009 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.012 0.013 0.014
Radial location in fuel, r(m) Radial location in graphite, r(m)

qdot = 5E8 qdot = 5E8

qdot = 3E8 qdot = 3E8
qdot = 1E8 qdot = 1E8

The comparatively large value of kt yields small temperature variations across the fuel element,
while the small value of kg results in large temperature variations across the graphite. Operation
at q& = 5 × 108 W/m3 is clearly unacceptable, since the melting points of thorium and graphite are
exceeded and approached, respectively. To prevent softening of the materials, which would occur below
their melting points, the reactor should not be operated much above q& = 3 × 108 W/m3.

COMMENTS: A contact resistance at the thorium/graphite interface would increase temperatures in the
fuel element, thereby reducing the maximum allowable value of q& .
 PROBLEM 3.109

KNOWN: Diameter and base temperature of a silicon carbide nanowire, required temperature of
the catalyst tip.

FIND: Maximum length of a nanowire that may be grown under specified conditions.

SCHEMATIC: 2400 K ≤ Tc ≤ 3000 K

T∞ = 8000 K
h = 105 W/m2∙K
L
D = 15 × 10-9 m
x

Tb = 2400 K

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Nanowire stops growing when Tc = T(x = L) = 3000 K, (2) Constant
properties, (3) One-dimensional heat transfer, (4) Convection from the tip of the nanowire, (5)
Nanowire grows very slowly, (6) Negligible impact of nanoscale heat transfer effects.

PROPERTIES: Table A.2, silicon carbide (1500 K): k = 30 W/mK.

ANALYSIS: The tip of the nanowire is initially at T = 2400 K, and increases in temperature as
the nanowire becomes longer. At steady-state, the tip reaches T = 3000 K. The temperature
distribution at steady-state is given by Eq. 3.75:

θ cosh m (L - x) + (h / mk) sinh m (L - x)

= (1)
θb cosh mL + (h / mk) sinh mL

where
1/2 1/2
 hP   4h 
1/2
 4 × 105 W/m 2  K 
= = 943 × 103 m -1
 30 W/m  K × 15 × 10-9 m 
m=   = 
 kA c   kD   

and
h 105 W/m 2  K
= = 3.53 × 10-3
mk 943 × 103 m -1 × 30 W/m  K

Equation 1, evaluated at x = L, is

θ (3000 - 8000) K 1
= = 0.893 =
θb (2400 - 8000) K cosh (943 × 10 × L) + 3.53 × 10-3sinh (943 × 103 × L)
3

A trial-and-error solution yields L = 510 × 10-9 m = 510 nm <

Continued…
 PROBLEM 3.109 (Cont.)

COMMENTS: (1) The importance of radiation heat transfer may be ascertained by evaluating
Eq. 1.9. Assuming large surroundings at a temperature of Tsur = 8000 K and an emissivity of
unity, the radiation heat transfer coefficient at the fin tip is

h r = εσ(T(x = L) + Tsur )  T 2 (x=L) + Tsur

2 
 
= 5.67 × 10-8 W/m 2  K 4 × (3000 K + 8000 K) × (3000 K)2 + (8000 K)2  = 4.5 × 104 W/m2  K
 

We see that hr < h, but radiation may be important. (2) The thermal conductivity has been
evaluated at 1500 K and extrapolated to a much higher temperature. More accurate values of the
thermal conductivity, accounting for the high temperature and possible nanoscale heat transfer
effects, are desirable. (3) If the nanowire were to grow rapidly, the transient temperature
distribution within the nanowire would need to be evaluated.
 PROBLEM 3.126
KNOWN: Dimensions and thermal conductivity of a gas turbine blade. Temperature and convection
coefficient of gas stream. Temperature of blade base and maximum allowable blade temperature.
FIND: (a) Whether blade operating conditions are acceptable, (b) Heat transfer to blade coolant.
SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) One-dimensional, steady-state conduction in blade, (2) Constant k, (3) Adiabatic
blade tip, (4) Negligible radiation.
ANALYSIS: Conditions in the blade are determined by Case B of Table 3.4.
(a) With the maximum temperature existing at x = L, Eq. 3.80 yields
T ( L ) − T∞ 1
=
Tb − T∞ cosh mL

( )
1/ 2
m = ( hP/kAc ) = 250W/m 2 ⋅ K × 0.11m/20W/m ⋅ K × 6 × 10−4 m 2
1/ 2

m = 47.87 m-1 and mL = 47.87 m-1 × 0.05 m = 2.39

From Table B.1, cosh mL = 5.51. Hence,

T ( L ) = 1200o C + (300 − 1200)o C/5.51 = 1037 oC <

and the operating conditions are acceptable.

( ) ( −900 C ) = −517W , Eq.

1/ 2
(b) With M = ( hPkA c )1/ 2 Θ b = 250W/m 2 ⋅ K × 0.11m × 20W/m ⋅ K × 6 × 10 −4 m 2 o

3.81 and Table B.1 yield

q f = M tanh mL = −517W ( 0.983) = −508W

Hence, q b = −q f = 508W <

COMMENTS: Radiation losses from the blade surface and convection from the tip will contribute to
reducing the blade temperatures.