Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Alberta
MecE 370 – Heat Transfer
Term Exam No. 2 – March 17th , 2008
Examiner: David Nobes

IMPORTANT NOTES
• This exam is 50 minutes long / Read the question to the end before attempting to answer
• Answer all questions / Your calculator must be of non-communicating type
• This is an open book/note, examination / The marks for each problem are given to help you
allocate your time.
Question 1 (20 marks)

A small 2.0-mm diameter sphere of lead is cooled from an average temperature of 200°C to 54°C by
dropping it into a tall column filled with air at 27°C and 101.3 kPa. It can be assumed that the terminal
velocity (Ut) of the sphere is reached quickly such that the entire fall of the sphere occurs at this constant
velocity, which is calculated from:

0 .5
⎡ 2(ρ − ρ air )Vg ⎤
Ut = ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ C D ρ air A p ⎥⎦

where, V = volume of sphere, g = 9.81 m/s2, ρair = density of air (1.18 kg/m3), CD = drag coefficient (given as
0.40), and Ap = projected area of sphere (πD2/4).
The properties of lead are ρ = 11,300 kg/m3, k = 33 W/m K, and cp = 0.13 kJ/kg K.

(a) Estimate the terminal velocity (Ut) of the sphere.

(b) Calculate the heat transfer coefficient for the lead sphere at its mean temperature.
(c) The time taken for the sphere to cool
(d) Calculate the column height for the indicated cooling of the lead sphere.
Question 1 SOLUTION (TOTAL 20)
A small sphere made of lead is cooled in an air column. The terminal velocity of the sphere, the heat transfer coefficient for the
sphere at its mean temperature, and the column height for the indicated cooling of the lead sphere are to be determined.
(a) Assumptions (MARKS 2)
1 Steady operating conditions exist.
2 Radiation effects are negligible.
3 Air is an ideal gas with constant properties.

(b) Schematic (MARKS 4)

Properties (MARKS 2)
3
The properties of lead are given to be ρ = 11,300 kg/m , k = 33 W/m·K, and c = 0.13 kJ/kg·K. The properties of air at 1 atm
p
pressure and the free stream temperature of 27°C are (Table A-15)

k = 0.02566 W/m-K ν = 1.580x10-5m2/s

Pr = 0.7290
μ∞ = 1.858×10-5 kg/m-s μs.@0.5(200+54)=127°C = 2.292×10-5 kg/m-s

Analysis
(a) Find the terminal velocity (MARKS 2)

The terminal velocity is determined from the relation given to be

0 .5
⎡ 2(ρ − ρ air )Vg ⎤ ⎡ 2(11,300 − 1.18)9.81 ⎛ 2
0 .5
⎞⎤
Ut = ⎢ ⎥ =⎢ ⎜ × 0.002 ⎟⎥ = 25.0m / s
⎣⎢ CD ρ air Ap ⎦⎥ ⎣ (0.40 )(1.18) ⎝ 3 ⎠⎦

πD 3
V 6 = 2D
Since =
Ap πD 2
3
4
(b) Find the heat transfer coefficient

The Reynolds number is

Ut D (25m / s )(0.002m)
Re = = = 3167 (MARKS 1)
ν 1.580 × 10 −5 m 2 / s

The Nusselt number corresponding this Reynolds number is determined to be (MARKS 2)

Heat transfer coefficient is (MARKS 1)

(c)Find the time to cool

For sphere, the characteristic length and the Biot number are (MARKS 2)

Since Bi < 0.1, the lumped system analysis is applicable (MARKS 1).
Then the cooling time is determined from (MARKS 2)

(d) Find the height of the column

Then the height of the column is determined to be (MARKS 1)