Transiant Heat Conduction

(Unsteady State Conduction)

The problems which are encountered in engineering practice where the

temperature varies per the time are called transient heat coduction.

Unsteady state heat flow is very common ,Hardening by quenching and

heating of boiler tubes are common examples of unsteady heat flow

which are bodies with negligable internal resistance or negligable

temperature gradient( thermal conductivity is very high).

Lumped system analysis

The lumped heat capacity analysis is one that the internal resistance of

the body is neglected in comparsion with the external resistance.

To formulate the problem

Applying the first law of thermodynamics, at any instant of time

dT
hA(T - T∞)= - m cp dt

where A= surface area of the body (m2)

h= heat transfer coefficient of the surface (w/m2.c)

T∞=Temperature of the atmosphere T= Temperature at any time

cp= specific heat (J/kg.c) m= mass of the body=𝜌v (kg)

𝜌=density of the body (kg/m3) V= volume (m3)

dT hA
+
dt c p ρ v
(T - T∞) =0

dT −hA
∫ T −T = c ρ v ∫ dt
∞ p
 −hA
Ln (T - T∞)= c ρ v t+c1
p

To find the constant c1 , The initial coditions is

T= To at t=0

c1= Ln(To- T∞) where To is the initial temerature of the body to be cooled
−hA
Ln (T - T∞)= ρ v c t+ Ln(To- T∞)
p

(T −T ∞) −hA t
Ln (T o−T ∞) = ρ v c
p

(T −T ∞) −hA t
= e ρ vc
(T o−T ∞)
p

Qmax= m cp (To- T∞)= 𝜌 cp v(To- T∞)

−hA t
QLumped= 𝜌 cp v[To- T∞] [1- e ρ vc ] p

A check must be carried out before solving problems by this formula,

we must see the internal resistance must be very small so we can

neglect it, and thermal conductivity is very high.so biot number must be

calculated(Bi)
h ∆T
convection at the surface of thebody hL v
B i= = k∆T = c where Lc = A
conduction within thebody k
Lc

Lc/ k condu ction resistance internalresistance h v

= = convection resistance = external resistance = k ( A )
1/ h

IF Bi ≤ 0.1 this method is applicable

¿^ h A kt h 1 L kt hL
The quantity can be ρ v c ¿ =( k v )( ρ c ¿ =( k L ) ( L ¿( ρ c ¿= ( k ) (
p p p
kt
2 )
ρ cp L

hL αt
= ( k ) ( 2 )= Bi Fo
L
 (T −T ∞)
(T o−T ∞)
= e−B F i o
Where the

Fourier number(Fo) is the dimensionless time obtained by muliplying the

thermal diffusivity by the square of the characteristic length

Unsteady conduction in infinite slab of finite thickness

The case of large slab of x-thickness 2L as will be examined as shown in
figure.The slab of infinite or at least of very large dimensionsin y and z-
directions.Initially at uniform temperature Ti , it is suddenly exposed to
convective environment at T∞ . The Biot number is such that a lumped
analysis is not suitable.

T=F(x,t).The differential equation is

2 2 2
∂T ∂T ∂T 1 ∂T
+ + 2 +q̇ /k = reduces to .......................................(1)
2 2
∂x ∂ y ∂ z α ∂t

2
∂ T 1 ∂T k
2= where α =themal diffusivity of the material= ρ c
∂x α ∂t p

∂2 θ 1 ∂ θ
= where θ= T- T∞ the boundery ant time conditions are
∂ x 2 α ∂t

∂θ ∂θ h
B.C. ∂x
=0 at x=0 and ∂ x =- k θ at x=L

Time condition θ= θi at t=0

Using separation of variables techniqe yeilds

θ = e−α t λ (c1 sinλx +c2 cosλx )........................................................(2)

2

appling the first B.C. yields c1=0

appling the second B.C. gives

λ
λ
cot λL = h or cot λL = Bi this equation has infinite number of λ 1 , λ 2
k

and in terms of these eigenvalues the solution for θ is

 ∞

θ=∑ c n e− λ αt cos λn x
2
n
..................(3) appling the time conditions
n =1

θi=∑ c n cos λn x
n =1

which indicates that the c n must be choosen so that θi is represented by

an infinite series of cosine terms over the range of 0< x<L .from the

orthogonal functions we find

2θ i sin λn L
c n= So equation 3 becomes
λn L+(sin λ n L)(cos λ n L)

θ
∞
sin λ n L
=2∑e
2
−λ αt
n
cos λ n x ..............................(4)
θi n =1 λ n L+(sin λn L)(cos λn L)

Using equa. 4 for the thermal energy transfered to the slab is given by

Q ∞
1 sin2 λn L
=2∑
2

[¿ cos λn x ](1−e− λ αt )¿........(5)n

Qi λ
n =1 n L λ n L+(sin λ n L)(cos λ n L)

Where Qi= v ρcpθ i = AL ρcpθ i for a half slab

The results obtained from equa. 4 and 5 can be put in dimensionless

form by use of Biot and Fourier numbers.Heislers plot the temperature

at the center line of the slab versus Fo and (1/Bi) is givenin a chart.The

temperature at any other x-location in the body at a specified time(Fo)

can be determined together with the centerline temperature at that Fo.

Another chart for the dimensionless heat removal or addition is

presented.and we can use these charts to solve probles of this kind.

The characteristic length for different shapes is

thickness
For slab L= 2
=L if thickness is 2L

For cylinder L = rout=ro

For sphere L= rout=ro
For hollow cylinderor sphere insulared from inside L = rout-ri
The dimensionless distance from the center
x
For slab X= L

r
For cylinder L = rout=ro X= r
o

r
For sphere L= rout=ro X= r
o

r
For hollow cylinderor sphere insulated from inside X= r −r
o i