HEAT TRANSFER SAMPLE PROBLEMS/COVERSIONS/FORMULA/UNIT ANALYSIS:

CONVERSIONS:
for dt(temperature difference):

℉ = 1.8℃
Example:
𝑡1 = 45℉, 𝑡2 = 5 ℉, 𝑑𝑡 =? (℃)? ? (𝐾)

𝑑𝑡 = 40℉
40
℉ 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑖𝑢𝑠 = ℃ ≈ 22.2℃
1.8
℃=𝐾
22.2℃ ≈ 22.2𝐾
Kj/hr to W:

𝑘𝐽 1000𝐽 ℎ𝑟
× ×
ℎ𝑟 𝑘𝐽 3600𝑠
Example:
𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝑊
3 𝑡𝑜
ℎ𝑟 − 𝑚 − ℃ 𝑚 − ℃
3𝑘𝐽 1000𝐽 ℎ𝑟
≈ × ×
ℎ𝑟(𝑚 − ℃) 𝑘𝐽 3600𝑠
≈ 0.83𝑊
Energy Conversion:

1BTU = 1055 J
𝑏𝑡𝑢
𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑊:
ℎ𝑟
𝑏𝑡𝑢 1055𝐽 ℎ𝑟
× ×
ℎ𝑟 𝑏𝑡𝑢 3600𝑠
Example:
𝑏𝑡𝑢 1055𝐽 𝑚𝑖𝑛
≈ 0.5 × ×
𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑡𝑢 60𝑠
≈ 8.79 𝑘𝑊
0.75𝑘𝑊 = 1𝐻𝑃

JC
 Q= rate of heat transfer 𝑊
Formula: 𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 (𝐾)
𝑄=
For Plane wall: K= thermal conductivity 𝑚
KA(dt)
1. Q = where in; DA= Area 𝑊
𝑥
𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 (𝐾)
𝑄=
dt= temperature difference 𝑚

x= wall thickness 𝑄=𝑊

Q K(dt)
2. = Q/A= rate of heat transferred 𝑊
𝐴 𝑥 𝑄 𝑚 − 𝐾 (𝐾)
per unit area =
𝐴 𝑚
K= thermal conductivity 𝑊
𝑄 𝑚 − 𝐾 (𝐾)
A=no area given =
𝐴 𝑚
dt= temperature difference 𝑄 𝑊
= 𝑚
𝐴
x= wall thickness 𝑚
𝑊
𝑄=
𝑚2

For Composite Walls:

GIVEN TWO WALLS 𝑚2 − 𝐾 1

Q= 𝑚 𝑚 Q=
1 1
𝑊 + 𝑊 +
𝑊 𝑊
𝐴(𝑑𝑡) 𝑚−𝐾 𝑚−𝐾
1. Q = Q=1×𝑊 =𝑊
𝑅𝑡 𝑚2 − 𝐾
Q= 2
𝑅𝑡 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾
𝑊 + 𝑊
𝑥1 𝑥2
𝑅𝑡 = + 𝑚2 − 𝐾
𝐾1 𝐾2 Q=
𝑚2 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾
𝑊 + 𝑊

Q 𝐾
= 𝑚 𝑚
Q 𝑑𝑡 A
2. = 𝑊 + 𝑊
A 𝑅𝑡 𝑚−𝐾 𝑚−𝐾
Q 𝐾
= 2
A 𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾
𝑊 + 𝑊
Q 1 𝑊
= 2 = 2
A 𝑚 𝑚
𝑊
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For Fluids:

GIVEN A WALL AND A FLUID 𝑚2 − 𝐾 Q 𝐾

Q= =
𝐴(𝑑𝑡) 1 𝑚 A 1 𝑚
1. Q = 𝑊 + 𝑊 𝑊 + 𝑊
𝑅𝑡
𝑚2 − 𝐾 𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾 𝑚 − 𝐾
𝑅𝑡 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑚2 − 𝐾 Q 𝐾
Q= = 2
1 𝑥1 𝑚2 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾 A 𝑚 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾
𝑅𝑡 = + 𝑊
+
𝑊 𝑊 + 𝑊
ℎ 𝐾1
1 𝑄 1 𝑊
Q 𝑑𝑡 𝑄= =𝑊 = 2 = 2
2. = 1 𝐴 𝑚 𝑚
A 𝑅𝑡 𝑊
𝑊

PLANE WALL:

1. A plane wall with a thickness of 10 cm has a thermal conductivity of 5 W/(m·K). The temperatures
on the two sides of the wall are 100°C and 20°C, respectively. Calculate the rate of heat transfer
through the wall per unit area.
Given:
𝑥 = 10𝑐𝑚 ≈ 0.01𝑚
𝑑𝑡 = (100 − 20)𝐾
𝑊
𝐾=5
𝑚−𝐾
Req’d:
𝑄
=?
𝐴
SOLUTION:
𝑄 𝐾𝑑𝑡
=
𝐴 𝑥
𝑊
𝑄 [5 𝑚 − 𝐾 (100 − 20)𝐾]
=
𝐴 0.01𝑚
𝑄 𝑊
= 40,000 2
𝐴 𝑚
2. You are designing an insulated wall for a building to minimize heat transfer. The wall has a thermal
conductivity of 1.5 kJ/(hr·m·K) and a surface area of 100 square meters. The temperature inside
the building is maintained at 20°C, while the outside temperature is 5°C. The rate of heat transfer
through the wall is measured to be 5000 Watts. Calculate the thickness of the wall.
Given:
𝑑𝑡 = (20 − 5)𝐾
𝑘𝐽 1000𝐽 ℎ𝑟 𝑊
𝐾 = 1.5 × × ≈ 4.17
ℎ𝑟 · 𝑚 · 𝐾 𝑘𝐽 3600𝑠 𝑚−𝐾
2
𝐴 = 100 𝑚
𝑄 = 5000𝑊
REQ’D:
x=?

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 SOLUTION:
𝐾𝐴𝑑𝑡
𝑄=
𝑥
𝑊
[(4.17 𝑚 − 𝐾 ) (100𝑚2 )(20 − 5)𝐾]
5000𝑊 =
𝑥
𝑊 2
[(4.17 𝑚 − 𝐾 ) (100𝑚 )(20 − 5)𝐾]
𝑥= = 1.25𝑚
5000𝑊
COMPOSITE WALLS:

1. A composite plane wall is constructed by joining two different materials. Material A has a thermal
conductivity of 4.5 BTU/(hr·ft·°F) and a thickness of 4 inches, while Material B has a thermal
conductivity of 8 BTU/(hr·ft·°F) and a thickness of 6 inches. The temperatures on the two sides of
the wall are 80°F and 40°F, respectively. Calculate the rate of heat transfer through the composite
wall per 1 square ft.
Given:
BTU
K1 = 4.5 , 𝑥1 = 4𝑖𝑛. ≈ 0.33𝑓𝑡.
hr·ft·°F

BTU
K 2 = 8 hr·ft·°F , 𝑥2 = 6𝑖𝑛. ≈ 0.5𝑓𝑡.
dt = (80 − 40)℉
REQ’D:
𝐴𝑑𝑡
𝑄=
𝑅𝑇
(80 − 40)℉(1𝑓𝑡 2 )
𝑄=
0.33𝑓𝑡. 0.5𝑓𝑡.
BTU + BTU
4.5 8
hr · ft · °F hr · ft · °F
40 𝐵𝑇𝑈
𝑄= = 295.2
ℎ𝑟 ℎ𝑟 ℎ𝑟
0.073 + 0.0625
𝐵𝑇𝑈 𝐵𝑇𝑈
2. A wall 4 cm thick is to be constructed from material that has an average thermal conductivity of
1.3 W/m · ◦C. The wall is to be insulated with material having an average thermal conductivity of
0.35 W/m · ◦C, so that the heat loss per square meter will not exceed 13,680 kJ in 2 hrs. Assuming
that the inner and outer surface temperatures of the insulated wall are 1300 and 50◦C, calculate
the thickness of insulation required.
Given:
W
𝐾1 = 1.3 ., 𝑥1 = 0.04𝑚
m·◦C
W
𝐾2 = 0.35
m·◦C
𝑑𝑡 = (1300 − 50)°C ≈ 1250C
𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝐽 1000𝐽 ℎ𝑟 𝑊
𝑄 = 13,680 2 𝑖𝑛 2 ℎ𝑟𝑠 ≈ 6,840 2
× × ≈ 1900 2
𝑚 ℎ𝑟 𝑚 𝑘𝐽 3600𝑠 𝑚
REQ’D:
𝑥2 =?

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SOLUTION:
𝑄 𝑑𝑡
=
𝐴 𝑅𝑡
𝑊 (1250)𝐶
1900 =
𝑚 2 0.04𝑚 𝑥2
W + W
1.3 m · C 0.35 m · ◦ C

𝑚2 𝑥2 𝑚 1250 𝑚2
0.0308 + =
𝑊 0.35 𝑊 1900 𝑊
𝑥2
( ) 0.35 = (0.658𝑚 − 0.0308𝑚)0.35
0.35
𝑥2 = 0.2195𝑚
FLUID TO FLUID/WALL:
1. A fluid with a temperature of 80°C flows over a plane wall. The wall has a thermal conductivity of 5
W/(m·K) and a thickness of 0.1 meters. The temperature of the wall is maintained at 40°C. The rate of
heat transfer from the fluid to the wall is 1000 Watts/m2. Calculate the convective heat transfer
coefficient between the fluid and the wall per unit area.

Given:
W
𝐾=5
m·K
𝑑𝑡 = (80 − 40)℃
𝑥 = 0.1𝑚
𝑄 𝑊
= 1000 2
𝐴 𝑚
Req’d: 1 𝑚2 − 𝐾 𝑚2 − 𝐾
= 0.25 − 0.02
ℎ 𝑊 𝑊
ℎ =?
1 𝑚2 − 𝐾
SOLUTION: = 0.23
ℎ 𝑊
𝑄 𝑑𝑡
= 1 𝑊
𝐴 𝑅𝑡 ℎ= 2 = 4.35 2
𝑚 −𝐾 𝑚 −𝐾
0.23
𝑊 (80 − 40)𝐾 𝑊
1000 =
𝑚 2 1 0.1𝑚
+ W
ℎ
5m· K

1 𝑚2 − 𝐾 40𝐾
+ 0.02 =
ℎ 𝑊 𝑊
1000 2
𝑚

JC