Heat Transfer

Heat transfer (or heat) is thermal energy in transit due to a spatial temperature difference. There are
three types of heat transfer , when a temperature gradient exists in a stationary medium, which may
be a solid or a fluid, we use the term conduction to refer to the heat transfer that will occur across
the medium. In contrast, the term convection refers to heat transfer that will occur between a
surface and a moving fluid when they are at different temperatures. The third mode of heat transfer
is termed thermal radiation. All surfaces of finite temperature emit energy in the form of
electromagnetic waves. Hence, In the absence of an intervening medium, there is net heat transfer
by radiation between two surfaces at different temperatures

The Conduction Rate Equation

Assume steady state , the rate of heat transfer in the

X direction is :

This equation is valid for: (i) steady state, (ii) constant k and (iii) one-dimensional conduction. Applying the
equation to the element dx gives :

The heat flux :

Thus, the temperature derivative in is changed to a partial derivative and adjusted to reflect the

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direction of heat flow as follows:

Heat conduction equation (differential form)

Rate of heat conduction into control volume+ rate of heat generation inside control volume=

rate of heat conduction out of control volume + rate of energy storage inside control volume

.
q :the rate of heat generation per unit volume inside the

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control volume; W/m .

Where ρ ,c & dV constant with time.

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 Cylindrical coordinates

Spherical coordinates

Boundary conditions

Energy heat conduction equation governs the temperature behavior in a region but it is does not
give temperature distribution . To obtain tempt. Distribution, it necessary to solve the equation .
However , to obtain complete solution , boundary and initial conditions most be specified . For
Example the equation :

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Require six boundary conditions , two in each of the variables x,y and z , and one initial condition
in time t. Boundary condition are mathematical equation describing the physical situation at the
boundary .Similarity the initial condition describes the temperature distribution at t=0 .
Examples of Boundary Conditions

There are several common physical conditions that can take place at boundaries. Fig. 1.5 shows
four typical boundary conditions for two dimensional conduction in a rectangular plate. Fig. 1.6
shows an interface of two materials. Two boundary conditions are associated with this case.

Boundary conditions for above figures are expressed mathematically as follows:

.
(1) Specified temperature. Along boundary the temperature is. This temperature can be uniform or can
vary along as well as with time. Mathematically this condition is expressed as :

(2) Specified flux. The heat flux along boundary . According to Fourier’s law this
condition is expressed as :

(3) Convection. Neither the temperature nor the flux are known along boundary(x,0). Instead, heat
is exchanged by convection with the ambient fluid. Therefore, equating Newton's law of cooling with
Fourier's law of conduction gives :

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(4) Insulated boundary. The boundary at ( x, W) is thermally insulated. Thus, according to
Fourier’s law, this condition is expressed as :

(5) Interface. Fig.1.6 shows a composite wall of two materials with thermal conductivities k 1 and
k2 . For a perfect interface contact, the two temperatures must be the same at the interface. Thus

Conservation of energy at the interface requires that the two fluxes be identical. Application of Fourier’s
law gives :

(6) Interface with a heat source. One example of this case is an electrical heating element which
is sandwiched between two non-electrically conducting materials as shown in Fig. 1.7. Another
example is frictional heat, which is generated by relative motion between two surfaces. Energy
dissipated at an interface can be conducted through both materials or through either one of the two.
Boundary conditions at the interface are again based on the continuity of temperature and
conservation of energy. conservation of energy requires that heat flux added to the interface by
conduction through material 1, plus heat flux generated at the interface, be equal to the flux
removed by qi , conduction through material 2. Thus :

(7) Radiation. To illustrate how a radiation boundary condition is formulated, consider Fig. 1.5.
Assume that the boundary ( x,0) exchanges heat by radiation in addition to convection. Again we
pretend that net radiation energy is added to the surface in the positive y-direction. Conservation
of energy at this boundary requires that energy added at the surface by convection and radiation be
equal to energy conducted in the positive y-direction. Thus :

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Using Fourier’s law of conduction Newton’s law of cooling for convection and Stefan-Boltzmann
for radiation gives :