Transient Conduction:

The Lumped Capacitance Method

Chapter Five
Sections 5.1 thru 5.3
Transient Conduction
Transient Conduction
A heat transfer process for which the temperature varies with time, as well
as location within a solid.

It is initiated whenever a system experiences a change in operating conditions

and proceeds until a new steady state (thermal equilibrium) is achieved.

It can be induced by changes in:

surface convection conditions ( h,T ),
surface radiation conditions ( hr ,Tsur ),
a surface temperature or heat flux, and/or
internal energy generation.

Solution Techniques
The Lumped Capacitance Method
Exact Solutions
The Finite-Difference Method
Lumped Capacitance Method

The Lumped Capacitance Method

Based on the assumption of a spatially uniform temperature distribution
throughout the transient process. Hence T r , t T t .

Why is the assumption never fully realized in practice?

General Lumped Capacitance

Analysis:

Consider a general case,

which includes convection,
radiation and/or an applied
heat flux at specified
surfaces As,c ,As,r ,As,h ,
as well as internal energy
generation
Lumped Capacitance Method (cont.)

First Law:

dEst dT g g g
c Ein Eout E g
dt dt

Assuming energy outflow due to convection and radiation and with

inflow due to an applied heat flux qs,

dT g
c qsAs , h hAs , c T T hr As , r T Tsur E g
dt

Is this expression applicable in situations for which convection and/or

radiation provide for energy inflow?

May h and hr be assumed to be constant throughout the transient process?

How must such an equation be solved?

Special Case (Negligible Radiation

Special Cases (Exact Solutions, T 0 Ti )

Negligible Radiation T T , b / a :

b qsAs ,h E g / c
g
a hAs , c / c

The non-homogeneous differential equation is transformed into a

homogeneous equation of the form:
d
a
dt

Integrating from t=0 to any t and rearranging,

T T b/a
exp at 1 exp at (5.25)
Ti T Ti T

To what does the foregoing equation reduce as steady state is approached?

How else may the steady-state solution be obtained?
Special Case (Convection)

Negligible Radiation and Source Terms h hr , E g 0, qs 0 :

g

dT
c hAs , c T T (5.2)
dt
c d t
hAs , c i

dt
o
T T hAs , c t
exp t exp
i Ti T c t

The thermal time constant is defined as

1

t c
hA
s , c (5.7)

Thermal Lumped Thermal

Resistance, Rt Capacitance, Ct

The change in thermal energy storage due to the transient process is

t g t t
Est Q Eout dt hAs , c dt c i 1 exp (5.8)
o o t
Special Case (Radiation)

Negligible Convection and Source Terms hr h, E g 0, qs 0 :

g

Assuming radiation exchange with large surroundings,

dT
c As , r T 4 Tsur
4

dt
A s , r t T dT
c o
dt T i T 4 T 4
sur

c Tsur T T T
t 1n 1n sur i
4 As , r Tsur
3
Tsur T Tsur Ti

T 1 T i
2 tan 1
tan (5.18)
T
sur T sur

Result necessitates implicit evaluation of T(t).

Biot Number
The Biot Number and Validity of
The Lumped Capacitance Method
The Biot Number: The first of many dimensionless parameters to be
considered.
Definition:
hL
Bi c
k
h convection or radiation coefficient
k thermal conductivity of the solid
Lc characteristic length of the solid ( / As or coordinate
associated with maximum spatial temperature difference)

Physical Interpretation:

Lc / kAs Rcond Tsolid

Bi : :
1/ hAs Rconv Tsolid / fluid

Criterion for Applicability of Lumped Capacitance Method:

Bi 1
Problem: Thermal Energy Storage

Problem 5.11: Charging a thermal energy storage system consisting

of a packed bed of aluminum spheres.

Schematic:

A lu m in u m s p h e r e
G as D = 7 5 m m , T i = 25 oC
= 2 7 0 0 k g /m 3
T g ,i = 3 0 0 o C c = 9 5 0 J /k g -K
h = 7 5 W /m 2 -K k = 2 4 0 W /m -K
Problem: Thermal Energy Storage (cont.)

Est
0.90 1 exp t / t
cVi
3
2700 kg / m 0.075m 950 J / kg K
t Vc / hA s Dc / 6h 427s.
2
6 75 W / m K
t t ln 0.1 427s 2.30 984s

T 984s Tg,i Ti Tg,i exp 6ht / Dc

2
T 984s 300C 275C exp 6 75 W / m K 984s / 2700 kg / m
3
0.075m 950 J / kg K
T 984s 272.5C
Problem: Furnace Start-up

Problem 5.15: Heating of coated furnace wall during start-up.

Schematic:
Problem: Furnace Start-up

Hence, with
1 1
1 1 1
U R tot R f 102 m 2 K/W 20 W/m 2 K.
h 25 W/m 2 K

UL 20 W/m 2 K 0.01 m
Bi 0.0033 1
k 60 W/m K

T T
exp t/ t exp t/R t C t exp Ut/ Lc
Ti T

Lc T T 7850 kg/m3 0.01 m 430 J/kg K 1200 1300

t ln ln
U Ti T 20 W/m K2 300 1300

t 3886s 1.08h.
Problem: Furnace Start-up (cont.)

h T Ts,o Ts,o Ts,i / R f

hT Ts,i / R f 25 W/m 2 K 1300 K 1200 K/10-2 m 2 K/W

Ts,o
h 1/ R f 25 100 W/m 2 K

Ts,o 1220 K.