Solutions of the Conduction Equation

P M V Subbarao
Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
IIT Delhi

An Idea Generates More Mathematics….

Mathematics Generate Mode Ideas…..
 The Conduction Equation

H
 .q ' ' g (r , t )
t
Incorporation of the constitutive equation into the energy
equation above yields:

T
C p  . k .T  g (r , t )
t
Dividing both sides by Cp and introducing the thermal
diffusivity of the material given by
2
k m m
  m
C p s s
 Thermal Diffusivity
• Thermal diffusivity includes the effects of properties like
mass density, thermal conductivity and specific heat
capacity.
• Thermal diffusivity, which is involved in all unsteady heat-
conduction problems, is a property of the solid object.
• The time rate of change of temperature depends on its
numerical value.
• The physical significance of thermal diffusivity is
associated with the diffusion of heat into the medium
during changes of temperature with time.
• The higher thermal diffusivity coefficient signifies the
faster penetration of the heat into the medium and the less
time required to remove the heat from the solid.
 T  k  g (r , t )
 . .T  
t  C p  C p

T
 . .T 
g (r , t )
t C p
This is often called the heat equation.

For a homogeneous material:

T g ( x, t )
  T 
2

t C p
This is a general form of heat conduction equation.

Valid for all geometries.

Selection of geometry depends on nature of application.

General conduction equation based on
Cartesian Coordinates
q y y
qz

qx qx x

q z z
qy
 T
C p  .kT  g ( x, t )
t
For an isotropic and homogeneous material:

T
C p  k T  g ( x, t )
2

t
T  T  T  T 
2 2 2
C p  k  2  2  2   g ( x, y, z : t )
t  x y z 
 General conduction equation based on Polar
Cylindrical Coordinates

T    T  1  T  T 
2 2
C p  k r  2  2   g (r , , z : t )
t  r  r  r  z 
2
 General conduction equation based on Polar
Spherical Coordinates

T  1   2 T  1   T  1  2T 
C p  k 2 r  2  sin   2 2 2
 g (r ,  ,  : t )
t  r r  r  r sin      r sin   
Thermal Conductivity of Brick Masonry Walls
 Thermally Heterogeneous Materials

k  k x, y, z 
T
C p  .kT  g ( x, t )
t

 T   k T   T 
 k     k 
T  x   y   z 
C p     g ( x, y, z, t )
t x y z
 T k T  2T k T  2T k T  2T
C p  k 2  k 2   k 2  g ( x, y, z, t )
t x x x y y y z z z

More service to humankind than heat transfer rate calculations

Satellite Imaging : Remote Sensing
Thermal Imaging of Brain
One Dimensional Heat Conduction problems

P M V Subbarao
Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
IIT Delhi

Simple ideas for complex Problems…

Desert Housing & Composite Walls
 Steady-State One-Dimensional Conduction

• For conduction through a large wall

the heat equation reduces to:

T k T  2T
C p   k 2  g ( x, y, z, t )
t x x x

• Assume a homogeneous medium with invariant thermal conductivity ( k

= constant) :
T  2T
C p  k 2  g ( x, y, z, t )
t x

One dimensional Transient conduction with heat generation.

 Steady Heat transfer through a plane slab

 2T
k 2  g ( x, y , z , t )  0
x
No heat generation
d 2T dT
A 2 0   C1  T  C1 x  C2
dx dx
 Isothermal Wall Surfaces

dT
  C1  T  C1 x  C2
dx

Apply boundary conditions to solve for

constants: T(0)=Ts1 ; T(L)=Ts2

The resulting temperature distribution

and varies linearly with x.

 Applying Fourier’s law:

heat transfer rate:

heat flux:

Therefore, both the heat transfer rate and heat

flux are independent of x.
 Wall Surfaces with Convection

d 2T dT
A 2 0  C1  T  C1 x  C2
dx dx

Boundary conditions:

 h1 T (0)  T1 
dT
k
dx x 0

 h2 T ( L)  T 2 
dT
k
dx xL
 Wall with isothermal Surface and Convection Wall

d 2T dT
A 2 0  C1  T  C1 x  C2
dx dx

Boundary conditions:

T ( x  0)  T1

 h2 T ( L)  T 2 
dT
k
dx xL
 Electrical Circuit Theory of Heat Transfer
• Thermal Resistance
• A resistance can be defined as the ratio of a driving
potential to a corresponding transfer rate.
V
R
i
Analogy:
Electrical resistance is to conduction of electricity as thermal
resistance is to conduction of heat.
The analog of Q is current, and the analog of the
temperature difference, T1 - T2, is voltage difference.
From this perspective the slab is a pure resistance to heat
transfer and we can define
 T T
q  Rth 
Rth q

T Ts1  Ts 2 L m.K 1
Rth    m  K /W
qcond  Ts 2  Ts1  kA W m 2
 kA 
 L 

T Ts  T 1 m 2 .K 1
Rth     K /W
qconv hATs  T  hA W m 2
 T Ts  Tsurr 1 m 2 .K 1
Rth     K /W
qrad hr ATs  Tsurr  hr A W m 2
 The composite Wall
• The concept of a thermal
resistance circuit allows
ready analysis of problems
such as a composite slab
(composite planar heat
transfer surface).
• In the composite slab, the
heat flux is constant with x.
• The resistances are in series
and sum to Rth = Rth1 + Rth2.
• If TL is the temperature at the
left, and TR is the
temperature at the right, the
heat transfer rate is given by
T TL  TR
q 
Rth Rth1  Rth2
 Wall Surfaces with Convection

d 2T dT
A 2 0  C1  T  C1 x  C2
dx dx

Boundary conditions:

 h1 T (0)  T1 
dT
k
dx x 0
T1 T2

 h2 T ( L)  T 2 
dT
k Rconv,1 Rcond Rconv,2
dx xL
 Heat transfer for a wall with dissimilar
materials

• For this situation, the total heat flux Q is made up of the heat flux
in the two parallel paths:
• Q = Q1 + Q2
 with the total resistance given by:
 Composite Walls

• The overall thermal resistance is given by

Desert Housing & Composite Walls