Chapter 5 – Tutorial

5-37 A uranium plate is subjected to insulation on one side and convection on the other. The finite difference
formulation of this problem is to be obtained, and the nodal temperatures under steady conditions are to be
determined.

Assumptions 1 Heat transfer through the wall is steady since there is no indication of change with time. 2 Heat
transfer is one-dimensional since the plate is large relative to its thickness. 3 Thermal conductivity is constant. 4
Radiation heat transfer is negligible.

Properties The thermal conductivity is given to be k = 34 W/m⋅°C.

Analysis The number of nodes is specified to be M = 6. Then the nodal spacing ∆x becomes

L 0.05 m
∆x = = = 0.01 m
M −1 6 -1

This problem involves 6 unknown nodal temperatures, and

Insulated
thus we need to have 6 equations to determine them ∆x
h, T∞
uniquely. Node 0 is on insulated boundary, and thus we can
• • • • • •
treat it as an interior note by using the mirror image 0 1 2 3 4 5
concept. Nodes 1, 2, 3, and 4 are interior nodes, and thus for
them we can use the general finite difference relation
expressed as

Tm −1 − 2Tm + Tm +1 em
+ = 0 , for m = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4
∆x 2 k

Finally, the finite difference equation for node 5 on the right surface subjected to convection is obtained by
applying an energy balance on the half volume element about node 5 and taking the direction of all heat transfers
to be towards the node under consideration:

T1 − 2T0 + T1 e
Node 0 (Left surface - insulated) : 2
+ =0
∆x k
T0 − 2T1 + T2e
Node 1 (interior) : 2
=0
+
∆x k
T1 − 2T2 + T3 e
Node 2 (interior) : + =0
∆x 2 k
T2 − 2T3 + T4 e
Node 3 (interior) : + =0
∆x 2 k
T3 − 2T4 + T5 e
Node 4 (interior) : + =0
∆x 2 k
T − T5
Node 5 (right surface - convection) : h(T∞ − T5 ) + k 4 + e(∆x / 2) = 0
∆x

where

∆x = 0.01 m, e = 6 × 10 5 W/m 3 , k = 34 W/m ⋅ °C, h = 60 W/m 2 ⋅ °C, and T∞ = 30°C.

This system of 6 equations with six unknown temperatures constitute the finite difference formulation of the
problem.

(b) The 6 nodal temperatures under steady conditions are determined by solving the 6 equations above
simultaneously with an equation solver to be

T0 =552.1°C,T1 =551.2°C,T2 =548.5°C,T3 =544.1°C,T4 =537.9°C, and T5 =530.0°C

Discussion This problem can be solved analytically by solving the differential equation as described in Chap. 2, and
the analytical (exact) solution can be used to check the accuracy of the numerical solution above.

5-51 One side of a hot vertical plate is to be cooled by attaching aluminum fins of rectangular profile. The finite
difference formulation of the problem for all nodes is to be obtained, and the nodal temperatures, the rate of heat
transfer from a single fin and from the entire surface of the plate are to be determined.
Assumptions 1 Heat transfer along the fin is given to be steady and one-dimensional. 2 The thermal conductivity is
constant. 3 Combined convection and radiation heat transfer coefficient is constant and uniform.
Properties The thermal conductivity is given to be k = 237 W/m⋅°C.
T0 h, T∞
Analysis (a) The nodal spacing is given to be ∆x=0.5 cm. Then
the number of nodes M becomes
∆x
L 2 cm
M= +1 = +1 = 5 • • • • •
∆x 0.5 cm 0 1 2 3 4
The base temperature at node 0 is given to be T0 = 80°C. This problem
involves 4 unknown nodal temperatures, and thus we need to have 4
equations to determine them uniquely. Nodes 1, 2, and 3 are interior
nodes, and thus for them we can use the general finite difference
relation expressed as
Tm −1 − Tm T −T
kA + kA m +1 m + h( p∆x)(T∞ − Tm ) = 0 → Tm −1 − 2Tm + Tm +1 + h( p∆x 2 / kA)(T∞ − Tm ) = 0
∆x ∆x
The finite difference equation for node 4 at the fin tip is obtained by applying
an energy balance on the half volume element about that node. Then,
m= 1: T0 − 2T1 + T2 + h( p∆x 2 / kA)(T∞ − T1 ) = 0

m= 2: T1 − 2T2 + T3 + h( p∆x 2 / kA)(T∞ − T2 ) = 0

m= 3: T2 − 2T3 + T4 + h( p∆x 2 / kA)(T∞ − T3 ) = 0

T3 − T4
Node 4: kA + h( p∆x / 2 + A)(T∞ − T4 ) = 0
∆x
where ∆x = 0.005 m, k = 237 W/m ⋅ °C, T∞ = 35°C, T0 = 80°C, h = 30 W/m 2 ⋅ °C
and A = (3 m)(0.003 m) = 0.009 m 2 and p = 2(3 + 0.003 m) = 6.006 m .
This system of 4 equations with 4 unknowns constitute the finite difference formulation of the problem.
(b) The nodal temperatures under steady conditions are determined by solving the 4 equations above
simultaneously with an equation solver to be
T1 = 79.64°C, T2 = 79.38°C, T3 = 79.21°C, T4 = 79.14°C
(c) The rate of heat transfer from a single fin is simply the sum of the heat transfer from each nodal element,
 4 4
Q fin = ∑
m =0
Q element, m = ∑ hA
m =0
surface,m (Tm − T∞ )

= hp (∆x / 2)(T0 − T∞ ) + hp∆x(T1 + T2 + T3 − 3T∞ ) + h( p∆x / 2 + A)(T4 − T∞ ) = 172 W

(d) The number of fins on the surface is
Plate height 2m
No. of fins = = = 286 fins
Fin thickness + fin spacing (0.003 + 0.004) m
Then the rate of heat tranfer from the fins, the unfinned portion, and the entire finned surface become
Q = ( No. of fins)Q = 286(172 W) = 49,192 W
fin, total fin

Q `unfinned = hAunfinned (T0 − T∞ ) = (30 W/m 2 ⋅ °C)(286 × 3 m × 0.004 m)(80 − 35)°C = 4633 W
Q total = Q fin, total + Q unfinned = 49,192 + 4633 = 53,825 W ≅ 53.8 kW
5-87 The top and bottom surfaces of an L-shaped long solid bar are maintained at specified temperatures while the
left surface is insulated and the remaining 3 surfaces are subjected to convection. The finite difference
formulation of the problem is to be obtained, and the unknown nodal temperatures are to be determined.

Assumptions 1 Heat transfer through the bar is given to be steady and two-dimensional. 2 There is no heat
generation within the bar. 3 Thermal properties and heat transfer coefficients are constant. 4 Radiation heat
transfer is negligible.

Properties The thermal conductivity is given to be k = 5 W/m⋅°C.

50°C
Analysis (a) The nodal spacing is given to be ∆x=∆x=l=0.1 m, and all h, T∞
nodes are boundary nodes. Node 1 on the insulated boundary can be
treated as an interior node for which
Insulated • 1 •2 •3
Tleft + Ttop + Tright + Tbottom − 4Tnode = 0 . Using the energy balance
approach and taking the direction of all heat transfer to be towards
the node, the finite difference equations for the nodes are obtained
to be as follows:
120°C
Node 1: 50 + 120 + 2T2 − 4T1 = 0

l 50 − T2 l T3 − T2 T −T 120 − T2
Node 2: hl (T∞ − T2 ) + k +k + kl 1 2 + kl =0
2 l 2 l l l
l T2 − T3 l 120 − T3
Node 3: hl (T∞ − T3 ) + k +k =0
2 l 2 l
where

l = 0.1 m, k = 5 W/m⋅°C, h = 40 W/m2⋅°C, and T∞ =25°C.

This system of 3 equations with 3 unknowns constitute the finite difference formulation of the problem.

(b) The 3 nodal temperatures under steady conditions are determined by solving the 3 equations above
simultaneously with an equation solver to be

T1 = 78.8°C, T2 = 72.7°C, T3 = 64.6°C

5-111 A composite plane wall consists of two layers A and B in perfect contact at the interface where node 1 is at
the interface. The wall is insulated at the left (node 0) and subjected to radiation at the right boundary (node 2).
The complete transient explicit finite difference formulation of this problem is to be obtained.

Assumptions 1 Heat transfer through the wall is given to be transient and one-dimensional, and the thermal
conductivity to be constant. 2 Convection heat transfer is negligible. 3 There is no heat generation.

Analysis Using the energy balance approach with a unit area A = 1 and taking the direction of all heat transfers to
be towards the node under consideration, the finite difference formulations become

Node 0 (at left boundary):

T1i − T0i ∆x T i +1 − T0i Radiation

kA = ρA c p, A 0 A B
∆x 2 ∆t Insulated
Tsurr
∆x ε
Node 1 (at interface):
• • •
0 1 2

Interfac
 i +1
T0i − T1i T i − T1i  ∆x ∆x  T − T1
i
kA + kB 2 = ρA c p, A + ρ B cB  1
∆x ∆x  2 2  ∆t

Node 2 (at right boundary):

4 T1i − T2i ∆x T i +1 − T2i

εσ [Tsurr − (T2i ) 4 ] + k B = ρB c p, B 2
∆x 2 ∆t

5-144 A plane wall with variable heat generation and constant thermal conductivity is subjected to combined
convection and radiation at the right (node 3) and specified temperature at the left boundary (node 0). The finite
difference formulation of the right boundary node (node 3) and the finite difference formulation for the rate of
heat transfer at the left boundary (node 0) are to be determined.

Assumptions 1 Heat transfer through the wall is given to be

steady and one-dimensional. 2 The thermal conductivity is given Tsurr
ε
to be constant.

Analysis Using the energy balance approach and taking the T0 Radiation
direction of all heat transfers to be towards the node under ∆x
consideration, the finite difference formulations become • • • •
0 1 2 3
Convection
Right boundary node (all temperatures are in K):
h, T∞
4 T2 − T3
εσA(Tsurr − T34 ) + hA(T∞ − T3 ) + kA + e3 ( A∆x / 2) = 0
∆x

Heat transfer at left surface:

T −T
Q left surface + kA 1 0 + e 0 ( A∆x / 2) = 0
∆x