LESSON 3

One-Dimensional, Steady State Heat Conduction without Heat Generation:

i) Plane Wall or Slab of Uniform Conductivity without Heat Generation:
Consider steady state heat conduction through a plane wall of thickness ‘L’ and
area ‘A’ having uniform conductivity ‘k’ as shown in Figure 1. Temperature on the left
hand side of the wall is T1 and on the right hand side it is T2. Heat is flowing from left
hand side to the right hand side as T 1 is greater than T2. The general conduction equation
which governs the conduction heat transfer is written as

(1)

Since it is a case of one-dimensional, stead heat conduction through a wall of uniform

conductivity without heat generation, therefore, , and

Therefore, equation (1) reduces to

(2)

Equation (2) is used to determine the temperature distribution and heat transfer rate
through the wall. Integrating equation (2) twice with respect to x, it can written as
 T = C 1 x + C2 (3)
Where, C1 and C2 are constants of integration.
Using the following boundary conditions:
i. At x = 0, T = T1
Equation (3) is written as C2 = T1 (4)
ii. At x = L, T = T2
Equation (3) can be written as T2 = C1 L + C2
Or T 2 = C1 L + T 1
C1= (T2 – T1)/L (5)
Substituting the values of C1 and C2 in equation (3)

Or (6)

Equation (6) represents temperature distribution in the wall. It means temperature at any
point along the thickness of the wall can be obtained if values of temperatures T 1, T2,
thickness L and distance of the point form either of the faces of the wall are known.
Rate of heat transfer can be determined by using Fourier’s law and can be expressed as

(7)

Differentiating equation (6) with respect to x to obtain the expression for temperature

gradient

Substituting the value of from above equation in equation (7), we get

 (8)

Equation (8) represents the heat transfer rate through the wall.
ii) Cylinder of Uniform Conductivity without Heat Generation:
Consider steady state heat conduction through a cylinder having r 1 and r2 as inner
and outer radii respectively and length ‘L’ as shown in Figure 2. Temperature of the inner
and outer surfaces is T1 and T2 respectively. Heat is flowing from inner to outer surface as
T1 is greater than T2. The general conduction equation which governs the conduction heat
transfer is written as

(9)

Since it is a case of one-dimensional, stead heat conduction through a wall of uniform

conductivity without heat generation, therefore, , and

Therefore, equation (9) reduces to

Or (10)

Equation (10) is used to determine the temperature distribution and heat transfer rate
through the cylinder. Integrating equation (10) twice with respect to r, it can written as

or (11)

and T = C1 loge r + C2 (12)

Using the following boundary conditions:
i. At r = r1, T = T1
Equation (12) is written as T1 = C1 loge r1 + C2 (13)
ii. At r = r2, T = T2
Equation (12) can be written as
T2 = C1 loge r2 + C2 (14)
Subtracting equation (14) from equation (13), we get
T1 – T2 = C1 loge r1 – C1 loge r2

(15)

Substituting the values of C1 from equation (15) in equation (13)

(16)
 (17)

Substituting the values of C1 and C2 in equation (12), we get

(18)

Equation (18) represents temperature distribution in the cylinder. Rate of heat transfer
can be determined by using Fourier’s law and can be expressed as

(19)

(20)
From equation (11) we can write

Substituting the value of C1 from equation (15), we can write

At r = r1 ,

(21)

Substituting the value of from equation (21) in equation (20), we get

(22)

Equation (22) represents the heat transfer rate through the cylinder.
iii) Sphere of Uniform Conductivity without Heat Generation:
Consider steady state heat conduction through a hollow sphere having r 1
and r2 as inner and outer radii respectively. Temperature of the inner and outer surfaces is
T1 and T2 respectively. Heat is flowing from inner to outer surface as T 1 is greater than T2.
The general conduction equation which governs the conduction heat transfer is written as
 (22)
Since it is a case of one-dimensional, steady heat conduction through a shere without

heat generation, therefore, , and

Therefore, equation (22) reduces to

(23)

Multiplying both sides of equation (23) by r2 , we get

Or (24)

Equation (24) is used to determine the temperature distribution and heat transfer rate
through the wall. Integrating equation (23) twice with respect to r, it can written as

or (25)

and (26)

Using the following boundary conditions:

i. At r = r1, T = T1
Equation (26) is written as

(27)

ii. At r = r2, T = T2
Equation (26) can be written as
 (28)

Subtracting equation (28) from equation (27), we get

(29)

Substituting the values of C1 from equation (29) in equation (27)

(30)

Substituting the values of C1 and C2 from equations (29) and (30) in equation (26)

(31)

Equation (31) represents temperature distribution in a sphere. Rate of heat transfer can be
determined by using Fourier’s law and can be expressed as

(32)

(33)

From equation (25) we can write

Substituting the value of C1 from equation (29), we can write

At r = r1

(34)

Substituting the value of from equation (34) from equation (33), we get

(35)

Equation (35) represents the heat transfer rate through a sphere.

Heat Flow through Composite Geometries:
A) Composite Slab or Wall:
Consider a composite slab made of three different materials having conductivity
k1, k2 and k3, length L1, L2 and L3 as shown in Figure 3. One side of the wall is exposed
to a hot fluid having temperature Tf and on the other side is atmospheric air at
temperature Ta. Convective heat transfer coefficient between the hot fluid and inside
surface of wall is hi (inside convective heat transfer coefficient) and h o is the convective
heat transfer coefficient between atmospheric air and outside surface of the wall (outside
convective heat transfer coefficient). Temperatures at inner and outer surfaces of the
composite wall are T1 and T4 whereas at the interface of the constituent materials of the
slab are T2 and T3 respectively.
Heat is transferred from hot fluid to atmospheric air and involves following steps:
i) Heat transfer from hot fluid to inside surface of the composite wall by
convection

(36)

ii) Heat transfer from inside surface to first interface by conduction

(37)

iii) Heat transfer from first interface to second interface by conduction

(38)

iv) Heat transfer from second interface to outer surface of the composite
wall by conduction
 (39)

v) Heat transfer from outer surface of composite wall to atmospheric air

by convection

(40)

Adding equations (36), (37), (38) and (40), we get

or

or

(41)

If composite slab is made of ‘n’ number of materials, then equation (41) reduces to

(42)

If inside and outside convective heat transfer coefficients are not to be considered, then
equation (42) is expressed as

(43)
B) Composite Cylinder:
Consider a composite cylinder consisting of inner and outer cylinders of radii r 1, r2
and thermal conductivity k1, k2 respectively as shown in Figure 4. Length of the
composite cylinder is L. Hot fluid at temperature T f is flowing inside the composite
cylinder. Temperature at the inner surface of the composite cylinder exposed to hot fluid
is T1 and outer surface of the composite cylinder is at temperature T 3 and is exposed to
atmospheric air at temperature Ta. The interface temperature of the composite cylinder is
T2.. Convective heat transfer coefficient between the hot fluid and inside surface of
composite cylinder is hi (inside convective heat transfer coefficient) and h o is the
convective heat transfer coefficient between atmospheric air and outside surface of the
composite cylinder (outside convective heat transfer coefficient). Heat is transferred from
hot fluid to atmospheric air and involves following steps:

Hot Fluid at r2
temperature,Tf
T1 T2 T3 Ambient
Temperature,Ta
r1

r3

Figure 4

i) Heat transfer from hot fluid to inside surface of the composite

cylinder by convection
 (44)

ii) Heat transfer from inside surface to interface by conduction

(45)

iii) Heat transfer from interface to outer surface of the composite cylinder
by conduction

(46)

iv) Heat transfer from outer surface of composite wall to atmospheric air
by convection

(47)

Adding both sides of equations (44), (45),(46) and (47), we get

or
 or

(48)

If the composite cylinder consists of ‘n’ cylinders, then equation (48) can be expressed
as:

(49)

If inside and outside convective heat transfer coefficients are not to be considered, then
equation (3.41) is expressed as

(50)

C) Composite Sphere:
Consider a composite sphere consisting of inner and outer cylinders of radii r 1, r2
and thermal conductivity k1, k2 respectively. Hot fluid at temperature Tf is flowing inside
the composite sphere. Temperature at the inner surface of the composite sphere exposed
to hot fluid if T1 and outer surface of the composite cylinder is at temperature T 3 and is
exposed to atmospheric air at temperature Ta. The interface temperature of the composite
cylinder is T2. Convective heat transfer coefficient between the hot fluid and inside
surface of composite sphere is h i (inside convective heat transfer coefficient) and h o is the
convective heat transfer coefficient between atmospheric air and outside surface of the
composite sphere (outside convective heat transfer coefficient). Heat is transferred from
hot fluid to atmospheric air and involves following steps:
i) Heat transfer from hot fluid to inside surface of the composite sphere by
convection

(51)

ii) Heat transfer from inside surface to interface by conduction.

(52)

iii) Heat transfer from interface to outer surface of the composite sphere by
conduction

(53)

iv) Heat transfer from outer surface of composite wall to atmospheric air by
convection

(54)

Adding both sides of equations (51), (52),(53) and (54), we get

 or

or

(54)

If the composite sphere consists of ‘n’ concentric spheres, then equation (54) can be
expressed as:

(55)

If inside and outside convective heat transfer coefficients are not to be considered, then
equation (55) is expressed as

REVIEW QUESTIONS:
Q.1 If two surfaces of area A distance L apart, of a material having thermal
conductivity k are at temperature T1 and T2, then heat flow rate through it will be

a) b)

c) d)

e)
Q.2 Two plane slabs of equal areas and conductivities in the ratio 1:2 are held together
and temperature in between surface ends are t 1 and t2 . If junction temperature in

between two surfaces is desired to be , then their thickness should be in

the ratio of
a) 1 : 2 b) 2 : 1
c) 1 : 1 d) 3 : 1
e) 1 : 3
Q.3 The heat flow rate through parallel walls of thickness L 1, L2, L3 and having
surface areas A1, A2 and A3, thermal conductivities k1, k2 and k3, respectively and
first and last walls maintained at temperatures T1 and T2 will be

a) b)

c) d)

e)

Q.4 If the inner and outer walls of a hollow sphere having surface areas of A1 and A2,
and inner and outer radii r1 and r2 are maintained at temperatures T1 and T2, then rate of
heat flow will be

a) k
b)

c) 4πk d) 4πkr1 r2

e) None of the above