Instructions:

 Pick a problem assigned to your group

 Formulate the problem using pen and paper.
 Solve using a computational tool: Matlab, C, python, MS-Excel etc. Document your
result (graphs + your analysis) in word
 Upload copy of handwritten and/or typed material, program file, results and discussion on
moodle.
 There will be a viva where the group has to explain the method, results and conclusion.
Everyone in the group must be aware of the work and should explain their contribution.
Problem1: A wall 0.12 m thick having a thermal diffusivity of 1.5 ×10−6 m2 / s is initially at a
uniform temperature of 85oC. Suddenly one face is lowered to a temperature of 20 oC, while
the other face is perfectly insulated. Thermal conductivity of the wall material can be taken as
1 W/m.K and the convection heat transfer coefficient as 50 W/m2.K.
(a) Using the explicit finite-difference technique with space and time increments of 30 mm
and 300 s, respectively, determine the temperature distribution at t = 45 min.
(b) With Δx = 30 mm and Δt = 300 s, compute T(x,t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ t ss, where tss is the time
required for the temperature at each nodal point to reach a value that is within 1 oC of the
steady-state temperature. Repeat the foregoing calculations for Δt = 75 s. For each value of
Δt, plot temperature histories for each face and the midplane.

Problem2. A molded plastic product (ρ=1200 kg.m3, c = 1500 J/kg.K, k = 0.30 W/m.K) is
cooled by exposing one surface to an array of air jets, while the opposite surface is well
insulated. The product may be approximated as a slab of thickness L = 60 mm, which is
initially at a uniform temperature of Ti = 80 oC. The air jets are at a temperature of T ∞=20oC
and provide a uniform convection coefficient of h = 100 W/m2.K at the cooled surface.

Using a finite-difference solution with a space increment of Δx = 6 mm, determine

temperatures at the cooled and insulated surfaces after 1 h of exposure to the gas jets.
Problem3. Consider a one-dimensional plane wall at a uniform initial temperature T i. The
wall is 10 mm thick, and has a thermal diffusivity of α = 6 ×10−7 m2 / s. The left face is
insulated, and suddenly the right face is lowered to a temperature Ts,r.
(a) Using the implicit finite-difference technique with Δx = 2 mm and Δt = 2s, determine how
long it will take for the temperature at the left face T s,l to achieve 50% of its possible
temperature reduction.
(b) At the time determined in part(a), the right face is suddenly returned to the initial
temperature. Determine how long it will take for the temperature the left face to recover to a
20% temperature reduction, that is, Ti-Ts,l = 0.2(Ti-Ts,r).
Problem4. Consider two plates, A and B, that are each initially isothermal and each of
thickness L = 5mm. The faces of the plates are suddenly brought into contact in a joining
process. Material A is acrylic, initially at Ti,A = 20oC with ρA = 1990 kg/m3, cA = 1470 J/kg.K
and kA = 0.21 W/m.K. Material B is steel initially at Ti, B = 300oC with ρB = 7800 kg/m3, cB =
500 J/kg.K and kB = 45 W/m.K. The external (back) surfaces of the acrylic and steel are
insulated. Neglecting the thermal contact resistance between the plates, determine how long it
will take for the external surface of the acrylic to reach its softening temperature, T soft = 90oC.
Plot the acrylic’s external surface temperature as well as the average temperatures of both
materials over the time span 0 ≤ t ≤ 300 s . Use 20 equally spaced nodal points.

Problem5. A fuel element of a nuclear reactor is in the shape of a plane wall of thickness 2L
= 20 mm and is convectively cooled at both surfaces, with h = 1100W/m 2.K and T∞ = 250oC.
At normal operating power, heat is generated uniformly within the element at a volumetric
rate of q1 = 107 W/m3. A departure from the steady-state conditions associated with normal
operation will occur if there is a change in the generation rate. Consider a sudden change to
7 3
q 2=2 ×10 W /m , and use the explicit finite-difference method to determine the fuel element
temperature distribution after 1.5 s. The fuel element thermal properties are k = 30 W/m.K
and α = 5 ×10−6 m2 / s.
Problem6. A thick slab of copper is initially at a uniform temperature of 225 oC. One surface
of this slab is suddenly brought to 25oC. Using the implicit finite-difference method with a
space increment of 15 mm, determine the temperature at 150 mm and 300 mm from the
surface after 5 min have elapsed. Compare the results with those obtained from an
appropriate analytical solution.

Problem7. In a thin-slab, continuous casting process, molten steel leaves a mold with a thin
solid shell, and the molten material solidifies as the slab is quenched by water jets en route to
a section of rollers. Once fully solidified, the slab continues to cool as it is brought to an
acceptable handling temperature. It is this portion of the process that is of interest.
Consider a 200 mm thick solid slab of steel (ρ = 7800 kg/m3, c = 700 J/kg.K, k = 30 W/m.K),
initially at a uniform temperature of Ti = 1400 oC. The slab is cooled at its top and bottom
surfaces by water jets (T∞ = 50oC), which maintain an approximately uniform convection
coefficient of h = 5000m W/m2.K at both surfaces. Using a finite-difference solution with a
space increment of Δx = 1 mm, determine the time required to cool the surface of the slab to
200 oC. What is the corresponding temperature at the midplane of the slab? If the slab moves
at a speed of v = 15 mm/s, what is the required length of the cooling section?

Problem 8. A very thick plate with thermal diffusivity 5.6 ×10−6 m2 / s and thermal
conductivity 20 W/m.K is initially at a uniform temperature of 325 oC. Suddenly, the surface
is exposed to a coolant at 15oC for which the convection heat transfer coefficient is 100
W/m2.K. Using the finite-difference method with a space increment of Δx = 15 mm and a
time increment of 18s, determine the temperature at the surface and at a depth of 45 mm after
3 min have elapsed.
Problem 9. A thick slab of copper is initially at a uniform temperature of 25 oC. It is suddenly
exposed to a heat flux of 105 W/m2. Using the explicit finite-difference method with a space
increment of 15 mm, determine the temperature at the irradiated surface and at an interior
point that is 200 mm from the surface after 2 min have elapsed. Compare the results with
those obtained from an appropriate analytical solution.
Problem 10. One end of an AISI 316 stainless steel rod of diameter 10 m and length 0.16 m is
inserted into a fixture maintained at 200oC. The rod, covered with an insulating sleeve,
reaches a uniform temperature throughout its length. When the sleeve is removed, the rod is
subjected to ambient air at 25oC such that the convection heat transfer coefficient is 30
W/m2.K.
(a) Using the explicit finite-difference technique with a space increment of Δx = 0.016 m,
estimate the time required for the midlength of the rod to reach 100oC.
(b) With Δx = 0.016 m and Δt = 10 s, compute T(x,t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ t 1, where t1 is the time required
for the midlength fo the rod to reach 50 oC. Plot the temperature distribution for t = 0, 200s,
400s, and t1.
Problem 11. A tantalum rod of diameter 3 mm and length 120 mm is supported by two
electrodes within a large vacuum enclosure. Initially the rod is in equilibrium with the
electrodes and its surroundings, which are maintained at 300 K. Suddenly, an electrical
current, I = 80 A, is passed through the rod. Assume the emissivity of the rod is 0.1 and
electrical resistivity is 95 ×10−8 Ω .m . Use thermophysical properties in the textbook
(uploaded on moodle) for the required data. Use a finite-difference method with a space
increment of 10 mm.

(a) Estimate the time required for the midlength of the rod to reach 1000 K.
(b) Determine the steady-state temperature distribution and estimate approximately how long
it will take to reach this condition.
Problem12. A thick slab of copper is initially at a uniform temperature of 25 oC. It is suddenly
exposed to a heat flux of 105 W/m2. Using the implicit finite-difference method with a space
increment of 15 mm, determine the temperature at the irradiated surface and at an interior
point that is 200 mm from the surface after 2 min have elapsed. Compare the results with
those obtained from an appropriate analytical solution.