Tutorial-2

Heat Conduction Equation

1. In a nuclear reactor, heat is generated uniformly in the 5-cm-diameter cylindrical uranium

rods at a rate of 7 x 107 W/m3. If the length of the rods is 1 m, determine the rate of heat
generation in rod.
2. In a solar pond, the absorption of solar energy can be modeled as heat generation and can be
approximated by, where is the rate of heat absorption at the top surface per
unit volume and b is a constant. Obtain a relation for the total rate of heat generation in a
water layer of surface area A and thickness L at the top of the pond.
3. Consider a large 3-cm-thick stainless steel plate in which heat is generated uniformly at a
rate of 5 x 106 W/m3 . Assuming the plate is losing heat from both sides, determine the heat
flux on the surface of the plate during steady operation.
4. Consider a medium in which the heat conduction equation is given in its simplest form as

▪ Is heat transfer steady or transient?

▪ Is heat transfer one-, two-, or three-dimensional?
▪ Is there heat generation in the medium?
▪ Is the thermal conductivity of the medium constant
or variable?
5. Starting with an energy balance on a ring-shaped volume
element, derive the two-dimensional steady heat conduction
equation in cylindrical coordinates for T(r, z) for the case of
constant thermal conductivity and no heat generation.
6. Consider a spherical container of inner radius r1 , outer radius r2 , and thermal conductivity
k. Express the boundary condition on the inner surface of the container for steady one-
dimensional conduction for the following cases: (a) specified temperature of 50°C, (b)
specified heat flux of 30 W/m2 toward the center, (c) convection from wall to a medium at
T∞ with a heat transfer coefficient of h.

7. Consider a long pipe of inner radius r1 , outer radius r2 , and thermal conductivity k. The
outer surface of the pipe is subjected to convection to a medium at T ∞ with a heat transfer

coefficient of h, but the direction of heat transfer is not known. Express the convection
boundary condition on the outer surface of the pipe.
8. Consider a steel pan used to boil water on top of an electric range. The bottom section of the
pan is L= 0.5 cm thick and has a diameter of D = 20 cm. The electric heating unit on the
 range top consumes 1000 W of power during cooking, and 85 percent of the heat generated
in the heating element is transferred uniformly to the pan. Heat transfer from the top surface
of the bottom section to the water is by convection with a heat transfer coefficient of h.
Assuming constant thermal conductivity and one-dimensional heat transfer, express the
mathematical formulation (the differential equation and the boundary conditions) of this
heat conduction problem during steady operation. Do not solve.
9. Water flows through a pipe at an average temperature of T ∞ = 70°C. The inner and outer

radii of the pipe are r1 = 6 cm and r2 = 6.5 cm, respectively. The outer surface of the pipe is

wrapped with a thin electric heater that consumes 300 W over the length of pipe. The
exposed surface of the heater is heavily insulated so that the entire heat generated in the
heater is transferred to the pipe. Heat is transferred from the inner surface of the pipe to the
water by convection with a heat transfer coefficient of h =55 W/m2 °C. Assuming variable
thermal conductivity and one-dimensional heat transfer, express the mathematical
formulation (the differential equation and the boundary conditions) of the heat conduction in
the pipe during steady operation. Do not solve.
10. A spherical metal ball of radius r0 is heated in an oven to a temperature of Ti throughout and
is then taken out of the oven and allowed to cool in ambient air at T ∞ by convection and

radiation. The emissivity of the outer surface of the cylinder is £, and the temperature of the
surrounding surfaces is Tsurr . The average convection heat transfer coefficient is estimated

to be h. Assuming variable thermal conductivity and transient one-dimensional heat transfer,

express the mathematical formulation (the differential equation and the boundary and initial
conditions) of this heat conduction problem. Do not solve.
11. Consider a large plane wall of thickness L = 0.4 m, thermal conductivity k = 2.3 W/m · °C,

and surface area A = 20 m 2 . The left side of the wall is maintained at a constant temperature
of T1 = 80°C while the right side loses heat by convection to the surrounding air at T =

15°C with a heat transfer coefficient of h = 24 W/m 2·°C. Assuming constant thermal
conductivity and no heat generation in the wall, (a) express the differential equation and the
boundary conditions for steady one-dimensional heat conduction through the wall, (b) obtain
a relation for the variation of temperature in the wall by solving the differential equation,
and (c) evaluate the rate of heat transfer through the wall.
12. In a food processing facility, a spherical container of inner radius r1 = 40 cm, outer radius r2
= 41 cm, and thermal conductivity k = 1.5 W/m · °C is used to store hot water and to keep it
at 100°C at all times. To accomplish this, the outer surface of the container is wrapped with
 a 500-W electric strip heater and then insulated. The temperature of the inner surface of the
container is observed to be nearly 100°C at all times. Assuming 10 percent of the heat
generated in the heater is lost through the insulation, (a) express the differential equation and
the boundary conditions for steady one-dimensional heat conduction through the container,
(b) obtain a relation for the variation of temperature in the container material by solving the
differential equation, and (c) evaluate the outer surface temperature of the container. Also
determine how much water at 100°C this tank can supply steadily if the cold water enters at
20°C. The specific heat is 4.185 kJ/kg°C.
13. A 2-kW resistance heater wire with thermal conductivity of 20 W/m·°C, a diameter of 5 mm,
and a length of 0.7 m is used to boil water. If the outer surface temperature of the resistance
wire is Ts 110°C, determine the temperature at the center of the wire.
14. Consider a large 3-cm-thick stainless steel plate (k of 15.1 W/m·°C) in which heat is

generated uniformly at a rate of 5 x 105 W/m3. Both sides of the plate are exposed to an

environment at 30°C with a heat transfer coefficient of 60 W/m 2· °C. Explain where in the
plate the highest and the lowest temperatures will occur, and determine their values.
15. A 6-m-long 2-kW electrical resistance wire is made of 0.2-cm-diameter stainless steel (k is
15.1 W/m·°C). The resistance wire operates in an environment at 30°C with a heat transfer

coefficient of 140 W/m2·°C at the outer surface. Determine the surface temperature of the
wire (a) by using the applicable relation and (b) by setting up the proper differential
equation and solving it.
16. Consider a plane wall of thickness L whose thermal conductivity varies in a specified
temperature range as k(T) = k0(1 + βT2) where k0 and β are two specified constants. The

wall surface at x = 0 is maintained at a constant temperature of T1 , while the surface at x =

L is maintained at T2 . Assuming steady one-dimensional heat transfer, obtain a relation for
the heat transfer rate through the wall.