Chapter 3
STEADY HEAT CONDUCTION
Buyung Junaidin
Departemen Teknik Dirgantara
Objectives
• Understand the concept of thermal resistance and its
limitations, and develop thermal resistance networks for
practical heat conduction problems
• Solve steady conduction problems that involve multilayer
rectangular, cylindrical, or spherical geometries
• Identify applications in which insulation may actually
increase heat transfer
• Analyze finned surfaces, and assess how efficiently and
effectively fins enhance heat transfer
• Solve multidimensional practical heat conduction problems
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STEADY HEAT CONDUCTION IN PLANE WALLS
Heat transfer through the wall of a house can
be modeled as steady and one-dimensional.
The temperature of the wall in this case
depends on one direction only (say the x-
direction) and can be expressed as T(x).
for steady operation
In steady operation, the rate of heat transfer
through the wall is constant.
Fourier’s law of
heat conduction
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The rate of heat conduction through a
plane wall is proportional to the average
thermal conductivity, the wall area, and the
temperature difference, but is inversely
proportional to the wall thickness.
Under steady conditions, the Once the rate of heat conduction is
temperature distribution in a plane available, the temperature T(x) at any
wall is a straight line: dT/dx = const. location x can be determined by replacing
T2 by T, and L by x. 4
Thermal Resistance Concept
Conduction resistance of the
wall: Thermal resistance of the
wall against heat conduction.
Analogy between thermal and electrical
Thermal resistance of a medium
resistance concepts.
depends on the geometry and the
thermal properties of the medium. rate of heat transfer electric current
thermal resistance electrical resistance
temperature difference voltage difference
Electrical resistance 5
Newton’s law of cooling
Convection resistance of the
surface: Thermal resistance of the Schematic for
surface against heat convection. convection resistance at
a surface.
When the convection heat transfer coefficient is very large (h → ), the
convection resistance becomes zero and Ts T.
That is, the surface offers no resistance to convection, and thus it does
not slow down the heat transfer process.
This situation is approached in practice at surfaces where boiling and
condensation occur.
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Radiation resistance of the
surface: Thermal resistance of the
surface against radiation.
Radiation heat transfer coefficient
Combined heat transfer
coefficient Schematic for
convection and radiation
resistances at a surface. 7
Thermal Resistance Network
The thermal resistance network for heat transfer through a plane wall subjected to
convection on both sides, and the electrical analogy.
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Multilayer Plane Walls
The thermal resistance network
for heat transfer through a two-
layer plane wall subjected to
convection on both sides.
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GENERALIZED THERMAL RESISTANCE NETWORKS
Thermal resistance
network for two
parallel layers.
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Two assumptions in solving complex
multidimensional heat transfer problems
by treating them as one-dimensional
using the thermal resistance network are
(1) any plane wall normal to the x-axis is
isothermal (i.e., to assume the
temperature to vary in the x-direction
only) Thermal resistance network for combined
(2) any plane parallel to the x-axis is series-parallel arrangement.
adiabatic (i.e., to assume heat transfer to 12
occur in the x-direction only)
HEAT CONDUCTION IN CYLINDERS AND SPHERES
Heat transfer through the pipe
can be modeled as steady
and one-dimensional.
The temperature of the pipe
depends on one direction only
(the radial r-direction) and can
be expressed as T = T(r).
The temperature is
independent of the azimuthal
angle or the axial distance.
Heat is lost from a hot-water pipe to This situation is approximated
the air outside in the radial direction, in practice in long cylindrical
and thus heat transfer from a long pipes and spherical
pipe is one-dimensional. containers. 13
A long cylindrical pipe (or spherical shell) with
specified inner and outer surface temperatures
T1 and T2.
Conduction resistance of the cylinder layer 14
A spherical shell with
specified inner and
outer surface
temperatures T1 and
T2.
Conduction resistance of the spherical layer
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The thermal resistance network
for a cylindrical (or spherical) shell
subjected to convection from both
the inner and the outer sides.
for a cylindrical layer
for a spherical layer
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Multilayered Cylinders and Spheres
The thermal resistance
network for heat transfer
through a three-layered
composite cylinder
subjected to convection on
both sides.
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