ME3122 Tutorial 1 Conduction (Solutions)

Problem #1

Jacket

The Poissons equation:

qg
2
T
0
k
In cylindrical coordinates
1 d dT q g
0
r

r dr dr k

Water

qg = 74.52 MW/m3
h = 56.79 kW/m2 K
k = 0.03 kW/m K
Tave = 130oC (Average fluid
temperature while passing
through the jacket)

Water

The fuel rod can be considered as a solid cylinder with a

uniformly distributed heat source.

Fuel
rod

Integrating twice with boundary conditions

(i) r = ro, T = To
dT
0
(ii) r = 0,
dr
gives
2
q g ro2 r
1
T r To
4k ro

(1)

Maximum temperature occurs at the center and is given by

q g ro2
T 0 Tmax To
(2)
4k
To find Tmax, we need to know To
Making an energy balance at the surface of the rod

dT

2ro k
2ro hTo Tw
dr

From Eq.(1): k

dT
dr

r ro

From Eq.(3): To Tw
q g ro2

Hence Tmax To 4k

q g ro

dT
dr

(3)

0.9315 MW/m2

r ro

= 130+16.4 = 146.4C

74.52 10 0.025
146.4
6

4 30

= 146.4+387.9 = 534.3C

@ r =0

Problem #2

Al
Frame

T
Tc

To

Transistor case
Thermal grease
and gasket

Rconv
Rt,c

T
To

Rrad

RT
Tc

Given conditions:
Operating power 4.5 W
RT = Case to ambient resistance = 28C/W
Tc,max = Maximum allowable case temperature = 75C
Af = Area of the frame (heat sink)
Rt,c = contact resistance between transistor and frame
= 0.75C/W
3

For the transistor case temperature Tc = 75C=348K, the rate of

heat transfer directly to the surroundings

qT

Tc T 75 26

RT
28 = 1.75 W

In addition, heat is dissipated through the heat sink (Al frame):

(From electrical network analogy):

Rconv
Rt,c

T
To

Rrad
T T

1
Rcon
hA
AFs a To4 T4

qcon hAT

qrad

Assume, emittance = 1 (Black anodized surface),

Shape factor Fs-a = 1
qrad

To T
1

A To T To2 T2
Here To is not known
Assuming To = Tc=348K, as a first approximation
4

Tc

Rrad

5.67 108 1500 106 348 299 3482 2992

= 86.3C/W
1
1

hAs 11 1500 106 = 60.6C/W

1
1
1

Rheat sink Rrad Rcon

Rcon

Rheat sink = 35.6C/W

qheat sink

Tc T
75 26

Rt ,c Rheat sink 0.75 35.6 = 1.34 W

Based on this result, the temperature of the heat sink (To) is

calculated

qheat sink

Tc To
Rt ,c

To Tc qheat sink Rt ,c = 75 1.340.75 = 73.99C

You can reiterate with this temperature until assumed value of
To is approximately same as the calculated value.
Using the above value of qheat sink = 1.34 W, we can see that the
total power that can be safely dissipated
= 1.75 + 1.34 = 3.09 W < 4.5 W
Without the heat sink, the transistor can only operate at 1.75W.
To operate the transistor at the rated power of 4.5W, a bigger
heat sink A is required.
5

Problem #3
Tb = Ts = 120oC
k = 245 W/m K

Ta = 25oC
h = 80 W/m2 K

Fin:
d = 2 mm
L = 10 mm

(a) If the heat losses from the tip is considered negligible

(adiabatic tip),the rate of heat transfer is given by

q f hPkAc b tanh mL
b Tb T = 120 25 = 95oC
hPkAc 80 0.002 245 ( / 4) 0.0022 = 0.0196 W/K
hP
80 0.002
2
m2

2 = 653.06 (1/m )
kAc 245 ( / 4) 0.002

m = 25.55 (1/m)
mL = 25.550.01 = 0.255 < 3

q f hPkAc b tanh mL = 0.0196950.2496 = 0.4645 W

(b) The efficiency of the fin

f

qf

qf

Af = total surface area of the fin

qmax hA f b
In the most general case for which there is heat transfer from
the fin tip, the fin surface area should include the fin tip area,
i.e. Af = P*L + Atip. Only when there is no heat transfer from the
fin tip, e.g. in the long fin/adiabatic fin tip case, Af = P*L.

Af DL

Af (0.002)(0.01) = 6.283x10-5 m2
f

0.4645
80 6.283 105 95 = 97.3%

(c) The effectiveness of the fin

f

qf
hAc ,0b

0.4645
19.45
2
80 ( / 4)(0.002) 95

(d) Area occupied by fin = N Afb

where Afb = base area occupied by each fin = Ac,o
N = no of fins per m2
Unfinned area = 1- N Afb = Auf
Total heat transfer from finned and unfinned area
= Nq f hAuf b
Heat transfer from 1 m2 of plate
= 80(W/m2 K) x 1 (m2) x 95 (K) = 7600 W
7

Hence, 76002 = N(0.4656) + 80 (1- NAfb) 95

Solving, N = 17,206

Problem #4

Thermocouple

Steam
Thermocouple
Junction

T = 250oC
h = 380 W/m 2 K

Ta at t=0 = 30oC

For the thermocouple junction

k = 25 W/mK
cp = 380 J/kgK
= 8000 kg/m3
Assumptions:
Uniform temperature of the junction at any instant of time
Negligible radiation effect
Negligible losses through leads due to conduction
Constant properties
The temperature variation with time is given by the following
expression:
8

 hAs
T T
exp
Vc
Ti T
p

t
t exp

Vc p

= time constant = hA
s
D3

As D ; V
;
6
2

cp D
h 6

V
D3
D

2
6
As 6 D

8000 380 D
1
380
6

D = 7.5x10-4 m = 0.75 mm
To check for validity of Lump Capacitance method
hLc h V
h D 380 7.5 10 4

0.002 0.1
Bi
25 6
k
k As k 6

Time required to attain temperature T = 240oC

T T
t ln
Ti T

240-250
1 ln
= 3.09 s
30-250

OK