Heat Transfer I
Lecture 3
CONTENTS
Refreshment
Thermal conductivity
Thermal resistance
Electrical-thermal analogy
Thermal resistance network
Solved examples
OBJECTIVES
Understand the concept of thermal resistance and its limitations in different
forms of heat transfer.
Develop an intuitive understanding of thermal-electrical analogy.
Have a glance of thermal resistance network concept.
Solve various heat transfer problems encountered in practice.
Refreshment
Fourier’s Law
Correlates the geometry, physical properties, and temperature
difference of an object with the rate of heat transfer through the
same object.
STATES: ???
“The heat flux, q (W/m2) resulting from thermal conduction
is proportional to the magnitude of the temperature gradient
and opposite to it in sign”.
1- Heat conduction (Continue)
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity: The
rate of heat transfer through
a unit thickness of the
material per unit area per
unit temperature difference.
The thermal conductivity of
a material is a measure of
the ability of the material to
conduct heat.
A high value for thermal
conductivity indicates that
the material is a good heat
conductor, and a low value
indicates that the material
is a poor heat conductor or A simple experimental setup to
determine the thermal
insulator. conductivity of a material.
The range of
thermal
conductivity
of various
materials at
room
temperature.
The thermal conductivities of gases such as air vary by a factor of 104 from
those of pure metals such as copper.
Pure crystals and metals have the highest thermal conductivities, and gases
and insulating materials the lowest.
The mechanisms of heat conduction in
different phases of a substance.
The variation of the
thermal conductivity of
various solids, liquids,
and gases with
temperature.
8
Thermal Resistance
(equivalent resistance method or electrical analogy)
Conduction resistance of the
wall: Thermal resistance of the The value of the thermal resistance depends
wall against heat conduction.
on the geometry and the thermal properties
Thermal resistance (Rth)
depends on thermal of the substance in a specific problem.
conductivity of a substance,
however, it is not a property of Thermal resistance has the dimensions
the substance. of (K/W) or (°C/W).
Electrical - Thermal Analogy
It is possible to compare heat transfer
to current flow in electrical circuits.
(Fourier’s law & Ohm’s law)
The electrical analogy may be used
to solve complex problems involving
both series and parallel thermal
resistances
Analogy between thermal and electrical
resistance concepts.
Electrical resistance
Using an electrical engineering analogy:
oThe heat transfer rate may be considered as
a current flow.
oThe temperature difference resembles
applied voltage; thus:
oThe combination of thermal conductivity,
thickness and area of the material can be
viewed as a resistance to this flow
Electrical resistance
Obviously:
Substances with higher thermal
conductivity and larger surface area
pose smaller resistance to the flow
of heat; conversely,
The larger the distance between
two regions of higher and lower
temperatures, the lower the rate of
heat transfer.
Fig.: Equivalent resistance.
Thermal Resistance
Newton’s law of cooling
Convection resistance of the surface:
Thermal resistance of the surface against
heat convection. Schematic for 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.
Thermal
Resistance
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.
Thermal Resistance
From Ohm’s law:
V = IR, thus:
R = V/I,
R = ∆T/Q, but: Q = k A ∆T/∆x; substituting that:
R = ∆T*(∆x/k A ∆T) = ∆x/k A = Rth, thus:
Q = ∆T/(L/kA) is like I = V/R
Thus, the "electrical" Fourier equation may be written as:
q = ∆T/Rth
Where:
q = heat flux (W/m2)
∆T = temperature difference (K)
Rth = thermal resistance (∆x/k) (K/W)
Thus in the 3 different modes:
Conduction: Convection: Radiation:
Thermal Resistance Network
h1 h2
k
The thermal resistance network for heat transfer through a plane wall subjected to convection
on both sides.
Temperature drop
U overall heat transfer
coefficient
Once Q is evaluated, the
surface temperature T1 can be
determined from
The temperature drop across a layer is proportional
to its thermal resistance.
Example 4:
A composite protective wall is formed of a 1 in. copper plate, a 1/8 in. layer of asbestos, and
a 2 in. layer of fiberglass. The thermal conductivities of the materials in units of Btu/hr.ft.°F
are as follows: kCu = 240, kasb = 0.048, and kfib = 0.022. The overall temperature difference
across the wall is 500°F. Calculate the thermal resistance of each layer of the wall and the
heat transfer rate per unit area (heat flux) through the composite structure.
Solution:
RCu = ∆xCu/kCu
= (1/12 ft)/(240 Btu/hr.ft.°F)
= 0.000347 hr.ft2.°F/ Btu
Rasb = ∆xasb/kasb
= (0.125/12 ft)/(0.048 Btu/hr.ft.°F)
= 0.2170 hr.ft2.°F/ Btu
Rfib = ∆xfib/kfib
= (2/12 ft)/(0.022 Btu/hr.ft.°F)
= 7.5758 hr.ft2.°F/ Btu
q = Q/A = ∆T/ΣRth = ∆T/( RCu + Rasb + Rfib)
= 500 °F/(0.000347 + 0.2170 + 7.5758) hr.ft2.°F/ Btu
= 64.2 Btu/hr.ft2
