Convective Heat Transfer

Assignment 1: Solution

Q. 1 The roof of an electrically heated home is 6 m long, 8 m wide and 0.25 m thick. It is
made of flat layer of concrete having thermal conductivity 0.8 W/m-K. The
temperatures of inner and outer surfaces of the roof are measured to be 15 °C and 4 °C,
respectively, for a period of 10 hrs. Determine total amount of heat loss to the home
during the specified period.
A. 1690 J B. 60.84X106 J
C. 16900 J D. 60.84 X103 J

Sol. Area of the roof is, 𝐴 = 6 × 8 = 48 𝑚2

𝑇 −𝑇 4−15
Rate of heat transfer through the roof, 𝑄 = −𝑘𝐴 2 𝐿 1 = −0.8 × 48 = 1690 𝑊
0.25
Total heat loss in 10 hrs, 𝑄 = 𝑄 × ∆𝑡 = 1690 × 10 × 60 × 60 = 60.84 × 106 𝐽

Q. 2 A thermocouple having emmisivity 0.4 measures the temperature in a chamber with

black walls. If the air around the thermocouple is at 20 °C, the walls are at 100 °C and
heat transfer coefficient between the thermocouple and air is 75 W/m2-K. What
temperature will the thermocouple read if the system is in steady state?
A. 23.5 °C B. 28.4 °C
C. 25.9 °C D. 31.3 °C

Sol. At steady state convection between thermocouple and air must balance the net radiation
energy received by it from walls.
4
Therefore, ℎ𝐴𝑡𝑐 𝑇𝑡𝑐 − 𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑟 = 𝜀𝜎𝐴𝑡𝑐 (𝑇𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙 − 𝑇𝑡𝑐4 )
 75 𝑇𝑡𝑐 − 20 = 0.4 × 5.67 × 10−8 100 + 273 4 − (𝑇𝑡𝑐 + 273)4
 Temperature of thermocouple, Ttc = 23.5 °C

Q. 3 Air at 20 °C blows over a hot plate of 50 cm X 75 cm maintained at 300 °C. The

convection heat transfer coefficient is 20 W/m2-K. Calculate the heat transfer rate.
A. 5600 W B. 2250 W
C. 1960 W D. 2100 W

Sol. From Newton’s law of cooling, 𝑄 = ℎ𝐴 𝑇 − 𝑇∞ = 20 × 0.5 × 0.75 × 300 − 20

= 2100 𝑊

Q. 4 Consider the plate in Q. 3 is made of carbon steel (k = 43 W/m-K) and having 2 cm

thickness. Calculate the inside surface temperature of the plate, if 200 W heat is lost
from plate surface by radiation.
A. 307.19 °C B. 302.85 °C
C. 297.15 °C D. 292.81 °C
Sol. Using energy balance, 𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 = 𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣 + 𝑄𝑟𝑎𝑑
∆𝑇
 −𝑘𝐴 ∆𝑥 = 2100 + 200 (𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣 is calculated in Q. 3)
2300 ×0.02
 ∆𝑇 = − 43×0.5×0.75 = −2.85 °𝐶
Therefore, inside plate temperature is, T = 300+2.85=302.85 °C

Q. 5 Air (A), water (W), engine oil (E) and mercury (M) has Prandtl numbers at 30 °C as
0.71, 5.83, 6400 and 0.025, respectively. Show the correct order of following figures for
respective thermal and velocity boundary layers:

A. I-E, II-W, III-M, IV-A B. I-M, II-W, III-E, IV-A

C. I-E, II-A, III-M, IV-W D. I-M, II-A, III-E, IV-W
Sol. 𝛿𝑡
As, 𝛿 ∝ 𝑃𝑟.
For air, Pr = 0.71  𝛿𝑡 > 𝛿, however, difference between two will not be much
significant.
For water, Pr = 5.83  𝛿𝑡 < 𝛿, therefore, thermal boundary layer thickness will be
small in comparison to velocity boundary layer.
For engine oil, Pr = 6400  𝛿𝑡 ≪ 𝛿, therefore, thermal boundary layer thickness will be
very small in comparison to velocity boundary layer.
For mercury, Pr = 0.025  𝛿𝑡 ≫ 𝛿, therefore, thermal boundary layer thickness will be
significantly large in comparison to velocity boundary layer.

Q. 6 Evaluate the average heat transfer coefficient for a restricted parallel flow over a plate if
its local heat transfer can be written as 0.7 + 13.6𝑥 − 3.4𝑥 2 . The length of plate is 2 m.
A. 19.53 W/m2-K B. 14.3 W/m2-K
2
C. 7.5 W/m -K D. 9.77 W/m2-K

1 𝐿 1 2
Sol. We know that, ℎ𝐿 = 𝐿 0 𝑥
ℎ 𝑑𝑥 = 2 0
0.7 + 13.6𝑥 − 3.4𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 = 9.77 𝑊/𝑚2 𝐾

Q. 7 Convective heat transfer coefficient depends upon:

A. the surface geometry B. the bulk fluid velocity
C. the properties of the fluid D. All of above