Chapter 3: Unsteady State [ Transient ] Heat

Conduction
3.1 . Introduction
3.2 . Biot and Fourier Number
3.3 . Lumped heat capacity analysis
3.4 . Time constant and response of a thermocouple
3.5 . Transient heat conduction in solids with finite conduction and
convective resistances [ 0 <B
i
<100 ]
3.1 Introduction
For example, in metallurgy, the heat treating process can be controlled to
directlyaffect thecharacteristicsof theprocessedmaterials. Annealing(slowcool)
cansoftenmetalsandimproveductility. Ontheother hand, quenching(rapidcool)
canhardenthestrainboundaryandincreasestrength.
Thetemperatureof suchabodyvarieswithtimeaswell asposition.
T(x,y,z,t)
(x,y,z) - Variationinthex, yandzdirectionsandt - Variationwithtime
Temperaturewill varywithlocationwithinasystemandwithtime.
NOTE: Temperatureandrateheat transfer variationof asystemaredependent
onitsinternal resistanceandsurfaceresistance
Steady-state conduction:
temperature do not change with time;
equilibrium condition
unsteady-state conduction:
temperature change with time
3.2 Biot and Fourier Number
( )
( )
R r
cond
conv
dr
t r dT
kA
T t R T hA
Bi
=

=
,
) , (
body e within th rate fer heat trans Conduction
surface at the rate fer heat trans /radiation Convection
= Bi
( )
)
`

R
T T
kA
T T hA
Bi
cond
conv
0
0
solid
stic characteri
stic characteri
cond
conv
k
hL
L
kA
hA
Bi = =
Biot Number,
Note: Whenever the Biot number is small, the internal temperature gradients are
alsosmall andatransient problemcanbetreatedbythelumpedthermal capacity
approach. The lumped capacity assumption implies that the object for analysis is
consideredtohaveasinglemass-averagedtemperature.
conv
cond
conv
cond
stic characteri
stic characteri
cond
conv
R
R
hA
kA
L
L
kA
hA
Bi = = =
1
Biot and Fourier Number (continue.)
The Fourier number (F
o
) or Fourier modulus, named after Joseph Fourier, is a
dimensionlessnumber that characterizestransient behavior of asystem.
Conceptually, it is theratio of theheat conductionrateto therateof thermal energy
storage. It isdefinedas:
2 2
stic characteri stic characteri
stic characteri
o
L
t
CL
kt
T CV
t
L
T kA
F


= =
A

)
`

A
=
3.3 Lumped heat capacity analysis
The simplest situation in an unsteady heat transfer process is to use the lumped
capacityanalysis.
Note: Neglect the temperature distribution inside the solid and only deal with the
heat transfer betweenthesolidandtheambient fluids.
70
o
C
70
o
C
70
o
C
70
o
C
70
o
C
70
o
C
70
o
C
75
o
C
60
o
C
65
o
C
60
o
C
Temperature of the metal ball
changes with time, but it does
not change with position at any
giventime.
Temperature of the ball
remainsuniformat all times
Largepotatoput inavessel withboilingwater.
After fewminutes, if you take out the potato,
temperature distribution within the potato is not
evenclosetobeinguniform.
Thus, lumped systemanalysis is not applicable
inthiscase.
Note: Thefirst stepintheapplicationof lumpedsystemanalysisisthecalculationof theBiot
number, and the assessment of the applicability of this approach. One may still wish to use
lumpedsystemanalysisevenwhenthecriterionBi 0.1isnot satisfied, if highaccuracyisnot
amajor concern.
3.4 Time constant and response of a thermocouple
Thermocouple: When two dissimilar metals are joined together at two points to
form a closed loop and temperature difference exists between junctions, an
electrical potential isset upbetweenthejunctions. Suchanarrangement isknown
as thermocouple and is frequently used for the temperature measurement and
usedinlumpedparameter analysis.
Responseof athermocouple: Time required for the thermocouple to reach the
sourcetemperaturewhenit isexposedtoit.
Sensitivity: Timerequiredbythethermocoupleto reach63.2%of itssteadystate
value.
exp
a
i a
t t hA
t t Vc

| |
=
|

\ .
exp 1 0.632 0.368 exp[ 1]
a
i a
t t hA
t t Vc

| |
= = = =
|

\ .
1
h A
V c

=
The parameter Vc/hA has units of time and is called time constant of the
systemanddenotedby *.
Using time constant, the temperature distribution in the solid can be
expressedas
*
Vc k V
hA h A

= =
exp
*
a
i i a
t t
t t

| |
= =
|

\ .
Time constant and response of a thermocouple(continue.)
Note: Low value of time constant can be achieved by (i) decreasing the wire
diameter (ii) usinglight metalsof lowdensityandlowspecificheat (iii) increasing
theheat transfer coefficient
3.5 Transientheat conduction in solids with finite
conduction and convective resistances [ 0 <Bi <100 ]
Consider theheatingandcoolingof aplanewall of thicknessl =2 andextending
toinfinityintheyandzdirection. Initiallythewall isat uniformtemperatureti and
suddenlybothsurfaces+ and areexposedtoandmaintainedat theambient
temperatureta. Thecontrollingequationfor thetransient heat conductionis:
Boundaryconditionsare:
(i) t =ti at =0
(ii) dt/dx=0at x=0; symmetricnatureof the
temperatureprofilewithintheplanewall;
(i) Conduction=convection
kA(dt/dx)=hA(t-ta) at x=+ andx=
Thesolutionobtainedafter mathematical analysisthat
2
2
1 d t dt
dx d
=
2
, ,
a
i a
t t x hl
f
t t l k l

| |
=
|

\ .
Obvious when conduction resistance is not negligible, the temperature history
becomes a function of Biot number hl/k, Fourier number /l
2
and the
dimensionlessparameter x/l whichindicatesthelocationof point withintheplate
wheretemperatureistobeobtained.
Note:Incaseof cylinder andspherex/l isreplacedbyr/R.
Graphical chartshavebeenprepared for theaboveequationinavarietyof forms.
The Hiesler chartsdepict the dimensionless temperature (to-ta)/(ti-ta) versus Fo
for variousvaluesof 1/Bi for solidsof different geometrical shapessuchasaplate,
cylindersandspheres.
Note:Hiesler chartsgivethetemperaturehistoryof thesolidat itsmidplane, x=0.
Temperatures at other locations are worked out by multiplying the mid plane
temperaturebythecorrectionfactorsreadfromchartswhichisgiven. Useismade
of thefollowingrelationship.
0
0
a a a
i a i a a
t t t t t t
X
t t t t t t
| | | |

=
| |

\ . \ .