Spring 2016

ME331Heat and Mass Transfer

Due Date: 19th February, 2016

Assignment No 1
Question 1
Consider a 1.5-m-high and 0.6-m-wide plate whose thickness is 0.15 m. One side of the plate is
maintained at a constant temperature of 500 K while the other side is maintained at 350 K. The
thermal conductivity of the plate can be assumed to vary linearly in that temperature range as k
(T) = k0 (1 + T) where k0 = 18 W/mK and = 8.7 10-4 K-1. Disregarding the edge effects and
assuming steady-state one-dimensional heat transfer, determine the rate of heat conduction
through the plate.

Question 2

What is thermal energy storage? How does it differ from thermal energy generation?

What conditions are associated with use of the radiation heat transfer coefficient?

Why does the thermal conductivity of a gas increase with increasing temperature? Why is
it approximately independent of pressure?

How can the thermal contact resistance be eliminated? How can it be used as an
advantage?

Question 3
Consider a 5-m-high, 8-m-long, and 0.22-m-thick wall whose representative cross section is as
given in the figure. The thermal conductivities of various materials used, in W/mK, are kA = kF =
2, kB = 8, kC = 20, kD = 15, and kE = 35. The left and right surfaces of the wall are maintained at
uniform temperatures of 300C and 100C, respectively. Assuming heat transfer through the
wall to be one-dimensional, determine
a. the rate of heat transfer through the wall;
b.

the temperature at the point where the sections B, D, and E meet; and

c. the temperature drop across the section F.

Disregard any contact resistances at the interfaces.

February 10, 2016

ME-BE-6A/B

Engr. Mustafa Mogri

Spring 2016

ME331Heat and Mass Transfer

Question 4
A technique for measuring convection heat transfer coefficients involve bonding one surface of a
thin metallic foil to an insulating material and exposing the other surface to the fluid flow
conditions of interest.
By passing an electric current through the foil, heat is dissipated uniformly within the foil and
the corresponding flux, Pelec, may be inferred from related voltage and current measurements.
If the insulation thickness L and thermal conductivity k are known and the fluid, foil, and
insulation temperatures are measured, the convection coefficient may be determined. Consider
conditions for which T = Tb = 20C, Pelec = 1800 W/m2, L = 10 mm, and k = 0.040 W/mK.
a. With water flow over the surface, the foil temperature measurement yields Ts = 35C.
Determine the convection coefficient. What error would be incurred by assuming all of
the dissipated power to be transferred to the water by convection?
b. If, instead, air flows over the surface and the temperature measurement yields Ts =
150C, what is the convection coefficient? The foil has an emissivity of 0.55 and is
exposed to large surroundings at 20C. What error would be incurred by assuming all of
the dissipated power to be transferred to the air by convection?

February 10, 2016

ME-BE-6A/B

Engr. Mustafa Mogri