1

Module 2 :
Diffusive heat and mass transfer

Lecture 15:
Heating of a finite slab

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Consider heat conduction in y- direction in a finite slab of thickness 2b, initially at a

uniform temperature of T0.
The governing equation is given as

T
2T
= 2
t
y

(1)

The initial and boundary conditions are

At t = 0 T = T0 for all y

At y = b T = T1 ( t > 0 )

Here we assumed that symmetry will hold for all t

Solve

2
=
2

Fig.1Finiteslabof
thickness2b

(2)

Considering dimensionless parameters

t
T1 T
y
, = , = 2 ( non-dimnesional time )
T1 T0
b
b
: thermal diffusivity

So the new I.C. and B.Cs are

At = 0 = 1
At = 1 = 0

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Solution by separation of variables

Lets say, ( , ) = f ( ) g ( )

(3)

Substituting eqn. (3) in (2), we get

1 dg 1 d 2 f
=
= C 2
2
g d f d

(4)

dg
= C 2 g
d
g = A exp ( C 2 )

(5)

d2 f
= C 2 f
2
d
f = B sin C + D cos C

(6)

where C,A,B,D are constants

, hence f must be symmetric, therefore B = 0
From B.C = 1 = 0
D cos C = 0, and D 0

Therefore

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

C = n +
2

where n = 0, 1, 2,.....

The general solution is

= n =

2

1 2
1

+
exp
A
D
n

n n
cos n +
2
2

n =

2

1 2
1

or = En exp n + cos n +
2
2

n =

(7)

(8)

with En = An Dn + A( n +1) D( n +1)

Determine En by using I.C.

1 = Dn cos n +
2

n=0

(9)

Multiplying both sides of eqn. (9) by cos m + d and integrate from -1 to +1, we
2

get
+1

1
1
1

cos
m

Dn cos m + cos n + d
+
=

1 2
2
2

n=0
1
1

(10)
Therefore,

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

2 ( 1)
Dm =
1

m +
2

(11)

The final solution is

n
2

1)
(
T1 T
1 2 t
1 y

= 2
exp n + 2 cos n +
1
T1 T0
2
b
2 b

n=0

n +
2

(12)
The infinite series, in eqn. (12) converges rapidly at long times. For short times
convergence is slow. But then the solution to the semi-infinite slab (eqn.,

y
4 t

= 1 erf

) may be used.

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

The solution can be extended to a three dimensions for a rectangular block of dimensions
a, b and c. It is the product of three solutions of the form of eqn. (12)

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

T1 T ( x, y, z )
( 1)
= 8
1
1
1 3
T1 T0
m=0 n=0 p =0
m + n + p +
2
2
2

2
2
2

1
1
1
m
+
n
+
p
+

2
2
2 2

exp
+
+
t

a2
b2
c2

1 x
1 y
1z

cos n +
cos p +
cos m +
2 a
2 b
2 c

m+ n+ p

(13)
A similar result applies for cylinders of finite length.

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering