1

Module 2 :
Diffusive heat and mass transfer

Lecture 16:
Cooling of a Sphere in contact with
a Well-Stirred Fluid & Heat
Conduction in Solids with
Interfacial Resistance
NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

A. Cooling of a Sphere in contact with a Well-Stirred

Fluid

Consider a fluid of volume vf, density f , heat capacity C p f , and initially at temperature

T0. Lets assume that the sphere of volume vs, density s , heat capacity C ps , and initially
at temperature T1.

Assumptions
1. Well-mixed fluids

2. No external heat transfer resistance

Find the temperature of fluid as a
function of time (Tf (t)).
Governing equations are
For sphere
s
1 2 s
= 2

(1)

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

For fluid

3 s
B

(2)
=1

v f f C pf

Where B =

vs s C ps

The initial and boundary conditions are

At = 0 s = 0
At = 1 s = f
At = 0 s = finite

Considering the dimensionless quantities

s =

T T
T1 Ts
t
r
, f = 1 f , = , = s2
T1 T0
T1 T0
R
R

It will be convenient to solve eqn. (1) using Laplace transform

Therefore

p s =

1 d
2 d

2 d s

(3)

And eqn. (2) gives

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

p f 1 =

3 d s
B d

(4)
=1

The solution to eqn. (3) is

s =

sinh p +

cosh p

(5)

The second term on right hand side is equal to zero since s is finite at = 0 .
Substituting eqn. (5) into eqn. (4), we get

f =

1
C
+3
sinh p p cosh p
p
Bp

(6)

To determine C, equate s = f at = 1 . Using eqn. (5) & (6), we get

f =

( )

1 p tanh p
1

+ 3

p
( 3 Bp ) p tanh p 3 p

(7)

The inverse transform yields

exp ( bk 2 )
B
+ 6B 2 2
f =
1+ B
k =1 B bk + 9 (1 + B )

where bk are the roots of tan b =

(8)

3b
3 + Bb 2

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Note that

T fluid T0
1. At thermal equilibrium (1 + B )
=1.
T1 T0
2. This plot can be used to determine s .
3. Tf was obtained w/o the need to solve for Ts ( ( ,t )

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

B. Heat Conduction with Interfacial Resistance

Consider a finite slab of thickness 2b with initial temperature T0. Assuming, convection
losses at both faces of the slab with heat transfer coefficient h into a medium at
temperature T.
The unsteady state heat conduction equation in one dimension in y-direction is given by

T
2T
= 2
t
y

(9)

Where is the thermal diffusivity

Defining dimensionless quantities

( T T ) , = y , = t ,
b
b2
( T0 T )

Fig.15.1. Heat transfer through slab

Biot number: It is a dimensionless number used in unsteady state heat transfer

calculations. It relates the heat transfer resistance inside and at the surface of the body.
Mathematically it can be defined as

Bi =

External heat transfer hb

=
Internal heat transfer
k

If Bi>1 indicates that system is internal heat transfer controlled

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

If Bi<1 indicates that the system is external heat transfer controlled

Also, rate of heat transfer is given by
T
q = k
=h (T T )

y y = b

(10)

Using dimensionless quantities eqn. (9) becomes

2
= 2

(11)

And from eqn. (10) and definition of Biot number

= Bi

(12)

Solution of problem given by eqn. (11) is

2 Bi cos n

=
n =1

2
n

+ Bi + Bi cos n
2

exp n 2

(13)

where n are the positive roots of tan=Bi.

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Fig.15.2. Surface temperature (s) versus logm

Fig.15.3. Center temperature (c) versus logm

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Heat flux at interface

q0 = k

T
y

=
y = b

k
2 Bi 2
exp n 2
(T0 T ) 2
2
b
n =1 n + Bi + Bi

(14)

Rearranging, we get

q* =

q0
2 Bi
exp n 2
=
2
2
h (T0 T ) n =1 n + Bi + Bi

(15)

For finite slab with interface resistance

hb h2
y
h
y

at
+ exp + 2 at erfc
+
4 t
4 t k

k k

= erf

Here

(16)

h2
at = Bi 2
2
k

q* = exp Bi 2 erfc Bi

(17)

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

10

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering