FINAL EXAMINATION

SEMESTER I, SESSION 2013/2014

COURSE CODE : SME4463

COURSE NAME : HEAT TRANSFER

PROGRAMME : SMM

DURATION : 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES

DATE : JANUARY 2014

INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES:

1. ANSWER FOUR (4) QUESTIONS ONLY.

WARNING!

Students caught copying/cheating during the examination

are liable for disciplinary actions and the Faculty may recommend
the students to be expelled from the University

THIS EXAMINATION PAPER CONSISTS OF FOUR (4) PRINTED PAGES ONLY

Page 1 of 4
Question 1 (25 marks)

a. The governing equation for a wall with heat generation is given as,

d2T/dx2 + q/k = 0

Find the temperature distribution in the wall if at x = 0, T = T1, and at x = L, T = T2

[10 marks]

b. Two large steel plates at temperature of 90oC and 70oC are separated by a steel rod 0.3 m long
and 2.5 cm diameter. The rod is welded to each plate. The space between the plates is filled
with insulation, which also insulates the circumference of the rod. Because of a voltage
difference between the two plates, current flows along the rod, dissipating electrical energy at a
rate of 12 W. Determine,

i. the maximum temperature in the rod,

ii. the net heat flow rate at each ends, and
iii. the total heat loss from the rod.

[15 marks]

Question 2 (25 marks)

a. When a stainless steel ball ( = 8055 kg/m3, cp = 480 J/kg K) of diameter 15 cm is removed from
an oven, its temperature is uniform at 350C. The steel ball is then cooled by blowing air at a
pressure of 101.3 kPa and temperature of 30C over it. The air flows at a constant velocity of 6
m/s. The temperature on the surface of the steel ball steadily falls to 250C. Determine,

i. the average heat transfer coefficient during the cooling process, in W/m2 K,
ii. the total amount of heat transferred from the stainless steel ball as it temperature falls
from 350C to 250C, and
iii. the time taken to cool the stainless steel ball to the temperature of 250C.
[20 marks]

b. State the implications if the diameter of the stainless steel ball is made larger than 15 cm.
[5 marks]

Page 2 of 4
Question 3 (25 marks)

a. In heat exchanger design, two methods are proposed, namely

i. the LMTD method, and
ii. the NTU method.
Explain the differences.
[8 marks]

b. Water flowing in a long aluminum tube is to be heated by air flowing perpendicular to the
exterior of the tube. The inner diameter ID of the tube is 1.85 cm, and the outer diameter OD is
2.3 cm. The mass flow rate of the water through the tube is 0.65 kg/s. The inlet and the outlet
water temperatures are 15oC and 45oC, respectively, averages to 30oC. The free stream velocity
and the ambient temperature of the air are 10 m/s and 120oC, respectively. Estimate,

i. the overall heat transfer coefficient U for the heat exchanger using approximate
correlations, and
ii. the length of the aluminum tube required.
[17 marks]

Question 4 (25 marks)

a. Explain the significance of Grashof number (Gr) in the analysis of free convection heat transfer.
[5 marks]

b. An aluminum sheet, 0.40 m tall, 1 m long, and 0.002 m thick is to be cooled from an initial
temperature of 150oC to 50oC by immersing it suddenly in water at 20oC. The sheet is suspended
from two wires at the upper corners.

i. Determine the initial and the final rate of heat transfer from the plate,
ii. Estimate the time taken for the plate to cool from 150oC to 50oC.
[20 marks]

Page 3 of 4
Question 5 (25 marks)

a. Hottel [1954] proposed the cross strings method to determine the shape factor used in
radiation heat transfer analysis. Give the formulation and state its limitations.
[8 marks]

b. The wedge shaped cavity shown in the sketch below, consists of two long strips joined along
one edge. Surface 1 is 1 m wide and has an emittance of 0.4 and a temperature of 1000 K. The
other wall have a temperature of 600 K. Assuming gray diffuse processes and uniform flux
distribution, calculate the rate of energy loss from surface 1 and 2 per meter length.
[17 marks]

Surface 2, A2

Surface 1, A1

Figure Q5

Page 4 of 4