Wright State University Spring 2017

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

ME 3360/5360 HEAT TRANSFER: EXAM 1

Open Book, Closed Notes, Do Not Write on this Sheet
Show All Work for Partial Credit

Problem 1 (10 points): You take an apple from the kitchen counter and place it in your microwave oven. You
turn the oven on for 10 minutes on High. Write the appropriate heat conduction equation that best describes the
heating process within the apple. State all assumptions. Cancel the appropriate terms based on your
assumptions. Provide the most likely initial and boundary conditions, such that the energy equation could be
solved for the temperature distribution within the apple, but do not attempt to solve the equation!

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY EQUATION:

Rectangular Coordinate System:

𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕𝑇
(𝑘 ) + (𝑘 ) + (𝑘 ) + 𝑒̇gen = 𝜌𝐶
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑡

Cylindrical Coordinate System:

1𝜕 𝜕𝑇 1 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕𝑇
(𝑘𝑟 ) + 2 (𝑘 ) + (𝑘 ) + 𝑒̇gen = 𝜌𝐶
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑡

Spherical Coordinate System:

1 𝜕 2
𝜕𝑇 1 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 1 𝜕 𝜕𝑇 𝜕𝑇
(𝑘𝑟 ) + (𝑘 ) + (𝑘 sin 𝜃 ) + 𝑒̇ gen = 𝜌𝐶
𝑟 2 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑟 2 sin2 𝜃 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝜙 𝑟 2 sin 𝜃 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑡

Problem 2 (10 points): Consider a sphere with constant internal heat generation and constant properties. For
steady-state conditions and one-dimensional heat conduction in the 𝑟-direction, show that the maximum
temperature at the center of the sphere is given by

𝑒̇gen 𝑟𝑜 2
𝑇𝑐 = 𝑇𝑠 +
6𝑘

where 𝑇𝑠 is the surface temperature of the sphere, 𝑟𝑜 is the outer radius of the sphere, 𝑒̇gen is the internal heat
generation, and 𝑘 is the thermal conductivity of the sphere.

Problem 3 (4 points): Consider a 1.5-m-high and 2-m-wide triple pane window. The thickness of each glass
layer (k = 0.80 W/m-K) is 0.5 cm, and the thickness of each air space (k = 0.025 W/m-K) is 1 cm. If the inner
and outer surface temperatures of the window are 10ºC and 0ºC, respectively, find the rate of heat loss through
the window.

Problem 4 (6 points): A triangular shaped fin on a motorcycle engine is 0.5-cm thick at its base and 3-cm long
(normal distance between the base and the tip of the triangle), and is made of aluminum (k = 150 W/m-K). This
fin is exposed to air with a convective heat transfer coefficient of 30 W/m2-K acting on its surfaces. The
efficiency of the fin is 50 percent. If the fin base temperature is 130ºC and the air temperature is 25ºC, find the
heat transfer from this fin per unit width.