PROBLEM5.

136
KNOWN: Stack or book of steel plates (sp) and circuit boards (b) subjected to a prescribed
platen heating schedule T
p
(t). See Problem 5.46 for other details of the book.
FIND: (a) Using the implicit numerical method with Ax = 2.36mm and At = 60s, find the
mid-plane temperature T(0,t) of the book and determine whether curing will occur (> 170C
for 5 minutes), (b) Determine how long it will take T(0,t) to reach 37C following reduction
of the platen temperature to 15C (at t = 50 minutes), (c) Validate code by using a sudden
change of platen temperature from 15 to 190C and compare with the solution of Problem
5.38.
SCHEMATIC:
ASSUMPTIONS: (1) One-dimensional conduction, (2) Negligible contact resistance
between plates, boards and platens.
PROPERTIES: Steel plates (sp, given):
sp
= 8000 kg/m
3
, c
p,sp
= 480 J/kgK, k
sp
= 12
W/mK; Circuit boards (b, given):
b
= 1000 kg/m
3
, c
p,b
= 1500 J/kgK, k
b
= 0.30 W/mK.
ANALYSIS: (a) Using the suggested space increment Ax = 2.36mm, the model grid spacing
treating the steel plates (sp) and circuit boards (b) as discrete elements, we need to derive the
nodal equations for the interior nodes (2-11) and the node next to the platen (1). Begin by
defining appropriate control volumes and apply the conservation of energy requirement.
Effective thermal conductivity, k
e
: Consider an adjacent steel plate-board arrangement. The
thermal resistance between the nodes i and j is
ij
e b sp
e
b+ sp
e
x x/2 x/2
R
k k k
2 2
k W/m K
1/ k 1/ k 1/ 0.3 1/12
k 0.585 W/m K.
A A A
'' = = +
= =
+ +
=
Odd-numbered nodes, 3 s m s 11 - steel plates (sp): Treat as interior nodes using Eq. 5.97
with
( )
7 2 e
sp
3
sp sp
7 2
sp
m
2 2
k 0.585 W/m K
1.523 10 m / s
c
8000 kg/m 480 J/kg K
t
1.523 10 m / s 60s
Fo 1.641
x 0.00236 m
o

= =

A

= = =
A
Continued
PROBLEM5.136 (Cont.)
to obtain, with m as odd-numbered,
( )
( )
p+1 p+1 p+1 p
m m m m
m-1 m+1
1 2Fo T Fo T T T + + = (1)
Even-numbered nodes, 2 s n s 10 - circuit boards (b): Using Eq. 5.97 and evaluating o
b
and
Fo
n
7 2 e
b n
b b
k
3.900 10 m / s Fo 4.201
c
o

= = =
( )
( )
p+1 p+1 p+1 p
n n n n
n-1 n+1
1 2Fo T Fo T T T + + = (2)
Plate next to platen, n = 1 - steel plate (sp): The finite-difference equation for the plate node
(n = 1) next to the platen follows from a control volume analysis.
in out st
p+1 p
1 1
a b sp sp
E E E
T T
q q xc
t

'' '' + = A
A

where
( )
p+1 p+1 p+1
p
1 2 1
a sp b e
T t T T T
q k q k
x/2 x

'' '' = =
A A
and T
p
(t) = T
p
(p) is the platen temperature which is
changed with time according to the heating schedule. Regrouping find,
( )
sp sp p+1 p+1 p
m m m p
1 2 1
e e
2k 2k
1 Fo 1 T Fo T Fo T p T
k k
| | | |
+ + = | |
|
\ . \ .
(3)
where 2k
sp
/k
e
= 2 12 W/mK/0.585 W/mK = 41.03.
Using the nodal Eqs. (1) -(3), an inversion method of solution was effected and the
temperature distributions are shown on the following page.
Temperature distributions - discussion: As expected, the temperatures of the nodes near the
center of the book considerably lag those nearer the platen. The criterion for cure is T >
170C = 443 K for At
c
= 5 min = 300 sec. From the temperature distributions, note that node
10 just reaches 443 K after 50 minutes and will not be cured. It appears that the region about
node 5 will be cured.
(b) The time required for the book to reach 37C = 310 K can likewise be seen from the
temperature distribution results. The plates/boards nearest the platen will cool to the safe
handling temperature with 1000 s = 16 min, but those near the center of the stack will require
in excess of 2000 s = 32 min.
Continued
PROBLEM5.136 (Cont.)
(c) It is important when validating computer codes to have the program work a problem
which has an exact analytical solution. You should select the problem such that all features of
the code are tested.