DHANALAKSHMI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

HEAT MASS TRANSFER

UNIVERSITY EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS UNIT 1 1. Explain about poissons equation (April/May 2010) When the temperature is not varying with respect to time, then the combustion is called steady state combustion.
=0

Then the general equation becomes, 2 + Where, 2 =

2 2

=0

+ 2 + 2

2. What is lumped capacity? (or) what is lumped heat analysis? When it is used? (April/May2010) When Bi<0.1, lumped capacity analysis is used. That is, the internal resistance is negligible when compared surface resistance. Lumped capacity type of analysis assumes a uniform temperature distribution throughout the solid body since internal combustion resistance is very less, when compared with surface convection resistance. 3. Explain Fouriers law of heat conduction. (Apr/May 2011)

The heat transfer rate is directly proportional to the surface area, temperature difference and indirectly proportional to the thickness of the slab. The proportionality constant is called thermal conductivity. =

Where, k Thermal conductivity of the material; A Surface area through which heat is transferred; T Temperature difference. 4. A temperature difference of 500o C is applied across a fire clay brick, 10 cm thick having a thermal conductivity of 1 W/mK. Find the heat transfer rate per unit area. (April/May 2008) As per the Fouriers law of heat conduction, =

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= 1

500 = 5000 / 0.1

5. What is the main advantage of a parabolic fin? (November 2007) A fin of parabolic profile is very effective in the sense that it dissipates the maximum amount of heat at minimum material cost. 6. What is critical thickness of insulation? (April/May 2004) Addition of insulating material on a surface does not reduce the amount of heat transfer rate always. Infact under certain circumstances it actually increases the heat loss upto certain thickness of insulation. The radius of insulation for which the heat transfer is maximum is called critical radius of insulation, and the corresponding thickness is called critical thickness. 7. Define fin effectiveness. (Dec 2004) Fin effectiveness is the ratio of heat transfer with fin to that without fin. 8. Define fin efficiency. (Dec 2004) The efficiency of a fin is defined as the ratio of actual heat transferred to the maximum possible heat transferred by the fin. =

9. Define overall heat transfer coefficient. (April 1997) The overall heat transfer coefficient by combined modes is usually expressed in terms of an overall conductance or overall heat transfer coefficient U. 10. What are the factors affecting thermal conductivity? (April 1997) (i) Moisture (ii) Density of material (iii) Pressure (iv) Temperature (v) Structure of material. 11. What are Heissler charts? (October 1999) In Heissler chart, the solutions for temperature distributions and heat flows in plane walls, long cylinders and spheres with finite internal and surface resistance are presented. Heissler charts are nothing but a analytical solutions in the form of graphs. 12. Explain the significance of fourier number. (April 2002) It is defined as the ratio of characteristic body dimension to temperature wave generation depth in time. =

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Unit II 1. What is dimensional analysis? (November 1996) Dimensional analysis is a mathematical method which makes use of the study of the dimensions solving several engineering problems. This method can be applied to all types of fluid resistances, heat flow problems in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. 2. State Buckingham theorem. (April 1997) Buckingham theorem states as follows: If there are n variables in a dimensionally homogeneous equation and if these contain m fundamental dimensions, then the variables arranged into (n m) dimensionless terms. These dimensionless terms are called terms. 3. Define Reynolds number. (May 2005) It is defined as the ratio between inertia force to viscous force. =

4. Define Prandtl number. (May 2005, June 2006, Apr 2002) It is the ratio of the momentum diffusivity to the thermal diffusivity. Pr =

5. Define Nusselt number (Nu). (Dec 2005, Apr 97, Apr 98) It is the ratio of the heat flow by convective process under an unit temperature gradient to the heat flow rate by conduction under an unit temperature gradient through a stationery thickness (L) of metre. = 6. Define Grashof number (Gr). (Oct 97, 99) It is defined as the ratio of product of inertia force and buoyancy force to the square of viscous force. = 7. Define Stanton number (St) It is the ratio of Nusselt number to the product of Reynolds number and Prandtl number. = ( )2

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8. Define convection. (Oct 98) Convection is a process of heat transfer that will occur between a solid surface and a fluid medium when they are at different temperatures. 9. What is meant by free or natural convection? (May 2004, Dec 2004, June 2006, Oct 1997) If the fluid motion is produced due to change in density reading from temperature gradients, the mode of heat transfer is said to be free or natural convection. 10. What is forced convection? (May 2004, Dec 2004, Nov 96) If the fluid is motion is artificially created by means of an external force like a blower or fan, that type of heat transfer is forced convection. 11. Define boundary layer thickness. (May 2004) The thickness of the boundary layer has been defined as the distance from the surface at which the local velocity or temperature reaches 99% of the external velocity or temperature. 12. Indicate the concept or significance of boundary layer. (Dec 2005, Dec 2006, June 2006) In the boundary layer concept the flow field over a body is divided into two regions. A thin region near the body called the boundary layer, where the velocity and the temperature gradients are large. The region outside the boundary layer where the velocity and the temperature gradient are very nearly equal to their free stream values.

Unit III 1. What is fouling? What is its effect on the heat exchanger? (May/June 2002) After a period of operation, the surfaces of heat exchanger may be coated with some deposits. Also the surfaces may be corroded as a result of the interaction between the fluids and material of the heat exchanger. This coating gives additional resistance to the heat flow. This resistance should be taken into consideration to design the heat exchanger. To calculate the overall heat transfer coefficient for a heat exchanger, the fouling factor or fouling resistance should be considered. 2. How the film wise condensation is different from drop wise condensation? (May 2012) In film wise, condensation wets the surface forming a continuous film which covers the entire surface. In drop wise, the droplets of various sizes which fall down the surface in random fashion. 3. Give the merits of drop wise condensation. (April 1999) In drop wise condensation, a large portion of the area of the plate is directly exposed to vapour. The heat transfer rate is drop wise condensation is 10 times higher in film wise condensation. Download this study material from www.arpradeep.tk 4

4. Draw different regions of boiling and what is nucleate boiling? (April 1999, April 2002) Nucleate boiling exists in the regions II and III. The nucleate boiling begins at region II. As the excess temperature is further increased, bubbles are formed more rapidly and rapid evaporation takes place. This is indicated in the region III. Nucleate boiling exists up to T = 50o C. 5. What are the types of heat exchangers? (Dec 2005) (i) Direct contact heat exchangers (ii) Indirect contact heat exchangers (iii) Surface heat exchangers (iv) Parallel flow heat exchangers (v) Counter flow heat exchangers (vi) Cross flow heat exchangers (vii) Shell and tube heat exchangers (viii) Compact heat exchangers. 6. What is meant by parallel flow heat exchanger? (May 2005) In this type of heat exchanger, hot and cold fluids move in the same direction. 7. What is meant by counter flow heat exchanger? (May 2003) In this type of heat exchanger, hot and cold fluids move in parallel but in opposite direction. 8. What is meant by compact heat exchangers? (Nov 1996) There are many special purpose heat exchangers called compact heat exchangers. They are generally employed when convective heat transfer coefficient associated with one of the fluids is much smaller than that associated with the other fluid. 9. What is meant by fouling factor? (Nov 1996) We know, the surfaces of a heat exchanger do not remain clean after it has been used for some time. The surfaces become fouled with scaling or deposits. The effect of these deposits affecting the value of overall heat transfer coefficient. This effect is taken care of by introducing an additional thermal resistance called the fouling resistance. Unit IV 1. What is a radiation shield? (Nov/Dec 2011) Radiation shield is used to reduce the radiation heat transfer in between two surfaces. Thin plastic coated sheets with highly reflecting metallic films on both sides are used as effective radiation shields. It increases surface resistances. 2. State Stephen Boltzmann law and planks law. How they are related? (Nov/Dec 2010) Stephen Boltzmann Law: The emissive power of a black body is proportional to absolute temperature of the fourth power. 4 = 4 Download this study material from www.arpradeep.tk 5

Where, = 5.67x10-8 W/m2 K-4 Plancks law: ( ) = Both are related by the following equation

1 5
( 2)

( )

3. What is thermal radiation and what is its wavelength band? (April 2008) Thermal radiation is defined as the transfer of energy across a system boundary by means of electromagnetic waves which is caused by temperature difference. 4. Define emissivity. (Oct 2000, April 2002, Dec 2004) It is defined as the ability of the surface of a body to radiate heat. It is also defined as the ratio of emissive power of any body to the emissive power of a black body of equal temperature. 5. What is meant by gray body. (April 2000, Dec 2004, Dec 2005, June 2006) If a body absorbs a definite percentage of incident radiation, irrespective of their wave length, the body is known as gray body. The emissive power of a gray body is always less than that of a black body. 6. Define irradiation (G). (Nov 96) It is defined as the total radiation incident upon a surface per unit time per unit area. It is represented in W/m2. 7. What is radiosity (J) ? (Dec 2005, April 2001) It is used to indicate the total radiation leaving a surface per unit time per unit area. It is expressed in W/m2 8. What is the purpose of radiation shield? (April 99, Oct 99, April 2001) Radiation shields constructed from low emissivity (highly reflective) materials. It is used to reduce the net radiation between two surfaces. 9. State Kirchoffs law of radiation. (April 2001, Dec 2004) This law states that the ratio of total emissive power to the absorptivity is constant surfaces which are in thermal equilibrium with the surroundings. This can be written as, 1 2 3 = = 1 2 3 Download this study material from www.arpradeep.tk 6

10. Define intensity of radiation. (Ib) (Nov 96, Oct 98) It is defined as the rate of energy leaving a space in a given direction per unit solid angle per unit area of the emitting surface normal to the mean direction in space.

11. Discuss the radiation characteristics of carbondioxide and water vapour. The CO2 and H2O both absorb and emit radiation over certain wavelength regions called absorption bands. The radiation in these gases is a volume phenomenon. The emissivity of CO2 and the emissivity of H2O at a particular temperature increases with partial pressure and mean beam length. 12. What is meant by shape factor and mention its physical significance. (May 2005, Oct 1997, Oct 2001) The shape factor is defined as The fraction of the radiation energy that is diffused from one surface element and strikes the other surface directly with no intervening reflections. It i s represented by Fy. Other names for radiation shape factor are view factor, angle factor and configuration factor. The shape factor is used in the analysis of radiative heat exchange between two surfaces. Unit 5 1. Define mole fraction and mass concentration. (May 2007) = =

Mass concentration of species, PA is defined as the mass of A per unit volume of the mixture. 2. Give the examples of mass transfer. (Nov 96, Oct 99) (i) Humidification of air in cooling tower (ii) Evaporation of petrol in the carburetor of an IC engine (iii) The transfer of water vapour into dry air. 3. What are the modes of mass transfer? (June 2006) (i) Diffusion mass transfer (ii) Convective mass transfer. 4. What is molecular diffusion? (June 2006) The transport of water on a microscopic level as a result of diffusion from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration in a mixture of liquids of gases is known as molecular diffusion. 5. What is convective mass transfer? (June 2006) Download this study material from www.arpradeep.tk 7

Convective mass transfer is a process of mass transfer that will occur between a surface and a fluid medium when they are at different concentration.

6. State Ficks law of diffusion. (June 2006, May 2005, Dec 2004, Oct 1997) The diffusion rate is given by the Ficks law, which states that molar flux of an element per unit area is directly proportional to concentration gradient. = 7. What is free convective mass transfer? (Oct 97) If the fluid motion is produced due to change in density resulting from concentration gradients, the mode of mass transfer is said to be free or natural convective mass transfer. Example : Evaporation of alcohol. 8. Define force convective mass transfer. (April 1997) If the motion is artificially created by means of an external force like a blower or fan, that type of mass transfer is known as convective mass transfer. Example : The evaporation of water from an ocean when air flows over it. 9. Define Schmidt number. (April 1997, Oct 1997) It is defined as the ratio of the molecular diffusivity of momentum to the molecular diffusivity of mass. =

10. Give two examples of convective mass transfer (May 2004) (i) Evaporation of alcohol (ii) Evaporation of water from an ocean when air flows over it.

11. Define the following (i) Mass concentration (ii) Molar concentration (iii) Mass fraction (iv) Mole fraction. ( Dec 2004, Dec 2005) (i) Mass concentration : Mass a component per unit volume of the mixture. It is expressed in kg/m3 =

(ii) Molar concentration : Number of molecules of a component per unit volume of the mixture. It is expressed in kg-mole/m3 Download this study material from www.arpradeep.tk 8

(iii) Mass fraction : The mass fraction is defined as the ratio of mass concentration of species to the total mass density of the mixture. =

(iv) Mole fraction: The mole fraction is defined as the ratio of mole concentration of a species to the total molar concentration =

12. Define Scherwood number. (Apr 1997, Apr 2001) It is defined as the ratio of concentration gradients at the boundary. =

Prepared by A.R. Pradeep Kumar, Associate Professor/Mechanical Email : dearpradeepkumar@gmail.com References : Dr. S. Ramachandran, A. Anderson, G. Senthil kumar, Heat and Mass Transfer, Airwalk Publications, 2012. Dr. Senthil kumar, Heat and Mass Transfer, A.R. Publications, 2010.

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