Transport phenomena problems

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Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Maximum current in an electric wire

Problem.
An electric wire with radius r0 of 0.50 mm is made of copper [electrical
conductivity = 5.1 x 107 ohm-1 m-1 and thermal conductivity = 380 W/(m K)].
It is insulated (see figure) to an outer radius r1 of 1.50 mm with plastic
[thermal conductivity = 0.350 W/(m K)].

Figure. Heating of an insulated electric wire.

The ambient air is at 38.0oC and the heat transfer coefficient from the outer
insulated surface to the surrounding air is 8.500 W/(m2 K). Determine the
maximum current in amperes that can flow at steady-state in the wire
without any portion of the insulation getting heated above its maximum
allowable temperature of 93.0oC.

Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Minimum thickness for a composite furnace wall

Problem.
The wall of a furnace comprises three layers as shown in the figure. The
first layer is refractory (whose maximum allowable temperature is 1400oC)
while the second layer is insulation (whose maximum allowable
temperature is 1093oC). The third layer is a plate of 6.35 mm thickness of
steel [thermal conductivity = 45 W/(m K)]. Assume the layers to be in very
good thermal contact.

Figure. Layers in a composite furnace wall.

The temperature T0 on the inside of the refractory is 1370oC, while the

temperature T3 on the outside of the steel plate is 37.8oC. The heat loss
through the furnace wall is expected to be 15800 W/m2. Determine the
thickness of refractory and insulation that results in the minimum total
thickness of the wall.

Given thermal conductivities in W/(m K):

Layer k at 37.8oC k at 1093oC

Refractory 3.12 6.23
Insulation 1.56 3.12

Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Heat conduction from a sphere to a stagnant fluid

Problem.
A heated sphere of diameter D is placed in a large amount of stagnant
fluid. Consider the heat conduction in the fluid surrounding the sphere in
the absence of convection. The thermal conductivity k of the fluid may be
considered constant. The temperature at the sphere surface is TR and the
temperature far away from the sphere is Ta.
 Figure. Heated sphere in a
large amount of stagnant fluid.

a) Establish an expression for the temperature T in the surrounding fluid as

a function of r, the distance from the center of the sphere.

b) If h is the heat transfer coefficient, then show that the Nusselt number
(dimensionless heat transfer coefficient) is given by
hD
Nu = = 2
k
Hint: Equate the heat flux at the sphere surface to the heat flux given by
Newton's law of cooling.

Heat Transfer Problem :

Maximum temperature in lubricant by viscous
heating

Problem.
An oil (of viscosity  and thermal conductivity k) acts as a lubricant between
two coaxial cylinders. The inner cylinder is stationary and the outer cylinder
of radius R rotates at an angular velocity . The clearance between the
cylinders is b, which is small compared to the radii of the cylinders; so,
curvature effects can be neglected and the cylindrical system can be
approximated by a plane narrow slit (to be solved in Cartesian coordinates)
as shown in the figure. Derive an expression for the maximum temperature
in the lubricant if both cylinders are at temperature T0. Neglect the
temperature dependence of  and k, but explicitly take into account the
heat generated by viscous dissipation.
Figure. Temperature profile for viscous heat generation. The rectangular
section in the flow between two coaxial cylinders can be approximated by
the plane narrow slit on neglecting the curvature of the bounding surfaces.

Heat Transfer Problem :

Radial temperature distribution in annular chemical
reactor

Problem.
An annular chemical reactor consists of a packed bed of catalyst between
two coaxial cylinders. The inner and outer cylinders have radii of r0 and r1,
respectively. It is reasonable to assume that there is no heat transfer
through the surface of the inner cylinder, which is at a constant
temperature T0. The catalytic reaction releases heat at a uniform volumetric
rate S throughout the reactor, whose effective thermal conductivity k may
be considered constant. Neglect the temperature gradients in the axial
direction.

a) Derive a second-order differential equation to describe the radial

temperature distribution in the annular reactor starting with a shell thermal
energy balance.

b) Establish the radial temperature distribution by solving the differential

equation.

c) What viscous flow problem is analogous to this heat conduction

problem?
d) Derive an expression for the volumetric average temperature in the
reactor.

e) Develop an expression for the temperature at the outer cylindrical wall of

the reactor. What will be the outer wall temperature if both the inner and
outer radii are tripled?

Heat Transfer Problem :

Heat transfer from a radial circular fin

Problem.
A pipe of radius R0 has a circular fin of radius R1 and thickness 2B on it (as
shown in the figure below). The outside wall temperature of the pipe
is Tw and the ambient air temperature is Ta. Neglect the heat loss from the
edge of the fin (of thickness 2B). Assume heat is transferred to the ambient
air by surface convection with a constant heat transfer coefficient h.

Figure. Radial circular

fin on heated pipe.

a) Starting with a shell thermal energy balance, derive the differential

equation that describes the radial temperature distribution in the fin.

b) Obtain the radial temperature distribution in the circular fin.

c) Develop an expression for the total heat loss from the fin.
Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :
Heat conduction in a conical solid

Problem.
A solid is formed from the conical section of a sphere of radius R as shown
in the figure. The spherical surface at r = R is insulated, while the two
conical surfaces at  = 1 and  = 2 are held at temperatures T1 and T2,
respectively. The thermal conductivity k of the solid material may be
assumed constant.

Figure. Heated conduction in a solid bounded by two conical surfaces and

a spherical surface.

a) Establish an expression for the temperature T () in the solid object at

steady state.

b) Find the total rate of heat flow across each of the conical surfaces.

Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Forced convection heat transfer for plug flow in
circular tube
- constant wall heat flux in thermally fully developed
flow region

Problem.
A very thick slurry flows in a circular tube of radius R. Since it flows nearly
as a solid plug, the velocity profile is approximately flat over the pipe cross-
section and vz = V (constant) may be assumed. For z < 0, the fluid
temperature is uniform at the inlet temperature T1. For z > 0, heat is added
at a uniform constant radial flux q0 through the tube wall. The axial heat
conduction and viscous dissipation effect may be neglected. The thermal
conductivity k and thermal diffusivity may be assumed constant.

Figure. Plug flow in circular tube being heated by a uniform heat flux.

a) Show that the temperature profile T(r, z) far downstream in the thermally
fully developed region (i.e., for large z) is given by the following
dimensionless asymptotic solution:

where

b) Show that the limiting local Nusselt number far downstream for plug flow
in a circular tube with constant wall heat flux is Nu = 8.

Transport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Forced convection heat transfer for plug flow in
plane slit
- constant wall heat flux in thermally fully developed
flow region
Problem.
A very thick paste flows in a plane narrow slit formed by two parallel walls a
distance 2B apart. The length L and width Wof the slit are such
that B << W << L, so end effects can be neglected. Since the paste flows
nearly as a solid plug, the velocity profile is approximately flat over the slit
cross-section and vz = V (constant) may be assumed. For z < 0, the fluid
temperature is uniform at the inlet temperature T1. For z > 0, heat is added
at a uniform constant flux q0 through both the slit walls. The heat
conduction in the z-direction and the viscous dissipation effect may be
neglected. The thermal conductivity k and thermal diffusivity  may be
assumed constant.

Figure. Plug flow in plane narrow slit being heated by a uniform heat flux.

a) Show that the temperature profile T(x, z) far downstream in the thermally
fully developed region (i.e., for large z) is given by the following
dimensionless asymptotic solution:

where

b) Show that the limiting local Nusselt number far downstream for plug flow
in a plane slit with constant wall heat flux is Nu = 12.

Tranport Phenomena - Heat Transfer Problem :

Forced convection heat transfer for laminar
Newtonian flow in plane slit
- constant wall heat flux in thermally fully developed
flow region

Problem.
A Newtonian fluid is in fully developed laminar incompressible flow in a
plane narrow slit formed by two flat parallel walls a distance 2B apart. The
length L and width W of the slit are such that B << W << L, so end effects
can be neglected. For z< 0, the fluid temperature is uniform at the inlet
temperature T1. For z > 0, heat is added at a uniform constant
flux q0through both the slit walls. The heat conduction in the z-direction and
the viscous dissipation effect may be neglected. The thermal
conductivity k and thermal diffusivity  may be assumed constant.

Figure. Laminar Newtonian flow in plane narrow slit being heated by a

uniform heat flux.

a) Show that the temperature profile T(x, z) far downstream in the thermally
fully developed region (i.e., for large z) is given by the following
dimensionless asymptotic solution:

where

and vz,max is the maximum velocity in the slit.

b) Determine the limiting local Nusselt number far downstream for laminar
Newtonian flow in a plane slit with constant wall heat flux.