MENG 2012 - Heat Transfer

Tutorial sheet 3 - Convection

Reference and additional questions can be found in the recommended text book: Fundamentals
of Heat and Mass Transfer - Frank P. Incropera, David P DeWitt

1. Water at a temperature of T∞ = 25oC flows over one of the surfaces of a steel wall whose
temperature is Ts,1 = 40oC. The wall is 0.35m thick, and its other surface temperature is T s,2
= 100oC. For steady state conditions what is the convection coefficient associated with the
water flow? What is the temperature gradient in the wall and in the water that is in contact
with the wall? Sketch the temperature distribution in the wall and in the adjoining water.
Answer:

2. Experimental results for heat transfer over a flat plate with an extremely rough surface
were found to be correlated by an expression of the form Nux =0.04 ℜ0.9
x Pr
1/3
, where Nux is
the local value of the Nusselt number at a position x measured from the leading edge of the
plate. Obtain an expression for the ratio of the average heat transfer coefficient h́ x to the
local coefficient hx.
Answer:

3. A thin, flat plate that is 0.2 m by 0.2 m on a side is orienred parallel to an atmospheric air
stream having a velocity of 40 m/s. The air is at a temperature of T∞ = 20oC, while the
plate is maintained at Ts = 120oC. The air flows over the top and bottom surfaces of the
plate, and measurements of the drag force reveals a value of 0.075 N. What is the rate of
heat transfer from both sides of the plate to the air?
Answer:

4. A flat plate of width 1 m is maintained at a uniform surface temperature of T s = 150 oC by

using independently controlled, heat generating rectangular modules of thickness a = 10
mm and length b = 50 mm. Each module is insulated from its neighbours as well as on its
back side. Atmospheric air at 25oC flows over the plate at a velocity of 30 m/s. The
thermophysical properties of the module are k = 5.2 W/m.K, cp = 320 J/kg.K and ρ = 2300
kg/m3.

(a) Find the required power generation, q̇ (W/m3), in a module positioned at a distance
700mm from the leading edge.
 (b) Find the maximum temperature Tmax in the heat-generating module.
5. A thin, flat plate of length L = 1 m seperates two airstreams that are in parallel flow over
opposite surfaces of the plate. One airstream has a temperature of T ∞ ,1= 200oC and a
velocity of u∞ ,1= 60 m/s, while the other airstream has a temperature of T ∞ ,2= = 25oC and a
velocity of u∞ ,2 = 10 m/s. What is the heat flux between the two streams at the mid point
of the plate?
Answer: 56.6 mm

6. For laminar flow of a fluid over a flat plate consider an elemental volume in the
boundary layer and develop from first principles in Cartesian coordinates the
continuity equation.
7. A square (10 mm x 10 mm) silicone chip is insulated on one side and cooled on the
opposite side by atmospheric air in parallel flow at u∞ = 20 m/s and T ∞ = 24oC. When in
use, electrical power dissipation within the chip maintains a uniform heat flux at the cooled
surface. If the chip temperature may not exceed 80oC at any point on its surface, what is
the maximum allowable power? What is the maximum allowable power if the chip is flush
mounted in a substrate that provides for an unheated starting length of 20mm?
Answer:

8. Liquid mercury at 0.5 kg/s is to be heated from 300K to 400K by passing it through a
50mm diameter tube whose surface is maintained at 450K. Calculate the required tube
length by using an appropriate liquid metal convection heat transfer correlation. Compare
your result with that which would have been obtained by using a correlation approximate
for Pr ≥ 0.7. Answer:

9. Water at 290 K and 0.2 kg/s flows through a Teflon tube (k = 0.35 W/m.K) of inner and
outer radii equal to 10 mm and 13 mm, respectively. A thin electrical heating tape
wrapped around the outer surface of the tube delivers a uniform surface heat flux of 2000
W/m2.K, while a convection coefficient of 25 W/m2.K is maintained on the outer surface of
the tape by ambient air at 300K. What is the fraction of the power dissipated by the tape,
which is transferred to the water? What is the outer surface temperature of the Teflon
tube?
Answer:

10. A device that recovers heat from high-temperature combustion products involves passing
the combustion gas between parallel plates, each of which is maintained at 350 K by
water flow on the opposite surface. The plate seperation is 40 mm, and the gas flow is
fully developed. The gas may be assumed to have properties of atmospheric air, and its
mean temperature and velocity are 1000 K and 60 m/s, respectively.
(a) What is the heat flux at the plate surface?
 (b) if a third plate, 20 mm thick, is suspended midway between the original plates, what
is the surface heat flux for the original plates? Assume the temperature and flow rate
of the gas to be unchanged and radiation effects to be negligible.
Answer:

11. A small rectangular duct 80 mm by 160 mm is used to pre-heat air at 1 atm entering at
280 K. The length of the duct is 2.3 m and its surface is maintained at a constant
temperature of 420 K. If the air flow rate is 0.12 kg/s, what is the outlet air temperature?
Calculate the heat transfer rate from the duct to the air. (use Tm = 325 K)
T s − T m,o PL
4
5
NuD = 0 . 023 Re Pr ,
0.4
s T − T
m, i
= exp −
( mC p
h
) for Ts = constant
where P = perimeter of the duct and L = length

12. Electronic devices mounted on a printed circuit board are cooled by air at 32 oC with a
free stream velocity of 12 m/s. Each device is 5 mm by 5 mm and dissipates 46 mW of
power which is removed from the top surface by convection. A turbulator is located at
the leading edge of the board causing the boundary layer to be turbulent. Estimate the
surface temperature of the third device with center point located 15 mm from the leading
edge. If the turbulator was removed and laminar flow conditions allowed to prevail, what
would be the surface temperature of the third device.
4 1 1 1

( Nux = 0 . 0296 Re 5x Pr 3
- turbulent flow, Nux = 0 . 664 Re 2x Pr 3
- laminar
flow,
Use Tf = 320 K)
Answer:

13. The flue gas stack at a foundry is 25 m high and has a square cross section with
sides 4 m. The outer surface temperature of the stack is 71 oC, and the surrounding
air temperature is 33 oC. Estimate the heat loss from the stack surface by free
convection, assuming there is no wind.
gL 3 ΔT k
Gr L = 2
β h = c ( Gr L Pr )n
υ L
_______________________________________________________
Flow condition Gr Pr c n
_______________________________________________________
1
Laminar 104 to109 0.59 4

1
Turbulent 10 to10 0.109 13 3
_______________________________________________________
.
Answer:
 ¿
14. A drying chamber uses hot air at a mass flow rate of m = 0.08 kg/s. The air
duct leading into the chamber is 6 m long, has a rectangular cross-section 0.11m X
0.60 m, and is constructed with un-insulated sheet metal. The hot air enters the
duct at 127 oC and exits into the chamber at 107 oC. The ambient air around the
duct is 30 oC and the heat transfer coefficient between the duct outer surface and
the ambient air is estimated to be ho = 6.2 W/m2.K. Determine the heat loss from
the duct and calculate the heat flux and the duct surface temperature at x = 6 m.
4
5 0 .3
Use : Nu = 0 . 023 Re Pr
.
q x 2 T − T s, 1 T s ,1 + T s, 2
Tx =
2k ( )
1 − 2 + s ,2
L 2L
+
2

15. A south-bound turbo-charged maxi-taxi with a flat 3 m long roof top is traveling
along the Uriah Butler highway at a speed of 150 km/h. The temperature of the
surrounding air is 27 oC. Estimate the steady-state temperature of the roof-top of
the maxi-taxi if it absorbs solar radiation at a rate of 800 W/m 2. Assume the top to
be of solid construction, well insulated on the inside and have a single uniform
temperature.
1
5
( Rec = 5 x 10 NuL = 0 . 037 Re0L. 8 Pr
3
, )