SANDIP FOUNDATIONS

SANDIP INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH

CENTRE, NASIK

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

QUESTION BANK (UNIT:03)
SUBJECT: HEAT TRANSFER

CLASS: T E MECHANICAL

A. Therotical Questions: Extended surfaces (Fins)

1. Derive the formula for rate of heat transfer, efficiency and effectiveness for a short fin.
2. Starting from boundary conditions, derive the expressions for temperature distribution
along the length and heat flow rate for a very long fin using standard notations.
3. Explain the principle of temperature measurement for a fluid flowing through a pipe
using a thermo well. Obtain an expression for error in temperature measurement.
4. Explain the ways to reduce error in temperature measurement by thermometer kept in a
thermo well with the help of neat sketch.
5. Explain difference between fin efficiency and fin effectiveness
6. Define time constant for a system. What do you understand by response time of a
temperature measuring instrument? What is the relation between time constant and time
for getting response with 95% accuracy?
7. Explain the principle of temperature measurement for a fluid flowing through a pipe
using a thermo well. Derive an expression for error in this temperature measurement.
8. Explain and derive expressions for: Efficiency of the fin, Effectiveness of the fin, Overall
fin effectiveness assuming a short fin and infinite fin.
9. Derive an expression for steady state temperature distribution along the length of a pin fin
& heat transfer rate from its surface. Assume the fin to be infinitely long.
10. Starting from the standard differential equation, derive expressions for the following
parameters in case of a long fin:- Temperature distribution, Rate of heat flow, Efficiency
of fin, Effectiveness of fin.

B. Therotical Questions: Lumped System Analysis

1. Explain the following:
(a) Biot and Fourier numbers (b) Time constant of thermocouple. (c) Assumptions in Lumped
parameter analysis.
2. What is lumped system analysis? When is it applicable?
3. Consider heat transfer between two identical hot solid bodies and the air surrounding
them. The first solid is being cooled by a fan while the second one is allowed to cool
naturally. For which solid is the lumped system analysis more likely to be applicable? Why?

4. Consider heat transfer between two identical hot solid bodies and their environments. The
first solid is dropped in a large container filled with water, while the second one is allowed to
cool naturally in the air. For which solid is the lumped system analysis more likely to be
applicable? Why?
5. Consider a hot baked potato on a plate. The temperature of the potato is observed to drop
by 4C during the first minute. Will the temperature drop during the second minute be less
than, equal to, or more than 4C? Why?
6. What is the physical significance of the Biot number? Is the Biot number more likely to
be larger for highly conducting solids or poorly conducting ones?
7. State the assumptions made in Lumped Heat Capacity Method for analysis of transient
heat conduction. Derive the expression for temperature variation during quenching of a billet
by this method.
8. Derive an expression for instantaneous heat flow rate and total heat transfer under
unsteady state heat conduction.
9. Explain the significance of Biot number in unsteady state conduction. Hence Comment
upon 'lumped parameter model'
10. Prove that the temperature distribution in a body at a time t seconds during a Newtonian
T T
=eBiF0
Ti T

heating or cooling is given by

11. Derive an expression for temperature variation during quenching of a billet by 'lumped
heat capacity method'. State the assumptions made.
12. Explain the Design criteria for thermo wells.
13. Derive the expression for temperature distribution in a body at time t during Newtonian
heating or cooling.
14. State assumptions made in lumped capacitance method. Using this method derive the
T T
BiF0
=e
Ti T

following relation
with usual notations. b) Fins are more effective, when
provided on the surface for which film heat transfer coefficient is smaller. Explain. c) Explain
difference between Biot number and Nusselt number.

C. Numericals On Extended Surfaces

Problem 1: A brass rod in the form of a fin 100 mm long and 5 mm in diameter extends
horizontally from a casting which is at 200C. The air temperature is 20C and provides a heat
transfer coefficient of 30 W/m2-K. What is the heat transfer from the rod? Evaluate the
temperature of the rod at 50 mm from the base and at the free tip.
Now, if this fin is replaced by two identical fins of 50 mm length. All other parameters and
dimensions remain the same. What is the heat transfer from this combination? Evaluate the
temperature of the fin at the tip. Comment on your results.
Problem 2: One end of a long rod is inserted into a furnace while the other end projects into
ambient air. Under steady state condition, the temperature of the rod is measured at two points
75 cm apart and found to be 125C and 88.5C respectively. The ambient air temperature is
30C. If the rod is 25 mm in diameter and convective heat transfer coefficient is 24 W/m2K,
determine the thermal conductivity of the rod material

Problem 3: Thin fins of brass (k = 119.4 W/m-K) are welded longitudinally on a 5 cm brass
cylinder which stands vertically and is surrounded by air at 35C with h = 17 W/m2K. If 12
uniformly spaced fins are used, each 0.76 mm thick and extending 1.27 cm radially outward
from the cylinder, find heat transfer rate from finned cylinder when its surface is maintained at
140C.
Problem 4: Following are the specifications of an insulated end, circular cross sectioned fin.
Length = 25 cm, Diameter = 2.5 cm, Base surface temperature = 100 C.
Calculate the tip temperature of the tin if it is made up of,
i) Copper with k = 380 W/m-k
ii) Brass with k = 110 W/m-k.
Problem 5: It is better to use 10 fins of 5 cm length than 5 fins of 10 cm length. State and prove
correctness of the statement. Use following data: Diameter of fin = 10 mm, Thermal conductivity
= 45 W/m.K, Heat transfer coefficient = 95 W/m.K.
Problem 6: In an experiment to determine the thermal conductivity of a very long solid rod of
2.5 cm diameter, its one end is placed in a furnace and rod is projecting into a room with ambient
air at 22C. After steady-state conditions are achieved, the temperatures at two points 10 cm
apart, are found to be 110C and 85C respectively. Convective heat transfer coefficient between
the rod surface and the surrounding air is 28.4 W/m2K. Determine the thermal conductivity of
the rod material.
Problem 7: A heating unit is made in the form of a vertical tube fitted with rectangular section
steel fins. The tube height is 1.2 m and its outer diameter is 60 mm. The fins are 50 mm in height
and their thickness is 3 mm. The total number of fins used is 20. The temperature of the base of
the fin is 80C and surrounding temperature is 18C. The HTC on the fin surface and tube
surface to the surrounding air is 9.3 W/m2K. K (fin material) = 55.7 W/mC. Calculate the rate
of heat transfer from the tube with and w/o fin.
Problem 8: An electric motor 300 mm long dissipating heat at a rate of 350 W is required to be
fitted with plate fins radially outwards so that motor surface temperature does not exceed 50C.
Plate fins are 15 mm thick of 50 mm length (height from motor surface) with k = 40 W/mC.
Motor is exposed to atmosphere at 25 C with convective heat transfer coefficient of 20 W/m2K.
Determine number of fins required neglecting convection from tip of fins. Ignore heat convection
from unfinned area of motors outer surface.
Problem 9: The end of a very long cylindrical stainless steel rod is attached to a heated wall and
its surface is in contact with a cold fluid.
i) If the rod diameter were doubled, by what percentage would the rate of heat removal
increase?
ii) If the rod were made of aluminium, by what percentage would the heat transfer rate
change from that of the stainless steel?
Ksteel = 16.17 w/mk
kaluminium = 204.7 w/m k

Problem 10: Both ends of 6mm diameter 'U' shaped copper rod are rigidly fixed to a vertical
wall. The wall is maintained at 1000C. The developed length of the rod is 50cm and conductivity
is 300 W/mK. It is exposed to air at 30 0c. The combined convective and radiative heat transfer
coefficient is 30W/m2K.
Calculate Temperature at the centre of the rod and Heat transferred by the rod.
Problem 11: Two rods of identical size and shape are both supported between two heat sources
at 1000C and are surrounded by air at 250C. One rod is known to have a thermal conductivity of
43 W/m-K and its midpoint temperature is measured to be 49 0C. If the midpoint temperature of
the other rod is measured to be 750C, what is its thermal conductivity?
Problem 12: The temperature of steam passing through a 9.5 cm diameter tube is measured by
putting a thermo well of diameter 1.5 cm for a thermometer. Steam temperature is 320 0C. Find
the length of the well which gives maximum 1.5% error in temperature measurement. Heat
transfer coefficient between steam and thermo well is 93 W/m 2K. Thickness of the well wall = 1
mm. Tube wall temperature is 1200. Conductivity of thermo well material is 52 W/m-K. Draw a
sketch of thermo well placed in the tube.
Problem 13: Fins are provided to increase the heat transfer rate from a hot surface. Which of the
following arrangement will have maximum heat transfer rate?
i) 6 Fins with 10 cm length or
ii) 10 Fins with 6 cm length
Take conductivity of the fin material as 300 W/mk, h = 20 W/m 2K, cross sectional area of the fin
= 2 cm2, perimeter of fin across Section = 4 cm, temperature of the hot surface = 230 0C, ambient
temperature = 300 C. Assume fins of insulated ends.
Problem 14: 10 rectangular fins of brass (k = 120 W/m-K) are welded horizontally to a plane
vertical surface of a tank, 1 m wide and 1 m high. The fins are 2 mm thick and 20 cm long. They
are uniformly spaced on the vertical surface of tank, which is maintained at 200 0 C. If the unit is
exposed to ambient air at 200 C with convective heat transfer coefficient of 20 W/m2 K, find
i) Heat transfer rate before putting the fins.
ii) Heat transfer rate after putting the fins.
Prove that the fins are effective. Assume insulated end condition for the fins.
Problem 15: A 1 m long, 10 cm diameter, cylinder placed in atmosphere of 35 0 C is provided
with 12 longitudinal fins (K = 100 W/m-K) 1 mm thick. The fins protrude 3 cm from the cylinder
surface. The heat transfer coefficient is 25 W/m2K. Calculate the rate of heat transfer if the
surface temperature of cylinder is at 2000 C.
Problem 16: The handle of ladle used for pouring molten metal at 327 0C is 30 cm long and
made of 2.5 cm X 1.5 cm M. S. bar (k= 43 W/m-K)). In order to reduce the grip temperature it is
proposed to use hollow handle made of M.S. plate 0.15cm thick to the same rectangular shape.

If, h = 14.5 W/m2K and ambient temperature is at 270C, estimate the reduction in the temperature
of grip. Neglect the heat transfer from the inner surface of the hollow shape.
Problem 17: A very long 25 mm diameter copper (k= 380) rod extends from a surface at 120.
The ambient temperature is at 250C and h= 10. Calculate: i. Heat loss from the rod and
ii. How long the rod should be in order to be called as infinite?
Problem 18: A cylindrical fin is 3 mm in diameter & 3mcm long. Calculate the value of the
temperature at fin tip if the fin is made of
Copper (k = 350 W/mK) &
Teflon (k = 0.35 W/mK).
Assume that heat loss from fin tip is negligible.
Take h = 10 W/m2K, Tf = 200 C, T base + 1200 C
Problem 19: A thermocouple junction which may be approximated as a sphere, is to be used for
temperature measurement of a gas. The convection coefficient between the junction surface &
gas is known to be 400 W/m2 K & the junction thermophysical properties are K = 20 W/mK,
Cp = 400 J/Kg K & p = 8500 kg/m3. Determine the junction diameter needed for the
thermocouple to have time constant of 10 sec. If the junction is at 25 0C & is placed in a gas
stream that is at 2000C, how long will it take for the junction to reach 199 0 C? Notations are
having usual meaning.
Problem 20: Pin fin are provided to increase the heat transfer rate from a hot surface. Which of
the following arrangement will give higher heat transfer rate: i) 6 fins of 10 cm length or ii) 12
fins of 5 cm length Take kfin = 200 W/mC, h= 20W/m2 C, Cross section area of fin=2 cm2
perimeter = 4cm, fin base temp=230 C, Surrounding air temp=30C. For analysis, use fin with
insulated tip condition.
Problem 21: A mercury thermometer is being used for measuring temperature of a fluid which
changes within a time period less than 3 seconds. State the suitability of this arrangement by
assuming bulb of thermometer a sphere of 1mm diameter having k=10W/mK, =5x10-5 m2/s,
h=10 W/m2K. find (1) Diameter of thermocouple junction used for the same purpose in same
environment. Kthermocouple =90 W/mK, thermocouple =25x10-5 m2/s.

D. Numericals On Lumped Sysstem Analysis

Problem 1: Stainless steel ball of diameter 3 cm is uniformly heated to a temperature of 800C.

It is to be hardened by first cooling in an oil bath to a temperature of 100C and The heat transfer
coefficient and the oil bath temperature are 700 W/m2-K and 40C respectively. What is the time
required for this process? If 100 balls are to be quenched per minute, determine the heat removal
rate from the oil bath per minute so that its temperature remains constant at 40C. Properties of
Stainless steel are: k = 61 W/m-K, = 7865 kg/m3, Cp = 0.46 kJ/kg-K.
Problem 2: Steel balls of 12 mm diameter are annealed by heating to 877C and then slowly
cooling to 27C in an environment where temperature is 52C. The heat transfer coefficient is 20
W/m2K. Calculate the time required by the balls to reach the desired temperature. If this time is
to be reduced to 10 minutes, how much should be the heat transfer coefficient? Justify the
formula used. Use following properties for steel: Density = 7800 Kg/m 3; Cp = 600 J/kg K; k = 40
W/mK
Problem 3: Two identical balls of pure iron and copper having diameter of 6 cm and at initial
temperature of 500C are being cooled in oil having temperature of 100C and heat transfer
coefficient of 10 W/m2K. It is desired that both balls should reach a temperature of 150C at the
same time. Which ball should be put in the oil first? After how much time, other ball should be
put in oil? Justify the answer and formula used. Use following properties:
Iron Density = 7897 kg/m3, K = 73 W/mK, Cp = 0.452 kJ/kgK
Copper Density = 8954 kg/m3, k = 386 W/mK, Cp = 0.383 kJ/kgK.
Problem 4: A solid sphere of 1 cm radius made up of steel is initially at 300C temperature.
Properties of steel: k = 60 W/mk, Density = 7800 kg/m3, Sp. heat = 434 J/kg K.
Calculate the time required for cooling it up to 50 C in the following two cases.
i) Cooling medium is air at 25C with h = 20 W/m2 K.
ii) Cooling medium is water at 25C with h = 100W/m2 K.
Problem 5: The steel ball bearing (k = 50 W/m.K, = 1.3 X 10 5 m2/s), 40 mm in diameter is
heated to a temperature of 650 C. It is then quenched in an oil bath at 50C, where the heat
transfer coefficient is estimated to be 300 W/m2.K. Calculate
(a) The time required for bearing to reach 200C, (b) the total amount of heat removed from a
bearing during this time, and (c) the instantaneous heat transfer rate from the bearing when it is
first immersed in oil bath and when it reaches 200C.
Problem 6: A stainless steel rod of 1 cm diameter initially at 320C is suddenly immersed in a
liquid at 120C, for which the convective heat transfer coefficient is 100 W/m2K. Determine the
time required for the rod to attain a temperature of 200C. Steel properties: density = 7800
kg/m3, C = 460 J/kgK, K = 40 W/mK.

Assuming above rod of 1 m length, it is converted into sphere and same process repeated with no
change in any condition, will there be any change in time required for this steel sphere to achieve
the same temperature of 200C. Find out.
Problem 7: An egg (For Vegetarian peoples, Please read Potato) with mean diameter of 40 mm
and initially at 20C is placed in a boiling water pan for 4 minutes and found to be boiled to the
consumers taste. For how long should a similar egg for same consumer be boiled when taken
from a refrigerator at 5C. Take the following properties for egg: k = 10 W/m-K, = 1200 kg/m 3,
c = 2 kJ/kg-K and h = 100 W /m2K. Use lump theory.
Problem 8: A solid brass sphere 20 cm diameter initially at a temp of 200C is suddenly exposed
to air stream at 10C with a convective heat transfer coefficient of 50 W/m 2K. Find the time
required by the sphere to attain temperature of 0C. If brass sphere is replaced by copper sphere,
what percent increase or decrease in time will occur to attain the same temperature of 0C?
Properties are:
Copper: density = 7,670 kg/m3; C = 0.372 kJ/kgC; k = 370 W/mK
Brass: density = 8,552 kg/m3; C= 0.385 kJ/kgC; k = 100 W/mK.
Problem 9: A person is found dead at 5 PM in a room whose temperature is 20 oC. The
temperature of the body is measured to be 25 oC when found, and the heat transfer coefficient is
estimated to be h = 8 W/m2 oC. Modeling, the body of the person as a 30-cm-diameter, 1.70-mlong cylinder, compute the time of death of that person.
Problem 10: A thermocouple junction is in the form of 4mm diameter sphere. Properties of this
material are:
Cp
=
420 J/kg K
Density
=
8000 kg/m3
Conductivity
=
40 W/mK
Heat transfer coefficient
=
40 W/m2K
This junction is initially at 400C. It is inserted in a stream of hot air at 300 0C. Find the time
constant of the thermocouple.
If the thermocouple is taken out from hot air after 10 seconds and kept in still air at 30 0C find the
temperature attained by the junction 20 seconds after removing from hot air stream. Take heat
transfer coefficient for still air as 10 W/m2K.
Problem 11: A solid steel ball 5cm in diameter and initially at 450 0 C is quenched in a controlled
environment whose temperature is at 900C. h = 115 W/m2K, = 8000 Kg/m3, Cp = 0.42 kJ/kg K,
K = 46 W/mk. Determine the time taken by the centre of the ball to reach 150 0C if internal
temperature gradient is neglected. Derive the formula you use.
Problem 12: A solid cylinder of steel of 5 cm diameter and 20 cm length, initially at a uniform
temperature of 5000C is suddenly placed in a fluid at 200 0C with h = 100 W/m2 K. After a period

of 5 minutes, the steel cylinder is taken out from this fluid and immediately immersed in another
fluid at 500 C with h = 10 W/m2 K. Steel properties are: Cp = 0.46 kJ/kg K; = 7800 kg/m 3 and
K = 35 W/mk. Calculate the temperature of the cylinder when it was taken out from the first
fluid and the total time required for it to achieve the temperature of 1000C.
Problem 13: A sphere of 10 mm diameter made of steel is initially at a temperature of 300 0C. It
is exposed to a stream of air at a temperature of 30 0C with convective heat transfer coefficient of
100 W/m2 K. Find, (1) The time required for the sphere to reach a temperature of 50 0 C. (2)
Instantaneous rate of heat transfer after one minute from the start of the cooling process.
Properties of steel : = 7897kg/m3, Cp = 0.452 kJ/kg-K, k = 73 W/m-K , = 2.026 x 10-5 m2/s.