Steady State Conduction with Heat Generation

1. A 10 cm thick plane wall (k = 45 W/m C ) generates heat at a uniform rate of 8 x 10 6 W/m3. The
two sides of the wall are maintained at 180 C and 120 C. Ignore the end effects and calculate the
i ) Temperature distribution across the plate
ii ) position and magnitude of the maximum temperature
iii) Heat flow rate fro each surface of the plate
2. A plane wall of thickness 0.1 m and thermal conductivity 25 W/m C that has uniform volumetric
heat generation of 0.3 MW/ m3 is insulated on one side,while the other side is exposed to a fluid at 92
C. The convection heat transfer coefficient between the plane wall and the fluid is 500 W/m 2.
C.Determine the maximum temperature in the plane wall.
3. Heat is generated at an interface between two slabs.One slab is steel ( k = 47 W/m C ) that has 10
cm thickness and the other is made of brass ( k = 82 W/m C ) 6 cm thick.The outer surface
temperature of the steel and the brass are maintained at 100 C and 50 C. respectively. Calculate the
heat flux through the outer surface of brass slab and the interface temperature.Assume that the contact
between the two surfaces is perfect and the heat generation is 175 x 103 W/m3.
4. An amount of chiken in the form of a 25 mm thick rectangular block is roasted in a microwave
heating system. The center temperature of the block chicken is 100 C when the surrounding
temperature is 30 C. The convection heat transfer coefficient between the block of the chicken and the
air is 15 W/m2 C. The thermal conductivity of the chicken can be taken as 1 W/m C.Calculate the
microvave heating capacity during steady state operation.
5. A rectangular copper bar 80 mm x 6 mm in cross section ( k = 370 W/m C ) is insulated at the
top,bottom and left faces.It is observed that when a current of 8000 A is passed throuh the bar,the bare
face has a constant temperature of 50 C.If the resistivity of the copper is 2 x 10 -8 .m.Calculate the
i) Maximum temperature in the bar and its location.
ii) Temperature at the center of the bar.
6. A large 3 cm thick steel plate ( k = 15.1 W/m C ) is generating heat uniformly at the rate of 5 x 10 6
W/m3.Bothe of its sides are exposed to the convection to an ambient air at 30 C with a convection heat
transfer coefficient 600 W/m2 C. Explain where in the plate the highest and the lowest temperature
occur,and calculate those values.
7. A solid cylinder 100 mm in diameter generates heat at uniform rate of 7 x 10 6 W/m3. The thermal
conductivity of the solid is 190 W/m C and its surface temperature is maintained at 100 C.Calculate
i) Temperature at the center of the cylinder
ii) Temperature at the distance 25 mm from the center
iii) Temperature gradient at 25 mm radius
iii) Heat flux at the surface.

8. Heat is generated in 2 mm diameter electric resistance wire ( k = 10 W/m C ) uniformly at the rate
of 5 KW per unit meter of length.Calculate the temperature difference between the center line and the
surface of the wire.
9. A stainless steel rod 20 mm in diameter is carrying an electric current of 1000 Amp. The thermal and
electrical conductivities are 20 W/m C and 1.25 x 104 (.cm)-1.What is the temperature at the center of
the rod if its surface temperature should not exceed 400 C.?
10. i) Prove that the maximum temperature at the center of wire carrying an electric current is given by
the relation

ii ) A 3 mm diameter copper wire 10 m long is carrying an electrical current and has a surface
temperature of 30 C. The thermal and electrical conductivities of copper are 390 W/m C and 5.15 x
107 (. m)-1 respectively.Calculate the voltage drop if the temperature rise at the axis must not exceed
18 C.
11. A 66 KV transmission line carrying a current of 900 A is 18 mm in diameter.The elctrical resistance
of the copper is 0.076 .km and the thermal conductivity is 390 W/m C .The surrounding temperature
is 35 C. The combined convection and radiation coefficient for heat transfer from the wire surface to
the surrounding is 14 W/m2 C.Clculate the following :
i) Surface temperature of the transmission line
ii) Heat generation per unit volume
iii) mximum temperature in the line
12. A chemical reaction takes place in a packed bed ( k = 0.6 W/m C) between two coaxial cylinders
with radii 15 mm and 45 mm.The inner surface is at 580 C and is insulated.Assume the reaction rate of
0.55 MW/m3 in the reactor volume.Calculate the temperature at the outer surface of the reactor.
13. A solid sphere of radius 5 cm and thermal conductivity is 20 W/m C is heated uniformly throuhout
its volume at the rate of 2 x 10 6 W/m3,and heat is dissipated by convection to ambient air at 25 C with a
convection heat transfer coefficient 100 W/m 2 C.Determine the steady state temperature at the cnter
and the outer surface of the sphere.
14. During the ripening process of oranges,the energy released is estimated as 563 W/m 3.If the orange is
assumed to be homogeneous sphere with 0.15 W/m C.Compute the temperature at the centre of
orange and the heat flow from the outer surface.Assume a diameter of 8 cm and external surface
temperature of 2 C.
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