Intermediate Heat Transfer ME 360N & 381R-4

Exam 1- Spring 2017

Name:

Instructions:
This is an open book/notes exam. No collaboration with others is permitted. By taking this
exam you agree to abide by the UT Honor Code.
Exam has 4 problems, is 2.5 hours long, and worth 60 points.
Read all problems carefully.
You need not derive equations that are in the text.
Be organized & concise. If you make additional assumptions, state those clearly.
Please scan & upload solutions on Canvas. Also, turn in your hard copies to me.

1. (10 pts) Consider 1D, transient conduction in a rectangular slab bounded by 0 x L. The slab
is initially at zero temperature. For times t > 0, the boundary surface at x = 0 is maintained at
zero temperature, while the boundary at x = L is subjected to a time-dependent temperature
defined by f(t) = b + ct, where b and c are constants. Use the Laplace transform method to

obtain an expression for T x, s . This should not have any undetermined coefficients. Do not
work out the inverse transform back to the time domain.
2. (15 pts) Use the separation of variables approach to derive an expression for the temperature
distribution in the 2D conduction problem below. The x and y-axes are insulating and the
other 2 sides are isothermal.
Do not evaluate any integrals, but work out the rest of the solution. You can use standard
forms of the solution from the text.
3. (15 pts)
A small spherical droplet of radius R (constant) is initially in equilibrium with a surrounding gas
at temperature To. The droplet is held by a wire as shown below. The wire is insulating and
should not be considered in any heat transfer analysis. The droplet has polymer dissolved in it,

which generates heat (chemical reaction) at the rate of q (W/m3) when UV light shines on it.
Assume that heat transfer between the droplet and the surrounding gas is exclusively by
conduction to the gas (no convection or radiation). Introduce required properties of the droplet
and gas as needed. Assume that properties stay constant with time.
a) Write down the differential equation(s) and provide the boundary/initial conditions to obtain
the transient droplet temperature after UV light is turned on at t=0. Neglect temperature
gradients in the droplet. You do not need to solve any equation.
b) Assume that we are interested in this problem only for a very short duration t1. What
simplifications can be made to the equations for t< t1? A qualitative answer is fine.
Hint: Do not think about similarity solutions. The 1D conduction equation in spherical coordinates
(below) is a good starting point.
2 T T
r
r r r t
4. (20 pts)
A heat generating device is mounted on a 1 mm thick copper heat spreader (thermal conductivity
kCu = 350 W/(mK)) which is mounted on a 0.1 mm dielectric layer (thermal conductivity kd=0.35
W/mK). The dielectric layer is mounted on a thermal ground (large isothermal copper plate at T,
which absorbs heat). The geometry is shown below. Heat generated in the device takes the path:
deviceheat spreader dielectric thermal ground. Neglect convection to air, and radiation.
Assume that the portion of the heat spreader beneath the device uniformly generates 2Q Watts of
heat. (Effectively, the heat dissipated from the device can be assumed to be generated in the heat
spreader). Assume zero temperature gradients along the direction of the width (W), and that a and
b are large relative to t. In other words, only x-direction temperature gradients are relevant. Neglect
all interface resistances. Assume that the edges at x=b and x= -b are insulated.
Plug in numbers only in part a). Parts b), c) should be done symbolically.
(a) Quantitatively, justify the fact that the heat spreader can be modeled as two adjacent 1-D fins.
(b) Derive the equations which govern steady-state conduction in the heat spreader for 0 < x < a
(where heat is generated) and (a < x < b) (no heat generation). Do not solve them.
(c) What are the boundary conditions to solve the above equations?

Hint: This is a fin problem without convective heat transfer.

Note: Power transistors are packaged in this way. Purpose of the dielectric layer is to provide
electrical isolation between the transistor and the thermal ground.

Side View Top View

2b

2a

device
t td
heat spreader heat
spreader device
heat
spreader
w
dielectric

thermal ground (Cu)