HEAT TRANSFER (MCE06)- Practice Problems

CONDUCTION

1. If a 1080 J of heat is transferred through the window every

second, how much energy will be transferred in a year?
Ans. E = 340558.8 MJ

2. Calculate the energy transfer rate in w/m 2 across 6 in. wall of

firebrick with a temperature difference across the wall of 55 oC. The
thermal conductivity of firebrick is 0.65 BTU/hr-ft-oF at the
temperature interest.
Ans. Q/A = 405.77 W/m2

3. A cold storage compartment is 4.5 m long by 4 m wide by 2.5 m

high . The four walls, ceiling and floor are covered to a thickness
of 150 mm with insulating material which has a coefficient of thermal
conductivity of 5.8 x10-2 W/m-K. Calculate the quantity of heat energy
leaking through the insulation per hour when the outside and inside
face temperature of the insulation are 15 C and -3 C.
Ans. 1966.896 kJ

4. A 10 cm thick block of ice with a temperature of 0 °C lies on the

upper surface of 2400 cm2 slab of stone. The slab is steam-exposed on
the lower surface at a temperature of 100 °C. Find the heat
conductivity of stone if 4000 g of ice is melted in one hour given
that the latent heat of fusion of ice is 80 cal ⁄ gm.
Ans. k = 3.7 × 10-3 cal ⁄ cm s °C.

5. The inner and outer surfaces of a 0.5-cm-thick 2-m x 2-m window

glass in winter are 10°C and 3°C, respectively. If the thermal
conductivity of the glass is 0.78 W/m ·°C, determine the amount of
heat loss, in kJ, through the glass over a period of 5 hours. What
would your answer be if the glass were 1 cm thick?
Ans. 78624 kJ, 39312 kJ

6. A heat flux meter attached to the inner surface of a 3-cm-thick

refrigerator door indicates a heat flux of 25 W/m2 through the door.
Also, the temperatures of the inner and the outer surfaces of the
door are measured to be 7°C and 15°C, respectively. Determine the
average thermal conductivity of the refrigerator door.
Ans. 0.0938 W/m·°C

7. The inner and outer surfaces of a 5-m x 6-m brick wall of

thickness 30 cm and thermal conductivity 0.69 W/m · °C are maintained
at temperatures of 20°C and 5°C,respectively. Determine the rate of
heat transfer through the wall, in W.
Ans. 1035 W

8. One insulated wall of cold storage compartment is 8m long, 2.5 m

high consists of an outer steel plate 18mm thick. An inner wood wall
22.5 mm thick, the steel and wood are 90 mm apart to form a cavity
which is filled with cork. If the temperature drop across the extreme
faces of composite wall is 15°C. Calculate the temperature drop
across the thickness of the cork. Take the coefficients of the
thermal conductivity for steel, cork and wood as 45. 0.045 and 0.18
W/m-K respectively.
Ans. T= 14.11499°C
9. A heat exchanger is to be designed for the following
specifications: Hot gas temp. = 1145 °C, Cold gas temp. = 44 °C, Unit
surface conductance on the hot side =230 W/m2-K, Unit surface
conductance on the cold side = 290 W/m 2-K, Thermal conductivity of
the metal wall = 115 W/m-k. Find the maximum thickness of the metal
wall between the hot gas and the cold gas so that the maximum
temperature of the wall does not exceed 548 °C.
Ans. x = 25.5588 mm

10. A pipe with an outside diameter of 2.5 in. is insulated with a 2

in. layer of asbestos (ka = 0.396 BTU-in./hr-ft2-°F), followed by a
later of cork 1.5 in. thick (kc = 0.30 BTU-in./hr-ft2-°F). If the
temperature of the outer surface of the cork and pipe is 90°F and
290°F, respectively, calculate the heat loss per 100 ft or insulated
pipe.
Ans. 2847.29 BTU/hr

11. Calculate the heat loss per linear foot from a 10 in. nominal
pipe (outside diameter = 10.75 in.) covered with a composite pipe
insulation consisting of 11/2 in. of insulation. I placed next to the
pipe and 2 in. Of insulation. II placed upon insulation I. Assume
that the inner and outer surface temperatures of the composite
insulation are 700°F and 100°F respectively, and that the thermal
conductivity of material I is 0.05 BTU/hr-ft-°F and for material II
is 0.039 BTU/hr-ft-°F.
Ans. 328.6754 BTU/hr-ft.

12. A pipe with an outside temperature of 150°C and an outside

diameter of 1.4cm is insulated with a layer of asbestos(k a = 0.396
BTU-in./hr-ft2-°F), followed by a layer of cork 0.5 cm thick(kc = 0.30
BTU-in./hr-ft2-°F). If the temperature of the outer surface of the
cork is 32 °C and the heat lost per 30 m of insulated pipe is 900W.
Find the maximum thickness of asbestos in cm.
Ans. 21.883 mm.

13. The inner surface of furnace wall is at 200C and outer surface at
50C. Calculate the heat lost per m2 area of the wall. If thermal
conductivity of the brick is 0.5 W/m°C & the wall thickness is 200mm.
Ans. 375 W/m2.

14. The wall of a boiler is made up of 250mm of the brick, K FB = 1.05

W/m-K; 120 mm of insulation brick KIB = 0.15 W/m-K, and 200 mm of red
brick, KRB= 0.85 W/m K. The inner and outer surface temperatures of
the wall are 850C and 65C respectively. Calculate the temperatures at
the contact surfaces.
Ans. T2 = 703.22°C , T3 = 210.04°C

15. The Boiler wall is made up of two layers, A and B. Thickness and
thermal conductivity of A are 240 mm and 0.2 W/m-°C respectively. For
B, thickness and thermal conductivity are 525 mm and 0.3 W/m-°C
respectively. Inner surface A is maintained at 1000°C and outer
surface of B is maintained at 250°C. If there is contact thermal
resistance of 0.05 °C/W per unit area exists at interface. Calculate
the (i) heat loss per area (m2), (ii) the temperature drop at
interface.
Ans. Q/A= 250 W/m2 , Tdef= 12.5°C
16. A furnace wall 200 mm thick is made of a material having thermal
conductivity of 1.45 W/m. K. The inner and outer surface are exposed
to average temperatures of 350C and 40C respectively.If the gas and
air film coefficients are 58and 11.63 W/m2 K respectively, find the
rate of heat transfer through a wall of 2.5 square meters. Also, find
the temperatures on the two sides of the wall.
Ans. Q= 3213.67 W , t1= 327.84°C and t2=150.5°C

17. A steam pipe of inner diameter 200 mm is covered with 50mm thick
high insulated material of thermal conductivity k = 0.01 W/m0C. The
inner and outer surface temperatures maintained at 500C and 100C
respectively. Calculate the total heat loss per meter length of pipe?
Ans. Q/L= 61.98 W

18.A 25 cm steam main 225 meter long is covered with 5 cm of high

temperature insulation (k=0.095 W/m K) and 4 cm of low temperature
insulation (k=0.065 W/m K). The inner and outer surface temperatures
as measured are 400C and 50C respectively. Neglect heat conduction
through pipe material.Determine
i. The total heat loss per hour. (265515 kJ/hr)
ii. The total heat loss per sq. m of outer surface.(873.55 kJ/hr/m2)
iii. The heat loss per sq.m of pipe surface.(1502.5 kJ/hr/m2)
iv. The temperature between the two layers of insulation. (215.22°C)

18. Water is pumped through an iron pipe (k=67.2 W/m2 K), 2 meters
long as the rate of 1000kg/min. The inner and outer diameters of the
tube are 50mm and 60mm respectively. Calculate the rise in
temperature of water when the outside of the tube is heated to a
temperature of 6000C. The initial temperature of the water is 300C.
Ans. T= 59.74°C

19. A spherical shaped vessel of 1.2 m diameter is 100 mm thick. Find

the rate of heat leakage, if the temperature difference between the
inner and outer surface is 200C. Thermal conductivity of the material
of sphere is 0.3 kJ/m-h-C.
Ans. Q = 2262 kJ/hr

20. A cylinder having its diameter 30 cm and length 60 cm, has

hemispherical ends, giving an overall length of 90 cm. The cylinder
which is maintained at a steady temperature of 60C is covered to a
depth of 5 cm with lagging which has a coefficient of conductivity of
0.14 W/mK. Calculate the rate of heat loss if the outer surface of
lagging is at 30C
Ans. 86.67 W

21. The temperature at the inner and outer surfaces of a boiler wall
made of 20 mm thick steel and covered with an insulating material of
5 mm thick are 300°C and 50°C respectively. If the thermal
conductivity of steel and insulating material are 58 W/m°C and 0.116
W/m°C respectively, determine the rate of flow through the boiler
wall.
Ans. 5753.97 W
 CONVECTION
1. Heat exchanger has an overall coefficient of heat transfer of 900
W/m2°K. The mean temperature difference is 20°C and heat loss is
15000 W. Calculate the heat transfer area in square inches.
Ans. A= 1291.008 in2

2. The mass flow rate of freon refrigerant through a heat exchanger

is 10 kg/min. The enthalpy of entry Freon is 245 kJ/kg, and the
enthalpy of exit Freon is 55 kJ/kg, water coolant is allowed to use
10°C. Determine the water flow rate in kg/min.
Ans. 45.38 kg/min

3. A metal rod is 10 cm long and has a diameter of 2 cm one end is

contact with steam at 100°C while the other end contacts a block of
ice at 0°C. The cylindrical surface of the rod is carefully insulated
so heat flows only from end to end. In a time of 20 minutes, 320
grams of ice melts. What is the thermal conductivity of the metal.
Ans. K= 284.36 W/m°K

4. At an average temperature of 100°C, hot air flows through a 2,5 m

long tube with a inside diameter of 50mm. The temperature of the tube
is 20°C along ts entire length. Convective film coefficient is 20.1
W/m°. Determine the convective heat transfer from air to the tube (in
Horsepower).
Ans. 0.8465 hp

5. Brine enters a cooler at the rate of 50 m 3/hr at 15°C and leaves

at 1°C. Specific heat and specific gravity of brine are 1.07 kJ/kg-K
and 1.1 respectively. Calculate the heat transfer in kW.
Ans. 228.86 kW

6. In a heat air heating system, the furnace heats air from 60°F to
160°F. If the air is then circulated at the rate of 330 ft 3/min by
the blower, how much thermal energy is transferred per hour? NOTE:
Specific heat of air at constant pressure is 0.25 BTU/lb°F, the
density of air is 0.0806 lb/ft3 at atmospheric pressure.
Ans. 15.683 hp

7. Brine enters a cooler at a rate of 5000 gal/hr at 75°F and leaves

at 21°F. Specific heat and specific gravity of brine are 1.27 kj/kg°K
and 1.2 respectively.Calculate the heat transferred in HP.
Ans. 322.18 hp

8. Calculate the amount of energy required (kilocalories) to heat the

air in the house 15m x 25m x 20 m from 20°F to 90°F. The density if
air is about 1.2 kg/m3, and its specific heat at constant pressure is
0.24 BTU/lb-F.
Ans. Q= 84110.34 kcal

RADIATION
1. At what rate does the sun lose energy by radiation? The
temperature of the sun is about 6000K and its radius is 6.95 x 10 5
km.
Ans. 4.46 x1026 W

2. Calculate the radiation in watts per square centimeter from a

block of copper at 250°C. The oxidized copper surface radiates a 0.60
rate of a black body.
Ans. 0.2545 W/cm2
3. A thin squared steel plate, 10 cm on a side, is heated in a
blacksmiths forge to a temperature of 850°C. If the emissivity is
0.60, what is the total heat rate of radiation of energy?
Ans. 541.10 W

4. A steam pipe having an outside surface temperature of 300°C passes

through a room where the temperature is 25°C. The inside diameter of
the pipe is 80mm with the thickness of 10mm and emissivity factor is
0.60. Determine the radiated heat loss for 5m. pipe length.
Ans. 5339.587 W

5. An insulated steam pipe passes through a room in which the air and
walls are 25°C. The inside diameter is 55mm while the outside
diameter of the pipe is 70mm, and its surface temperature emissivity
are 200°C and 0.80 respectively. If the coefficient associated with
free convection heat transfer from the surface to the air is 15 W/m 2-
K, what is the rate of heat loss from the surface per unit length of
the pipe?
Ans. 997.934 W/m

MORE PRACTICE PROBLEMS UNDER MODES OF HEAT TRANSFER

1. What is the external heating surface area in square inch a tube

with the following dimensions: Tube inside diameter =250mm, wall
thickness =25mm and length= 2.5m.
Ans. A= 3652.1087 in2

2. How much heat (kilocalorie) will flow in 8 hours through a plaster

wall that is 15 mm thick and 1.5m X 0.75m in area if a temperature is
15°C on one side and -1.5°C on the other side. Use k= 3.25 BTU-in/hr-
ft2-°F.
Ans. Q= 3987.7 kcal

3. A hot gas temperature in a heat exchanger is 300°F(ho = 0.1

Hp/ft2°R). What is the surface temperature on the wall if the heat
transferred is 100500W/m2?
Ans. 174.78°F

4. The sun generates 5 hp/ft2 when used as a source for solar

collectos with an area of 10ft2 heat water. The flow rate is 10
gallons per minute. What is the temperature rise in the water in
degrees Fahrenheit? Density of the water is 62.4lb per cubic foot.
Ans. 5.09°F

5. Determine the equivalent heat energy transferred across 25cm wall

of firebrick with a surface temperature of 125°F. The inner surface
temperature is maintained at 275°F. The wall has rectangular
dimension of 500mm by 1.25m with a thermal conductivity of 1750
W/m°C.
Ans. 488.72 Hp.