Heat Transfer

LEVEL 1 Q.3: The ends of a metallic bar are maintained at different

temperature and there is no loss/gain of heat from the sides
Q. 1: Four metal rods each of length L and cross sectional of the bar due to conduction or radiation. In the steady
area A are joined at point M. Thermal conductivities of state the temperature variation along the length of the bar
MA, MB and MD are equal and that of MC is thrice that is a shown in the figure what do you think about the cross
of MA. The end points A, B, C and D are kept in large sectional area of the bar?
reservoirs. Heat flows into the junction from B at a rate of
P(Js–1) and from C at a rate of 3P. Heat flows out of D at
a rate of 5P.
(a) Find relation between temperatures of points A, B
and C.
(b) Find temperature of D if temperature of A and M and
TAand TM respectively.

Q.4: A thick spherical shell of inner and outer radii r and

r
R respectively has thermal conductivity k = __ ​  n ​, where r is
x
a constant and x is distance from the centre of the shell.
The inner and outer walls are maintained at temperature T1
and T2 (< T1)
(a) Find the value of number n (call it n0) for which the
temperature gradient remains constant throughout the
thickness of the shell.
Q. 2: The two ends of a uniform metallic rod are maintained (b) For n = n0, find the value of x at which the temperature
at 100°C and 0°C as shown in the figure. Assume that end T1 + T2
is ​ ______
 ​
of the rod at 100°C is at x = 0 and the other end at 0°C is 2
at x = L. Plot the variation of temperature as x changes from (c) For n = n0, calculate the rate of flow of heat through
0 to L in steady state. Consider two cases. the shell.
(a) The rod is perfectly lagged.
Q. 5: Three bars of aluminium, brass and copper are of
(b) The rod is not lagged and surrounding is at 0°C. equal length and cross section. The three pieces are joined
together as shown in A, B and C and the ends are maintained
at 100°C and 0°C. The thermal conductivities of aluminium,
brass and copper are in ratio 2 : 1 : 4. Assume no heat loss
through curved surface of the bar and that the system is in
steady state.
 (a) In which of the three cases (A, B or C) the temperature
difference across aluminium bar will be maximum?
(b) Draw a graph showing variation of temperature from
one end of the bar to another in case B.

Q. 6: A lake is covered with ice 5 cm thick and the

atmospheric temperature above the ice is – 10°C. At what
rate (in cm/hour) will the ice layer thicken?
   Thermal conductivity of ice = 0.005 cgs unit, density of
ice = 0.9 g/cc and latent heat of fusion of ice = 80 cal/g.
Q. 7. A liquid having mass m = 250 g is kept warm in a
vessel by use of an electric heater. The liquid is maintained
at 50°C when the power supplied by heater is 30 watt and
surrounding temperature is 20°C. As the heater is switched
off, the liquid starts cooling and it was observed that it took
10 second for temperature to fall down from 40°C to 39.9°C.
Calculate the specific heat capacity of the liquid. Assume
Newton’s law of cooling to be applicable.
Q.8: (i) A cylindrical pipe of length L has inner and outer
radii as a and b respectively. The inner surface
of the pipe is at a temperature T1 and the outer
surface is at a lower temperature of T2. Calculate
the radial heat current if conductivity of the mate-
rial is K.
(ii) A cylindrical pipe of length L has two layers of
material of conduc-
tivity K1 and K2. (see
figure). If the inner
wall of the cylinder
is maintained at T1
and outer surface is
at T2 (< T1), calcu-
late the radial rate of
heat flow.
Q. 10: A potato at initial temperature T0 is placed inside
a hot convection oven maintained at a constant temperature
T1(> T0). Assume that the potato receives heat only because
of convection phenomenon and the rate at which it receives
heat is given as hA (T1 – T) where h is a constant, A is surface
area of the potato and T is instantaneous temperature of the
potato. Mass and specific heat capacity of the potato are m
and s respectively. In how much time the potato will be at
T0 + T1
a temperature T2 = _______
​   ​? Assume no change in volume
2
of the potato.
LEVEL 2
Q. 30: The container A contains ice at O°C. A conducting
Q. 27: A tapering rod of length L has cross sectional radii uniform rod PQ of length 4R is used to transfer heat to the
of a and b(< a) at its two ends. Its thermal conductivity is k. ice in the container. The end P of the rod is maintained at
The end with radius a is maintained at a higher temperature 100°C and the other end Q is kept inside container A. The
T1 and the other end is maintained at a lower temperature complete ice melts in 23 minutes. In another experiment, two
T2. The curved surface is insulated. conductors in shape of quarter circle of radii 2R and R are
(i) At which of the two points – 1 and 2 – shown in the welded to the conductor PQ at M and N respectively and their
figure will the temperature gradient be higher? other ends are inserted inside the container A. All conductors
(ii) Calculate the thermal resistance of the rod. are made of same material and have same cross sectional
area. Once again the end
P is maintained at 100°C
and this time the com-
plete ice melts in t min-
ute. Find t. Assume no
heat loss from the curved
surface of the rods. [Take

Q. 34: A straight cylindrical wire is connected to a battery.

The wire is maintained at constant temperature of T1 when
Q. 28: A thick cylindrical shell made of material of thermal
conductivity k has inner and outer radii r and R respectively
and its length is L. When the curved
surface of the cylinder are lagged
(i.e., given insulation cover) and one
end is maintained at temperature T1
and the other end is maintained at
T2(< T1); the heat current along
the length of the cylinder is H. In
another experiment the two ends
are lagged and the inner wall and
outer wall are maintained at T1 and
T2 respectively. Find the radial heat
flow in this case.
Q. 29: A double pan window used for insulating a room
thermally from outside consists of two glass sheets each of
area 1 m2 and thickness 0.01 m separated by 0.05 m thick
stagnant air space. In the steady state, the room-glass interface
and the glass-outdoor interface are at constant temperatures
of 27°C and 0°C respectively. The thermal conductivity of
glass is 0.8 Wm–1K–1 and of air 0.08 Wm–1K–1. Answer the
following questions.
(a) Calculate the temperature of the inner glass-air
interface.
(b) Calculate the temperature of the outer glass-air
interface.
(c) Calculate the rate of flow of heat through the window
pane.
Answers
ms
1. (a) TA = TB = TC (b) TD = 6TM – 5TA 10. t = ___
hA
3. Cross sectional area of the bar decreases from hot end
to the cold end
r+R
4. (a) n0 = 2 (b) _____
2
4pr (T1 – T2)
___________
(c)
(R – r)
6. 0.5 cm hr–1 ​ 
J
7. 8000 _____
kg°C
(T1 – T2)2pKL
8. (i) ____________
b
a )
T1 – T2
(ii) _________________________
1
2pK1L
r2
__
r 1
+ )1
2pK2L
r3
__
r2 ( )
Answers

L
27. (i) At point 2 (ii) _____
kpab
2L2H
____________
28.
(R2 – r2
R
__
r )
29. (a) 26.5°C (b) 0.5°C
(c) 40.5 J/s
30. 17.5 min

34. T2 = (4T 41 – 3T 40)1/4

​