ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Radial Systems

Radial Systems
• Frequently, temperature gradients are only in radial direction, so can
treat as 1-D systems
Cylinder
• Example: Hollow cylinder, inner and outer surfaces exposed to fluids
at different temperatures

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Radial Systems

Steady State, No Heat Generation

Energy Equation

1 d  dT 
 kr 0
r dr  dr 
Fourier’s Law

qr  kA
dT
dr
 k 2rL 
dT
dr
A  2rL
Note that qr is constant in this case, but qr” is not because A=f(r)
Integration of Energy Equation:

dT dT c'1
 kr  c'1   T
c'1
ln r  c 2  T  c1 ln r  c 2
dr dr kr k

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Radial Systems

Apply Boundary Conditions to find c1 and c2

T r1   Ts1 T r2   Ts2

This gives, after simplification:
c1 
Ts1  Ts2  c2 
Ts 2 ln r1  Ts 1 ln r2
lnr1 r2  lnr1 r2 

Ts1  Ts2 T ln r  Ts1 ln r2

T ln r  s2 1
ln  r1 r2  ln  r1 r2 

Rearrange to get:

T
Ts1  Ts2  lnr r   T T  Ts2

lnr r2 
lnr1 r2  Ts1  Ts2 lnr1 r2 
2 s2

Note that for radial case, temperature profile is not linear even without
Qgen because the surface area changes in the radial direction

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Rcond for 1-D Radial Conduction

Use previous expression with Fourier’s Law to compute heat transfer

resistance for thermal network concept
dT 2Lk Ts1  Ts2  Ts1  Ts2 lnr2 r1 
qr  q A  k2rL  R cond  
dr lnr2 r1  q r 2Lk
Can extend this to composite cylindrical wall (concentric cylindrical
shells) with convective and/or radiative boundary conditions on the
inside and outside

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Composite Cylindrical Wall

Use definition of resistance of cylindrical element for each cylinder (combine in

series):

qr 
T1  T 4 
qr 
T1  T 4   U A T  T 
1 lnr2 r1  lnr3 r2  lnr4 r3  1 R tot
1 1 1 4
   
2 r1Lh1 2  k AL 2 kBL 2 k CL 2 r4Lh4
A1  2r1L

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

U and UA of Composite Cylindrical Wall

• In plane wall systems, area A was unique and constant. But in

cylindrical systems, there is a choice of several surfaces evaluated at
radius r1, r2, or r3. But heat transferred, Q, does not change because of
a specific choice of radius for the evaluation of surface area
U1 
1 A1  2r1L
R tot A1
1
U1 
1 r r r1 r1 1
 lnr2 r1  1  1 lnr3 r2   lnr4 r3  
h1 k A kB kC r4 h4
• U1 defined from Inside Surface Area, A1
• Choice of reference surface area is arbitrary and/or based on personal
preference and convenience
U1A1  U2 A 2  U3 A 3  U4 A 4   R t 1

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Example Problem (Holman Ex. 2.2)

Stainless steel tube, k = 19 [W/m-K], ID = 2 [cm], OD = 4 [cm]

covered with 3 cm layer of insulation, k = 0.2 [W/m-K].
Given T1 and T2, calculate Q/L

Q 2 600  100  W
  680
L ln2 1  ln5 2  m
19 0.2

What is the governing resistance?

Insulation

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Example Problem: Heat Transfer through Tube

(Holman 2.51)

Find U

what is the
determining
factor?

1 1
Ui  Ui 
1 ri  ro  r i 1 3
1 25  10  29   25  1
 ln    ln  
hi k  ri  ro ho 500 2  43  25   29  12
1 W
Ui  Ui  13.54
2.000  10  3  4.315  10  5  7.184  10  2 m2K

Dominating resistance is largest resistance (smallest h)

Note: U  13; h0  12

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Example Problem cont’d

Compare UiAi and UoAo

1
Uo 
ro r r  1
 o ln o  
rihi k  ri  ho

1
Uo  W
29 29  10 3
 29  1 Uo  11.67
m2K
 ln 
25  500 2  43  25  12

Check:
UA  Ui Ai  Uo A o
UA  13.54    25  10 3 L  11.67    29  10 3 L

1.063L  1.063L
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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Critical Thickness of Insulation

Increasing insulation thickness:

• Increases conduction resistance
• Decreases convection resistance (surface area increases)
• Possible existence of optimum thickness
Example: Insulated thin walled copper tube T T
Q'  i 
Thin wall R' tot
R’tot on per unit length basis

lnro ri  1
R ' tot  
2 k 2 roho

At “critical” thickness

d 1 1 k
R'tot   0  0 ro   rcr
dr 2kro 2ro 2ho ho
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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Critical Thickness of Insulation

Check whether rcr is maximum, minimum or inflection

d2 1 1  1
2 1
2
R'tot    2
 3
 2  
dr r h
2kro 2horo ro  o o 2k 

k d2 1 1 1  h2o
@ ro  rcr  R'tot   
2  k 2k 
 0
ho dr 2
k ho  2k 3

2nd derivative > 0  minima

Note: If area does not change in heat flow direction, critical thickness
phenomenon does not exist
If ro<rcr , add insulation  Q (this helps electrical wire because it has
to dissipate heat)
If ro>rcr , add insulation  Q (helps steam flow through pipe)

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Critical Thickness of Insulation

Example:
h = 5 [W/m2K], k = 0.055 [W/m-K]
rcr = 0.011 m
For 10 mm wire, ri = 0.005 m
rcr – ri = 0.006 m
Therefore q ↑ with additional insulation up to a thickness of 0.006 m

Insulation Thickness R’tot [Km/W]

0 mm (bare) 6.37
6 mm 5.17
20 mm 5.93
40 mm 7.06

Normally, critical insulation problems are not encountered since rcr is

very small for larger h and ri > rcr

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ME 3345 Heat Transfer

Example Problem (Holman Ex 2.3)

Calculate the critical radius of insulation (k = 0.17 [W/mK]) surrounding a

pipe exposed to room air at 20ºC, h = 3.0 [W/m²K]. Calculate heat loss
from a 200ºC, 5 cm diameter pipe covered with rc and without insulation.
k 0.17
ro    0.0567 m  5.67 cm
h 3.0
Heat loss with insulation at critical thickness
5.0 q 2 200  20  W
rinsulation,inner   2.5 cm   105.7
2 L ln5.67 2.5   1 m
0.17 0.0567  3.0

Heat loss without insulation

q 2 200  20  W
  84.8
L 0.025  3.0 m
Adding insulation actually increases Q!

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