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1
The Thermal Resistance Concept
cond
2 1
wall . cond
R
T T
Q

=

L
T T
kA
dx
dT
kA Q
2 1
wall . cond

= =

As just derived:
Steady Convection: Newtons Law of Cooling
) T T ( hA Q
s convection
=

conv
s
convection
R
T T
Q

Where convection thermal resistance is

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2
Radiation
Where radiation thermal resistance is
( ) ( )
rad
surr s
surr s rad
4
surr
4
s rad
R
T T
T T A h T T A Q

= = =

Thermal Resistance: Connected in Series

Consider a heat flow through an insulated door:
1
T
2
T
3
T
Q

l
1
l
2
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Thermal Resistance: Connected in Parallel
Consider a heat flow through a wall with a window:
l
1
1
T
2
T
Q

l
2
Consider a heat flow through a multilayer wall:
1
T
2
T
3
T
4
T
Q

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STREET, T
out
Room 1 Room 2
HALL, T
in
Room 3
Consider heating of a classroom 2:
THERMAL RESISTANCE NETWORKS
R
1
R
2
R
3
R
1
R
2
R
3
Connected in series
Connected in parallel
Approximate solutions of many 3-D steady heat conduction
problems can be obtained assuming 1-D heat transfer and
the thermal resitance concept
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Q

Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
Insulated
Insulated
Class examples
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c a b
d
e
b
T
1
,
h
1
T
2
,
h
2
k
3
k
1
k
2
e
A 3 m high and 5 m wide wall consists of long 16 cm X 22 cm cross-
section horizontal bricks (k
1
=0.72 W/(mK)), separated by 3 cm thick
plaster layers with k
2
=0.22 W/(mK). There are also 2 cm thick plaster
layers on each side of the wall and a 3 cm thick rigid foam (k
3
=0.026
W/(mK)) on the inner side of the wall. The indoor and the outdoor
temperatures are T
1
=20 and T
2
= 10 C, and the convection heat transfer
coeffcients on the inner and outer sides are h
1
=10 W/m
2
K and h
2
=25
W/m
2
K, respectively. Assuming one-dimensional heat transfer and
disregarding radiation, determine the rate of heat transfer through the
wall.
263 W
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Homework 2b.
2.3 Consider a composite wall that includes an 8-mm thick hardwood siding (k
A
=0.095 W/(mK)), 40 mm
by 130 mm hardwood studs (k
B
=0.16 W/(mK)) on 0.65 m centers with glass fiber insulation (k
C
=0.038
W/(mK)), and a 12-mm layer of vermiculite wall board (k
D
=0.17 W/(mK)). What is the thermal
resistance associated with a wall that is 2.5 m high by 6.5 m wide (having 10 studs, each 2.5 m
high)?
Wood siding
Stud
Insulation
Wall board
40 mm
130 mm
0.65 m
Homework 2b.
2.4 The wall of a drying oven is constructed by sandwiching an insulation material of thermal conductivity
k=0.05 W/(mK) between thin metal sheets. The oven air is at T
,I
=300 C and the corresponding
convection coefficient h
i
=30 W/(m
2
K). The inner wall surface absorbs a radiant flux of
from hotter objects within the oven. The room air is at T
o
= 25 C and the overall coefficient for
convection and radiation from the outer surface is h
0
=10 W/(m
2
K).
a. Draw the thermal circuit for the wall and label all temperatures, heat transfer rates, and thermal
resistances
b. What insulation thickness L is required to maintain the outer wall surface at safe to touch temperature
of 40 C
2
100
rad
W
q
m
=
,
i
i
h
T
,
o
o
h
T

Oven inside
External air
rad
q
L
Insulation, k
o
T