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The General Heat Conduction Equation in Cartesian Coordinates and Polar Coordinates

The document summarizes the general heat conduction equation in Cartesian and polar coordinates. It describes considering a small volume element in a solid and deriving equations for the temperature gradients at its faces using Taylor's series. An equation is presented for the net rate of heat conducted out of the element assuming constant thermal conductivity. Combining this with an energy balance that accounts for internal heat generation and changes in internal energy with time yields the general heat conduction equation. It is noted this equation describes heat transfer in isotropic solids with constant properties.

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587 views

The General Heat Conduction Equation in Cartesian Coordinates and Polar Coordinates

The document summarizes the general heat conduction equation in Cartesian and polar coordinates. It describes considering a small volume element in a solid and deriving equations for the temperature gradients at its faces using Taylor's series. An equation is presented for the net rate of heat conducted out of the element assuming constant thermal conductivity. Combining this with an energy balance that accounts for internal heat generation and changes in internal energy with time yields the general heat conduction equation. It is noted this equation describes heat transfer in isotropic solids with constant properties.

Uploaded by

l8o8r8d8s8i8v8
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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The General Heat Conduction Equation in Cartesian

coordinates and Polar coordinates


Any physical phenomenon is generally accompanied by a
change in space and time of its physical properties. The
heat transfer by conduction in solids can only take place
when there is a variation of temperature, in both space
and time. Let us consider a small volume of a solid
element as shown in Fig. 1.2 The dimensions are x-, Y-,
and Z- coordinates.

Fig 1.1 Elemental volume in Cartesian coordinates


First we consider heat conduction the X-direction. Let T
denote the temperature at the point P (x, y, z) located at
the geometric centre of the element. The temperature
gradient at the left hand face (x - ~x12) and at the right
hand face (x + x/2) , using the Taylor's series, can be
written as:
T /
x|L =T/x 2T
higherD order terms.

/-x2.

2+

T
/
x|R
=T/x 2T
2 higherD order+ terms.

/+x2.

The net rate at which heat is conducted out of the


element 10 X-direction assuming k as
constant and neglecting the higher order terms,
Similarly for Y- and Z-direction,

If there is heat generation within the element as Q, per


unit volume and the internal energy of
the element changes with time, by making an energy
balance, we write

is called the thermal diffusivity and is seen to be a


physical property of the material of which the solid is
composed.
The Eq. (2.la) is the general heat conduction equation for
an isotropic solid with a constant

Under steady state or stationary condition, the


temperature of a body does not vary with time, i.e. T /
t 0=.And, with no internal generation, the equation
(2.1) reduces to
Del2T =0
It should be noted that Fourier law can always be used to
compute the rate of heat transfer by conduction from the
knowledge of temperature distribution even for unsteady
condition and with internal heat generation.

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