12/7/2016

The General Conduction

Equation
Cartesian Co-ordinates

Cartesian Co-ordinates

• Consider an infinitesimal rectangular

parallelopiped (volume element) of
sides dx, dy and dz, parallel,
respectively, to the three axes (X,Y,Z) in
a medium in which temperature is
varying with location and time as show
in Fig.

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Let, t = temperature at
the left face ABCD;
this temperature may
be assumed uniform
over the entire surface,
since the area of this
face can be made
arbitrarily small.

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• = ℎ
− .
• Then,
= ℎ

ℎ ℎ

• + = temperature on the right face

EFGH (at a distance dx from the left face
ABCD)
• Further, let, kx ,ky ,kz = thermal conductivities
(direction characteristics of the material)
along X,Y and Z axes.

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• qg = heat generated per unit volume per unit

time.
• (Note : qg may be function of position or
time , or both).
• = mass density of material,
• Cp= specific heat of the material

Energy balance / equation for

volume element
• net heat accumulated in the element due to
conduction of heat from all the coordinate
directions considered (A) + heat generated
within the element (B) = energy stored in the
element (C). ….(1)

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Energy balance / equation for

volume element
• Let Q = rate of heat flow in the direction
and Q’ = (Q.dτ) = total heat flow (flux) in
that direction (in time dτ).

Part A:
A. Net Heat Accumulated in the Element Due to
Conduction of Heat From All The Directions
Considered:

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A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

• Quantity of heat flowing in to the element

from the left face ABCD during the time
interval dτ in X-direction is given by :

• Heat influx, Q’x = -kx( dy.dz) dτ …..(1)

A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

• During the same time interval dτ the heat

flowing out of the right face of control
volume (EFGH) will be:

• Heat efflux, Q’(x + dx) = Q’x + (Q’x) dx (2)

• Heat accumulation in the element due to heat
flow in X-direction, dQ’x = Q’x - Q’(x + dx)

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A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

• dQ’x = Q’x – [Q’x + (Q’x) dx ]

[subtracting (2) from (1)]

• =- (Q’x) dx

• = - [-kx( dy.dz) dτ ]dx

• dQ’x = [kx ] dx.dy.dz.dτ ……..(2.1)

A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

• Similarly the heat accumulated due to heat

flow by conduction along Y and Z directions
in time dτ will be :

• dQ’y = [ky ] dx.dy.dz.dτ ……..(2.2)

• dQ’z = [kz ] dx.dy.dz.dτ ……..(2.3)

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A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

• Net heat accumulated in the element due to

conduction of heat from all the coordinate
directions considered
• A = dQ’x + dQ’y + dQ’z
• A= [kx ] dx.dy.dz.dτ + [ky ]
dx.dy.dz.dτ + [kz ] dx.dy.dz.dτ

A. Net Heat Accumulated In The Element

Due To Conduction Of Heat From All The
Directions Considered

By simplification….

• A= [kx ]+ [ky ]+
[kz ] dx.dy.dz.dτ .… (2.4)

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B. Total Heat Generated Within the

Element (Q’g)

The total heat generated in the element is given

by
• Q’g = qg(dx.dy.dz)dτ ………..(2.5)

C. Energy Stored in the Element

• The total heat accumulated in the element

due to heat flow along coordinate (Eqn.2.4)
and the heat generated within the element
(Eqn.2.5) together serve to increase the
thermal energy of the element / lattice. This
increase in thermal energy is given by:

• (dx.dy.dz) cp . dτ ……..(2.6)

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• Now, substituting Eqns.(2.4), (2.5), (2.6), in

the eqn.(1), we have

• [kx ]+ [ky ]+ [kz ]

dx.dy.dz.dτ+ qg(dx.dy.dz)dτ

= (dx.dy.dz) cp . dτ

Dividing both sides by dx.dy.dz.dτ, we have

• [kx ]+ [ky ]+ [kz ] + qg =

.Cp.
Or, using the vector operator , we get

• .( ) + qg = . .

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.( ) + qg = . .

• This is known as the general heat conduction

equation for ‘non-homogeneous material’,
‘self heat generating ’ and ‘unsteady three
dimensional heat flow’.
• This equation establishes in differential form
the relationship between the time and space
variation of temperature at any point of solid
through which heat flow by conduction takes
place.

General heat conduction equation for constant

thermal conductivity:

• In case of homogeneous (in which

properties e.g., specific heat, density, thermal
conductivity etc. are same everywhere in the
material) and isotropic (in which properties
are independent surface orientation) material,
kx = ky = kz = k and diffusion Eqn. (2.7)
becomes
.
• + + + = . = . ... (2.8)

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.
• + + + = .

=

.

... (2.8)

• .
= α ; is known as thermal diffusivity

• It is ratio of thermal conductivity to thermal

capacity.

thermal diffusivity:

• The larger the value of α , the faster will the

heat diffuse through the material and its
temperature will change with time.
• This will result either due to high value of
thermal conductivity k or a low value of heat
capacity ρ. Cp.

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General heat conduction equation for constant

thermal conductivity:

• a low value of heat capacity means the less

amount of heat entering the element, would
be absorbed and used to raise its temperature
and more would be available for onward
transmission.
• Metals and gases have relatively high value of
α and their response to temperature changes
it quit rapid.

General heat conduction equation for constant

thermal conductivity:

• The non-metallic solids and liquids respond

slowly to temperature changes because of
their relatively small value of thermal
diffusivity.
• Thermal diffusivity is an important
characteristic quantity for unsteady
conduction situations.

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• Eqn.(2.8)by using Laplacian , may be

written as:

• + =

.

…….(2.8(a))
• Eqn. (2.8), governs the temperature
distribution under unsteady heat flow
through a material which is homogeneous
and isotropic.

Let’s see some cases….

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Other simplified forms of heat

conduction equation are Cartesian
coordinates:
(1) for the case when no internal source of
heat generation is present, Eqn. (2.8) reduces
to + + = .

[unsteady state [ ≠ 0] heat flow with no

internal heat generation]

• Or t= . (Fourier’s equation) (2.9)

Other simplified forms of heat

conduction equation are Cartesian
coordinates:
• (2) under the situations when temperature does
not depend on the conduction then takes place in
the steady state (i.e., = 0) and Eqn.(2.8)
reduces to …..

• + + + =0

• Or t+ = 0 (Poisson’s equation) .(2.10)

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Other simplified forms of heat

conduction equation are Cartesian
coordinates:
• In the absence of internal heat
generation, Eqn. (2.10) reduces to
• + + =0

• Or t=0 (Laplace equation) (2.11)

Other simplified forms of heat

conduction equation are Cartesian
coordinates:
• (3) steady state and one- dimensional
heat transfer:
• + =0 …………(2.12)

• (4) steady state, one dimensional,

without internal heat generation
• =0 …………(2.13)

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 Other simplified forms of heat
conduction equation are Cartesian
coordinates:
• (5) steady state, two dimensional, without
internal heat generation
• + =0 …………(2.14)

• (6) unsteady state, one dimensional,

without internal heat generation
• = . ………….(2.15)

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