Heat conduction through edge sections with convective boundary conditions

Abstract

A technique is presented for determining the two-dimensional temperature distribution and rate of heat transfer in bodies subjected to convective boundary conditions. The bodies axe simulated by electrically conducting paper; the boundary conditions are simulated by variable resistors which are connected to the paper. The technique was applied to edge sections with convective boundary conditions and convenient factors were determined to permit the rapid calculation of heat transfer through edge sections. § 1. Introduction. There are few solutions available for determining the steady state rate of heat transfer ill tWO-or three-dimensional bodies which are subject to convective boundary conditions. Solutions for problems of this type may be sought by a number of methods. For example, a solution to Laplace's equation subject to linear heat transfer at the boundaries might be attempted. Numerical and analog techniques can be readily applied to this type of problem. Methods involving conformal mapping are not used due to the nature of the boundary condition. The object of this paper is twofold. First, to present a simplified method for determining the rate of heat transfer and two dimensional temperature distribution in bodies subjected to convective boundary conditions; and second, to present curves which can be used to rapidly calculate the rate of heat transfer through edge sections which are formed by the intersection of two plane walls ( fig. 1). The walls do not have to be of equal thickness and their inside and outside surfaces are exposed to environments at Tt and To respectively. The inside and outside --73 --