1

Module 2 :
Diffusive heat and mass transfer

Lecture 12:
Heat Conduction in Semi-infinite Slab
with Constant Flux density at the wall

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

Consider heat conduction in y-direction in a semi-infinite slab (bounded only by one face)
initially at a temperature Ti, whose face suddenly at time equal to zero is raised to and
maintained at T1. Assuming constant thermal diffusivity and with no heat generation, a
differential equation in one space dimension and time is given by
T
2T
= 2
t
y

(12.1)

The initial condition (I.C) and boundary conditions (B.C) are

I.C. T(y,0) = Ti = Constant (y > 0)

Fig. 12.1 Heat transfer in

Semi- infinite solids

The condition of constant flux density, q0, can be achieved in a system where the object is
exposed to a uniform source of energy. Such conditions can be observed in a fired heater, nuclear
reactor, or solar collector, where the tube is exposed to a uniform source of radiation.
T
B.C.1. k = q 0 = Constant (t > 0)
y y =0
B.C.2. lim T(y, t ) = Ti (t > 0)
y

Setting = T Ti , so equation (12.1) becomes

2
= 2
t
y
Accordingly I.C. and B.Cs will be
NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

(12.2)

I.C. (y,0) = 0

B.C.1. k = q 0
y y =0
B.C.2. 0 as

Using Laplace transform to solve equation (12.2), we get

p (y, p ) (y,0) = yy (y, p )

(12.3)

Using I.C. in equation (12.3), we get

p =

2
y 2

(12.4)

The solution to equation (12.4) is

p

p
= C1exp y
+ C2 exp y

Applying B.C.2 in eqn. (12.5), we get

C1 = 0
From B.C.1 and differentiation of eqn. (12.5) w.r.t y gives

p q0
=
kC 2
p

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

(12.5)

Evaluating C2 and substituting in equation (12.5), we get

exp y

p

q0 a
Kp

(12.6)

From tables (refer H.S. Mickley, T.S. Sherwood, and C.E. Reed, Applied Mathematics in
Chemical Engineering., McGraw-Hill, 1979)
1

y2
p
1

= F(y )

exp y
exp
=
a
t
p
4 t

-1

(12.7)

Division of the transform by p corresponds to integration between 0 and t.

-1 1

t
f (p ) = F(z ) dz
p
0

(12.8)

Thus using equation (12.6), (12.7) and (12.8) we can write

q 1

p q 0
=
= -1 0
exp y
k

k p p

x=

Set

q0y
k

y
4 z

y2
dz
exp
z
4 z
1

, equation (12.9) then becomes

1
exp x 2 dx
x2

4 t

On integration by parts, eqn. (12.11) gives

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

(12.9)

(12.10)

y2
q0

2 y
(y, t ) =
2

t
exp

k
4 t

dy

(12.11)

y2
q0 t
y
y erfc
exp

2
k

4 t
4 t

(12.12)

e
y

4 t

or

(y, t ) =

From equation (12.12) we can conclude that surface temperature increases as t .

(0, t ) =

2 q0
k

Fig. 12.1 Temperature varies with length at different time period

NPTEL,IITKharagpur,Prof.SaikatChakraborty,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering

(12.13)