SS-V: 3040 Heat Generating Wire

Test No. VT05 Find the temperature at the centerline and surface of a heat generating wire.

Definition

Figure 1. Temperature distribution in the wire


The bare steel wire is generating uniform heat. It is surrounded by an air temperature of 70 F.

The wire diameter is 0.75 inches.

The material properties are:
Properties
Value
Thermal Conductivity
13 BTU/(hr-ft-F)
Surface Convection Coefficient
5 BTU/(hr-ft2-F)
Uniform Heat Generation Rate
111311.7 BTU/(hr-ft3)

Results

The wire is simulated by a 5 inch long cylinder. End surfaces of the cylinder are insulated to allow heat transfer only in the direction perpendicular to the cylinder centerline. Heat dissipation rate was calculated through heat flow rate per wire 1 ft length.

The following table shows the temperature at the centerline and surface of the wire, and the heat dissipation rate.
Reference SimSolid % Difference
Temperature at Centerline [deg-F] 419.9 418.6 -0.31%
Temperature at Surface [deg-F] 417.9 416.5 -0.34%
1 W.M.Rohsenow, H.Y.Choi, Heat, Mass and Momentum Transfer, 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc.,Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1963, pg. 106, ex. 6.5.