FALL 2010, MET 425 - FEA II 
Heat Transfer Application

Prof. Dave Johnson, dhj1@psu.edu, Penn State - Erie, The Behrend College

Exam 3 Practice Problem



A submarine is to be designed to provide a comfortable temperature for the crew of no less than 70 oF.  The structure can be idealized as a cylinder (above), 30 ft. O.D. and 200 ft. in length (ignoring heat flow from the end caps).  The wall of the submarine is a sandwich construction with a 0.75 inch thick outer layer of stainless steel, a 1.0 inch thick middle layer of fiberglass insulation, and a 0.25 inch thick inner layer of aluminum.  The average sea water temperature outside the submarine is 44.5 oF and the outside film coefficient for convection 1.543E-04 BTU/sec-in2-oF.  Inside the submarine, the convection film coefficient to air is 4.823E-06 BTU/sec-in2-oF.

Material Properties, thermal conductivity (in BTU/hr-ft-oF):

    Stainless steel:  8.268,   Fiberglass insulation: 0.028,  Aluminum: 117.42



An appropriate 2D model is shown above, a symmetric slice of the cylinder, 1 degree of 360.  Use 2D solid planar, elements for the metal and insulation layers.  
Be very careful of UNITS !!  
(Geometry file - ParaSolid, available). Be sure to use 1" element thickness for the 2D model.

NOTE: Could also be solved as a 2D axisymmetric model - ParaSolid, available - representing 1" of the total cylinder length

Determine:

1)    The temperature distribution through the wall of the submarine, illustrated with a temperature contour plot

2)    The total heat flow (Q) through the wall of the FEA model.

   

2D Planar 1degree slice model

2D axisymmetric model

Model Plot showing 3 materials and bonded contact regions

    

Environment Plot (All Boundary Conditions)

 

 Temperature Contour Plot

Total heat flow through the entire submarine wall:

2D Planar, 1 degree sector model:
Reaction Probe shows 4.5154E-05 BTU/sec entering/leaving the model
2D Axisymmetric model:
Reaction Probe shows 1.6255E-02 BTU/sec entering/leaving the model
Q = 360*200*12*4.5154E-05 BTU/sec = 39 BTU/sec = 140,447 BTU/hr Q = 200*12*1.6255E-02 BTU/sec = 39 BTU/sec = 140,447 BTU/hr

Evaluate TEPC (each body must be checked separately)

Aluminum:  3.04 %

Insulation: 0.0044 %

Stainless Steel: 1.19 %

Evaluate TEPC (each body must be checked separately)

Aluminum:  2.31 %

Insulation: 0.003 %

Stainless Steel: 1.01 %