Lumped Capacitance Method for Analyzing Transient Conduction Problems: Summary
The answers to the ConcepTests are given below and will open in a separate window.
ConcepTest 2 Answer — see this screencast for an explanation
Key points from this module:
- Lumped capacitance provides a relatively simple way to calculate the temperature of an object that warms up or cools off over time.
- It is very limited, however. Before using it, you must first confirm that Bi < 0.1 or your results will be meaningless.
From studying this module, you should now be able to:
- Identify whether lumped capacitance is appropriate in a given scenario.
- Sketch a qualitatively-accurate graph of the temperature of an object as a function of time.
- Predict when an object will reach a specified temperature.
Prepared by Jeffrey Knutsen, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder