ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses one-dimensional steady-state heat conduction through the plane wall with and without heat generation, cylindrical tube with and without heat generation, and fins with constant and variable cross-sectional area. The heat transfer rate is divided by the cross-sectional area of the plane wall. Applying the analogy between the heat transfer and electrical network, one may define the thermal resistance like the electrical resistance. From Newton’s law of cooling, heat transfer rate can be increased by either increasing temperature difference between surface and fluid, heat transfer coefficient, or surface area. For a given problem, temperature difference between surface and fluid may be fixed, and increasing heat transfer coefficient may result in more pumping power. It is important to point out that the temperature distribution through a fin varies depending on the aforementioned fin tip boundary conditions. In general, these temperatures are a decay curve from the fin base to the fin tip.
