Connecting Unsteady-State and Steady-State Analyses Using Heat Transfer and Fluids Examples

Abstract

In many undergraduate courses, emphasis is given to the analysis of steady-state situations, in spite of the fact that unsteady-state situations are common in engineering problems. For instance, while discussing heat transfer, unsteady-state topics are introduced to students without connection to steady-state situations. This paper presents a few common situations, some of them often treated only as their steady-state counterparts, that have been used to offer students an interesting and pedagogically rich unsteady-state and steady-state analysis. The methodology proposed herein bridges unsteady-state and steady-state situations and helps subject integration. Some criteria for model simplification are offered. The present paper focuses on heat conduction. However, radiation and convective heat transfer can be similarly analysed.