Question

In order to determine the size of the heating element of a new oven, we wish to determine the rate of heat loss through the walls, door, and the top and bottom sections of the oven. In your analysis, would you consider this to be a steady or a transient heat transfer problem? Also, would you consider the heat transfer to be one-dimensional or multidimensional? Explain.

Short answer

Answer: The heat transfer problem in an oven is steady and multidimensional.

Step-by-step solution

Steady or Transient Problem?

To determine if this is a steady or transient heat transfer problem, we need to consider whether the temperature distribution changes with time. In an oven, the temperature gets stable after some time, and there won't be noticeable changes in temperature distribution. Therefore, this can be considered a steady heat transfer problem.

One-dimensional or Multidimensional?

A one-dimensional heat transfer problem assumes that the heat flow occurs only in one direction and that the temperature distribution varies only in that particular direction. In the case of an oven, heat loss occurs through all the surfaces (walls, door, top, and bottom sections) in different directions. As a result, we can consider this as a multidimensional heat transfer problem, as variations in temperature distribution happen in multiple directions along the surfaces.