Heat Transfer: A Practical Approach 2nd
Yunus A. CengelStudents are assumed to have completed their basic physics and calculus sequence.
The completion of first courses in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics,
and differential equations prior to taking heat transfer is desirable. The relevant
concepts from these topics are introduced and reviewed as needed.
In engineering practice, an understanding of the mechanisms of heat transfer
is becoming increasingly important since heat transfer plays a crucial role
in the design of vehicles, power plants, refrigerators, electronic devices, buildings,
and bridges, among other things. Even a chef needs to have an intuitive
understanding of the heat transfer mechanism in order to cook the food “right”
by adjusting the rate of heat transfer. We may not be aware of it, but we already
use the principles of heat transfer when seeking thermal comfort. We insulate
our bodies by putting on heavy coats in winter, and we minimize heat
gain by radiation by staying in shady places in summer. We speed up the cooling
of hot food by blowing on it and keep warm in cold weather by cuddling
up and thus minimizing the exposed surface area. That is, we already use heat
transfer whether we realize it or not.