The One-Dimensional Analysis of Oscillatory Heat Transfer in a Fin Assembly

Studies of the transient heat transfer within extended surfaces have so far considered the fins in isolation. The isolated fin model is not representative of the physical boundary conditions within an extended surface heat exchanger since it does not account for the thermal effects of the supporting interface. The aim of this study is to extend the work on transient heat transfer within finned surfaces by incorporating the supporting wall in the problem. A mathematical one-dimensional solution for harmonic oscillatory heat transfer in a fin assembly is derived. It is concluded that, unlike steady-state situations, the transient heat transfer in a fin assembly can only be found by considering both the wall and the fins simultaneously.