A large metal pot containing fondue (melted cheese) held at 120°C is to be placed on a wooden table supported on a trivet with four vertical legs. The legs are solid cylindrical rods with a diameter of 0.5 cm and are made of stainless steel. The maximum temperature to which the surface of the wood can be exposed is 60°C. The convective heat transfer coefficient at the rods’ surface is estimated to be 8.0 W/m² K. The air temperature is 20°C. Assuming steady state:

(a) Write down the differential energy balance and the boundary conditions needed to find the temperature profile in the rods. State your assumptions clearly.

(b) Use available solutions of your equation in

(a) to determine how long the rods need to be.

(c) Determine the rate of heat transfer from the pot to each leg.