CHAPTER 4 FINITE VOLUME METHOD FOR DIFFUSION PROBLEMS Carer? where Bin” | Bane “The values of S, and 5, can be obtained from the source model (4.8) SAV/= 5, + 5,6¢ Equations (4.1) and (48) represent the dscretised form of equation (41) This type of dscrevsed equation is central to all further development, ‘Step 3: Solution of equations Discretsed equations of the form (4.11) must be set up at each ofthe nodal points in order to solve a problem. For control volumes that are adjacent to the domain boundaries the general discrtised equation (4.11) is modified to incorporate boundary conditions. The resulting system of linear algebraic {equations is then solved to obtain the distribution ofthe property @at nodal points. Any suitable matrix solution technique may be enlisted for this task [In Chapter 7 we describe matrix solution methods that are specially designed for CED procedures. The techniques of dealing with different types of boundary conditions will be examined in detail in Chapter 9 ‘The application ofthe finite volume method to the solution of simple dif- fusion problems involving conductive heat transfer is presented in this section. The equation governing one-dimensional steady state conductive heat transfer is {fT \ i 5-0 (42) ae Where thermal conductivity & takes the place of Fin equation (4.3) and the dependent variable is temperature T. The source term can, for example, be hheat generation due to an electrical current passing through the rod, Incor- poration of boundary conditions as well asthe treatment of source terms will be introduced by means of three worked examples Consider the problem of source-free heat conduction in an insulated rod whose ends are maintained at constant temperatures of 100°C and 500°C. respectively. The one-dimensional problem sketched in Figure 4.3 is gov- cerned by. a) =0 413) Cleulate the steady state temperature distribution inthe rod, Thermal con- ductivity # equals 1000 W/m.K, cross-sectional area is 10% 10° my4.3, WORKED EXAMPLES 119 Figure 44 The grid used [Let us divide the length of the rod into five equal control volumes as shown, in Figure 4.4, This gives dx = 0.1 m. al * im “The grid comtsts of five nodes. For each one of nodes ?, Vand 4 remper= ature valves tothe east and west are available as nodal values. Consequently, discretised equations of the form (4.10) can be readily writen for control volumes surrounding these nodes: D ee )e fe Jn(ssa}re(zea}n aw ‘The thermal conductivity (t,= ty =f) node spacing (6) and cross-sectional vA) are constants. Therefore the discretised equation for Bee” Bene (45) with (Cer a a & EA | awtar ‘Sand S, are zero in this cae since there is no source term in the governing eduation (4.13). ‘Nodes I and 5 are boundary nodes, and therefore require special atten- tion, Integration of equation (4.13) over the control volume surrounding point I gives 7.) wa Tex te =) “This expression shows thatthe fux through contol volume boundary as been approximated by assuming linea relationship between temperatures at boundary point 4 and node P, We can rearrange (416) a follows’ (4,2 é 2k Aas talrye0. ty+| =a \te+|Sa|r, 17 wt zt)" 0.7% (en (Ear 47) (4.16)(CHAPTER 4 FINITE VOLUME METHOD FOR DIFFUSION PROBLEMS, Comparing equation (4.17) with equation (4.10), it can be easily identified that the fixed temperature boundary condition enters the calculation as a source term (S, + $,T,) with S, = (2k4/6:)T, and S, = -2k4/ 6, and that the link to the (west) boundary side has been suppressed by setting coefficient ay to zero. Equation (417) may be east in the same form as (4.11) to yield the dis cretised equation for boundary node | apTp=ayTy + asTy +S, (as) with O | lirea (Ela & ‘The control volume surrounding node 5 can be treated ina similar manner, Its discretsed equation is given by (Bk) a GB) ao om As before we assume a linear temperature distribution between node P and ‘boundary point B to approximate the heat flux through the control volume ‘boundary. Equation (419) can be rearranged as (4 4,2 k 2 Sas2ta)r=(£4)r, +0. 7.+(24)7, (4.20 a n fe e } io ‘The discretised equation for boundary node 5 is aT p= ayTy + Te +S, (421) where ow | [* Ses rz) 2k | 2k = | 0 |a+ae~s, |-=4 | 247, oe ae | Be ‘The discretisation process has yielded one equation for each of the nodal points I to 5. Substitution of numerical values gives £4/6x = 100, and the coeficients of each diseretised equation can easily be worked out. ‘Their ‘ales are given in Table 4.1 ‘The resulting set of algebraic equations for this example is 3007, = 1007; + 2007, 2007; = 1007; + 1007; 2007; = 1007; + 1007, (422) 2007, = 1007, + 1007; 3007; = 1007, + 200754.3 WORKED EXAMPLES 421 Figure 45 Comparison ofthe ‘numerical result with che analyte solution ‘This set of equations can be rearranged as 300-10 00 OT] pa007 -100 200 -100 0 oli] | 0 0-100 200 -10 © ol/7,]=) 0 423) 0 0 100 200 -100/7,] | 0 0 0 0 -100 —300)| 75} 20075, “The above set of equations yields the steady’ state temperature distribution of the given situation. For simple problems involving a small number of nodes the resulting matrix equation can easily be solved with a software package such as MATLAB (1992), For T= 100 and 7, = 500 the solution ‘of (4.23) can obtained by using, for example, Gaussian elimination: Tj) fo) 7| |20 7)| = |300 (424) 7, | 380 7) (460 “The exact solution isa linear distribution between the specified boundary temperatures: T= 800s + 100, Figure 45 shows that the exact solution and the numerical results coincide, Now we discuss problem tha includes sources other than those arising from boundary conditions. Figure 46 shows a large plate of thickness L=2.em with constant thermal conductivity & = 0-5 W/m.K and uniform heat generation ¢ = 1000 kW/m. The faces A and B are at temperatures of 100°C and 200°C respectively. Assuming that the dimensions in the y= and322 (CHAPTER 4 FINITE VOLUME METHOD FOR DIFFUSION PROBLEMS -directons are so large that temperature gradients are significant in the x~ direction only, calculate the steady state temperature distribution. Compare the numerical result with the analytical solution. The governing equation is a(,aT 4(,87) .¢n0 4.25) { ) ’ 425) ores _ “Th [As before, the method of solution is demonstrated using a simple grid ‘The domain is divided into five control volumes (see Figure 47), giving {c= 0.004 m; a unit area is considered in the y-z plane. ee | oe ee 2 pee sie 86a [oa . [sfatrs [ro 9 ‘We treat the fst term ofthe above equation a in the previous example. The second integral, the source term ofthe equation, i evaluated by calculating the average generation (ie. SAV = qAV) within each control volume. Equation (426) can be writen as [adler eat Feet) sateen (428) “The above equation can be rearranged as fe-etehote Te Abe (429)4.3 WORKED EXAMPLES 123 ‘This equation is written in the general form of (4.11) Ty harte+ 5, (430) de we have the following coeficients: ow | SIS. 4 | #4 | layear-Se] 0 | ede & | & . Equation (4.30) is valid for control volumes 2t nodal points 2, 3 and 4. To incorporate the boundary conditions at nodes 1 and 5 we apply the linear adjace ;proximation for temperatures between a boundary point and the ‘nalal point. At node I the temperature at the west boundary is known, Integration of equation (4.25) at the control volume surrounding node I gives («) -(+2) |reree sn = le a), Introduction of the linear approximation for temperatures between A and P yields where Sirs Ss HA A wa 0 | faptar-Sp | 24 | ptt Hr, & Beal ere [At nodal point 5, the temperature on the east face of the control volume is known, The node is treated ina similar way to boundary node 1. At bound- ary point 5 we have aT) aT (ot) (et) ]osree aan Tr &/2 { Te=Tn ni) oacs(CHAPTER 4 FINITE VOLUME METHOD FOR DIFFUSION PROBLEMS “The above equation can be rearranged, noting that ky = ky = to give the iscretised equation for boundary node §: aTp= ayy ¥a,T; +5, 436) where aw [|e SS. m7 Det Bea 4 | a | av+ae-Sp| #4 | gtr 247, & & |e ‘Substitution of numerical values for 4= 1, #=0.5 W/mK, ¢= 1000 kW/m! and &r = 0.004 m everywhere gives the coefficients of the dscretised equa- tions summarised in Table 4.2, Table 42 Given directly in matey form the equations are 375-125 00 OT) 29000] -13 280 -125 0] 75) |” 400] 0-125 250-125 0||7,|=| 4000} (4.37) 0 0-125 250 -128/|7,| 4000) 0 0 0-125 378|| 75} [s4000) “The solution tothe above set of uations is Ty) [130 ny] 218 B= [234 639 1] 238 nr} [20 Comparison with the analytical solution “The analytical solution to this problem may be obtained by integrating equa- tion (4.28) tice with respect to x and by subsequent application of the ‘boundary conditions. This gives Tr-T em d-a}eon, 3% “The comparison between the finite volume solution and the exact solution is shown in Table 4.3 and Figure 4.8 and i can be seen that, even witha coarse iid of five nodes, the agreement is very good.4.3 WORKED EXAMPLES 125 Figure 4.8 Comparison of the numerical result with the analytical solution Figure 49. The geomery for Example 4.3 Teneestre In the final worked example of this chapter we discuss the cooling of a circular fin by means of convective heat transfer along its length, Convection gives rise to a temperature-dependent heat loss or sink term in the govern ing equation. Shown in Figure 4.9 is a eylindrcal fin with uniform cross- “where h is the convective heat transfer coefficient, P the perimeter, & the thermal conductivity of the material and T., the ambient temperature, Calculate the temperature distribution along the fin and compare the results with the analytical solution given by (aan)