hol29362_Ch03 10/14/2008 18:0

94 3-5 Numerical Method of Analysis

Figure Example 3-5 Nomenclature for Example 3-5.

T = 500˚C

1 2 3

T = 100˚C
1m
4 5 6
T∞ =
100˚C

7 8 9

1m

The equations for nodes 3 and 6 are thus written

2T2 + T6 + 567 − 4.67T3 = 0
2T5 + T3 + T9 + 67 − 4.67T6 = 0

The equations for nodes 7 and 8 are given by

2T4 + T8 + 167 − 4.67T7 = 0
2T5 + T7 + T9 + 67 − 4.67T8 = 0

and the equation for node 9 is

T6 + T8 + 67 − 2.67T9 = 0
We thus have nine equations and nine unknown nodal temperatures. We shall discuss solution
techniques shortly, but for now we just list the answers:

Node Temperature, ◦ C

1 280.67
2 330.30
3 309.38
4 192.38
5 231.15
6 217.19
7 157.70
8 184.71
9 175.62
The heat flows at the boundaries are computed in two ways: as conduction flows for the 100 and
500◦ C faces and as convection flows for the other two faces. For the 500◦ C face, the heat flow
into the face is
 T   
q= kx = (10) 500 − 280.67 + 500 − 330.30 + (500 − 309.38) 12
y
= 4843.4 W/m

The heat flow out of the 100◦ C face is

 T   
q= ky = (10) 280.67 − 100 + 192.38 − 100 + (157.70 − 100) 12
x
= 3019 W/m

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hol29362_Ch03 10/14/2008 18:0

CHAPTER 3 Steady-State Conduction—Multiple Dimensions 95

The convection heat flow out the right face is given by the convection relation

q= hy(T − T∞ )
   
= (10) 13 309.38 − 100 + 217.19 − 100 + (175.62 − 100) 12

= 1214.6 W/m

Finally, the convection heat flow out the bottom face is


q= hx(T − T∞ )
     
= (10) 13 (100 − 100) 12 + 157.70 − 100 + 184.71 − 100 + (175.62 − 100) 12

= 600.7 W/m

The total heat flow out is

qout = 3019 + 1214.6 + 600.7 = 4834.3 W/m

This compares favorably with the 4843.4 W/m conducted into the top face. A solution of this
example using the Excel spreadsheet format is given in Appendix D.

Solution Techniques
From the foregoing discussion we have seen that the numerical method is simply a means
of approximating a continuous temperature distribution with the finite nodal elements. The
more nodes taken, the closer the approximation; but, of course, more equations mean more
cumbersome solutions. Fortunately, computers and even programmable calculators have
the capability to obtain these solutions very quickly.
In practical problems the selection of a large number of nodes may be unnecessary
because of uncertainties in boundary conditions. For example, it is not uncommon to have
uncertainties in h, the convection coefficient, of ±15 to 20 percent.
The nodal equations may be written as
a11 T1 + a12 T2 + · · · + a1n Tn = C1
a21 T1 + a22 T2 + · · · = C2
a31 T1 + · · · = C3 [3-27]
....................................
an1 T1 + an2 T2 + · · · + ann Tn = Cn

where T1 , T2 , . . . , Tn are the unknown nodal temperatures. By using the matrix notation
⎡C ⎤ ⎡T ⎤
⎡a ⎤ 1 1
11 a12 · · · a1n
⎢ C2 ⎥ ⎢ T2 ⎥
⎢ a21 a22 · · · ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ · ⎥ ⎢ · ⎥
[A] = ⎢ a31 ··· ⎥ [C] = ⎢ ⎥ [T ] = ⎢ ⎥
⎣ .................. ⎦ ⎢ · ⎥ ⎢ · ⎥
⎣ · ⎦ ⎣ · ⎦
an1 an2 · · · ann
Cn Tn

Equation (3-27) can be expressed as

[A][T ] = [C] [3-28]

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