International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Solution of 1-Dimensional Steady State Heat

Conduction Problem by Finite Difference Method and
Resistance Formula
Nagesh Babu Reddy K T
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities & Sciences (Mathematics), Navodaya Institute of Technology, Raichur,
Karnataka, India

Abstract: In mathematics, Finite-difference methods are From using this equation we derived the equation for
numerical methods for approximating the solutions to
differential equations using finite difference equations to A. Dimensional steady state heat conduction equation.
approximate derivatives. Finite differences method is used in soil For that we are assuming that temperature varying
physics problems. An important application of finite differences along the y and z directions is negligible.
is in numerical analysis, especially in numerical differential
equations, which aim at the numerical solution of ordinary and =0
partial differential equations respectively. Finite Difference
Method is mainly preferred because of we can solve the problems This equation is called as partial differential equation this
which are difficult to solve from conventional engineering can simplified as given below
methods. In this paper we are solving the one dimensional steady
state heat conduction problems by finite difference method and =0
comparing the results with exact solutions obtained by using
Resistance formula. In this paper we are solving the problems by This equation is called as the ordinary differential
using the Resistance formula because it gives the exact solutions. equation.
To solve the problem by Finite Difference Method we are using
some mathematical applications they are Taylor series, Fourier In the Resistance formula we are using Fourier’s law of
series, crammer’s rule. After the solutions are obtained from the heat conduction equation and thermal resistance.
both methods we have to draw the graphs to show that both the
obtained results are equal. Fourier’s law of heat conduction equation is given below
Keywords: Finite Difference Method, Resistance formula, Fourier Q = -k .A dt
series, Taylor series, crammer’s rule. dx
I. INTRODUCTION II. METHODS AND METHEDOLOGY

I n this paper we are solving the heat transfer problems by

using the finite difference method. Same problem also
solved by using the resistance formula. Because solving the
In this paper we are solving the 1-Dimensional steady heat
conduction problems by using two different methods they
listed below:
problems by using resistance formula is simple and it gives
the exact solutions. After this we are comparing results A. Finite Difference Method
obtained by these two methods. B. Resistance Formula
The equation for solution of finite difference method is A. Finite Difference Method
basically obtained by 3-Dimensional general heat conduction
equation, since we are solving only 1-Dimensional heat Finite difference method is one of the major problem Solving
conduction problem the equation is reduced only x-direction tool in the Engineering applications. The problems which
and we are making assumption that heat generation in y and z cannot solve by analytical method such kind of problems can
is negligible. be solved by using Finite Difference Method. For example we
have solved one problem using Finite Difference Method as
Once the solution is obtained by this method we are below:
comparing these results with the results obtained by solutions
of resistance formula by assuming the area as unity (i.e. 1m2). Consider a copper rod which having a length 1m and the
initial temperature at the node 1000cand the final node
The general heat conduction equation in 3- Dimensional
Cartesian co-ordinates given by temperature is 10000

+ + + =

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Where T = T(x)
Equation (3) is having second ordinary differential equation
includes constant co-efficient and it can be solved easily. So
further it we can have to integrate the equation with respect to
x and we get

=A (4)
Fig 1 One Dimensional copper rod.
Now we have one constant integration, for two it need to
integrate again
For copper we know that:
T = Ax + B (5)
K = 400W/mk0
Where A and B are the constant of integration
q=
Now we have two constant of integration than we can use it in
Cp= J/kg k Boundary condition problems so the value to be applied in the
equation (5).
Heat conduction problem can be solved by the general Heat
Conduction equation in 3- Dimensional co-ordinate is At x=0 , T = Tend1 = 1000C
At x =1m , T = Tend2 = 10000C
+ + + = (1)
By substituting these Boundary values in equation (5), we get:
Where,
100 = A (0) + B
T = T(x, y, z, t);
B=0
x, y, z spatial co-ordinates
1000 = A (1) + B
α = thermal diffusivity 1000 = A + 100
α = k/ ρCp A = 900
K = thermal conductivity W/mk Here the equation (5) becomes
ρ = density kg/ m3 T(x) = 900x + 100 (6)
Cp = specific heat capacity J/ kgk Here we are using finite difference method for solving the
above equation
g = Volumetric rate of internal heat generation.
Here we are using Taylor series of expansion of continuous
Assumption of material conductivity
function. The brief information about the Taylor series is
kx, ky, kz which are change along x, y, z axis (homogeneous) explained below:
kx = ky, = kz = k (isentropic) f(x+∆x) = f(x) + f1(x) ∆x +f11(x)∆x2/2! (7)
The equation (1) is reducing to simpler form for the steady This is called as forward Taylor series expansion
state heat conduction with no heat generation.
f (x-∆x) = f(x) – f1(x) ∆x +f11(x)∆x2/2! (8)
In the 1 – Dimensional problem the temperature is not much
changing the parameter in y and z directions comparing with Here ∆x is very small value and ∆x2 is even smaller so we
x- direction neglected these values
For no heat generation g = 0 On adding the equations (7) and (8) and truncating after the
second derivative we get
The temperature in the rod is not dependent of its time means
it is a steady state one f(x + ∆x) + f(x -∆X) = 2 f(x) + f11(x) + f11(x) ∆x2
=0 (2) f11(x) = (f(x-∆x)-2 f(x) + f(x +∆x))/∆x2 (9)
The above equation is in the form of differential one we need This obtained equation is called as centered difference
to convert it into ordinary differential equations approximation. From the equation (3) which is also called as
governing equation.
=0 (3)

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

T11(x)= 0; T =T(x) T2 - 2T3 + T4 = 0

T(x=0) = Tend1; T2- 2T3 + T4 = 0

T(x=L) = Tend2 (10) T3- 2T4 = -1000

−2 1 0 0
By using FDA, we are replacing second order derivative with
it we get, 1 −2 1 0
D=
0 1 −2 1
–
=0 0 0 1 −2
∆
D=5
Tm-1 – 2 Tm +Tm+1=0 (11)
−100 1 0 0
The above equation is called as FDA of original equation In 0 −2 1 0
D1 =
this equation the m is indicates location of nodes 0 1 −2 1
−1000 0 1 −2
In the given problem we know the temperature of node 1 and
node 6 D1 = 1400
−2 −100 0 0
We have to consider node 2 to 5 which are called as interior
1 0 1 0
nodes for applying the equation (11) D2 =
0 0 −2 1
Let m= 2 the equation (11) becomes 0 −1000 1 −2
D2 = 2300
T1- 2T2 + T3 =0
−2 1 −100 0
Similarly for the other nodes m = 3, 4, 5 we get 1 −2 0 0
D3 =
T 2 – 2 T 3 + T4 = 0 0 1 0 1
0 0 −1000 −2
T3 – 2T4 + T5 =0
D3 = 3200
T 4 – 2 T 5+ T 6 = 0
−2 1 0 −100
Here we know the temperature of T1 and T6 they moved to 1 −2 1 0
D=
RHS. So we rearranging the above equations they are given 0 1 −2 0
below 0 0 1 −1000
-2T2 + T3 = -T1 D4 = 4100

T2 – 2T3 + T4 = 0 So the final values of temperature with respect their nodes as

written below:
T3 – 2T4 + T5 = 0
T2 = = = 2800 C
T4 – 2T5 = -T 6
These above equations can be written in terms of matrix form T3 = = = 4600 C
as below:
T4 = = = 6400C
−2 1 0 0 T2 −100
1 −2 1 0 𝑇3
=
0 T5 = = = 8200C
0 1 −2 1 𝑇4 0
0 0 1 −2 𝑇5 −1000 B. By Using Heat Resistance Formula
The various methods can be apply to solve the above In this method we are using Fourier’s law of heat conduction
equations they are give as below: equation and thermal resistance to solve this one dimensional
copper rod.
Thomas algorithm method
1. Fourier’s laws of heat conduction: This law states “ The
Gauss- seidel method
rate of flow of heat through a simple homogeneous solid is
Successive over relaxation (SOR) and crammer directly proportional to the area of the section at right angles
to the direction of heat flow, and to change of temperature
By using the Crammers method we solve these equations as
with respect to the length of the heat flow”.
given below:
The expression is given below:
-2T2 + T3 = -100

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

We know that,

QᾳA Q=
∗ ∗

Where, Q = 360000w = 360kw

Q = Heat flow through a body per unit time (in watts), T2 = 2800 C , T3 = 4600 C
W A = Surface area of heat flow, m2 T4 = 6400 C , T5 = 8200 C
dt = Temperature difference of the faces of block thickness III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
‘dx’ through which heat flows, 0C or K , The results which are obtained by the finite difference
and method, the temperature at the each node as listed below in
the table: List of temperatures with respect to their nodes
dx = thickness of body in the direction of flow, m
which are obtained by Finite Difference Method, are listed
Thus, below,

Q = -k .A dt TABLE 1
dx Node Temperature
1 100
Where, 2 280
k = constant of proportionality and is known as thermal 3 460
4 640
conductivity of the body. 5 820
The negative sign of k shows the decreasing temperature 6 1000
along with the direction of where increasing thickness.
2. Thermal Resistance (Rth): The two physical systems can be The graph of nodes v/s temperature for the above values
prescribe by similar equation and also boundary conditions, plotted below
can be called analogous. Comparison of heat transfer process
has been done with flow of electricity in electrical resistance.
The electrical resistance is directly proportional to potential
difference by the flow of electric current. Following this also
heat flow rate (Q) is directly proportional to temperature
variation. The driving force is use as medium ofheat
conduction.
According to ohm’s law,

Current(I) = Potential difference (dV) ( 12)

Electrical resistance (R)
By the Fourier equation, heat flow equation can be written as:
( )
Heat flow rate (Q) = (13)

Comparing between equations (12) and (13), we get Thermal

conduction resistance (Rth)cond. Graph of nodes v/s temperature

(Rth)cond = In the above graph shows the results obtained by the Finite
Difference Method. In the above graph the horizontal axis (x-
axis) represents the node in the same the vertical axis (y-axis)
represents the temperature. In the graph we come to know that
the temperature goes on increasing due to because of in the
rod the temperature at the initial boundary maintained at
Fig 3 Thermal resistance through a body
1000c and other end at10000c.
Similarly,
R1 = R2 = R3 = R4 = R5 = 10-4

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

TABLE 2 In the above graph it shows that the values of the temperature
List of results obtained by the resistance formula obtained by using resistance formula. In the graph the
Node Temperature
horizontal axis (x – axis) shows the values of nodes and
vertical axis denotes the values of the temperature.
1 100
IV. CONCLUSION
2 280
3 460 After observing the above obtained results we can easily
come to know that both the Finite Difference Method and
4 640
Resistance formula gives the same values of temperature. But
5 820 in order to solve the resistance formula we need to assume
6 1000 unit area of 1m2, in this case the finite difference method is
very helpful it can solve the problem even without assuming
the area.
The graph of nodes v/s temperature for the above values as
plotted below, REFERENCES
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Research Branch, IAU Tehran, Iron, “Numerical
SolutionofHeatDiffusionEquation
OverOneDimensionalRodRegion” vol.7 No3May2017,ISSN2221-
8386.
[2]. Young Min Han, Joo Suk Cho and Hyung Suk Kang, “Analysis of
a One-Dimensional Fin Using The Analytic Method and the Finite
Difference Method” vol.9 No.1 91-98,2005.
[3]. Biplab Das and Asis Giri (2015), “Mixed Convective heat
Transfer from Vertical Fin Array in the Presence of Vortex
Generator” International Journal Of Heat And Mass Transfer 82
(2015) Elesvier; pp26-41.
[4]. H. C. Saxena, Finite-Differences and Numerical Analysis,
Thirteen Revised Edition, 1997, Published byS.
[5]. Chand& Company Ltd., New Delhi
[6]. Laurence V. Fausett, Applied Numerical Analysis Using
MATLAB, Second Edition, 2009, Published by Dorling
Graph of nodes v/s temperature for resistance formula Kindersley(INDIA)Pvt.Ltd.,Noida

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