Finite Difference Methods in Heat Transfer

V.Vuorinen
Aalto University School of Engineering
Heat and Mass Transfer Course, Autumn 2016

November 2nd 2016, Otaniemi

ville.vuorinen@aalto.fi
 Overview
• Numerical methods have been mathematically developed in order to solve analytical,
mathematical equations using numerical approximation.
• Examples: Taylor series, Newton's method, Solution of Ax = b, Iteration schemes
• The problem: analytical solution by pen and paper of various equation types can be very
difficult and has of severe limitations.
• It is vary convenient to understand the very basics of numerical solution of heat equations
in 1d and 2d.
• Numerical software like Matlab and Python could be used for short implementation of
numerical solvers which give e.g. temperature as a function of space and time.
• In particular, for complex geometries and combined heat/fluid flow, various CFD
(computational fluid dynamics) software like OpenFOAM, ELMER, Fluent etc can be used.
• Using the Matlab programs (supplementary course material) you learn that basics of heat
transfer can be simulated with very short code of only a couple of lines.
• Learn basic ideas behind numerical solution on the course → extend your opportunities
for future work life!
 Discretization by Finite Difference
Method 2
∂T ∂ T
=α 2
∂t ∂x
Recall Taylor series and basic discretization formulae for derivatives

Time derivative in cell i at timestep n Second space derivative in cell i

at timestep n
n n+1 n n n n n
T i −T i 2
T
∂T
( )
∂t i
≈
Δt ( )
∂ T
2
∂x i
≈ i +1 −2T +T
Δx
i
2
i−1

n
Known from previous timestep n: T i
n+1
Unknown on the n+1 timestep: Ti
Discretization by Finite Difference
Method
Continuous version of Discrete version of
heat equation heat equation

∂T ∂ T
2
T ni +1−T ni T ni+ 1−2 T in +T in−1
=α 2 =α
∂t ∂x Δt Δ x2
αΔ t
CFL=
Δ x2
Courant-
Friedrichs- n n n
Lewy number T i +1−2 T i +T i−1
(CFL<0.5 for
stability).
T n+1
i =T n
i +Δ t α 2
Δx
Now we have an explicit update scheme for T in each discrete grid
point i. This is the explicit Euler scheme (most simple timestepping).
 Schematic Representation of the
Scheme
i=1 i=2 i=3 i=N+1 i=N+2
t=t T1 T2 T3 TN+1 TN+2
n+2

t=t T1 T2 T3 TN+1 TN+2

n+1

t=t T1 T2 T3 TN+1 TN+2

n

n n n
t n=n Δ t ,n=0,1,2,... T i +1−2 T i +T i−1
T n+1
n
i =T i +Δ t α
Δ x2
 Boundary Condition Types
• The problem: some numerical value needs to be assigned to the ”ghost cells”
• Otherwise: we can not calculate second derivative of T in cells i=2 and i=N+1
• Case 1: Given temperature value (Dirichlet or “fixed value”) → heat flux through boundary
• Case 2: Isolated (Neumann or “zero-gradient”) → no heat flux through boundary
• Case 3: Given heat flux → heat flux through boundary

Ghost i=2 i=3 i=N+1 Ghost

cell T2 T3 TN+1 cell
i=1 i=N+2

x=0 x=L
Case 1: n n n n
(T +T )/2=T min
1 2 (T N +1 +T )/2=T max
N+2
n n n n
Case 2: T 1=T 2 You get the ghost cell value T =T
N +1
N +2
n n
Case 3: (T 1−T 2 )/Δ x =q L n n
(T 1−T 2 )/Δ x =q R
 Summary of the Numerical Solution
Scheme for 1d Heat Equation
1) Set boundary conditions to cells 1 and N+2 T ni (Known)
using T from step n.

n+1 n T ni +1−2 T ni +T ni−1

T =T +Δ t α
2) Update new temperature at timestep n+1 in the i i
Δ x2
internal cells 2...N+1
T n+1
i

3) Update time according to t = t + dt t n+1 =t n +Δ t

4) Go back to 1)
This Scheme is Extremely Short to
Program in Matlab
Program: /Example1d/HeatDiffusion.m
Execution: >> HeatDiffusion
What it does: Solves 1d heat equation in equispaced grid, fixed Tleft and Tright.
Main for-loop:
for(t=1:K)
    % set boundary conditions 
    T(1)  = 2*Tleft ­ T(2); T(N+2) = 2*Tright ­ T(N+1);                     
      
    % update temperature in inner points                                    
    T(in) = T(in) + (dt*kappa/dx^2)*(T(in+1)­2*T(in)+T(in­1)); 
end

Note: I use constantly the “trick” which makes Matlab-programs often very fast.
% define a table which refers to the 'inner points' Example for N+1 = 5
in = 2:(N+1);
 
The Following Folders and Files for
Matlab Programs Provided (Week 1)
/Example0d/ Execute by
cool0d.m >> cool0d
/Examples1d/ Execute by e.g.
HeatDiffusion.m >> HeatDiffusion
ConvectionDiffusion.m
/HowToPlot/ Demos on plotting Figures.
DrawingSurface.m   Execute by e.g.:
PlottingFigure.m   >> DrawingSurface
SurfaceAnimation.m
/Examples2d/
CaseDefinition.m  computedT.m  GradX.m  2d heat transfer code.
GradY.m HeatDiffusion2d.m     project.m   Execute by:
solveTemperature.m >> HeatDiffusion2d
circle.m DivDiv.m GradXskew.m  
GradYskew.m  Laplacian.m  setTBCs.m  
visualizeResults.m
Thank you for your attention!