SHAURYA PAL

UIN
- 673700991
University
of Illinois at Chicago
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
ME-594 Conduction/Radiation Heat Transfer

ANALYSIS OF FEM
CODE: ROSSELAND
RADIATION MODEL

Abstract
This project is proposed to conduct numerical analysis on a 2D rectangular domain. The given
FEM code will be utilized to simulate the heat transfer inside the rectangle medium which
involves the application of the Rosseland model involving both conduction and radiation. The
project will have two phases viz simulation of the given problem with standard parameters, and
secondly, modifying the questions boundary condition and specific heat capacity. The new
solution will then be analyzed by GNU FORTRAN compiler and VisIt graphic analyzer. The
results should reflect a variation in the temperature-time gradient and attainment of steady state
at a later period due to the adjustments made. The purpose of this assignment is to have an
understanding of how different properties and values affect the heat transfer within the region
and also to learn an alternative approach to problem solving employing numerical technique.

Introduction
The problem discusses the implementation of the provided FEM code to simulate heat transfer
within a rectangular media involving conduction as well as radiation. This is a type of twodimensional Cartesian transient heat conduction along with radiation problem. Here, the standard
conditions are altered (by creating/modifying the code) to observe how they affect the
temperature distribution and time required to reach the steady state, amongst many other
parameters. This type of analysis is termed numerical analysis which is based on explicit finite
differences, as opposed to obtaining solutions using analytical process, where a set of particular
solutions (of the Ordinary Differential Equation) are determined directly using integration
encompassing independent constants and derivatives, these constants are determined by
incorporating boundary conditions and then substituted in the original differential equation to get
the result. This concept is applied in the method of Separation of Variables. The numerical
technique yields better physical understanding and shows the effect of change in properties in a
quick and inexpensive manner when compared to using experimental apparatus. This method is
however restricted to work in only Cartesian and Cylindrical coordinates which must be
explained using a rectangular grid.
Simulations of heat conduction are broadly categorized into Direct Heat Conduction Problem
(DHCP) and Inverse Heat Conduction Problem (IHCP). DHCP analysis evaluates the
temperature distribution within conducting media with known boundary conditions and thermophysical properties of the material. PC programs for transient and steady-state heat conduction in
two and three dimensions as well as in cylindrical coordinates, have also been built. They are
called HEAT2 (Blomberg, 1990; 1991), HEAT3 (Blomberg, 1993; 1994) and HEAT2R
(Blomberg, 1994). HEAT2 is a computer program for two dimensional transient and steady-state
heat conduction within objects that can be defined in a rectangular network and is part of the
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latest generation of computer models from the Lund Group for Computational Building Physics,
Sweden. It covers various applications such as analysis of thermal bridges, floor heating systems
and calculation of heat losses to the ground from a building etc. HEAT3 is a software for threedimensional transient and steady state heat conduction. The heat equation is evaluated with
explicit forward finite differences. The program can be used for analyzing thermal bridges, heat
transfer through corners of a window etc. HEAT2R is an application for transient and steady state
heat conduction in cylindrical coordinate r and z.

Problem Formulation
The given problem is a 2D rectangular domain in a Cartesian plane mimicking the Rosseland
Model where the heat transfer in the domain comprises both conduction and radiation. The figure
indicating the boundary conditions and property values is given below.

The boundary conditions are:

x 0; T 2000 K
x Lx ;

dT
0
dx

y 0; q " 105W / m 2
y Ly ; h 103W / m 2 K ; T 1000 K

The initial condition is:

t 0; T 1000 K
Fig: 1

The properties of the medium are:

Density

= 1,682 kg/m3;

Specific Heat Capacity cp =1,074 J/kgK

Domain size: Lx = 2m, Ly = 1m

The Rosseland Model governing equation is given as

cp

T
dT

dT
k x k rad k y krad q ''' x, y
t x
dx
y
dy

Where

krad 16n 2T 3

Stefan-Boltzmann constant

k x 103W / mK

-8

5.670367 x 10

k y 103W / mK

Heat transfer due to Radiation effect:

Where,

Wm 2 K 4

q ''' 105W / m3

qrad 16n 2T 3T

1
3(a s ) C s

Refractive index n = 1
Absorption Coefficient a = 1
Scattering Coefficient

=1
Linear-anisotropic phase
function coefficient C = 0

The project takes care of three

cases:
Case 1- The given FEM code is
compiled and run in Code::Blocks
using the Fortran compiler. This
code is simulated for 5000 time
t 0.5s
steps with a difference of
at every step. The data files are
then exported to obtain graphical
illustration
in
VisIt
and
observations are recorded.
Case 2 In this case, a boundary condition is changed in order to see its effects on the
temperature distribution. The change in the boundary condition is shown in Fig: 2.
x Lx ; T 2000 K
At
fixed temperature at

The wall at x = Lx which was insulated is replaced by wall with

Twall = 2 X 103K
3

Here the code is modified to replace adiabatic wall with Dirichlet (fixed temperature) wall and
run for 10000 time steps and is graphically analyzed. The observations are recorded.
Fig: 2

Case 3 Taking the modified boundary condition into consideration, the value of Specific Heat
Capacity is changed from 1,074 J/kgK to 2,074 J/kgK in the FEM code, the code is run for
10000 time steps and the graph is plotted in VisIt, observations are recorded.

Results and Discussions

Case 1
When the problem is run with standard parameters and no change is made in the code, the figure
below depicts the temperature distribution at the 5000th time step:

Fig: 3

The graph in Fig: 3 shows the temperature distribution based on the standard boundary
conditions given. At x = 0, the boundary is at a maximum temperature of 2000K since it is kept
at a fixed temperature and thus heat is transferred from that wall to the domain due to conduction
and radiation. For x = Lx, the wall is adiabatic (insulated) therefore there is no heat transfer from
that wall to the surrounding region. There is a convective boundary layer at the upper wall (y =
Ly) from which heat is transferred from that wall to the surroundings. There is constant heat flux
at the bottom wall indicating heat generation. Thus at x = 0 there will be higher temperature
compared to x = Lx since theres no heat transfer from the adiabatic wall.
Case 2
When boundary condition at x = Lx is changed from adiabatic to constant temperature wall and
the code is simulated for 10000 time steps. Fig: 4 depicts the temperature distribution at the
10000th time step.

Fig: 4

This graph when compared to the plot of Case 1 (Fig: 3), shows a symmetric temperature
distribution as we move along the axes due to the constant temperature wall at x = Lx, therefore
temperature will be maximum at both ends (x = 0 and x = Lx) and heat transfer from system to
surrounding will be due to the convective boundary at y = Ly.
Fig: 5 shows the plot for Case 2 at the 4800th time step, here steady state is attained at the
minimum temperature 1732K and it does not increase beyond this time step.

Fig: 5

Case 3
In this case, the code is further modified by increasing the specific heat capacity from 1,074
J/kgK to 2,074 J/kgK and code is run again for 10000 time steps, this time with change in
boundary condition as well as increase in specific heat. Here the steady state is achieved at a
much later time step due to the increase in specific heat. Fig: 6 shows the temperature
distribution at 9000th time step and Fig: 7 shows the distribution at the 9100th where it is observed
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that the minimum temperature increases from 1731K to 1732K at 9100th time step and reaches
steady state at that point. This confirms the inverse relation of specific heat capacity with the
T
1

t
cp
temperature-time gradient:
as when the specific heat capacity increases, it takes more
time to reach steady state.

Fig: 6

Fig: 7

Conclusions
The given problem comprised of a 2D rectangular domain with standard boundary conditions
and material properties. An FEM code was supplied to simulate heat transfer within the
rectangular slab which involved both conduction as well as radiation using the Rosseland Model.
The purpose of this task was to understand how the temperature distribution is affected by
modifying a boundary condition and material property. The boundary condition at x = L x which
was adiabatic was changed to fixed temperature wall and the specific heat capacity of the domain
was altered from 1,074 J/kgK to 2,074 J/kgK in the code which was then run for 10000 time
steps and plotted in VisIt for graphical analysis. This type of analysis is more commonly known
as numerical analysis and was used to solve this problem over the analytical method (namely
separation of variables) since the analytical technique made the problem more complex.
The results showed that when the adiabatic wall at x = L x was replaced with fixed temperature
wall, the temperature profile was changed. The graphs revealed symmetric distribution along the
axes due to the constant temperature boundary wall at both ends of the slab. Maximum
temperature was found at both x = 0 and x = L x at the bottom and was lesser at the top due to the
convective heat transfer at the upper boundary wall (y = L y) from the media to the surrounding.
Also, steady state was achieved at the 4800 th time step where the minimum temperature stayed at
a fixed value and didnt change beyond it in comparison to the initial problem with standard
conditions which didnt attain steady state at all for its course of 5000 time steps. Further, the
specific heat capacity value was increased by 1000 J/kgK which caused a delay in the acquiring
of steady state. This proved the established the inverse relation between the specific heat capacity
T
1

t
cp
and temperature-time gradient (
).
This type of analysis can be taken a step further to evaluate more complex shapes and
configurations as for many practical real world problems it is quite difficult to solve using
analytical techniques. It is easier for an analyst to see the effect of change in constraints when
modelling a problem numerically. Numerical analysis can be addressed for a number of
particular topics and problems such as numerical accuracy, methods to increase the resolution by
combining results from computation using different numerical meshes, solution of extensive
three-dimensional problems. Numerical methods can also be used in solution of problems with
sizeable difference in thermal conductivity (steel versus insulation), heat conduction coupled to
radiation in cavities, and how to obtain a proper U-value for a house with a floor heating system.

References
Numerical study of the heat Transfer phenomenon of a Rectangular plate including
Void, notch using finite Difference technique - S.K. Deb Nath, Computational
Materials Research Initiative Institute for Materials Research Tohoku University, JAPAN
and N.K. Peyada, Department of Aerospace Engineering Indian Institute of Technology
j76
HEAT CONDUCTION IN TWO AND THREE DIMENSIONS Computer Modelling
of Building Physics Applications by Thomas Blomberg
Transient Heat Conduction: Analytical Methods Jordan Wall, Master of Engineering
in Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Hartford, Connecticut USA,
currently with Pratt and Whitney in Heat Transfer and Secondary Flow
http://www.ewp.rpi.edu/hartford/~wallj2/CHT/Notes/ch05.pdf

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