3-D Numerical Modeling of Heat Transport Phenomena in Soil under Climatic Conditions of Southern Thailand

Abstract

This paper presents a 3-D numerical modeling of heat transport phenomena in soil due to a change of sensible and latent heat, under the ambient conditions of southern Thailand. The vertical soil temperature profile within 3 m was predicted based on energy balance and 3 modes of heat transfer mechanisms, i.e., conduction, convection, and radiation. Mathematical models for estimation of solar radiation intensity, ambient and sky temperatures, relative humidity, and surface wind velocity were used as model inputs. 3-D numerical implicit finite difference schemes, i.e., forward time, and forward, center, and backward spaces were used for discretizing the set of governing, initial, and boundary condition equations. The set of pseudo-linear equations were then solved using the single step Gauss-Seidel iteration method. Computer code was developed by using MATLAB computer software. The soil physical effects; density, thermal conductivity, emissivity, absorptivity, and latent heat on amplitude of soil temperature variation were investigated. Numerical results were validated in comparison to the experimental results. It was found that 3-D numerical modeling could predict the soil temperature to almost the same degree as results that were obtained by experimentation, especially at a depth of 1 m. The root mean square error at ground surface and at depths of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 m were 0.169, 0.153, 0.097, 0.116, 0.120, 0.115, and 0.098, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that variation of soil temperature occurred within 0.75 m only. doi: 10.14456/WJST.2015.61