Comparative Analysis of Two-Dimensional Steady State Heat Flow Problem of a Rectangular Plate by Analytical and Numerical Approach

Abstract

Heat transfer problems play a very vital role in many fields of engineering. This present analysis work focuses on analytical and numerical approaches to resolve a two-dimensional steady-state heat conduction problem of a rectangular plate. The temperatures at the inside points of the rectangular plate are calculated analytically and the results are verified numerically. For numerical solution of the problems programming is done in using METLAB software. The material of the rectangular plate used is steel. It will be seen from the literature survey that rigorous analytical solutions are available only for a very few simple boundary conditions and these conditions does not seem to be favourable for complex boundaries. However, majority of engineering problems with simple as well as complex boundary conditions will be solved with the help of numerical approaches. In this analysis work, an attempt is made to obtain solutions using numerical method for a two-dimensional steady state heat conduction problems of a steel rectangular plate. The mathematical formulation of problems is done using Laplace method. The results obtained from the two different methods that is analytical and numerical are then compared with each other. The agreement between the analytical and numerical results is a sign of the accuracy of solution method.