Finite-Element Simulation of Mass Transfer in Structurally Inhomogeneous Materials

Abstract

The problem of nonisothermal hydrogen diffusion with variable coefficients of diffusion and solubility of hydrogen for structurally heterogeneous materials is solved by the finite-element method. The proposed algorithm is checked by finding the solution of the problem of hydrogen diffusion in a bimetallic structural element. It is shown that nonstationary thermal processes (variations of temperature) in materials may lead to the formation of zones of temporal overequilibrium supersaturation with hydrogen and, hence, to hidden hydrogen degradation of the materials.