Numerical Solution of Periodic Heat Transfer in an Anisotropic Cylinder Subject to Asymmetric Heat Flux

Abstract

The problem of heat conduction in a two-dimensional anisotropic cylinder subject to asymmetric and periodic heat flux distribution on the outer wall is solved numerically. The dimensional analysis of the problem reveals that the heat conduction is a function of five nondimensional parameters: nondimensional frequency (α), cylinder outer to inner radius ratio (R2), Biot number (Bi), orthotropicity factor (K1), and anisotropicity factor (Kr1). A systematic study of the effect of each parameter is carried out over the influential range for each parameter. The results show that, depending on the combination of these parameters, the magnitude and/or phase of heat conduction in an anisotropic cylinder can be significantly different from those of an orthotropic and isotropic cylinder when subjected to the same externally imposed heat flux distribution.