
100 HEAT EQUATION
Subbing for the appropriate terms in Equation (4.6) results in
aSAut(ci,t)Ax = KA[u
x
(x + Δχ,t) - u
x
(x,t)] + AQ(c
2
,t)Ax (4.9)
Now, divide both sides of Equation (4.9) by σδΑΑχ to get
=
K[u
x
(x + Ax,t)-u
x
(x,t)\
+
QM
σδ Ax σο
Let k = ^, q(c
2
,t) = ^
δ
, and consider the limit as Ax goes to zero in Equation
(4.10).
lim ut(c
u
t) = k Urn M* +As,t) - M*,*)]
Um
Δχ^Ο
7
Δ,τ^Ο Δχ Δχ-^0
V
'
As Ax approaches zero, c\ and c
2
must approach x, and the difference quotient in
Equation (4.11) will have the second partial of u(x, t) as its limit. That is,
u
t
(x,t) = ku
xx
(x,t) + q(x,t) (4.12)
which is the ID heat equation with an internal energy source. The factor
is the thermal diffusivity of the solid medium, and is constant in the case of a
homogeneous material.
4.2 BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
The second-order partial derivative of u with respect to x requires two boundary
conditions be prescribed for u. Usually, a single condition is given at two separate
locations, x — a and x — b, the left and right boundaries, respectively. Recall from
Section 1.6 that boundary conditions fall into three general categories: Dirichlet,
Neumann, and Robin. The list given below pertains to itemized boundary conditions
that are more specific to heat transfer problems.
• Dirichlet boundary condition. This type of boundary condition is sometimes
referred to as boundary conditions of
the
first type. Temperature at the bound-
ary is specified in this case. This may be a constant value, or the specification
might be a function of time.
• Robin boundary condition. In this case, the temperature of the surrounding
medium is specified. The resulting boundary condition is also referred to as
boundary conditions of the second type. Suppose the surrounding medium
has a temperature given by
#L(¿)·
Generally, it is not true that the boundary
temperature will be
gL
(t) as well. Rather, the boundary condition is determined
by applying Newton's law of cooling which is
outward flux of heat at a = h[u(a, t)
— gL,(t)]