Numerical simulation of transient heat conduction in a multilayer material by the conservation elements/solution elements (CE/SE) method

ABSTRACT

The space-time Conservation Element Solution Element (CE/SE) method is used to solve the 1D unsteady equation of thermal diffusion in a multilayer material, with application to thermal batteries. A conservative form of the equation is derived and solved using the CE/SE method. At the interface between the layers, local thermodynamics properties are discontinuous. Their spatial derivatives are calculated using central differences scheme. First, a material with two layers is simulated. The results show a very good agreement with analytical and COMSOL Multiphysics^ő calculations, and the Fourier Number Insensitivity property is validated, even for values beyond the 0.5 stability criterium. In a second test, a material stack representative of a thermal battery is considered. Obtained results are also very close to the COMSOL simulations.

Keywords:

• CE/SE
• heat equation
• multilayer
• Fourier number insensitivity
• COMSOL

2010 Mathematics Subject Classifications:

• 35K05
• 35Q79

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).