MEEN5900.

707:ComputationalFluidandHeatTransfer

2008

Solve the 1D heat conduction problem numerically

Lets recall the example of 1D heat conduction which was solved manually in the
previous section.
Simplified Mathematical Model
As showed earlier, the dimensionless governing equation is given by
d T
0
e
dx
with B.C.s
T(x=0)=0 and T(x=1)=1.
Discretization of Geometric Domain/Grid
The grid we used is shown below, where the number of segment m=4, and the number
of nodes is n=m+1; and grid step

0.25.

In C, we can assign the x-coordinate for each node, xi, as follows

void generate_grid(int n, float dx, float x[]);
{
int i;
x[0]=0;
for(i=1;i<n;i++){
x[i]=x[i-1]+dx; // or x[i]=i*dx;
}
}
Here, the input arguments are the number of node n and the grid step dx; the output is a 1D array
x[] that stores the x coordinates of all the nodes.
The discretized governing equation can be written as:
2T T
T
0
x
and we have the following five equations on each node:
0
T
2T
T

T
T
2T
T

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T
1
This time, we have included the two equations at the boundary nodes which are the
results of boundary conditions.
These five equations can be written in matrix form:
1
1

2 1
1
2
1

2T

1
1

The coefficient matrix is a tri-diagonal matrix, and the above equation could be
readily solved by the Tri-Diagonal Matrix Algorithm (TDMA) solver.
solver_tdma(int n, float a[], float b[], float c[], float d[], float x[]);
the arguments for input are:
the rank of matrix, n;
the sub-diagonal, a[];
the diagonal array, b[];
the super-diagonal array, c[];
the left side of the matrix equation (result), d[].
To have a better understanding, we write the matrix equation that the tdma function
solves:

For our 1D heat conduction example, we set up the coefficient matrix as follows:
void set_matrix_eqn(int n, float dx,float x[],float a[],float b[],float c[],float d[])
{
int i;
for(i=1;i<n-1;i++){
a[i]=1.;
b[i]=-2;
c[i]=1.;
d[i]=-dx*dx*exp(x[i]);
}
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// the coefficient at the boundary nodes need be considered separately.

// b.c at left
a[0]=0.;
b[0]=1.;
c[0]=0.;
d[0]=0.;
// b.c. at right
a[n-1]=0.;
b[n-1]=1.;
c[n-1]=0.;
d[n-1]=1.;
}
Now we put the whole program together.
/********************************************************************
Sample code:
solving 1D steady conduction problem
Author:
Zhi-Gang Feng
Last Modified: Jan 31, 2008
Comments:
This is a code to solve a steady state 1d conduction
problem:
governing eqn: d^2t/dx^2 + e^x=0 with
b.c.s: t=0 at x=0 and t=1 at x=1.
********************************************************************/
#include <math.h>
#include <stdio.h>
void generate_grid(int nx, float dx, float x[]);
void set_matrix_eqn(int n, float dx, float x[],float a[],float
b[],float c[],float d[]);
void solver_tdma(int n, float a[],float b[], float c[], float d[],
float x[]);
#define N1 100 // this is the maximum nodes allowed
main()
{
FILE *fg;
int i,j,m,n; // m is the number of segments, n is the number nodes
and n=m+1
float dx,tmp; // dx is the grid step
float T[N1],x[N1],a[N1],b[N1],c[N1],d[N1],t[N1];
m=4;
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n=m+1;
dx=1./(float)m;
generate_grid(n, dx, x);
set_matrix_eqn(n,dx,x,a,b,c,d);
solver_tdma(n,a,b,c,d,t);
// print results on the screen
for(i=0;i<n;i++){
tmp=-exp(x[i])+exp(1.0)*x[i]+1;
printf("at x=%f, exact=%f numerical=%f
diff=%f\n",x[i],tmp,t[i],tmp-t[i]);
}
// generate a file and output the results
fg=fopen("temperature.dat","w");
for(i=0;i<n;i++){
fprintf(fg,"%lf %lf\n",(i)*dx,t[i]);
}
fclose(fg);
}
/********************************************************************
Generate 1D grid
input: n --- number of segments
dx --- grid step
output: x[] --- one-dimenisonal array storing coordinates.
*********************************************************************/
void generate_grid(int n, float dx, float x[])
{
int i;
x[0]=0.;
for(i=1;i<n;i++){
x[i]=x[i-1]+dx;
}
}
/*********************************************************************
********
Generate the Matrix Equation
input:
n --- rank of array will be (n+1)
dx --- grid step
output:

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a, b, c, d: --- 1D arrays used to store the elements of matrix

equations
*/
void set_matrix_eqn(int n, float dx,float x[],float a[],float
b[],float c[],float d[])
{
int i;
for(i=0;i<n;i++){
a[i]=1.;
b[i]=-2;
c[i]=1.;
d[i]=-exp(x[i])*dx*dx;
}
// b.c at left
a[0]=0.;
b[0]=1.;
c[0]=0.;
d[0]=0.;
// b.c. at right
a[n-1]=0.;
b[n-1]=1.;
c[n-1]=0.;
d[n-1]=1.;
}
/********************************************************************
The Tridiagonal Matrix Algorithm (TDMA) solver
Solve the following algebra equations:
a_i x_(i-1)+b_i x_i+c_i x_(i+1)=d_i
where a0=0 and cn=0;
In matrix form:
| b0 c0
| | x0 |
| d0 |
| a1 b1 c1
| | x1 |
| d1 |
|
a2 b2 c2
| | x2 | = | d2 |
| .......................| | . |
| . |
|
an bn | | x3 |
| d3 |
input: n ---the rank of matrix
a,b,c--1D arrays holding the coeffs.
d -- 1D array holding the RHS
output: x --- 1D array storing the solution
********************************************************************/
void solver_tdma(int n, float a[],float b[], float c[], float d[],
float x[])
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{
int i;
float id;
c[0] = c[0]/b[0];
risk.
d[0] = d[0]/b[0];
for(i = 1; i != n; i++){
id = 1.0/(b[i] - c[i - 1]*a[i]);
c[i] = c[i]*id;
redundant.
d[i] = (d[i] - a[i]*d[i - 1])*id;
}
//Now back substitute.
x[n - 1] = d[n - 1];
for(i = n - 2; i != -1; i--)
x[i] = d[i] - c[i]*x[i + 1];
}

//Division by zero

//Division by zero risk.

//Last value calculated is

Questions:
1. Which part need be modified if the source term is sin(x) instead of exp(x)?
2. If the source term is a function of T, for example, q=T; in this case, the governing
equation is:
d T
T
0
dx
How to use the current code to solve this problem?
3. How to apply the code here to solve the 1d steady conduction problem in
cylindrical coordinate as the problem described in the 2nd homework assignment?

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