Spreadsheet modelling of

transient three dimensional

heat conduction with various
standard boundary
conditions
MOHAMED A. ANTAR and ESMAIL M. MOKHEIMER,
Assistant Professors, Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals, P.O. Box 535, Dhahran, 31261,
Saudi Arabia. antar@kfupm.edu.sa
Received 10th May 1999
Revised 1st November 2000

A method of analysing transient three-dimensional heat conduction problems using spreadsheets

is described. An implicit numerical scheme is used and user-defined macros are designed and
executed in a single-layer sheet. The method allows the use of all standard boundary condi-
tions such as constant surface temperature, specified heat flux, thermal insulation, convection
and/or thermal radiation. This method seems to be convenient for both practising engineers as
well as undergraduate students since it enables them to solve engineering problems numeri-
cally without complicated programming. The method also allows the user to incorporate non-
linear boundary conditions such as thermal radiation with no further simplification which
otherwise would require further effort to model. The method was received by engineering stu-
dents and hence was useful as an educational aid that can be applied in other fields of engi-
neering applications.

Key words: conduction, spreadsheets, modelling, transient

1. INTRODUCTION

Spreadsheet programs have proved to be a very useful tool in the field of business calcula-
tions for quite some time now. Recently, using spreadsheets for analysing scientific and
engineering problems have been received with significant acceptance. One of the great
benefits of using spreadsheets for numerical solutions of various problems is that they lead to a
great simplification for the solution of problems because of the nature of spreadsheet design
and its enhanced capabilities. The significant development in personal computers
capabilities in terms of memory and speed was accompanied by a great development in

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18 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

software programs. Development in spreadsheet programs increased their capabilities and

added some advanced features including multi-layer sheets, iterative capabilities and
macros.
Finite difference solutions were the most appropriate for modelling using spreadsheets for
both research and educational purposes. Using these programs, the user will concentrate more
on analysing the problem from the physical point of view and writing the corresponding nodal
equations for the domain of solution. Once the user has written the finite difference equations
in the proper format, the spreadsheet will take care of the solution since it is equipped with a
built-in solver that employs an iterative technique for solving the nodal equations. This built-in
solver enables the user to determine the convergence criteria for the iterative solution, hence
giving the user the freedom to specify the level of accuracy for his solution.
Many attempts were made to utilize spreadsheets in solving engineering problems. Eid [1]
demonstrated a methodology and a tutorial that described how nodal equations would be writ-
ten in a spreadsheet. He derived the nodal equations using two common methods of heat trans-
fer analysis. The first is the energy balance approach which is more likely to be
followed specially in teaching undergraduate heat transfer courses. The second approach is by
using electrical analogy between heat transfer and electric circuits. He implemented his tutorial
by an illustrative example of a steady two-dimensional heat conduction problem with two sets
of standard boundary conditions, constant surface temperature and convection.
Baughn and Rossi [2] used spreadsheets to solve a two-dimensional transient heat
conduction problem through explicit nodal equations by thermal resistance and capacitance
formulations. They used different sets of boundary conditions that included a specified surface
temperature, insulated surface, convective heat transfer coefficient and an equivalent radiation
heat transfer coefficient. ONeal [3] used a spreadsheet to analyse a steady temperature
distribution in a fin and a one-dimensional transient heat conduction problem. Two-
dimensional heat conduction was also analysed using spreadsheets by Thompson [4] along
with a one-dimensional transient problem. Weston [5] used spreadsheets to study two- and
three-dimensional steady heat conduction problems and a transient one-dimensional
solution.
Kharab [6] analysed a transient two-dimensional heat conduction problem using the Lotus
123 spreadsheet and presented the user-macro he used in his analysis. Mokheimer et al. [7]
used spreadsheets to model steady heat transfer in a composite fin where they solved the prob-
lem both analytically and numerically and showed how close spreadsheet numerical solutions
are to the analytical solutions. Fisher [8] applied spreadsheets to obtain a graphical solution of
equations involving combined modes of heat transfer. He considered a steady one-dimensional
problem to analyse heat loss through a multi-layer autoclave with its surface subjected to
convection and radiation. This simple problem and solution were suitable for undergraduate
technology students. He illustrated the educational benefits of using spreadsheets that
reinforced the students understanding of concepts without taking them to the complicated
details of the solution.
Other than using spreadsheets for solving heat transfer problems, they were used for
calculating the frequency response of feedback control systems by Wong [9]. Kerkes [10] used
spreadsheets to model the transient fluid flow in a porous medium with a moving drainage
boundary. Antar [11] used spreadsheets to analyse numerically fluid flow and heat transfer
problems that employ the similarity solutions.
This paper is aimed at using spreadsheets in analysing transient three-dimensional heat
conduction problems including all standard boundary conditions, constant surface tempera-
ture, insulation, specified heat flux, convection and/or thermal radiation. These types of prob-
lems have many practical applications including heat transfer in buildings, where heat

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 19

transfer through the corners is essentially three-dimensional and calculating heat loss from
furnaces walls where the corners also contribute to three-dimensional heat conduction along
with convection and/or radiation from the outer surface.
It is worth mentioning that the iterative scheme built in the spreadsheets is a very
convenient tool for analysing non-linear boundary conditions such as radiation, with almost no
extra effort from the user, other than writing the proper nodal equations. This would serve in
accomplishing two purposes, first it would provide a means for analysing more complicated
problems easily, without the need for writing a program with a high level language that may
consume considerable time in designing and implementing the code. Moreover, it also
provides a method for easily obtaining a two-dimensional, a three-dimensional graph and/or a
contour plot with very little effort. Second, this would serve in providing undergraduate
engineering students with more in-depth understanding for multi-dimensional heat conduction
and enable them to analyse and solve this type of problem without going into the details of
computer programming that is beyond the scope of learning heat transfer.

2. PROBLEM DEFINITION

The problem considered in this analysis is a three-dimensional transient heat conduction prob-
lem. Heat is transferred in a 3-D system of length L, width W and depth D as shown in Fig. 1.
The governing differential equation can be found in heat transfer textbooks and is given as

2 T 2 T 2 T 1 T
+ + = (1)
X 2 Y 2 Z 2 t

where is the thermal diffusivity = k c. The equation is subject to the following boundary
conditions: at x = 0, a specified heat flux is applied to the surface with a given value of q,
q = constant (arbitrary value) Wm2, qA = qconductionW from Fouriers law of conduction,

T
q = k W m2 (2)
x

at x = L heat is transferred by both convection and radiation according to the following heat
balance equation:
qconduction, X = L = qconvection + q radiation
i.e.

k
T
X X=L
( )
= F1 2 Ts4 T f4 + h(Ts T f ) (3)

T
y = 0 insulated surface and assumed adiabatic, i.e., q = 0 or = 0 (4)
Y y=0

y=W heat is transferred by convection (5)

z = 0 constant surface temperature T = constant (6)

z = D constant surface temperature T = constant (7)

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20 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

(a)

i,j,+1

i,j,k+1

i1,j,k i+1,j,k
i,j,k

i,j,k1

i,j1,k

(b)

Fig. 1. (a) Problem domain. (b) Nodes layout.

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 21

Initial condition:
t = 0, T = constant (8)

3. FINITE DIFFERENCE REPRESENTATION OF THE GOVERNING EQUATION

AND THE BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

Equation (1) can be rewritten in its finite difference form as

Ti 1, j , k , t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti +1, j , k , t +1 Ti, j 1, k , t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti, j +1, k , t +1

+
x 2
y 2
Ti, j , k 1, t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti, j , k +1, t +1
+
z 2
1 Ti, j , k , t +1 Ti, j , k , t
= (9)
t

Equation (9) can also be rewritten in the next form

Ti 1, j , k , t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti +1, j , k , t +1 Ti, j 1, k , t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti, j +1, k , t +1

+
( LX ) 2
(WY ) 2
Ti, j , k 1, t +1 2Ti, j , k , t +1 + Ti, j , k +1, t +1
+
( DZ ) 2
Ti, j , k , t +1 Ti, j , k , t
=
L2
where X = xL, Y = yW, Z = zD and = tL2 or

Ti, j , k , t +1 =
1
B
[
(Ti 1, j , k , t +1 + Ti +1, j , k , t +1 ) + a(Ti, j 1, k , t , +1 + Ti, j +1, k , t +1 )

+ b(Ti, j , k 1, t +1 + Ti, j , k +1, t +1 ) + cTi, j , k , t ] (10)

where
2 2
L X L X ( X ) 2
a= , b= , c= , and B = (2 a + 2 b + c) (11)
W Y D Z
The boundary conditions are expressed as

Ti +1, j , k , t +1 Ti, j , k , t +1
x = 0(X = 0) q = k
LX
that can be written as
q LX
Ti, j , k , t +1 = + Ti +1, j , k , t +1 (12)
k

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22 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

x = L(X = 1)

TM , j , k , t +1 TM 1, j , k , t +1
k
LX
( ) (
= F1 2 TM4 , j , k , t +1 TR4 + h( TM , j , k , t +1 T f )
or

(
TM , j , k , t +1 = TM 1, j , k , t +1 d TM4 , j , k , t +1 TR4 ) hLX
k
(
TM , j , k , t +1 T f ) (13)

where
F1 2 LX
d=
k

Y=0 Ti,1,k,t+1 = Ti,2,k,t+1 (14)

Y=W qconduction = qconvection (15)

Ti, N , k , t , +1 Ti, N 1, k , t +1
k
WY
(
= h Ti, N , k , t +1 T f )
Z=0 T = an arbitrary value (16)

Z=D T = an arbitrary value (17)

Initial condition

t=0 T = and arbitrary value (18)

It is to be noted that the arbitrary values for temperatures and heat flux are to be taken as input
data from the user. Although equation (13) is highly non-linear, no further simplification for it
is required for the spreadsheet formulation and it will be written as it is. Another numerical
formulation for the governing equation and boundary conditions may be using finite
difference controlvolume approach that involves writing the nodal equations for interior nodes,
surface and corner nodes. However, the former formulation was selected for simplicity.

4. SPREADSHEET SET-UP FOR THE CURRENT PROBLEM

The work-sheet layer is a two-dimensional grid consisting of columns (designated by letters A,

B ) and rows (designated by numbers 1, 2, ). Each cell is addressed by its column and row
(A5, B7 ) and may contain numbers, text or formulae. In this analysis, a cell is considered as
a node in the finite difference domain that may contain a nodal equation. The spreadsheet layer
will be used for analysing three-dimensional heat conduction by an implicit finite difference
scheme. It is divided into three ranges (a range is a group of cells defined from the upper-
left-corner cell to the lower-right corner cell). The first range is for data entry and calculation of
the constants given by equation (11). The user can simply change values within this range to
perform a parametric study or select different conditions for the numerical solution. In the
present example, this range extends from cell B2 to C20. The second range is for setting the
initial temperatures while the third is for calculating the temperature distribution for the next
time step where both the second and the third ranges represent the transient solution range.

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 23

The solution range for this problem is described as follows: an arbitrary number of nodes in
X, Y and Z direction was selected to be 11 (this number can be increased to have better accu-
racy). Since the spreadsheet is a two-dimensional layer, multiple ranges are selected to repre-
sent the third dimension (the depth), i.e., the range W8 to AG18 represents the XY plane for
Z = 0 (front layer), while the range W20 to AG30 represents the XY plane for Z = 0.1 and so on
until the last plane in the Z direction (rear layer) which is represented by the range W128 to
AG138. In this problem, the boundary conditions at both the front (Z = 0) and the rear (Z = W)
are specified wall temperatures, so both layers are expected to be represented as two matrices
that contain the respective temperature values.
To take care of the initial condition, a similar set of ranges is first placed in the work-sheet.
Hence the ranges starting from (F8P18) down to (F128P138) include this initial
temperature. The temperature calculated for the next time step would be expressed through the
nodal equations in the parallel range (W8AG18) down to (W128AG138) as will be
described later.
So, it is clear that the spreadsheet set-up for the current problem starts with specifying the
range for the initial conditions. The range representing the solution of the next time step would
be constructed as follows. Since the two boundary conditions corresponding to Z = 0 and Z = D
are conditions with specified temperatures, the first layer (W8AG18) is to be filled with
values of the temperature corresponding to this boundary condition, equation (16), while the
last layer (W128AG138) is to be filled with values of the temperature corresponding to Z = D,
equation (17).
The ranges (W20AG30) down to (W116AG126) contain the nodal equations along with
the boundary conditions in both X- and Y-directions. The first range will be shown in detail and
then the rest will be simply a duplication of it. This range is a square consisting of 11 rows by
11 columns. The upper row of this range (W20AG20) should contain the boundary condition
corresponding to Y = W where the heat balance between convection and conduction exists and
is given by equation (15). The corresponding nodal equation will be written in the first cell
(W20) and then it will be copied and pasted in the rest of the row (X20AG20). The lower row
(W30AG30) corresponds to the boundary condition at Y = 0, equation (14), that represents
insulated surface, i.e. zero temperature gradient in the Y-direction (TY = 0). This boundary
condition would simply be represented in the spreadsheet by selecting the first cell in the row
(W30) and writing (=W29) and then copying this cell and pasting over the range (X30AG30).
The other two boundary conditions corresponding to the X-direction are to be arranged as
follows.
The left-most column of this range (W21 to W29) that represents the condition at X = 0,
represents the case of specified heat flux. The heat balance at this surface is given by
equation (12). The spreadsheet representation of this equation for the first cell in the column
would be given by moving the cursor to the cell W21 and writing the formula:
=X21+$C$19*$C$3/$C$15 where X21 represents the temperature (Ti+1,j,k+1) and $C$19
represents the cell in the input (data) range where the numerical value of the heat flux is stored.
It is worth mentioning that the dollar sign is used to indicate an absolute cell that does not
change as we copy and paste this nodal equation along the nodes representing constant heat
flux boundary condition. The cell $C$3 represents the increment in the X-direction X while
the last term in the formula $C$16 represents the thermal conductivity k. After writing this
formula in the cell, it is copied and pasted in the whole column (W22W29). Therefore, the
first boundary condition in the X-direction is specified. To set the second boundary condition in
the X-direction where both convection and radiation heat transfer take place, equation (13), one
would move the cursor to a cell in the right-most column, for example AG21 and write the next
formula:

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24 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

=AF21-($C$14*$C$19*$C$15$C$3/$C$16)*((AG21+273)^4-(AH21+273)^4)-
($C$18*$C$3/$C$16)*(AG21-AI21)

This formula is the representation of equation (13) in a spreadsheet format. This is a non-linear
equation that will be automatically solved by the spreadsheet solver without any further effort
to simplify it. This formula would be copied from this cell and then pasted in the rest of the
column to complete the boundary condition at X = 1 for all Y (i.e. over the range AG22 to
AG29). Thus all boundary conditions are specified for this range and what is left is to write the
interior nodal equations.
To write the interior nodal equation one moves the cursor to an internal node (e.g. Y21) and
write the spreadsheet form of equation (10):

=((W21+Y21)+$C$7*(X20+X22)+$C$8*(X33+X9)+$C$9*G21)/(2+2*$C$7+
2*$C$8+$C$9)
This cell is copied and pasted over the range X21 to AF29 and hence the whole range for the
current layer in the Z-direction is specified. The reader may refer to Fig. 2 that shows the
spreadsheet set-up for this layer. The data section is shown in Fig. 2(a) while the formulae are
illustrated in Fig. 2(b). The whole range (W20 to AG30) is copied and pasted over the

Fig. 2(a). Sample layout of the solution domain.

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 Fig. 2(b). Data range.

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26 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

Fig. 2(c). Spreadsheet three solution ranges.

ranges that represent the next increments in the Z-direction (e.g. W32 to AG42, W44 to AG54
and AG116 to AG126). This represents the entire range in the three directions for the first time
step. Performing these steps would solve the current problem for only one time step (from t = 0
to t = t) and the process needs to be automated in order to advance the solution with time until
steady-state is reached. The solution is automated through the use of two macros, the first is the

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 27

DATA macro that will set the initial condition for the current problem while the second, which
is the SOLUTION macro that executes the transient solution and advances it with time till the
steady-state criteria is met and the solution macro stops.

5. AUTOMATION OF THE NUMERICAL SOLUTION

The numerical solution is to be automated by the use of two macros as explained in the
previous paragraph, one for the data while the other is for the numerical solution that is
marching with time.
The first macro specifies the initial condition of the current problem and it involves writing
the initial value of temperature in the whole domain of solution (ranges F8 to P18, F20 to P30,
, F128 to P138). It is worth mentioning that this macro can be made by two alternative
methods, a user who can program by visual basic can write a code that performs the copying
and pasting of the initial value over the whole solution domain. The alternative way does not
require a knowledge of a programming language and it is performed by recording a macro
where the user performs all the steps manually while recording. He then saves the macro under
a specified name (it now becomes a user defined macro) and it can be executed at any time.
The other macro can be made by either of the two methods and it advances the solution with
time until steady-state condition is reached. To do this, start recording a new macro where the
solution of the next time increment would be achieved simply by copying the range W8 to
AI138 and pasting it over the range F8 to R138 (paste special as values).
This macro is then saved as a user-defined-macro under a given name. The user then has to
edit this macro in a way that the copypaste step is to be included in a (for-next) loop. The loop
is configured to execute a suitable number of times and a convergence test for detection of
steady state is added before the next statement. This criteria is made by calculating the differ-
ence between a temperature at a time and the value of the temperature at the same location, but
at a previous time step and if the difference is less than a predetermined value, the solution
macro would stop. Fig. 3 shows the list of this macro. Hence the transient solution would be
simply obtained by specifying values of the temperatures, heat flux, heat transfer coefficient,
thermal conductivity and then the two macros will carry out the solution.

6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Accuracy of the solution can be increased by decreasing the increments in X, Y and Z directions
(i.e. by increasing the number of nodes in the numerical mesh), by tightening the convergence
criteria in the built-in solver that employs GaussSiedel technique in the spreadsheet and by
tightening the steady-state criteria in the user-defined-macro that performs the transient solu-
tion of the problem as shown in Fig. 3. The built-in graphics capabilities of the spreadsheet
programs made easy the graphical presentation of the results in the form of two- or three-
dimensional plots, surface plots and contour plots through following a certain graphics wizard.
This wizard guides the user through the whole process starting from defining the range that
will be plotted through the various details that controls the type of graph, legends, titles, scales,
etc. in an easy to follow procedure.
It is worth stating that the transient solution at any time-step can be obtained and plotted by
changing the limit of the for-next loop in the user defined macro to specify how many time
increments are required, then the range is specified and the solution is plotted. Then the

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28 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

Fig. 3(a). List of a macro to set the initial temperature values.

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 29

Fig. 3(b). List of a macro to run the solution for specified time steps.

solution can be continued for another set of time steps or until steady state is reached by
controlling the same parameter.
Either one of the boundary conditions at X = 1 can be used (or both, of course). If the user
needs to specify only convection heat transfer, he would set the radiation shape factor (given in
C15) equal to zero, while if radiation boundary conditions are to be used alone, the heat
transfer coefficient, h (given in cell C17) is set equal to zero, or, both of them would be given
certain values to include both boundary conditions.

Illustrative example
Consider heat transfer in a cube of length 1 m where the initial temperature is uniform (T = 15C)
and the walls at Z = 0 and Z = 1 are experiencing constant temperatures equal to 0C and 100C,
respectively. q = 1000 Wm2, h = 100 W(m2C), k = 15 W(mC), and TF = TR = 20C.
Upon running the above-mentioned two macros the results are iterated until steady-state is
reached.
The graph wizard is used to obtain samples of both two-dimensional as well as three-
dimensional plots. For example, the range (F36P36) is selected to produce a two-dimensional
plot of temperature dependence on X for Y = 0.4 and Z = 0.2 as illustrated in Fig. 4(a). It is
interesting to compare between the temperature profiles corresponding to Z = 0.2 and Z = 0.6
in Fig. 4(a) and to see the temperature gradient at the rightmost column, X = 1. In early Z
locations (e.g. Z = 0.2), radiation and convection temperature is greater than the block
temperature (T = 0C at Z = 0), therefore, the temperature is higher at the boundary, while as Z
increases, the temperature increases because of both effects of the heat flux at the left (X = 0)
and the high temperature at Z = 1 to values greater than the ambient value and thus the
direction of heat transferred is reversed.

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30 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

Fig. 4(a). Steady temperature distribution versus X, Y = 0.6, Z = 0.2 and 0.6.

Fig. 4(b). Steady temperature distribution versus Y, X = 0.6, Z = 0.2.

Fig. 4(b) shows the steady temperature distribution versus Y for X = 0.4 and Z = 0.5 that is
represented by the range (J68J78). The two boundary conditions in the Y-direction are clear in
the figure where it has a flat profile at Y = 0 (adiabatic boundary condition) and decreases to a
value of 28.96 at Y = 1 (convection boundary condition).
Three-dimensional surface plots are shown in Figs 5, 6 and 7. Fig. 5 shows the steady
temperature distribution at Z = 0.3. This corresponds to the range F44 to P54. The temperature
at Y = 1, adiabatic wall condition at Y = 0 are also shown along with values of the temperature
at both X-direction boundaries. Fig. 5 also shows the ranges of temperatures so

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 31

Fig. 5. Steady temperature distribution, Z = 0.3.

that one can see how isotherms are organized in such a plot. Fig. 6 depicts the steady tempera-
ture distribution at another layer in the Z-direction, Z = 0.8 where values of the temperature are
higher since this layer is in the vicinity of the rear layer (Z = 1) where T = 100C. Transient
temperature was recorded and plotted in Fig. 7(a) and 7(b) for an intermediate time steps,
= 0.05 and = 0.1, respectively, at the same location, Z = 0.8 to show the increase of
temperature with time within the whole block.
The rate of heat transfer from/to each surface can be calculated from the computed tempera-
ture values. For example, the right surface (X = 1) exchanges heat with the surroundings by
convection and radiation. The formula used is

( ) (
dq = h dAs TM , jk , t +1 TF + F dAs TM4 , j , k , t +1 TR4 )
where the temperature TM,j,k,t+1 is computed from the solution. The total heat transfer is
obtained by summing all dq values according to the relation:
N K
q= dq = 1103.12 W
j =1 k =1

This procedure is repeated for all the five surfaces according to the corresponding boundary
condition (note that q = 0 at Y = 0). Then, the total energy balance is checked by considering
summation of energy in and out of the 3-D system where the algebraic summation

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32 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

Fig. 6. Steady temperature distribution, Z = 0.8.

approaches zero. For the current solution, the net heat transfer rate from all surfaces results in
a finite value (it approaches a value of 5.29 that is less than 0.0065% of the input energy) due
to the use of a coarse grid and approximation of the derivative that leads to a truncation error
due to the finite difference approximation of the derivatives (T X and T Z which are
used in the expression of the Fourier law of conduction applied to calculate the heat transfer
rate from the surfaces at X = 0, Z = 0 and Z = 1). However, this error reduces as we use a fine
grid and a better approximation for the derivatives such as three-point approximation (which
has a truncation error of the order X 2).

7. CONCLUSIONS

Spreadsheets were used to analyse a transient three-dimensional heat conduction problem sub-
ject to different boundary conditions. The method shows how a user can easily obtain the
numerical solution by concentrating only on the physical part of the problem without the
necessity to go deep into complicated programming. Spreadsheets were also found to be a
convenient tool for handling non-linear boundary conditions such as radiation at the surface.
Energy balance was checked by calculating the rate of heat transfer from each surface and
the summation of all approaches, a small value that was 5.29 W for the coarse grid used in this
study (this value represents 0.0065% of the energy input). However, accuracy can be

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 Spreadsheet modelling of transient three dimensional heat conduction 33

Fig. 7(a). Temperature distribution, Z = 0.8, t = 0.05.

improved by increasing the number of nodes and/or by using better approximations of the
derivatives used to calculate heat transfer from surfaces of specified wall temperatures.
Calculations were run suing the EXCEL spreadsheet version 7. It is to be noticed that PC
spreadsheets are a convenient tool for solving physical problems if we consider the time
required for formulating the problem, setting up the nodal network and writing the nodal
equations. The built-in solver will carry out the numerical solution and therefore eliminating
the time required for writing and implementing a code to solve the equations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The support of the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) to carry out this
investigation is gratefully acknowledged.

REFERENCES

[1] J. E. Eid, A methodology and tutorial for thermal modeling with PC spreadsheets, Heat
Transfer Engineering, 8(2), 95110, 1987.
[2] J. W. Baughn and M. Rossi, Two-dimensional transient heat conduction analysis using
spreadsheets, Heat Transfer Engineering, 13 (2), 7179, 1992.
[3] D. L. ONeal, The application of microcomputer spreadsheets for solving numerical heat
conduction problems, ASHRAE Trans., 93 , part 2, 13471361, 1987.

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education Vol 30 No 1

34 Mohamed A. Antar and Esmail M. Mokheimer

Fig. 7(b). Temperature distribution, Z = 0.8, t 0.10.

[4] T. R. Thomson, Spreadsheet analysis of heat conduction problems, Computer in Education Div.
ASEE, pp. 4751, JulySeptember, 1988.
[5] K. C. Weston, Heat transfer simulation using productivity tools, Proc. Summer Computer Simulation
Conference of the Society for Computer Simulation, pp. 260265, 1988.
[6] A. Kharab, Use of a spreadsheet program in a two-dimensional heat conduction problem, Computer
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International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education Vol 30 No 1