PROBLEM5.

138
KNOWN: An electrical cable experiencing uniform volumetric generation; the lower half is well
insulated while the upper half experiences convection.
FIND: (a) Explicit, finite-difference equations for an interior node (m,n), the center node (0,0), and
an outer surface node (M,n) for the convective and insulated boundaries, and (b) Stability criterion for
each FDE; identify the most restrictive criterion.
SCHEMATIC:
ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Two-dimensional (r,|), transient conduction, (2) Constant properties, (3)
Uniform q.
ANALYSIS: The explicit, finite-difference equations may be obtained by applying energy balances
to appropriate control volumes about the node of interest. Note the coordinate system defined above
where (r,|) (mAr, nA|). The stability criterion is determined from the coefficient associated with
the node of interest.
Interior Node (m,n). The control volume
for an interior node is
m
V r r | = A A
(with
m
r m r, 1 = A = ) where is the
length normal to the page. The
conservation of energy requirement is
in out g st
E E E E + =

( ) ( )
p+1 p
m,n m,n
1 2 3 4
r
T T
q q q q qV cV
t
u


+ + + + =
A

( )
p p p p p p
m,n m,n m,n
m-1,n m+1,n m,n+1
T T T T T T
1 1
k m r k m r k r
2 r 2 r m r
| |
|

A A + + A A + A
A A A A
( (
( (

( )
( ) ( )
p p
p+1 p
m,n
m,n-1 m,n m,n
T T
T T
k r q m r r c m r r
m r t
| |
|

+ A + A A A = A A A
A A A
(1)
Define the Fourier number as
2 2
k t t
Fo
c
r r
o

A A
= =
A A
(2)
and then regroup the terms of Eq. (1) to obtain the FDE,
( )
( )
p+1 p p p p 2
m,n
m-1,n m+1,n m,n+1 m,n-1
2
m 1/2 m 1/2 1 q
T Fo T T T T r
m m k
m |

+
= + + + + A
`
A
)

( )
p
m,n
2
2
Fo 2 1 T .
m |
(

(
+ + +
`
(
A
)
(3) <
Continued
PROBLEM 5.138 (Cont.)
The stability criterion requires that the last term on the right-hand side in braces be positive. That is,
the coefficient of
p
m,n
T must be positive and the stability criterion is
( )
2
Fo 1/2 1 1/ m | s + A
(
(

(4)
Note that, for m >> 1/2 and (mA|)
2
>>1, the FDE takes the form of a 1-D cartesian system.
Center Node (0,0). For the control volume,
( )
2
V r/2 1. t = A The energy balance is
in out g st in n
E E E E where E q .
' ' ' ' ' '
+ = = E

p p
2 N
o 1,n
n 0
T T
r r
k q
2 r 2
| t
=

A A
A +
A
( (
( (

p+1 p 2
o o
T T r
c
2 t
t
A
=
A
(
(

(5)
where N = (2t/A|) - 1, the total number of q
n
. Using the definition of Fo, find
( )
N
p p+1 2 p
o o 1,n
n 0
1 q
T 4Fo T r 1 4Fo T .
N 1 4k
=
= + A +
+


`

)

<
By inspection, the stability criterion is Fo s 1/4. (7)
Surface Nodes (M,n). The control volume
for the surface node is V = (M - )ArA|Ar/2.1.
From the energy balance,
( ) ( )
in out g 1 2 3 4 st
r
E E E q q q q qV E
|
' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
+ = + + + + =

( ) ( )
( )
( )
p p p p
M,n M,n M-1,n M,n+1 p
M,n
T T T T
r
k M 1/2 r h M r T T +k
r 2 M r
| |
|

A
A A + A A
A A A
( )
( ) ( )
p p p+1 p
M,n-1 M,n M,n M,n
T T T T
r r r
k q M 1/4 r c M 1/4 r .
2 M r 2 2 t
| |
|

A A A
+ + A A = A A
A A A
( (
( (

Regrouping and using the definitions for Fo = oAt/Ar

2
and Bi = hAr/k,
( ) ( )
( )
p p p p+1 2
m,n
M-1,n M,n+1 M,n-1
2
M 1/2 1 q
T Fo 2 T T T 2Bi T r
M 1/4 k
M-1/4 M |

= + + + A

A


`

)

( ) ( )
p
M,n
2
M-1/2 M 1
1 2Fo Bi T .
M-1/4 M 1/4
M 1/4 M |
+ + +

A
(

(
`
(

)
(8) <
The stability criterion is
( ) ( )
2
1 M 1/2 M 1
Fo Bi .
2 M 1/4 M 1/4
M 1/4 M |

s + +

A
(
(
(

(9)
To determine which stability criterion is most restrictive, compare Eqs. (4), (7) and (9). The most
restrictive (lowest Fo) has the largest denominator. For small values of m, it is not evident whether
Eq. (7) is more restrictive than Eq. (4); Eq. (4) depends upon magnitude of A|. Likewise, it is not
clear whether Eq. (9) will be more or less restrictive than Eq. (7). Numerical values must be
substituted.