CHEE3021 COURSEWORK 1

FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD AND COMSOL LAMINAR FLOW

Deshendren Manogalan

Student ID : 016032
Module Convenor : Dr.Hii Ching Lik
Submission Date : : 31/03/2017
Tutor : : Dr.Ong Sze Peng

PART A: FINITE DIFFERENT METHOD-HEAT TRANSFER

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(I)

Given values,

k=6.2 W/(m.C), L=0.04m, =1.3 x 10-6m2/s, r=0.2, M=10, t=140s, To=125C

Figure 1: Graph with uninsulated surface

The temperature profile graph above is obtained by using the finite difference
method. A series of equation were used to compute and obtain the temperature
at different points of the slab. The main equation used to obtain the temperature
is the finite difference equation;

T im+1=r ( T im1 +T im +1 ) +(12 r) T im

L
Besides the finite difference equation, M= was used to obtain the
X
t
r=
changes in thickness from L=0 to L=0.04 and X
2 was used to obtain the

changes in time from t=0 to t=140s.

Initially the solid slab is at a uniform temperature of 125C. During the cooling
process, the temperature of both sides of the slab are lowered and kept constant
at 25C. Therefore, the boundary conditions are set as T=25C at X=0 and

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T=25C at X=L. Although the initial temperature is kept constant at T=125C
with its boundary conditions as T=25C, over time a temperature drop across
the solid slab is observed as the solid slab losses heat due to conduction. The
maximum heat lost across the solid slab is observed at t=140s which is indicated
by the yellow line at the bottom of the graph from figure 1.

(II)

Figure 2: Graph with insulated surface

In order to obtain the temperature profile graph for this system, the same
equations from part a (I) were used. However, this system differs from the first
scenario as the slab is insulated at X=0 whereas the surface X=L experiences
convective air cooling. Since the slab is insulated at X=0, the boundary condition
dT
were taken as =0 . The boundary condition at X=L was calculated using
dx

T 9+ T h X
T 10= when , is determined by the equation = .
+1 k

Unlike the first scenario, a drop in temperature is observed when X=0 starting
from t=29.5s up to t=140.0s whereas the temperature drop of X=L is rather
immediate starting from t=2.46s up to 140.0s. The difference in temperature
drop is observed due to the insulation coated on the surface X=0.
Comparatively, the uninsulated surface reduces more in terms of temperature

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difference as it has the tendency to lose heat more than the insulated surface.
Although the insulated surface losses heat in a small scale, it still supresses most
of the heat within the slab not losing heat to the environment as heat is unable
to escape insulated surface. Thermal insulation provides a region of insulation in
which thermal conduction is reduced drastically or thermal radiation is reflected
rather absorbed by the lower-temperature body.

PART B: COMSOL-LAMINAR FLOW

H=0.006m, L=0.3m, water=998kg/m3, Viscosity=0.001Pa.s

Cartesian Coordinates

[ 2
x y
+ 2 ]
2 v x 2 v x 2 v x P
+ 2
z x
v
t
v
x
v
y
v
+ g x =( x + v x x + v y x + v z x )
z

x[
2 v y 2 v y 2 v y P
2
+
y 2
+ 2
z y ] v
t
v
x
v
y
v
+ g y =( y +v x y + v y y + v z y )
z

Continuity for incompressible flow

vx v y v z
+ + =0
x y z

Assumptions:

a) Newtonian fluid
b) Laminar flow
c) Constant properties
d) 2-D incompressible flow

(I)

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Figure 3: Cross sectional velocity profile graph at distance 200mm from entrance using
mapped mesh (normal)

Figure 4: Cross sectional velocity profile graph at distance 200mm from entrance using
mapped mesh (coarser)

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 Figure 5: Cross sectional velocity profile graph at distance 200mm from entrance using
mapped mesh (extremely coarser)

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 3, it is observed that the maximum
1
velocity is recorded at 0.35 ms which is at the centre of the microchannel
when the arc length is 0.3m whereas the velocity is the lowest when the arc
1
length is 0.0m and 0.6m where the velocity is found to be 0.0 ms .

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 4, it is observed that the maximum
1
velocity is recorded at 0.32 ms which is at the centre of the microchannel
when the arc length is 0.3m whereas the velocity is the lowest when the arc
1
length is 0.0m and 0.6m where the velocity is found to be 0.0 ms .

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 5, it is observed that the maximum
1
velocity is recorded at 0.24 ms which is at the centre of the microchannel
when the arc length is 0.3m whereas the velocity is the lowest when the arc
1
length is 0.0m and 0.6m where the velocity is found to be 0.0 ms .

(II)

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Figure 6: Point graph for mapped mesh (normal)

Figure 7: Point graph for mapped mesh (coarser)

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 Figure 8: Point graph for mapped mesh (extremely coarser)

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 6, it is observed that the velocity
increases with respect to time until the maximum velocity is achieved at 0.35
ms1 which is at the centre of the arc at 0.3m. The maximum velocity of 0.35
ms1 is prominent to be constant beginning from 30 seconds up to 60
seconds. In this system a normal mapped mesh was used whereby the water
was channelled through a microchannel following room condition under laminar
and incompressible flow condition with pressure difference of 25 Pa.

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 7, it is observed that the velocity
increases with respect to time until the maximum velocity is achieved at 0.32
1
ms which is at the centre of the arc at 0.3m. The maximum velocity of 0.32
ms1 is prominent to be constant beginning from 30 seconds up to 60
seconds. In this system a coarser mapped mesh was used with pressure
difference of 25 Pa.

Based on the graph obtained from Figure 8, it is observed that the velocity
increases with respect to time until the maximum velocity is achieved at 0.24
ms1 which is at the centre of the arc at 0.3m. The maximum velocity of 0.24
ms1 is prominent to be constant beginning from 30 seconds up to 60

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seconds. In this system an extremely coarser mapped mesh was used with
pressure difference of 25 Pa.

Conclusion

Based on the 3 cases studied, it is observed that in all three cases when normal,
coarser and extremely coarser mapped mash was used the constant velocity was
reached at 30 seconds regardless which gives rise to a conclusion that the type
of mesh does not affect the time taken to achieve steady state velocity.
However, a drop in maximum velocity is noticed when the normal mapped mesh
is replaced with a coarser mesh and the coarser mesh is replaced with an
extremely coarser mesh.

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