Lecture 10

A numerical example
Consider a 2D heat transfer problem consisting of only one 3-node triangular ele-
ment. At node 1 the temperature is 20 ◦ C and along the vertical boundary heat
transfer takes place as linear convection. The convection coefficient α = 4.0 and
the surrounding temperature is 10 ◦ C. The heat conductivity coefficient λ = 1. and
the thickness t = 1.0 can be assumed. Calculate the temperature at node 2 and 3.
(4.5; 2.)

α
y
λ
1 2
x
(1.; 0.) (4.5; 0.)

Solution
The problem to be solved can be written
Z Z
T
B DBdV a + N T αN dSa =
V
Z Z Sc Z Z
T T T
= N QdV − N hdS + N αT∞ dS − B T DB̄dV g
V Sh Sc V

for a steady state problem, c.f. Torstenfelt Eq (7.23). In this problem, no internal heat
production is present. Enter it into above, which gives
Z Z Z Z Z
T T T T
B DBdV a + N αN dSa = − N hdS + N αT∞ dS − B T D B̄dV g
|V {z } | Sc {z } | Sh {z Sc } |V {z }
K ¯
Kc fh K

The boundary Sh is the line between node 1 and 2 and between node 1 and 3. The
boundary Sc is the boundary between node 2 and node 3 (that is the vertical part of
the boundary). However, the prescribed heat flux on Sh is zero, so the term
Z
N T hdS will not give any contribution.
Sh

Conductivity (or Stiffness) Matrix

The global coefficients K are in heat transfer problems associated with the heat con-
duction in the structure or in the element. Henceforth, the global coefficient matrix in
heat transfer problem will be referred to as the global conductivity matrix. On element

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 Lecture 10

level, the coefficients will be referred to as the element conductivity matrix. The global
conductivity matrix K is given by
n
X
K= C Ti K ei C i
i=1

The element conductivity matrix is given by

ZZ
e T
K = B e DB e tdxdy
Ae

where the constitutive conductivity matrix D for an isotropic material is

 
1 0
D=λ (6.13)
0 1

and B e is the derivatives of the element shape functions with respect to x and y. In
this task, the element is a linear triangular element. That is, there are three nodes and
thus three shape functions.
 
∂
 ∂x   e 
B e =∇N e =   ∂ 
 N1 (x, y) N2e (x, y) N3e (x, y)

∂y
 
∂N1e (x, y) ∂N2e (x, y) ∂N3e (x, y)
 ∂x ∂x ∂x 
= 
 ∂N1e (x, y) e
∂N2 (x, y) e
∂N3 (x, y) 
∂y ∂y ∂y
Remark: For linear heat transfer, the differential operator turns out to be the usual
gradient operator. This is not the case in general. For instance, in elasticity, the
differential operator will look different.
The shape functions for this triangular element can be found in Torstenfelt page 104,
box ’Shape functions for a 2D Constant Strain Triangle’.
1 1
N1e (x, y) = [a1 + b1 x + c1 y] = [(x2 y3 − x3 y2 ) + (y2 − y3 )x + (x3 − x2 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
1 1
N2e (x, y) = [a2 + b2 x + c2 y] = [(x3 y1 − x1 y3 ) + (y3 − y1 )x + (x1 − x3 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
1 1
N3e (x, y) = [a3 + b3 x + c3 y] = [(x1 y3 − x3 y1 ) + (y1 − y2 )x + (x2 − x1 )y]
2∆ 2Ae
which gives the B e matrix
 
e 1 y2 − y3 y3 − y1 y1 − y2
B = (7.99)
2Ae x3 − x2 x1 − x3 x2 − x1
where the area of the element can be calculated with

2Ae = (x2 y3 − x3 y2 ) − (x1 y3 − x3 y1 ) + (x1 y2 − x2 y1 )

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 Lecture 10

Alltogether, we obtain
 
e 1 −2 2 0
B =
7 0 −3.5 3.5
Remark: Note that the sum on each row in the B e matrix equals zero.
The B e matrix is independent of x and y. That is, the temperature gradient is constant
within the element. It also simplifies the integration of the element conductivity matrix, K e .
The element conductivity matrix, K e is calculated as
ZZ ZZ
e eT e eT e
K = B DB tdxdy = B DB t dxdy
Ae e
|A {z }
Ae
 
−2 0    
1 1 0 1 −2 2 0 7
= 2 −3.5  λ t
7 0 1 7 0 −3.5 3.5 2
0 3.5
 
16 −16 0
λt 
K e= −16 65 −49 
56
0 −49 49

Contribution from convective boundary

From above, we have
Z
e T
Kc = αN e N e tds
SL

where Sc is the line between node 2 and node 3. On that boundary, the shape functions
reduce to
 e   
N1 (x = 4.5, y) 0
T  1
N e Sc =  N2e (x = 4.5, y)  =  2 − y 
2
N3e (x = 4.5, y) y
Enter it into the expression for K c
 
Z 2 0
α  
K ec =  2 − y  0 2 − y y tds
4 0
y
 
Z 2 0 0 0
α
K ec =  (2 − y)2 2y − y 2  tds
4 0
y2
   
0 0 0 0 0 0
αt  1
K ec = 0 2 1 =  0 8 4 
3 3
0 1 2 0 4 8
Calculate the contribution to the right hand side
   
Z 2  0   0 
T
f b = T0 αt N e ds = αtT0 1 = 40
   
0 1 40

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 Lecture 10

Assembling
The connectivity matrices C and C is obtained as
       
 T1  0 0    T1  1 
T2
ae = T2 = 1 0  ae = T2 =  0  T1
T
0 1 | {z3 }
   
T3 T3 0 | {z
g
}
| {z } a | {z }
C C
The conductivity matrices are then obtained as
n   n  
X λt 65 −49 X λt −16
K= CTi Kei Ci = K̄ = CTi Kei C̄i =
56 −49 49 56 0
i=1 i=1
n n (2)
T
X λt   ¯ =
X λt  
K̄ = C̄Ti Kei Ci = −16 0 K̄ C̄Ti Kei C̄i = 16
i=1
56 i=1
56

The contribution from the convective boundary can be calculated in the same way,
giving
n   n  
X 1 8 4 X 0
Kc = CTi Kei Ci = K̄c = CTi Kei C̄i =
3 4 8 0
i=1 i=1
n n (3)
X   X  
K̄Tc = C̄Ti Kei Ci = 0 0 ¯ =
K̄ C̄Ti Kei C̄i = 0
c
i=1 i=1

Assemble and solve

    
643 77 −48  T2   1 
1 
77 595 0  T3 = 40 1
168    
−48 0 48 20 Q1

Solving for unknown quantities

The unknown temperature is obtained by
 
T2

a= = (K + K c )−1 f h − K̄g
T3
        
1 595 −77 0 40 1 −48 
= + − 20
2242 −77 643 0 40 168 0
 
10.76◦
=
9.90◦

   
T2 10.76
=
T3 9.90

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 Lecture 10

A numerical example
A rectangular domain has a heat conductivity number λ = 4.0 J/◦ Cms. The thickness
is t = 2.0. The horisontal boundaries are isolated. Along the right vertical boundary
the temperature is known and equal to 10.◦ C and along the left vertical boundary linear
convection heat transfer takes place. The surrounding temperature is 20.◦ C and the
convection coefficient α = 100. J/◦ Cm2 s. Perform a Finite Element analysis and make
use of only element as simple as possible. Calculate the temperature at the position A
situated at 75% of the length of the diagonal across the domain in accordance to the fig-

η
.A
T∞ = 20. °C
2.0 T = 10. °C
ξ α = 100. J/°Cm2s
λ, t

4.0
[m]

T1 T2
ure below.
Use only one 1D element

T1 = 10. aL = T2

where

TA = N (ξ = 0.5)a = N1 (0.5)T1 + N2 (0.5)T2

N1 = (1 − ξ)/2; N2 = (1 + ξ)/2
⇒

TA = T1 /4 + 3T2 /4 = 2.5 + 3T2 /4

Calculate T2
 
eλA 1 −1
K = A = 2t = 4 L=4
L 1

Calculate the convective contributions

K L = αA = 400

f C = T∞ αA = 8000

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 Lecture 10

Assemblying ⇒
    
4 −4 T1 ?
=
−4 404 T2 8000
⇒

T2 = (8000 + 4T1 )/404

T2 ≈ 19.9◦ C

TA = 17.43◦C

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