ME 608

Numerical Methods in Heat, Mass, and Momentum Transfer

Sample Exam Problems

February 23, 2006
Instructor: J. Murthy

1. Consider steady one-dimensional diffusion of a chemical species in the domain shown in Fig. 1, governed by:
∇ · (Γ∇Y ) = 0
The specie deposits on the left boundary due to a chemical reaction. The boundary condition at the boundary point b is
given by  
dY
−Γ = −AY 1.3
dx b
Here Y is the specie mass fraction (kg of specie per kg of mixture) and A is a known positive constant. Consider a
uniform mesh with spacing ∆x, and a constant diffusion coefficient Γ. Write the (nominally linear) discrete equation
for the boundary value Yb . Indicate prevailing values of Y by Y ∗ .

x
b P E

∆x ∆x

Figure 1: Computational Domain for Problem 1

2. Consider steady convection of a scalar variable φ in the 1-D domain shown below. At the x = 0 boundary a mass flux
m”0 kg/m2s enters the domain with a value φ = φ0 . Diffusion may be ignored.

(a) Consider the case when there is a volumetric mass source ṁs kg/m3s in the domain, with a value φ = φs .
i. Derive the discrete equations for points 1,2 and 3 using the first-order upwind difference scheme on the mesh
shown in Fig. 2. The control volume faces are denoted by f 0, f 1, f 2 and f 3. Comment on the discrete
equations in terms of the boundedness of the solution and the satisfaction of the Scarborough criterion
ii. Compute the numerical values of φ at the points 1, 2 and 3.
(b) Now consider the case when there is a volumetric mass sink ṁs kg/m3s in the domain. Assume that the mass
loss is at the local value φ (x).
i. Derive the discrete equations for points 1, 2 and 3 using the first-order upwind difference scheme on the
mesh shown in Fig. 2. Comment on the discrete equations in terms of the boundedness of the solution and
the satisfaction of the Scarborough criterion
ii. Compute the numerical values of φ at the points 1, 2 and 3.

For the purposes of computation, you may assume:

m”0 = 10 kg/m2s φ0 = 1.0, ∆x = 1.0
ṁs = 1.0 kg/m3s and φs = 0.5

1
 x

f0 1 2 3
f1 f2 f3 ∆ y =1.0
m"
0
φ
0
∆x

Figure 2: Computational Domain for Problem 2

3. Consider the dimensionless phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), used to model thermal conduction at sub-
micron length scales:
∂I
+ ∇ · (sI) = τ (1 − I)
∂t
Here I is the dimensionless phonon intensity, t is the dimensionless time, ∇ is the dimensionless gradient operator, τ is
the acoustic thickness and s is the phonon vector direction.
Consider the solution of the 2D unsteady BTE on the square calculation domain shown in Fig. 3. You are given

τ = 0.5
 
1 1
s = √ i+ √ j
2 2
Boundary values of I are given in Fig. 3. The initial value of intensity is given as I(x, y, 0) = 1.0.
The dimensionless length of the calculation domain is L = 1. Assume four equi-sized cells as shown, with ∆x = ∆y =
0.5. Assume a dimensionless time step ∆t = 0.2.
(a) Using a fully-implicit upwind differencing scheme, write the discrete equation for I for each of the four cells in the
domain.
(b) Solve the discrete equations to obtain the cell intensities at the end of the first time step.
I=2.0

2 1

I=1.0
I=2.0

4 3
y

x
I=0.5

Figure 3: Computational Domain for Problem 3

4. Consider the annular axisymmetric cylindrical fin shown in Fig. 4 with inner radius ri and outer radius ro . The inner
cylindrical surface at r = ri is held at a temperature Ti while the outer cylindrical surface at r = ro is adiabatic. The
lateral (x=constant) surfaces are exposed to convective heat transfer with a heat transfer coefficient h and an ambient

2
 temperature Ta . For t/(ro − ri ) ≪ 1 heat transfer in the fin may be considered one-dimensional, and purely in the r
direction. The governing equation is given by:
 
1 d dT 2h
rk + (Ta − T ) = 0
r dr dr t

Assume a uniform mesh and constant k.

(a) By choosing an annular control volume of width ∆r and height t, develop a discrete equation for an interior cell P
in terms of the temperatures at its neighbors E and W .
(b) Develop a discrete equation for the temperature of a near-boundary cell with its w face on the boundary r = ri .
(c) Develop a discrete equation for the temperature of a near-boundary cell with its e face on the boundary r = ro .
(d) Comment on whether the computed solution is expected to be bounded, and what temperatures it is bounded by.
Also comment on whether the Scarborough criterion is satisfied.

ri
r
r i h, T
o a

x
t Ti t

r h, Ta

r
o

Figure 4: Computational Domain for Problem 4