PROBLEM 4.

KNOWN: Rectangular plate subjected to prescribed boundary conditions.

FIND: Steady-state temperature distribution.
SCHEMATIC:

ASSUMPTIONS: (1) Steady-state, 2-D conduction, (2) Constant properties.

ANALYSIS: The solution follows the method of Section 4.2. The product solution is

(
T ( x,y ) = X ( x ) ⋅ Y ( y ) = ( C1cosλ x + C 2sinλ x ) C3e-λ y + C 4e +λ y )
and the boundary conditions are: T(0,y) = 0, T(a,y) = 0, T(x,0) = 0, T(x.b) = Ax. Applying
BC#1, T(0,y) = 0, find C1 = 0. Applying BC#2, T(a,y) = 0, find that λ = nπ/a with n = 1,2,….
Applying BC#3, T(x,0) = 0, find that C3 = -C4. Hence, the product solution is
x e
⎣ a ⎥⎦
(
⎡ nπ ⎤ + λ y - λ y
T ( x,y ) = X ( x ) ⋅ Y ( y ) = C2C4 sin ⎢ −e . )
Combining constants and using superposition, find
∞
⎡ nπ x ⎤ ⎡ nπ y ⎤
T ( x,y ) = ∑
Cn sin ⎢
⎣ a ⎦ ⎥ sinh ⎢
⎣ a ⎥⎦
.
n =1
To evaluate Cn and satisfy BC#4, use orthogonal functions with Equation 4.16 to find
a ⎡ nπ x ⎤ ⎡ nπ b ⎤ a ⎡ nπ x ⎤
Cn = ∫ Ax ⋅ sin ⎢ ⎥ ⋅ dx/sinh ⎢ ⎥ ∫ sin 2 ⎢ dx,
0 ⎣ a ⎦ ⎣ a ⎦ 0 ⎣ a ⎥⎦
noting that y = b. The numerator, denominator and Cn, respectively, are:
a
nπ x ⎡ ⎡ a ⎤ 2 ⎡ nπ x ⎤ ax ⎡ nπ x ⎤ ⎤ Aa 2 Aa 2
[ ]
a
∫
A x ⋅ sin ⋅ dx = A ⎢ ⎢ ⎥ sin ⎢ ⎥ − cos ⎢ ⎥ ⎥ = − cos ( n π ) = ( −1)n+1 ,
0 a nπ
⎢⎣ ⎣ ⎦ ⎣ a ⎦ n π ⎣ a ⎦ ⎥⎦ nπ nπ
0
a
⎡ nπ b ⎤ a 2 nπ x ⎡ nπ b ⎤ ⎡ 1 a ⎡ 2nπ x ⎤ ⎤ a ⎡ nπ b ⎤
sinh ⎢
⎣ a ⎦ 0⎥ ∫ sin
a
⋅ dx = sinh ⎢ ⎥
⎣ a ⎦ ⎣2 ⎢ x−
4nπ
sin ⎢ ⎥
⎣ a ⎦ ⎦0 2⎥ = ⋅ sinh ⎢
⎣ a ⎥⎦
,

Aa 2 nπ b nπ b
( −1)n+1 / sinh ⎡⎢ ⎤⎥ = 2Aa ( −1)n+1 / nπ sinh ⎡⎢ ⎤⎥ .
a
Cn =
nπ 2 ⎣ a ⎦ ⎣ a ⎦
Hence, the temperature distribution is
⎡ nπ y ⎤
∞ ( −1)n+1 sinh ⎢
2 Aa ⎡ nπ x ⎤ ⎣ a ⎥⎦ .
T ( x,y ) = ∑
π n =1 n
⋅ sin ⎢
⎣ a ⎥⎦ sinh ⎡ nπ b ⎤
<
⎢⎣ a ⎥⎦