Efficient Sequential Solution of the Nonlinear Inverse Heat Conduction Problem

The nonlinear inverse heat conduction problem is the calculation of surface heat fluxes and temperatures by utilizing measured interior temperatures in opaque solids possessing temperature-variable thermal properties. The most widely used numerical method for this problem was developed by Beck. The new sequential procedure presented here reduces the number of computer calculations by a factor of 3 or 4. The general heat conduction model used permits treatment of various one-dimensional geometries (plates, cylinders, and spheres), energy sources, and fin effects. The numerical procedure is illustrated for finite differences, but the basic concepts are also applicable to the finite-element method. Detailed descriptions of the computational algorithms are given and a nonlinear example is provided.