A Heat Loss Comparison Between the Two Parabolic Fin Models Using Two Different Numerical Methods

A comparison of the two dimensional heat loss, computed using the analytical method and the finite difference method in two models(i.e. one is a parabolic fin whose parabolic curves meet at the fin center line and the other is a transformed parabolic fin whose tip cuts vertically), is made assuming the analytical method is correct. For these methods, the root temperature and surrounding convection coefficients of these fins are assumed as constants. The results show that the relative errors of the heat loss between the two methods for the parabolic fin whose tip cuts vertically are smaller than those for the one whose tip does not cut. In case of Bi=0.01, the values of the heat loss obtained using a finite difference method are close to those values obtained using the analytical method for both models. The values of the heat loss from both models calculated by using the analytical method are almost the same for given range of non-dimensional fin length in case of Bi = 0.01 and 0.1.