Find the steady state temperature u(x, y) in a square copper plate with side a=30 cma = 30\text{ cm} the faces being perfectly insulated, the upper side is kept at 40 °C and other sides are kept at 0 °C.

Answer: u(x,y)=160π∑m=1∞sin⁡((2m−1)πx30)sinh⁡((2m−1)πy30)(2m−1)sinh⁡((2m−1)π)u(x, y) = \frac{160}{\pi} \sum_{m=1}^{\infty} \frac{\sin\left(\frac{(2m-1)\pi x}{30}\right) \sinh\left(\frac{(2m-1)\pi y}{30}\right)}{(2m-1)\sinh((2m-1)\pi)}

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Set up Laplace's equation and boundary conditions

Steady-state heat conduction in two dimensions without heat generation is governed by Laplace's equation. The side of the square plate is a=30 cma = 30\text{ cm}. The boundary conditions are given as: u(0,y)=0u(0, y) = 0, u(a,y)=0u(a, y) = 0, u(x,0)=0u(x, 0) = 0, and u(x,a)=40∘Cu(x, a) = 40^\circ\text{C}.

Step 2: Apply separation of variables

Assuming a product solution u(x,y)=X(x)Y(y)u(x, y) = X(x)Y(y), we separate variables into two ordinary differential equations. Because u(0,y)=0u(0, y) = 0 and u(a,y)=0u(a, y) = 0, X(x)X(x) must satisfy X(0)=0X(0) = 0 and X(a)=0X(a) = 0, requiring a negative separation constant −k2-k^2 with k=nπak = \frac{n\pi}{a}.

Step 3: Solve for X(x) and Y(y)

For X(x)X(x), the general solution is X(x)=C1cos⁡(kx)+C2sin⁡(kx)X(x) = C_1\cos(kx) + C_2\sin(kx). Applying X(0)=0X(0) = 0 gives C1=0C_1 = 0, and X(a)=0X(a) = 0 gives k=nπak = \frac{n\pi}{a} for n=1,2,3,…n = 1, 2, 3, \dots. For Y(y)Y(y), Y′′(y)−k2Y(y)=0Y''(y) - k^2 Y(y) = 0 gives Y(y)=C3cosh⁡(ky)+C4sinh⁡(ky)Y(y) = C_3\cosh(ky) + C_4\sinh(ky). The condition u(x,0)=0u(x, 0) = 0 leads to Y(0)=0Y(0) = 0, so C3=0C_3 = 0.

Step 4: Form general Fourier series solution

By the principle of superposition, the general solution is the sum of all fundamental solutions. To determine the coefficients AnA_n, we apply the remaining non-homogeneous boundary condition at the top edge y=ay = a, where u(x,a)=40u(x, a) = 40.

Step 5: Evaluate Fourier coefficients An

Setting y=ay = a, we have ∑n=1∞Ansinh⁡(nπ)sin⁡(nπxa)=40\sum_{n=1}^\infty A_n \sinh(n\pi) \sin\left(\frac{n\pi x}{a}\right) = 40. Using the orthogonality of sine functions, the integral evaluates to 80nπ(1−cos⁡(nπ))\frac{80}{n\pi}(1 - \cos(n\pi)). For even nn, this equals 00; for odd n=2m−1n = 2m - 1, it equals 160nπ\frac{160}{n\pi}. Thus, An=160nπsinh⁡(nπ)A_n = \frac{160}{n\pi \sinh(n\pi)} for odd nn.

Step 6: Substitute a=30a = 30 and write final solution

Substituting a=30 cma = 30\text{ cm} and n=2m−1n = 2m - 1 into our series expression yields the complete steady-state temperature distribution throughout the square plate.

Solve your own maths question free →