Author(s)

ShahNor BASRI, M. M. FAKIR, F. MUSTAPHA, D. L. A. MAJID, A. A. JAAFAR

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Finite element method (FEM) and differential quadrature method (DQM) are among important numerical techniques used in engineering analyses. Usually elements are sub-divided uniformly in FEM (conventional FEM, CFEM) to obtain temperature distribution behavior in a fin or plate. Hence, extra computational complexity is needed to obtain a fair solution with required accuracy. In this paper, non-uniform sub-elements are considered for FEM (efficient FEM, EFEM) solution to reduce the computational complex-ity. Then this EFEM is applied for the solution of one-dimensional heat transfer problem in a rectangular thin fin. The obtained results are compared with CFEM and efficient DQM (EDQM), with non-uniform mesh generation). It is found that the EFEM exhibit more accurate results than CFEM and EDQM showing its potentiality.

Efficient Finite Element Method, Efficient Differential Quadrature Method, Heat Transfer Problem

S. BASRI, M. FAKIR, F. MUSTAPHA, D. MAJID and A. JAAFAR, "Heat Distribution in Rectangular Fins Using Efficient Finite Element and Differential Quadrature Methods," Engineering, Vol. 1 No. 3, 2009, pp. 151-160. doi: 10.4236/eng.2009.13018.