Lattice Boltzmann method for heat transfer problems with variable thermal conductivity

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the effect of variation in thermal conductivity on several transient heat transfer problems with the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). First, benchmark problems involving radiation and/or conduction with constant thermal conductivity are simulated. Then we consider the case of variable thermal conductivity with temperature in solving 2D coupled conduction-radiation heat transfer problem and natural convection in differentially heated enclosure. Both the energy equation and the radiative transfer equation (RTE) were solved using exclusively the lattice Boltzmann method. Good agreement with available data in literature was obtained.