Effective Thermal Conductivity of a Composite Material: A Numerical Approach

Our purpose is to characterize conductive heat transfer through composite, granular, or fibrous materials. A numerical approach was used to determine the effective thermal conductivity of the diphasic media. The media are composed of a solid continuous matrix containing similar particles. The configuration studied was a cubic lattice array which cylindrical inclusions. Behavior laws were established according to particle geometry, concentration, and the type of contact between particles. The effective thermal conductivity of the material was determined using the Laplace equation, as were the temperature and flux fiels within the cell