Nonlinear Stefan Problem for one-phase generalized heat equation with heat flux and convective boundary condition

TL;DR

This paper models the initial stage of electrical contact closure involving vaporization using a nonlinear Stefan problem for a generalized heat equation with heat flux and convection, providing solutions for different thermal conductivities.

Contribution

It introduces a mathematical model for vaporization in electrical contacts using a nonlinear Stefan problem with a similarity solution approach and proves existence and uniqueness of solutions.

Findings

Solution for constant thermal conductivity case.

Solution for linear thermal conductivity case.

Existence and uniqueness of solutions proved.

Abstract

In this article we consider a mathematical model of an initial stage of closure electrical contact that involves a metallic vaporization after instantaneous exploding of contact due to arc ignition with power $P_0$ on fixed face $z=0$ and heat transfer in material with a variable cross section, when the radial component of the temperature gradient can be neglected in comparison with the axial component with heat flux and convective boundary conditions prescribed at the known free boundary $z = \alpha (t)$. The temperature field in the liquid region of such kind of material can be modelled by Stefan problem for the generalized heat equation. The method of solution is based on similarity variable, which enables us to reduce generalized heat equation to nonlinear ordinary differential equation. Moreover, we have to determine temperature solution for the liquid phase and location of melting interface. Existence and uniqueness of the solution is proved by using the fixed point Banach theorem. The solution for two cases of thermal coefficients, in particular, constant and linear thermal conductivity are represented, existence and uniqueness for each type of solution is proved.