Calculation of heat and moisture distribution in the porous media layer

Abstract

In this paper we study the problem of the diffusion of one substance through the pores of a porous material which may absorb and immobilize some of the diffusing substances with the evolution or absorption of heat. The transfer of moisture and the heat are described by the model. The system of two partial differential equations (PDEs) is derived, one equation expresses the rate of change of concentration of water vapour in the air spaces and the other the rate of change of temperature. The obtained initial‐boundary value problem is approximated by using the finite volume method. This procedure allows us to reduce the 2D transfer problem described by a system of PDEs to initial value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the first order.

First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010