Unsteady temperature distribution in bars of arbitrary cross section with heat generation

Abstract In general, numerical schemes such as the finite-difference method, the Monte-Carlo approach or the finite element technique must be applied when solving boundary value problems of heat conduction theory in the case of complex geometries quite common in nuclear reactor technology. It is shown in the present paper that an alternative analytical approach based on conformal mapping techniques and a variational formulation is quite convenient for the complicated domains considered herewith and for a type of unsteady state thermal field situation when heat generation takes place.