Boundary element methods for convective heat transfer

Abstract A boundary element method is developed for the linearized convective heat transfer problem using a newly derived integral formulation based on a convective fundamental solution. Details of the numerical implementation are provided for this linearized problem, which can be solved with only surface discretization. Significant attention is given to the algorithm so that the method could be applied to problems involving heat transfer at high Peclet numbers. Several numerical examples of steady state flows in two-dimensions are included to demonstrate the accuracy of the present methodology, and to highlight its practical utility and limitations.