Date of Award

Spring 2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Program/Concentration

Aerospace Engineering

Committee Director

Ali Beskok

Committee Member

Shizhi Qian

Committee Member

Yan Peng

Call Number for Print

Special Collections; LD4331.E535 S55 2011

Abstract

Heat conduction between two parallel solid walls separated by liquid argon is investigated using three-dimensional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Liquid argon molecules confined in silver and graphite nano-channels are examined separately. Heat flux and temperature distribution within the nano-channels are calculated by maintaining a fixed temperature difference between the two solid surfaces. Temperature profiles are linear sufficiently away from the walls, and heat transfer in liquid argon obeys the Fourier law. The temperature jump due to the interface thermal resistance (i.e., Kapitza length) is calculated by extrapolating the temperature profile in the bulk region on to the wall and is characterized as a function of the wall temperature. MD results enabled development of a phenomenological model for the Kapitza length, which is utilized as the coefficient of a Navier-type temperature jump boundary condition using a continuum heat conduction equation. Analytical solution of this model results in successful predictions of temperature distribution in liquid argon confined in silver and graphite nano-channels as thin as 7 nm and 3.57 nm, respectively.

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DOI

10.25777/fkjw-3b35

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