A Linear Approach Suitable for a Class of Steady-State Heat Transfer Problems with Temperature-Dependent Thermal Conductivity

<div>The temperature as a function of the position <span class="nowrap"><svg height="6.1673pt" id="M244" style="vertical-align:-0.2063904pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -5.96091 5.60619 6.1673" width="5.60619pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M393 379C402 394 400 411 393 422C384 437 365 448 348 448C301 448 237 372 186 285H182L193 335C210 408 205 448 178 448C150 448 80 402 29 344L45 321C80 355 114 373 122 373C128 373 130 365 124 330C106 228 76 98 50 -5L57 -12C82 -5 112 3 132 6L172 203C196 256 234 304 254 329C275 355 293 367 306 367C318 367 330 360 342 348C347 343 355 343 365 350S386 367 393 379Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> obtained with <span class="nowrap"><svg height="8.55521pt" id="M245" style="vertical-align:-0.2063904pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 37.9365 8.55521" width="37.9365pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M545 106L524 126C493 85 467 65 455 65C438 65 427 113 405 238C448 295 498 362 543 439L533 448L478 435C453 386 423 331 398 295H395C370 404 347 448 282 448C169 448 23 309 23 153C23 54 65 -12 128 -12C203 -12 283 70 339 155H341C360 29 380 -12 411 -12C444 -12 491 11 545 106ZM333 204C265 95 210 54 169 54C137 54 113 96 113 171C113 302 191 405 252 405C301 405 318 306 333 204Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.017,0)"><path d="M535 323V373H52V323H535ZM535 138V188H52V138H535Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.28,0)"><path d="M412 140C382 77 369 73 315 73H129L270 222C362 320 402 379 402 466C402 571 322 635 234 635C177 635 130 609 99 576L42 495L64 475C90 514 133 568 201 568C274 568 318 519 318 435C318 349 255 267 193 193C144 135 87 78 32 23V0H405C417 45 427 89 440 131L412 140Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.52,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.484,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> for a set of selected values of <span class="nowrap"><svg height="9.39034pt" id="M246" style="vertical-align:-3.42943pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -5.96091 6.63704 9.39034" width="6.63704pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M478 372C478 418 458 448 431 448C409 448 389 431 389 410C389 404 391 400 394 395C398 388 406 371 406 348C406 253 308 122 251 51H249C254 122 249 257 231 336C212 421 189 448 159 448C126 448 75 412 23 327L48 306C83 354 103 371 115 371C125 371 134 360 144 334C185 224 192 64 183 -19C146 -100 116 -202 110 -244L125 -261C154 -259 208 -234 222 -220C222 -194 225 -84 235 -23C247 -3 273 36 308 79C379 165 478 288 478 372Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> <span class="nowrap"><svg height="12.1828pt" id="M247" style="vertical-align:-3.429461pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.75334 6.81796 12.1828 " width="6.81796pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.818,-.222)"><path d="M-161 571C-161 600 -183 623 -212 623C-238 623 -262 600 -262 571C-262 544 -238 520 -212 520C-183 520 -161 544 -161 571Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M474 429L457 433C435 440 389 448 367 448C348 448 323 446 309 443C266 434 195 406 148 366C78 307 23 210 23 101C23 35 55 -12 92 -12C118 -12 146 1 196 35C247 70 311 130 346 173H348L281 -148C268 -211 256 -221 208 -229L191 -232L187 -257L433 -245L437 -219L411 -216C357 -210 350 -205 362 -140L427 207C447 315 461 381 474 429ZM387 387C379 337 363 262 355 236C318 180 201 57 142 57C126 57 112 81 112 128C112 205 150 321 220 376C244 395 280 403 312 403C345 403 370 396 387 387Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> <span class="nowrap"><svg height="8.8423pt" id="M248" style="vertical-align:-0.2064009pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 8.28119 8.8423" width="8.28119pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M610 18C585 26 567 34 540 68C517 97 499 128 476 171C452 215 425 276 413 304C496 332 570 394 570 494C570 555 545 595 509 619S419 650 364 650H139L133 622C216 615 219 612 203 527L129 132C112 40 105 36 23 28L17 0H279L285 28C199 34 194 40 211 132L239 284H284C320 284 334 275 351 236C374 182 394 140 420 93C459 23 495 -1 592 -8H600L610 18ZM480 485C480 424 449 372 403 342C374 323 338 316 293 316H245L291 562C296 589 301 601 311 608S337 618 358 618C432 618 480 575 480 485Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> <span class="nowrap"><svg height="12.4698pt" id="M249" style="vertical-align:-3.18147pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -9.28833 11.5443 12.4698" width="11.5443pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M480 416C480 431 465 448 438 448C388 448 312 383 252 330C217 299 188 273 155 237H153L257 680C262 700 263 712 253 712C240 712 183 684 97 674L92 648L126 647C166 646 172 645 163 606L23 -6L29 -12C51 -5 77 2 107 8C115 62 130 128 142 180C153 193 179 220 204 241C231 170 259 106 288 54C317 0 336 -12 358 -12C381 -12 423 2 477 80L460 100C434 74 408 54 398 54C385 54 374 65 351 107C326 154 282 241 263 299C296 332 351 377 403 377C424 377 436 372 445 368C449 366 456 368 462 375C472 386 480 402 480 416Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.0091,0,0,-0.0091,6.474,3.132)"><path d="M389 0V32C297 38 291 46 291 118V635C234 613 175 595 109 583V556L161 554C203 552 207 547 207 497V118C207 46 201 38 110 32V0H389Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> <span class="nowrap"><svg height="12.4698pt" id="M250" style="vertical-align:-3.18147pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -9.28833 11.5443 12.4698" width="11.5443pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M480 416C480 431 465 448 438 448C388 448 312 383 252 330C217 299 188 273 155 237H153L257 680C262 700 263 712 253 712C240 712 183 684 97 674L92 648L126 647C166 646 172 645 163 606L23 -6L29 -12C51 -5 77 2 107 8C115 62 130 128 142 180C153 193 179 220 204 241C231 170 259 106 288 54C317 0 336 -12 358 -12C381 -12 423 2 477 80L460 100C434 74 408 54 398 54C385 54 374 65 351 107C326 154 282 241 263 299C296 332 351 377 403 377C424 377 436 372 445 368C449 366 456 368 462 375C472 386 480 402 480 416Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.0091,0,0,-0.0091,6.474,3.132)"><path d="M414 144C384 79 371 75 317 75H135L276 221C367 316 408 376 408 465C408 570 327 635 237 635C179 635 131 609 100 575L42 494L67 471C94 510 138 565 205 565C277 565 321 517 321 435C321 348 258 270 195 195C146 137 88 81 33 26V0H411C423 44 433 88 446 135L414 144Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> and <span class="nowrap"><svg height="12.1436pt" id="M251" style="vertical-align:-3.18148pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.96212 12.249 12.1436" width="12.249pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M620 675H597C578 656 570 650 541 650H144C112 650 104 653 94 675H72C59 618 42 552 23 493L53 491C71 534 88 564 105 585C124 608 144 615 238 615H290L197 121C182 40 174 34 88 28L82 0H361L367 28C275 34 266 38 281 121L374 615H441C522 615 543 608 553 583C562 560 566 531 565 493L597 494C603 551 612 629 620 675Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.0091,0,0,-0.0091,7.176,3.132)"><path d="M389 0V32C297 38 291 46 291 118V635C234 613 175 595 109 583V556L161 554C203 552 207 547 207 497V118C207 46 201 38 110 32V0H389Z"></path></g></svg>,</span> associated to the elements <svg height="9.39034pt" id="M252" style="vertical-align:-3.42943pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -5.96091 10.4235 9.39034" width="10.4235pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M559 271C559 395 493 448 433 448C370 448 304 394 275 297C259 245 235 121 219 37C157 54 113 110 113 201C113 310 180 386 276 429L265 457C131 410 23 326 23 186C23 83 86 5 211 -10C180 -159 167 -220 158 -252L165 -261C198 -255 236 -246 251 -218L287 -5C421 9 559 119 559 271ZM484 273C484 144 400 40 293 33L352 331C364 389 382 406 405 406C431 406 484 370 484 273Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.0091,0,0,-0.0091,7.241,3.132)"><path d="M250 606C250 634 233 656 203 656C168 656 146 618 146 593C146 564 169 545 192 545C227 545 250 573 250 606ZM227 95L212 119C187 98 152 71 135 71C129 71 128 78 134 102L207 373C219 418 217 451 194 451C165 451 92 411 30 351L44 326C77 353 106 371 114 371C124 371 121 357 117 341L55 97C32 5 46 -12 70 -12C108 -12 191 51 227 95Z"></path></g></svg> <svg height="11.5564pt" id="M253" style="vertical-align:-2.26807pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -9.28833 120.065 11.5564" width="120.065pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M300 -147C201 -63 143 98 143 270S200 602 300 686L282 710C136 610 70 450 70 271V270C70 89 136 -72 282 -170L300 -147Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,4.498,0)"><path d="M244 607C244 633 228 655 200 655C166 655 146 618 146 594C146 564 166 546 191 546C221 546 244 574 244 607ZM222 91L209 114C184 94 148 66 133 66C127 66 124 73 130 96L201 370C213 416 211 448 191 448C162 448 88 407 29 352L42 328C73 354 104 371 114 371C120 371 119 365 115 345L53 92C32 5 45 -12 68 -12C103 -12 186 50 222 91Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.679,0)"><path d="M535 323V373H52V323H535ZM535 138V188H52V138H535Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.942,0)"><path d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,29.182,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,34.325,0)"><path d="M412 140C382 77 369 73 315 73H129L270 222C362 320 402 379 402 466C402 571 322 635 234 635C177 635 130 609 99 576L42 495L64 475C90 514 133 568 201 568C274 568 318 519 318 435C318 349 255 267 193 193C144 135 87 78 32 23V0H405C417 45 427 89 440 131L412 140Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,40.565,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,45.708,0)"><path d="M285 378C315 398 338 416 353 432C373 451 384 474 384 503C384 579 325 635 236 635H235C182 635 136 610 108 579L65 516L85 496C110 533 150 575 205 575C258 575 300 543 300 481C300 407 232 369 141 339L147 310C163 315 188 321 211 321C268 321 338 284 338 192C338 94 288 40 217 40C160 40 119 68 93 91C85 98 77 97 69 91C60 84 47 71 46 58C44 46 48 35 62 22C75 10 116 -12 162 -12C234 -12 424 62 424 224C424 297 373 359 285 376V378Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,51.948,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,57.092,0)"><path d="M456 178V225H360V632H320C217 496 115 347 20 206V178H280V106C280 40 276 34 189 27V0H445V27C364 34 360 39 360 106V178H456ZM280 225H82C149 335 214 431 278 520H280V225Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,63.332,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,68.475,0)"><path d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,74.715,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,79.858,0)"><path d="M137 343C167 482 260 545 321 574C357 591 397 603 429 609L423 641C382 634 335 622 295 608C189 570 37 457 37 238C37 84 125 -12 242 -12C362 -12 447 89 447 209C447 311 374 393 267 393C247 393 226 386 204 376L137 343ZM227 337C318 337 361 256 361 173C361 105 336 22 258 22C176 22 126 120 126 240C126 266 127 291 132 310C155 323 189 337 227 337Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,86.098,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,91.242,0)"><path d="M249 635C141 635 70 555 70 471C70 401 114 353 179 316C143 294 106 267 90 252C68 231 45 202 45 157C45 50 130 -12 237 -12C322 -12 435 52 435 169C435 256 372 304 303 343C349 374 375 398 383 407C401 429 411 458 411 487C411 569 344 635 249 635ZM238 603C285 603 337 567 337 482C337 422 310 385 276 358C205 393 145 426 145 500C145 552 179 603 238 603ZM248 20C183 20 125 70 125 163C125 218 158 268 206 300C284 261 355 217 355 143C355 66 308 20 248 20Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,97.482,0)"><path d="M95 130C70 130 46 113 46 88C46 72 54 64 59 64C93 55 121 33 121 -3C121 -41 93 -68 44 -88L55 -117C117 -98 186 -56 186 22C186 91 131 130 95 130Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,102.625,0)"><path d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,108.865,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,115.105,0)"><path d="M275 270C275 450 212 609 64 710L45 686C145 604 203 442 203 270S147 -63 45 -147L64 -170C213 -68 275 89 275 270Z"></path></g></svg> and <svg height="9.39034pt" id="M254" style="vertical-align:-3.42943pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -5.96091 17.3471 9.39034" width="17.3471pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M559 271C559 395 493 448 433 448C370 448 304 394 275 297C259 245 235 121 219 37C157 54 113 110 113 201C113 310 180 386 276 429L265 457C131 410 23 326 23 186C23 83 86 5 211 -10C180 -159 167 -220 158 -252L165 -261C198 -255 236 -246 251 -218L287 -5C421 9 559 119 559 271ZM484 273C484 144 400 40 293 33L352 331C364 389 382 406 405 406C431 406 484 370 484 273Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.0091,0,0,-0.0091,7.241,3.132)"><path d="M1000 227C1000 351 905 451 780 451C658 451 590 380 530 279C465 385 388 451 261 451C168 451 38 376 38 210C38 98 121 -12 261 -12C381 -12 448 59 508 160C573 53 652 -12 780 -12C879 -12 1000 64 1000 227ZM485 199C434 109 370 25 271 25C188 25 133 117 133 241C133 355 189 414 249 414C357 414 426 302 485 199ZM903 204C903 70 852 25 790 25C681 25 611 136 552 240C603 330 669 414 768 414C855 414 903 321 903 204Z"></path></g></svg>(exact).</div>

Mathematical Problems in Engineering

fig2

Figure 2

Figure 2: A Linear Approach Suitable for a Class of Steady-State Heat Transfer Problems with Temperature-Dependent Thermal Conductivity 