Numerical boundary integral analysis of heat transfer from circular tubes in a semi-infinite medium

A two-dimensional analysis is presented for the steady heat transfer from a set of parallel isothermal tubes of arbitrary diameters and positions located in a semi-infinite medium. The plane surface is exposed to uniform convective environment. The analysis uses a special form of boundary integral equations, developed specially for circular interior boundaries, for the solution of two-dimensional Laplace's equation. Three computer programs are developed for the solution of the stated problem in its general form, the problem with two tubes, and the problem with two tubes with symmetry conditions. Criteria used for the selection of segment length, plane convective surface length, and the location of the axes are discussed. For illustration purposes, several problems of interest are solved. The results are presented and discussed. Also, the temperature distribution on the plane convective surface is presented.