TITLE:
Numerical Modelling of Coupled Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Materials: Application to Cinder Block Bricks
AUTHORS:
Benjamin Kiema, Ousmane Coulibaly, Xavier Chesneau, Belkacem Zeghmati
KEYWORDS:
Numerical Modelling, Coupled Transfer, Building Materials, Luikov Model, Finite Differences
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
9,
2024
ABSTRACT: In this work, we present numerical modelling of coupled heat and mass transfer within porous materials. Our study focuses on cinder block bricks generally used in building construction. The material is assumed to be placed in air. Moisture content and temperature have been chosen as the main transfer drivers and the equations governing these transfer drivers are based on the Luikov model. These equations are solved by an implicit finite difference scheme. A Fortran code associated with the Thomas algorithm was used to solve the equations. The results show that heat and mass transfer depend on the temperature of the air in contact with the material. As this air temperature rises, the temperature within the material increases, and more rapidly at the material surface. Also, thermal conductivity plays a very important role in the thermal conduction of building materials and influences heat and mass transfer in these materials. Materials with higher thermal conductivity diffuse more heat.