Effects of temperature-dependent properties on the heat conduction in a semi-infinite medium subjected to a pulsed heat source

The numerical solution to the transient conductive problem in a semi-infinite medium irradiated by a periodic on-off heat flux at the surface has been derived and analyzed. Non-linearities caused by the dependence of thermal properties on the temperature and by surface radiation have been considered. Significant dimensionless parameters have been selected and temperature distributions as a function of the space and the time are presented. The effects of variable thermophysical properties are too marked to allow the problem to be treated with the linear model. Thermal radiation reduces the temperatures in the solid both with and without convective cooling. In a low absorbing medium with heat transfer at the surface, maximum temperatures are attained inside it.