How to solve Diffusion Equation with time dependant conditions?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around solving the diffusion equation with time-dependent boundary conditions, specifically the equation U=U(x,t) governed by Ut=DUxx, with initial and boundary conditions provided. Participants explore various methods for addressing the complexities introduced by the time-dependent boundary condition U(0,t)=a(t) and the zero flux condition at U(L,t).

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes difficulties in applying the standard method of separation of variables due to the boundary conditions, suggesting that methods for solving inhomogeneous heat equations using Green's functions also fail because they require knowledge of U(L,t).
  • Another participant proposes transforming the PDE for U with nonhomogeneous boundary conditions into a new PDE for V with homogeneous boundary conditions.
  • A different participant argues that separation of variables should still be a viable approach, providing a specific form of the solution and suggesting that it could lead to an answer involving Laplace transforms.
  • Concerns are raised about the time-dependent boundary condition leading to integration constants that are functions of time, which complicates the solution process.
  • Several participants discuss the use of Laplace transforms, with one noting that they obtained a specific form for V(x,s) but faced challenges with boundary conditions.
  • Another participant offers a set of solutions to the heat equation that satisfy two of the three boundary conditions and suggests a method to express the final boundary condition as an integral equation.
  • Despite flaws in some proposed approaches, there is acknowledgment that they may still hold promise for future attempts at solving similar equations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the effectiveness of various methods, including separation of variables and Laplace transforms. There is no consensus on a single approach, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the best method to apply given the specific boundary conditions.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations related to the time-dependent boundary condition, the need for specific forms of solutions, and the challenges of integrating constants that depend on time. These factors contribute to the complexity of finding a satisfactory solution.

Zimbalj
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TL;DR
By which method could i analytically solve Diffusion Equation with this boundary conditions:
U=U(x,t)

Ut=DUxx; 0<=x<=L, t>0

U(x,0)=0 0<x<=L
U(0,t)=a(t); t>0 *a(t) is known function*
(dU/dx)=0 for x=L

I have looked into many ways but not one is usable for diffusion equation with this boundary conditions.
 
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Standard method of separation by variables does not match up nicely with boundary conditions. I have seen methods for solving inhomogeneous heat equation using green functions, but that again failed, because it required knowledge of U(L,t) which was not given by any condition
 
fresh_42 said:
How far did you come?

You should also check the last attachment in
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/solution-manuals-for-the-math-challenges.977057/
(problem 14 Nov. 2020)
November 2020 does have diffusion equation problem, but i do not know how to use any of information there to solve my problem. Soluton on picturem from the book is the case that mostly resembles my problem, but again i need boundary condition U(L,t)=b(t), instead i have flux that equals zero at that point U'(L,t)=0, so i can't use that metod
 

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The idea behind solving the source-on-the-half-line problem is to transform the PDE for U with nonhomogeneous boundary conditions into another PDE for V with homogeneous boundary conditions, as is done in the attachment that you've posted.
 
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I don’t see why separation of variables isn’t a good start? For a separation constant, ##\omega##, the solution with ##u’_\omega(t,L)=0## is,

##u_\omega(t,x) = e^{\omega t}\cosh(\sqrt{\omega}(x-L))##

So, the solution you seek is some weighted sum over ##\omega##. Evaluating at ##x=0## gives,

##u_\omega(t,0)=\cosh(\sqrt{\omega}L)e^{\omega t}##

this will lead to an answer in terms of Laplace transforms.
 
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The problem is boundary condition that is time dependent:
U(0,t)=a(t)
With constant boundary condition i get analytical solution relatively easy, but with time dependent boundary condition i always get that some of the integration constants are functions of t which is not right

Lets say:
U(x,t)=A(x)B(t)

U(0,t)=A(0)B(t)=a(t) => B(t)=a(t)/A(0) *A(0) should be some constant


but function a(t) is not in a form that resembles solution for the time part, when the equation is separated

Bt+(Dw2)B=0
 
Zimbalj said:
The problem is boundary condition that is time dependent:
U(0,t)=a(t)
With constant boundary condition i get analytical solution relatively easy, but with time dependent boundary condition i always get that some of the integration constants are functions of t which is not right

Lets say:
U(x,t)=A(x)B(t)

U(0,t)=A(0)B(t)=a(t) => B(t)=a(t)/A(0) *A(0) should be some constant


but function a(t) is not in a form that resembles solution for the time part, when the equation is separated

Bt+(Dw2)B=0
Have a look at 16.1. in
https://web.math.ucsb.edu/~grigoryan/124A/lecs/lec16.pdf
And
https://web.math.ucsb.edu/~grigoryan/124A/lecs/
is the list of all lectures of the course.
 
  • #10
Zimbalj said:
With constant boundary condition i get analytical solution relatively easy, but with time dependent boundary condition i always get that some of the integration constants are functions of t which is not right
That is what the Laplace transform is all about. To find the weight in the weighted sum, one must take an inverse Laplace transform. One must also meet the ##t=0## boundary value by selecting appropriate constants.
 
  • #11
Thanks. I tried Laplace transform L[U(x,t)]=V(x,s) and got:

Vxx-s/D*V=0

sorry for my bad writing of formulas, i am new at LaTeX.

With problematic boundary condition getting form

V(0,s)=A(s)
 
  • #12
Zimbalj said:
sorry for my bad writing of formulas, i am new at LaTeX.
You should follow some of the how to docs for this forum.

Zimbalj said:
I tried Laplace transform L[U(x,t)]=V(x,s) and got:
What you tried isn’t what I’m suggesting. I’ve provided explicit solutions to the heat equation that all obey the boundary condition, ##u’(t,L)=0##, for all ##t##. With a slight and obvious modification, we can make these solutions also all obey the boundary condition, ##u(0,x)=0##, for all ##x##. These solution are just linear combinations of the original set,

##u_\omega(t,x)= \cosh(\sqrt{\omega}(x-L)(e^{\omega t}-1)##[1]

notice that ##u_\omega(0,x)=0##. So, I’ve provided a set of solutions to the heat equation indexed by a complex parameter, ##\omega##, all of which obey 2 out of the three boundary conditions. The final boundary condition, ##u(t,0)=a(t)##, may be expressed as an integral equation of the first kind,

##a(t)=\int A(\omega)u_\omega(t,0)d\omega##, (*)

making the solution to the stated problem,

##u(t,x)=\int A(\omega)u_\omega(t,x)d\omega##

Relating Equation (*) to an inverse Laplace transform is left to the reader.

[1] yeah, I see the problem the problem here. ##\cosh(x)## isn’t a solution. Oh well.
 
Last edited:
  • #13
Even with its flaws the approach in the previous post still has promise, which is why I’ll leave it as is. it is still possible to take,

##u_\omega(t,x)=\cosh(\sqrt{\omega}(x-L))e^{\omega t}##

as the kernel in the previous post. One just has to add the additional condition,

##0 = \int A(\omega)u_\omega(0,x)d\omega##
 
  • #14
The equation is left unsolved, but that is not a big deal. Thanks everyone for insights, it will be helpful in future, because I will try to solve some other similar equations.
 
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