Surface heat flux prediction using gradient and multilayer materials with position-dependent thermophysical properties and interfacial thermal resistance

This article proposes a calibration method to resolve the inverse heat conduction problems (IHCPs) in multilayer and gradient materials without inputting system parameters by using Laplace transform. In some thermal designs, prediction of surface heat flux and temperature under hostile thermal environment or narrow space is necessary and significant. Whereas, traditional methods for resolving IHCPs become difficult to be applied, since measuring position-dependent thermophysical properties of gradient materials and the interfacial thermal resistance of multilayer materials are challenging. This work will contribute to the prediction of surface heat flux for the gradient materials and multilayer materials with position-dependent thermophysical properties and interfacial thermal resistance. The accuracy and robustness are illustrated by numerical simulation. Several materials with different thermophysical properties and interfacial thermal resistance are investigated, and the relative root mean square errors remain within 10%. The computational results are illustrated via graphical representation and tabular form. This is an applied work and can be used in various engineering applications for involving inverse heat conduction problems.