Determination of Temperature Distribution for Annular Fins with Temperature-Dependent Thermal Conductivity

In this paper, homotopy analysis method (HAM) has been used to evaluate the temperature distribution of annular fin with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and to determine the temperature distribution within the fin. This method is useful and practical for solving the nonlinear heat transfer equation, which is associated with variable thermal conductivity condition. HAM provides an approximate analytical solution in the form of an infinite power series. The annular fin heat transfer rate with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity has been obtained as a function of thermo-geometric fin parameter and the thermal conductivity parameter describing the variation of the thermal conductivity. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.