THE DISCRETE MAXIMUM PRINCIPLE IN FINITE-ELEMENT THERMAL-RADIATION ANALYSIS

Under certain conditions, usually intense surface heat transfer associ ated with radiation, finite-element solutions display anomalous behavi ors. These behaviors have been traced to the violation of a discrete m aximum principle. Here, necessary and sufficient conditions for satisf action of the discrete maximum principle are discussed. Special elemen ts that satisfy a discrete maximum principle for a wider range of para meters, thereby unproving the accuracy of the solution, are introduced into standard finite-element formulations for the heat conduction equ ation. The improved performance of these ekments is then demonstrated by means of a few examples.