State space approach to unsteady free convection flow through a porous medium (Q1339774)

The method of the matrix exponential, which constitutes the basis of the state space approach of modern control theory, is applied to the nondimensional equations of unsteady free convection boundary layer flow through a porous medium bounded by an infinite vertical plate. The formulation is valid for one-dimensional problems with or without heat sources. The resulting formulation together with the Laplace transform technique is applied to a variety of problems. The solutions to a thermal shock problem and to a problem for the flow between two parallel fixed plates, both without heat sources, are obtained. Also a problem with a distribution of heat sources is considered.