Improved lumped-differential formulations and hybrid solution methods for drying in porous media

The present paper illustrates the construction of hybrid tools for the problem formulation and solution methodology towards the simulation of heat and mass transfer during drying in capillary porous media. First, a problem reformulation strategy is discussed, known as the coupled integral equations approach (CIEA), which offers improved lumped-differential formulations in different classes of problems, in comparison against classical lumping schemes, allowing for a reduction on the number of independent variables to be considered in specific formulations. Second, the generalized integral transform technique (GITT) is employed, as a hybrid numerical–analytical solution methodology for convection–diffusion problems. An example is provided related to drying in capillary porous cylindrical media as formulated by the two-dimensional Luikov's system of equations.