Heat transfer in multi-component gas mixtures described by extended thermodynamics

In this paper we analyze a heat transfer problem in multi-component mixtures of inert gases at rest, confined between two infinite parallel plates. We refer to a system of field equations from extended thermodynamics to describe the phenomenon and we derive the non-controllable boundary conditions trough a “fluctuation” principle. Analytical calculations suggest that the temperature exhibits the classical Fourier solution combined with boundary layers. Furthermore, in accordance with the expectation, non-constant mass concentrations are predicted. Their behavior depends on the gradient of the temperature field and on the ratios of the molecular masses of the mixture constituents.