Heatsmove

Heatsmove is a term used in physics, engineering, and related fields to describe heat transfer phenomena in which heat movement is tied to motion of a source, boundary, or medium. It is not a formally defined discipline but a descriptive concept applied in various contexts to capture the interplay between thermal diffusion and motion.

In physical models, heatsmove encompasses problems where a heat source travels through a material, or where a phase boundary moves in response to heating or cooling (as in Stefan-type problems). It also includes heat transport in fluids where advection carries thermal energy, yielding a combined conduction–convection description, as well as radiative heating from moving sources.

Mathematically, heatsmove problems are often described by the heat equation with additional terms for advection, moving boundaries, or nonlinear material properties. They pose challenges such as tracking interfaces, handling nonlinear boundary conditions, and coupling with phase transitions or fluid flow.

Applications range from thermal management in rotating machinery and moving assembly lines to manufacturing processes involving moving heat sources, such as welding or additive manufacturing. The concept is also used in studies of phase change materials and geophysical or atmospheric problems where heat sources and boundaries are not stationary.