Exact Solution to Bratu Second Order Differential Equation

Abstract

This paper deals with the temperature profile of a simple combustion and presents the alternative exact formulas for the temperature profile of the planar vessel. The differential equation that describes this system is referred as a Bratu equation or Poisson's equation in one-dimensional steady state case. In this present study, new solutions with general boundary conditions are developed. The results are compared with numerical solutions using Maxima, a computer algebra system program capable of numerical and symbolic computation. The new solutions yield formula that may provide a valuable information about relationship between terms, variables and coefficients which can be useful for theoretical physics.