Compact thermal models for internal convection

Objects undergoing heat transfer by convection internally, i.e., not at their boundaries, need special care in their modeling. An extension of the general formulation made earlier for compact thermal models is discussed here in order to cover the case of internal forced convection problems such as micro-channels. The single resistor model based on the heat transfer coefficient h is replaced with a compact model linking all relevant nodes using h as well as fluid thermal capacitance and inertia, such as to satisfy thermodynamic constraints derived earlier for conduction compact models.