A Heat Transfer Analysis of Scald Injury

摘要

Numerical solutions for skin tissue temperature during scald injury events are obtained and utilized in conjunction with a thermal injury criterion, to predict critical exposure levels for various heated fluids. A one-dimensional tissue model of the type used by Love is employed to determine the initial tissue temperature distribution. The bio-heat equation for tissue heat transfer is then solved via an implicit finite difference technique, subject to convective heating and cooling at the surface. The sensitivity of the critical exposure level to variations in tissue properties and convective heating coefficients is investigated. Thermal injury thresholds are presented for various fluids along with bounds to reflect uncertainty in assumed tissue properties. The results obtained are in good agreement with existing experimental scald injury data.