A free boundary problem in thermal insulation with a prescribed heat source

Abstract

We study the thermal insulation of a bounded body $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^n$, under a prescribed heat source $f>0$, via a bulk layer of insulating material. We consider a model of heat transfer between the insulated body and the environment determined by convection; this corresponds to Robin boundary conditions on the free boundary of the layer. We show that a minimal configuration exists and that it satisfies uniform density estimates.