Noether's theorem is used to determine first integrals admitted by a generalised LaneEmden equation of the second kind modelling a thermal explosion. These first integrals exist for rectangular and cylindrical geometry. For rectangular geometry the first integrals show the symmetry of the temperature gradients at the rectangular walls. For a cylindrical geometry the first integrals show the dependence of the critical parameter on the temperature gradient at the cylinder wall. The well known critical value for the Frank-Kamenetskii parameter, δ = 2, is obtained in a very natural way.
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