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Siemens PLM Software

What they didn’t teach


you in school about
heat transfer
Mechanical analysis

www.siemens.com/simcenter
White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Introduction

Heat, like most things, prefers the path of least resis- often marketed and sold in multiple configurations, and
tance. But it is not welcomed everywhere. Sometimes, design engineers must understand the performance of
heat is the enemy, such as in the design of consumer each configuration.
electronics, where powerful chips are squeezed into
Heat and its behavior are complex. Rules of thumb are
tighter and tighter quarters. Heat generated by an
often used to visualize the heat path for design or physi-
electronic product needs to be removed from its enclo-
cal prototypes; but knowing how heat is traveling, at
sure so that the heat does not accumulate and damage
what speed and where it will go, is difficult. This is why
the internal components. For smart phones, the inge-
today’s design-centric software for modeling and simu-
nious designers have even taken into account that our
lation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is
body can act as heatsinks; while you use the phone, the
integral to understanding heat flow and channeling it
heat is transferred out by conduction through the con-
correctly without having to build and test as many
tact to your body.
expensive and time-consuming physical prototypes.
A huge challenge today for design engineers is the ever
increasing product complexity. Manufactured products Best ROI is achieved by simulating early: Frontload-
are evolving into complex systems of mechanical com- ing thermal analysis in the design process
ponents, electronics, and software, involving multiple CFD software is complex and can be difficult to master,
engineering disciplines. The increasing number of com- so its use traditionally has been relegated to the final-
ponents, combined with miniaturization, requires an prototype testing phase and given over to CFD experts
even greater understanding of how these components or specialists. However, testing a design only at the
will interact, while making sure they do not overheat. prototype stage is costly. According to a report by
To add yet another level of complexity, products are

95% Cost of fixing problems


100
85%

80 70%
Cost of changes

60
Frontloading

Use of methods,
40 processes and IT-tools
IT-solutions in the
early development
phase
20

Room for cost reduction

Concept Design Production Maintenance

Source: Prof. Dr. Martin Eigner VPE TU Kaiserslautern

Figure 1. Frontloading of simulation can help reduce costs

Siemens PLM Software 2


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Lifecycle Insights [1], at this stage, failed designs lead • Satisfying customer contractual obligations or regula-
to missing project milestones, extra rounds of testing, tory requirements
and having to work long hours. Multiple surveys con-
• Reducing product lifecycle costs
ducted by various industry analysts and CAE vendors
suggest that the most successful companies assess • Driving production costs lower
performance of their designs early during the develop-
ment process and actively promote collaboration and Why designers need thermal simulation and analysis
sharing of knowledge between analysis experts and inside their CAD
design engineers. Traditional CFD software programs usually consist of
multiple interfaces: one for preprocessing, one for
Reducing the cost of change and building in more room solution, and another for post-processing. They also
for cost reductions provides the biggest return on tend to have their own proprietary interfaces that are
investment (figure 1) [2]. Prof. Martin Eigner coined not integrated with CAD; at best, they offer data trans-
“frontloading” as an umbrella term for the practice of lators to move models from CAD to CFD software. Every
using a whole slew of software simulation tools, includ- time a model needs to be analyzed, the data has to be
ing CFD, earlier in the design process [2]. prepared and exported out of CAD and imported into
the CFD tool where the model can be “healed” for use.
How frontloading CFD has changed the
design process Also, they are crammed with technology that requires
About 20 years ago, stress analysis was introduced for advanced training and education, which is why dedi-
use during the early design stages, and it quickly cated analysts are usually assigned the task. For exam-
became an integral step in the development process. ple, most traditional CFD tools support many types of
Now, all major MCAD software tools provide design- mesh types. The engineer has to know which one
level stress simulation. However, frontloading stress would be the most appropriate for the specific applica-
simulation and conducting analysis early during the tion. In addition, he or she will have to work on the
design stage did not mean that manufacturers stopped mesh until an optimal mesh for the model and applica-
simulating during the validation stage. Simulation tion has been achieved. In short, using traditional CFD
simply became a method by which trends were exam- tools can be extremely time-consuming and slower than
ined and less desirable design ideas were dismissed. is desired during the design stage. As a result of this
specialization, the work of analyzing the thermal
Unlike the verification stage, during the design phase,
aspects of a design that affect critical product operation
speed is of the essence. Engineers need to simulate, not
traditionally has been separated from design and devel-
only early, but often to keep in step with the speed of
opment departments. But this labor-intensive approach
design changes. By iterating rapidly, engineers can
often led to incomplete results and were limited to
discount the less attractive ideas and innovate further.
readings at discrete locations, so that thoroughly under-
Once a design has been explored and identified as
standing and characterizing underlying thermal behav-
viable, it can continue on to the verification stage.
ior was difficult.
This practice has spread to other areas including CFD
In contrast, design-centric CFD solutions:
analysis. We now have CFD tools that are designer-
friendly and are linked integrally and conveniently • Must be fully embedded in CAD: These tools can be
within CAD tools. Using these combined tools, a proto- easily accessed inside the CAD program, and they use
typical digital twin — a virtual representation of the the same native geometry for analysis. Exporting data
product — can be created. and healing it in preparation for analysis is no longer
required. In addition, the software simply slots in —
The benefits of frontloading CAD-embedded CFD
no learning a new interface is required. CFD analysis
include:
is simply another functionality offered by the CAD
• Better matching to product requirements (for exam- package
ple, lower weight, faster speed, complex behaviors,
• Add automation: CAD-embedded CFD programs need
etc.)
to have built-in intelligent automation for easier,
• Reducing downstream development delays and faster, and more accurate analysis. For example,
costs (such as reduce testing and prototyping, in heat-transfer analysis, sometimes a designer is
reduce change orders, etc.)

Siemens PLM Software 3


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Simcenter FLOEFD for NX Simcenter FLOEFD for PTC Creo

Simcenter FLOEFD for Solid Edge Simcenter FLOEFD for CATIA V5

Figure 2. Simcenter FLOEFD is embedded into popular MCAD programs.

interested in understanding what is happening in • Combine speed with accuracy: CFD solutions that
the negative space, the empty space where the fluid can truly be used inside CAD and frontloaded in the
resides. With traditional CFD, additional geometry has design process reduce analysis time significantly —
to be created to represent that cavity. Design-centric some organizations have reported a time compression
CFD solutions, on the other hand, are intelligent of 75 percent. This reduction is made possible by
enough to recognize that the empty space is the fluid automation and by significantly lowering the need for
domain so that no time is wasted creating geometry model preparation and preprocessing
to accommodate software. With this new generation
of CFD tools, the intermediate step is unnecessary. CAD-Embedded CFD solution
Simcenter FLOEFD™ software is embedded in MCAD
Also, before analysis can begin, the model has to be toolsets such as CATIA® V5, Creo™ Elements/Pro™, and
meshed. With traditional CFD, the engineer has to NX and Solid Edge. It provides a complete environment
be fully conversant in which meshing method best for performing heat-transfer and fluid flow evaluation.
depicts the flow phenomenon. Designer-friendly CFD All the phases of analysis are in one package — from
uses a fully automated mesher that will automatically solid modeling to problem setup, solving, visualizing
generate the best possible mesh for the problem results, optimizing the design and reporting.
being set up

Siemens PLM Software 4


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Figure 3. Simcenter FLOEFD SmartCells technology provides accurate


analysis results.

With Simcenter FLOEFD, designers can focus on ana- run a full CFD flow analysis are installed into the CAD
lyzing the details of temperature distribution in the menus. On the average, most designers can start using
fluid and solid areas of their products. What-if scenar- Simcenter FLOEFD on their designs after less than eight
ios can be run to analyze complex physical processes hours of training.
such as heat conduction, heat convection, conjugated
The starting point of any heat-transfer analysis is to
heat transfer between fluids, surrounding solid mate-
define the overall boundary conditions of the problem.
rials, radiation, joule heating, and more, then quickly
Simcenter FLOEFD has a wizard that walks users
modify and optimize the design’s geometry inside an
through the setup, including the selection of material
MCAD tool (figure 2).
properties. Simcenter FLOEFD allows use of existing
Simcenter FLOEFD solves for all the three modes of heat MCAD models for analysis, without having to export or
transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation), in 3D, import additional geometry. The embedded Simcenter
which is why it can be used to analyze a wide variety of FLOEFD toolset can use newly created or existing 3D
applications. Typical temperature analysis applications CAD geometry and solid model information to simulate
include heat exchangers, injection mold cooling, solar designs in real-world conditions.
towers, laser systems, and brake design, among others.
Once a project is created and the boundary conditions
For example, a designer can look at the efficiency on
applied, the model needs to be meshed, that is, a com-
the thermal side of a heat exchanger but also predict
putational grid has to be built. Developing a mesh is
the pressure drop through the heat exchanger.
one of those skills that was left up to CFD specialists.
Combining these parameters in one single model helps
Simcenter FLOEFD creates meshes automatically in
design a better product earlier.
minutes. CFD-embedded in the CAD program creates an
To use Simcenter FLOEFD software, all that is needed is adaptive mesh that reduces the cell size where neces-
the installation in the MCAD system and the physics of sary, increasing the resolution of the analysis, to ensure
the product. All the menus and commands necessary to more accurate simulation results in complex areas of
the model (figure 3).

Siemens PLM Software 5


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Figure 4. Cut plot showing speed of fluid movement as well as


temperature inside an IGBT.

Design example: Solving advanced heat-transfer the representation can be created as a contour plot,
challenges isolines, or vectors. The cut plot can also be created
When analyzing heat transfer, building a mesh is impor- using any combination, such as velocity magnitude and
tant to capture the complex geometry of the system or velocity vectors. In addition to cut plots, a surface plot
device. The mesh is simple in concept, yet it is the heart can be easily displayed for any particular face or auto-
of complex CFD calculations. The surface of the device matically for the entire model.
is mapped into tiny rectangular cells, each of which is
Solving heat distribution problems is an iterative pro-
split into solid and fluid volumes that are analyzed
cess. After seeing the initial analysis results, most
discretely. The process then develops a composite result
designers want to modify their models to explore differ-
that incorporates all of the cells. Simcenter FLOEFD
ent scenarios. Simcenter FLOEFD makes it easy to con-
enables visualizing what is happening to a design’s
duct these what-if analyses. Design alternatives can be
thermal dissipation, providing valuable insight to guide
explored, design flaws detected, and product perfor-
design decisions and so the design can be interrogated
mance optimized before detailed designs or physical
more thoroughly.
prototypes are created. This allows quick and easy
One way to examine the temperature field is to use a determination of which designs have promise and
cut plot, which depicts the temperature distribution on which designs are unlikely to be successful.
a plane through the model (figure 4). A cut plot of
results can be displayed with any results parameter and

Siemens PLM Software 6


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

Figure 5. Simcenter FLOEFD parametric study and design comparison


functionality helps engineers optimize designs quickly.

Multiple clones of the simulation projects can be made ways, Simcenter FLOEFD accelerates the iterative
in Simcenter FLOEFD that automatically retain all analy- design process, allowing knowledge gained in an analy-
sis data such as heat sources and other boundary condi- sis to be quickly and easily incorporated to improve the
tions just for different variations of the geometry. product.
Simcenter FLOEFD software operates immediately on Simcenter FLOEFD provides robust verification capabili-
the changed geometry, creating a new mesh automati- ties for validating designs. Before releasing a new ver-
cally and working with the previously defined boundary sion of Simcenter FLOEFD, Siemens engineers validate
conditions. Thus, the step from a changed geometry to the release with a suite of 300 tests. Based on this
running the solver and examining results is greatly rigorous verification suite, Simcenter FLOEFD offers 20
accelerated. Its compare configuration and parametric tutorial and 32 validation examples, including their
study capability enables users to understand the influ- documentation, ready for immediate use.
ence of changes in the geometry or boundary condi-
Sharing results and findings is simple. Simcenter
tions on the results. Users can evaluate the design
FLOEFD is fully integrated with Microsoft® Word® and
envelope by assessing results by numerical values, by
Excel®, allowing engineers to create report documents
graphs and by visual images/animation; thereby com-
and collect important data in graphical form from any
pare a wide range of project permutations. In these

Siemens PLM Software 7


White paper | What they didn’t teach you in school about heat transfer

project. In addition, it automatically creates Excel Koenigsegg


spreadsheets summarizing the outputs of an analysis; A design engineer at Halmstad
thus making the last step in any analysis, creating University used Simcenter FLOEFD to
reports, effortless. Simcenter FLOEFD also comes with a evaluate brake-cooling designs for
free standalone viewer in order to share selected result sports cars.
plots with your customers in an interactive 3D environ-
ment rather than a 2D image.

Real world designers and Simcenter FLOEFD


Take a look at these real-world examples that demon- Mitsubishi Materials
strate the speed, accuracy and power of Simcenter Prof. Obikawa of the Institute of
FLOEFD in helping designers meet tight deadlines, Industrial Science at Tokyo University
achieve higher quality results, and keep costs to a collaborated with engineers at
minimum. Mitsubishi Materials to design a better
cooling system for extending lifetime
Renault of their machine cutting tools.
Engineers at Renault used Simcenter
FLOEFD to design better and lower Mercury Racing
cost automotive headlights. Engineers used Simcenter FLOEFD to
help them design the latest inter-
cooler filter for their powerboat racing
engine.

e-Cooling
Engineering consultants used
Simcenter FLOEFD to design airflow Pan Asia Technical Automotive
and cooling solutions for power elec- Center
tronics to help their customers bring An engineer used Simcenter FLOEFD
more reliable products to market. in the development of automotive
HVAC air-handling units

Dr. Schneider
Designers used Simcenter FLOEFD to
shorten product development time,
quickly find appropriate design vari-
ants, save costs, and explain the flow
behavior of their car-interior products
to colleagues and customers.

References
1. 2013. Driving Design Decisions with Simulation. Lifecycle Insights.
2. 2010. Eigner, M. Future PLM – Trends aus Forschung und Praxis:
University of Kaiserslautern Blog

Siemens PLM Software 8


Siemens PLM Software About Siemens PLM Software
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Headquarters Digital Factory Division, is a leading global provider of
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+1 972 987 3000 the way ideas come to life, the way products are real-
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