Workshop 6

Thermal Analysis
Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Goals Workshop Supplement

• In this workshop we will analyze the pump housing shown

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

below for its heat transfer characteristics.
• Specifically a plastic and an aluminum version of the housing
will be analyzed using the same boundary conditions.
• Our goal is to compare the exposed surface temperatures for
each configuration and to investigate the distribution of heat
flux in the part.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Assumptions Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Assumptions:
• The pump housing is mounted to a pump which is held at a
constant 60 deg. C. We assume the mating face on the
pump is also held at this temperature.
• The interior surfaces of the pump are held at a constant
temperature of 90 deg. C by the fluid.
• The exterior surfaces are modeled using a simplified
convection correlation for stagnant air at 20 deg. C.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 3 - Start Page Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

From the launcher start Simulation.
• Choose “Geometry > From File . . . “
and browse to the file
“Pump_housing.x_t”.

• When DS starts, close the Template

menu by clicking the ‘X’ in the corner
of the window.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Preprocessing Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Change the part material to
“Polyethylene”:
1. Highlight “Part1” 1
2. In the Detail window “Material” field
“Import . . .”
3. “Choose” material “Polyethylene”.

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4. Set the working units to (M, kg,
N, C, s, V, A) “Units” menu March 29, 2005
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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Environment Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

5. Highlight the Environment branch.
Select the interior (13) surfaces of the
pump housing (hint: use Extend 5
Selection feature).
6. “RMB > Insert > Given Temperature”.

7. Set “Magnitude” field to 90 C. 7

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Environment Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

8. Select the mating surface (1) of the
pump housing.
8

9. “RMB > Insert > Given Temperature”.

10. Set “Magnitude” field to 60 C. 10

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Environment Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

11. Select the exterior (32) surfaces of
the pump housing (hint: use adjacent
select).
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12

12. “RMB > Insert > Convection”.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Environment Workshop Supplement

13. In the Details change the “Type” field

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

from “Constant” to “Temperature-
Dependent”.

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14. “Import” the correlation “Stagnant
Air – Simplified Case”, if necessary.
15. Set the “Ambient Temperature” field
to 20 deg. C.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Solution Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Add temperature and total heat flux results.
16. Highlight the Solution branch.
17. “RMB > Insert > Thermal > Temperature”

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• Repeat the above steps to add “Total Heat Flux”.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 – Duplicate Model Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

Before solving we will duplicate the
model and specify a different material
for the pump housing. This will allow 18
us to compare the responses for each.
18. Highlight the “Model” branch. 19

19. “RMB > Duplicate”.

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20. From the new branch “Model2”
highlight “Part1”
21. In the detail window “Import” the
material “Aluminum Alloy”. 21

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Solution Workshop Supplement

22. Highlight the “Project” branch in the tree and solve.

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

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• Note: by issuing a solve from the Project branch both Model

branches will be solved. If single solutions are desired
highlight only the branch to be solved before beginning the
solve.
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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

• When the solutions are complete, inspect the temperature

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

plots and compare. It can be seen quickly that the choice
of material in this case has a significant effect.

Polyethylene Aluminum

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 Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

• A similar comparison of the heat flux in each model points

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

up differences. Here a vector heat flux plot is shown in
wireframe mode. Note how much of the energy in the
aluminum model is returned via the mating face.

Polyethylene Aluminum

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

To better view the exterior surface
temperatures we will employ scoping
as in previous workshops. 23
23. Select the outside (32) surfaces of
the pump housing (use adjacent
select).
24. “RMB > Insert > Thermal >
Temperature” (note the scope of the 24
new result now indicates “32 Faces”
rather than “All Bodies”
• Using RMB, copy/paste the new
result into Model 2 Solution branch.
Notice the scope of the result
remains in tact.
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• Solve from the Project branch. Inventory #002216
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Steady State Thermal Analysis
. . . Workshop 6 - Postprocessing Workshop Supplement

• The 2 new plots now display outside temperatures for both

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

models. Notice the contours are not affected by interior
temperatures as were the previous plots.

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Steady State Thermal Analysis
Workshop 6 - Reporting Workshop Supplement

• If time permits, create figures to include in a report and

ANSYS Workbench - Simulation

generate the report.

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