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In this example you will learn to model a composite material and analyze one dimensional
conduction properties. Using ANSYS will allow you to output the temperature distribution in an extremely
simple and accurate way.
Problem Description:
We are modeling heat transfer in a block with a gap filled with different gases.
All units are S.I.
Boundary Conditions:
1) The left side of the block has a constant temperature of 400 K.
2) The right side of the block has convection (h=20 W/m-K ; T= 300 K)
3) The Al section generates heat at a rate of 200 W/m3
4) The He section absorbs heat at a rate of 175 W/m3
Material Properties:
Aluminum(1st layer): KAl = 235 W/m*K
Helium(2nd layer): KHe = 0.1513 W/m*K
Copper(3rd layer): KCu = 400 W/m*K
Dimensions
Length = 3 m
Width = 3 m
Thickness of each Layer = 1 m
Objective: Find the nodal temperature distribution and the rate of heat loss from the furnace.
Figure:
Click on the working plane below to select the points (they follow the dimensions explained in the
beginning, (1m x 3m). After setting the workplane settings in the beginning, you should be aware that
each line on the plane equals to 1m. When done, click OK.
Hit OK. Repeat the process for the third material. (repeat the last step once more)
Choose Thermal>Conductivity>Isotropic.
The following window comes up:
Fill in 235 for Thermal conductivity. Click OK. This is the Thermal Conductivity of Al.
Now repeat the steps of clicking Thermal>Conductivity>Isotropic and then defining the Thermal
Conductivity as 0.1513 for the Model 2.
You have now defined the k value of Helium.
Define the last section and this time use K = 400. This is the Thermal Conductivity of Copper.
Now exit the “Define Material Model Behavior” Window.
Element Properties:
Now that we’ve defined what material ANSYS will be analyzing, we have to define how ANSYS
should analyze our block.
Click Preprocessor>Element Type>Add/Edit/Delete... In the 'Element Types' window that opens
click on Add... The following window opens:
Type 1 in the Element Type reference number.
Click on Thermal Mass>Solid and select Quad 8node 77. Click OK. Close the 'Element Types'
window.
Now we have selected Element Type 1 to be a Thermal Solid 8node Element.
This finishes the section defining how the part is to be analyzed.
Meshing:
This section is responsible for telling ANSYS how to divide the block such that it has enough nodes, or
points, to produce accurate results.
Go to Preprocessor>Meshing>Size Controls>Manual Size>Lines>All Lines. In the menu that comes
up type 0.05 in the field for Element edge length and 1 for the Spacing Ratio.
Click on OK. Now when you mesh the figure ANSYS will automatically create square meshes that
have an edge length of 0.05m along the lines you selected.
Now go to Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh Attributes>Default Attributes. The window is shown
below:
Make sure that the window matches the one above, click OK, and proceed to
Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh>Areas>Free
A popup window will appear on the left hand side of the screen. This window allows you to select the
area to be meshed.
Choose the 1st area and then click OK in the pop-up window. This both meshes the area and defines it
as Material 1. Material 1 (as you recall from before) was set to Aluminum originally by defining the k
value of the material as 235 W/m*K.
Now return to Preprocessor>Meshing>Mesh Attributes>Default Attributes. This time, select
Material Number 2 from the dropdown menu and click OK.
Once the pop-up window appears, select the middle layer and click OK.
Repeat this process of defining each layer as a different material for Material 3 and mesh it so that all
three layers have been meshed.
The block should now look like this when you are done meshing: (if you choose fit in the pan zoom
rotate dialog)
Apply Convection
Now we will apply convection to the right side of the composite block. Select Convection>On Lines
A popup dialog will appear. Select the correct line and hit OK.
Enter 200 W/m3 for the generation and the hit ok.
Repeat this step for the second area but input -175 W/m3 to imply absorption.
Once that is complete, the block should look like this:
Solution:
Go to ANSYS Main Menu>Solution>Analysis Type>New Analysis.
Select Steady State and click on OK.
Go to Solution>Solve>Current LS.
Wait for ANSYS to solve the problem.
Click on OK and close the 'Information' window.
Post-Processing:
This section is designed so that one can present the results of their analysis in the most appropriate
way. This presentation can be in the form of tabulated nodal values, curves, etc.
Go to the ANSYS Main Menu. Click General Postprocessing>List Results>Nodal Solution. The
following window will come up:
Select DOF solution and Temperature. Click on OK. The nodal temperatures will be listed as follows:
· Within this window one can numerically find the maximum and minimum value of the temperature within
the block. Note that you may have nodes in different places. Therefore your first displayed temperatures
might not be the same as the ones shown above. If you scroll down you should find everything.
Modification / Plotting the Results:
The last section displayed the numerical results, but some people prefer a plot presentation of the
temperatures on the block over the numerical results. This is how you go about doing that…
First go to General Postprocessing>Plot Results>Contour Plot>Nodal Solution. The following
window will come up:
Select DOF solution and Temperature to be plotted and click OK. The output will be like this: