What Are the Basics of Thermal Analysis in SOLIDWORKS Simulation?

 

Basics of Thermal Analysis

Usually, there won't be any problems with the process once the user begins to simulate a part to get the results. The question arises on the different types of Simulation & its Procedures for example thermal analysis.

There are homogeneous & Non- Homogeneous heat transfer occurs in the thermal analysis so in this blog the basics of thermal analysis is discussed in detail.

Types of Heat Transfer:-

There are three types of Heat transfer which is as follows

1.    Conduction

2.    Convection

3.    Radiation

Thermal analysis calculates the temperature distribution in a body due to some or all of these types of heat transfer. In all types, heat energy flows from the medium with higher concentration temperature to the medium with lower concentration temperature. Heat transfer by conduction and convection requires the presence of an intermediate medium while heat transfer by radiation does not.

Conduction:-

Conduction is a heat transmission phenomena in which thermal energy is transferred from one location to another via interactions between matter's particles or molecules. Conduction happens in solids.

Fig: 1 Heat Transfer through Conduction

Convection:-

Convection is the process of heat transfer which involves both solid & liquid medium.

Convection has two elements:

• Energy transfer due to random molecular motion (diffusion)
• Energy transfer by bulk motion of the fluid (advection). 
  
  
  
  Fig: 2 Heat Transfer through Convection
  
  

Convection works by decreasing the density of the fluid layer next to the hot surface as it gets warmer (at constant pressure, density is inversely proportional to temperature) and becoming buoyant.A circulation pattern develops as the warmer fluid is replaced by a colder (heavier) fluid close to the surface.

The heat transfer by convection obeys the Newton's law of cooling which can be written as: Qconvection = h A (Ts - Tf)

Radiation:-

          Thermal radiation emitted by a body in the form of heat waves because of their temperature. All the bodies with temperature greater than absolute zero emit heat energy.

          Electromagnetic Waves can travel in vacuum, no transmission medium is required for radiation as discussed earlier

The heat energy of the sun reaches the earth surface by radiation.

The heat transfer by convection obeys the Stefan 

Fig: 3 Heat Transfer through Radiation

Boltzmann law of Emission which represents E_b = σ T⁴

where σ is the stefan-Boltzmann constant and T is the absolute temperature of the blackbody. The value of the Stefan-Boltzmann constant is 5.67x10^-8 W/m² K⁴

Thermal analysis in SW Simulation:-

In SOLIDWORKS Simulation there are two different methods one can able to perform thermal simulation

In the first method the user can apply the temperature as a load parameter, if the transfer of heat is Homogeneous. They can able to apply the increase of temperature in the Face of the part directly or all the exposed faces to the heat. This method can be used in the Simulation Standard itself. (Note: In this method transient heat transfer cannot be processed.)

Fig:4 Temperature as Load

(i)                          

In the second method the advanced simulation study can be utilized to perform the thermal analysis. Here in this method the mode of heat transfer is Non-Homogeneous and all the types of heat transfer analysis can be performed in the advanced Simulation Thermal Study tab, to create thermal study the user 

required SOLIDWORS Simulation Professional. Here one can able to do steady state heat transfer & Transient heat transfer analysis.

After performing the thermal analysis the result of the study can be incorporated in the structural simulation to perform strength test.

Note :- (In our next blog we can able to discuss the thermal study in a detailed manner)

Fig: 5 Thermal Study

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