Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Table of contents
About the Author

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Acknowledgements

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Table of contents

Before You Start

Notes on hands-on exercises and functionality of Simulation

Prerequisites
Selected terminology

1: Introduction

10

Heat transfer by conduction

Heat transfer by convection
Heat transfer by radiation
Thermal boundary conditions
Analogies between thermal and structural analysis
Thermal elements: solids and shells
Scalar and vector entities, presenting results
Steady state thermal analysis
Transient thermal analysis
Linear thermal analysis
Nonlinear thermal analysis

2: Hollow plate

26

Heat transfer by conduction

Heat transfer by convection
Different ways of presenting results of thermal analysis
Convergence analysis in thermal problems
Solid elements in heat transfer problems
Shell elements in heat transfer problems

3: L bracket

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by conduction

Use of 2D models
Singularities in thermal problems

ii

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

4: Thermal analysis of a round bar

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by conduction

Thermal conductivity
Heat transfer by convection
Convection boundary conditions
Thermal resistance
Prescribed temperature boundary conditions
Heat power
Heat flux

5: Floor heating duct part 1

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by conduction

Prescribed temperature boundary conditions
Heat power
Heat flux
Heat flux singularities
Analogies between structural and thermal analysis

6: Floor heating duct part 2

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by convection

Free and forced convection
Convection coefficient
Ambient (bulk) temperature

7: Hot plate

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Transient thermal analysis

Conductive heat transfer
Convective heat transfer
Heat power
Thermostat
Thermal inertia

8: Thermal and thermal stress analysis of a coffee mugError! Bookmark not defined.
Transient thermal analysis
Thermal stress analysis
Thermal symmetry boundary conditions
Structural symmetry boundary conditions
Use of soft springs

iii

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

9: Thermal and thermal buckling analysis of a link

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Buckling caused by thermal effects

Interpretation of Buckling Load Factor

10: Thermal analysis of a heat sink

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Analysis of an assembly
Thermal contact conditions
Steady state thermal analysis
Transient thermal analysis
Thermal resistance layer
Thermal symmetry boundary conditions

11: Radiative power of a black body

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by radiation

Emissivity
Black body
Radiating heat out to space
Transient thermal analysis
Heat power
Heat energy

12: Radiation of a hemisphere

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by radiation

Emissivity
Radiating heat out to space
View factors
Heat power

13: Radiation between two bodies

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Heat transfer by radiation

Emissivity
Radiating heat out to space
View factors
Heat power
Closed system
Open system

iv

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

14: Heat transfer with internal fluid flow

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Introduction to Flow Simulation

Using Flow Simulation for finding convection coefficients in internal fluid flow
Interfacing between Flow Simulation and Thermal analysis
Interfacing between Flow Simulation and structural (Static) analysis

15: Heat transfer with external fluid flow

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Using Flow Simulation for finding convection coefficients in external fluid flow
Interfacing between Flow Simulation and Thermal analysis

16: Radiative Heat Transfer

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Radiative heat transfer problem solvable with Thermal Study in SOLIDWORKS

Simulation and with Flow Simulation

17: NAFEMS Benchmarks

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Importance of benchmarks
One dimensional heat transfer with radiation
One dimensional transient heat transfer
Two dimensional heat transfer with convection

18: Summary and miscellaneous topics

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Summary of exercises in chapters 1-13

Nonlinear transient problems
Advanced options of thermal study
Closing remarks

19: Glossary of terms

Error! Bookmark not defined.

20: References

Error! Bookmark not defined.

21: List of exercises

Error! Bookmark not defined.

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Before You Start

Notes on hands-on exercises and functionality of Simulation
This book goes beyond a standard software manual. It takes a unique approach by bridging the
theory of heat transfer with examples showing the practical implementation of thermal analysis.
This book builds on material covered in Engineering Analysis with SOLIDWORKS
Simulation 2014.
We recommend that you study the exercises in the order presented in the book. As you go
through the exercises, you will notice that explanations and steps described in detail in earlier
exercises are not repeated in later chapters. Each subsequent exercise assumes familiarity with
software functions discussed in previous exercises and builds on the skills, experience, and
understanding gained from previously presented problems. Exceptions to this sequential approach
are chapters 14, 15, 16 where Flow Simulation is used. These chapters may be skipped by
readers not interested in problems involving Flow Simulation.
The functionality of SOLIDWORKS Simulation depends on which software Simulation
product is used.
Exercises in this book require different levels of SOLIDWORKS Simulation functionality and
this depends on which Simulation product is used. The SOLIDWORKS Simulation Product
Matrix document is available at:
http://www.SOLIDWORKS.com/sw/products/simulation/simulation-matrices.htm
All exercises in this book use SOLIDWORKS models, which can be downloaded from
www.SDCpublications.com. Most exercises do not contain any Simulation studies; you are
expected to create all studies, results plots, and graphs yourself. The only exception the cover
page part model RADIATOR 2015 which comes with all studies defined. All problems presented
here have been solved with SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium running on Windows 7 in a
64 bit operating environment.
Working on exercises you may notice that your results may be slightly different from results
presented in this book. This is because numerical results may differ slightly depending on the
operating system and software service pack.
We encourage you to explore each exercise beyond its description by investigating other options,
other menu choices, and other ways to present results. You will soon discover that the same
simple logic applies to all functions in SOLIDWORKS Simulation, be it structural or thermal
analysis.
This book is not intended to replace software manuals. Therefore, not all Thermal Analysis
capabilities with Simulation are covered. The knowledge acquired by the reader will not be
strictly software specifics. The same concepts, tools and methods apply to any FEA software.

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Prerequisites
Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation is not an introductory text to
SOLIDWORKS Simulation. Rather, it picks up Thermal Analysis from where it was left in the
pre-requisite textbook Engineering Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation. If you are
new to SOLIDWORKS Simulation we recommend to use Engineering Analysis with
SOLIDWORKS Simulation to gain essential familiarity with Finite Element Analysis. At the
very least go through chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 of that pre-requisite textbook.
The following prerequisites are recommended:

An understanding of Heat Transfer Analysis

An understanding of Structural Analysis
An understanding of Solid Mechanics
Familiarity with SOLIDWORKS Simulation to the extend covered in
Engineering Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation or equivalent
experience
Familiarity with the Windows Operating System

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Selected terminology
The mouse pointer plays a very important role in executing various commands and providing user
feedback. The mouse pointer is used to execute commands, select geometry, and invoke pop-up
menus. We use Windows terminology when referring to mouse-pointer actions.

Item

Description

Click

Self-explanatory

Double-click

Self-explanatory

Click-inside

Click the left mouse button. Wait a second, and

then click the left mouse button inside the popup menu or text box. Use this technique to
modify the names of folders and icons in
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Manager.

Drag and drop

Use the mouse to point to an object. Press and

hold the left mouse button down. Move the
mouse pointer to a new location. Release the left
mouse button.

Right-click

Click the right mouse button. A pop-up menu is

displayed. Use the left mouse button to select a
desired menu command.

All SOLIDWORKS file names appear in CAPITAL letters, even though the actual file names
may use a combination of capital and small letters. Selected menu items and SOLIDWORKS
Simulation commands appear in bold, SOLIDWORKS configurations, SOLIDWORKS
Simulation folders, icon names and study names appear in italics except in captions and
comments to illustrations. SOLIDWORKS and Simulation also appear in bold font. Bold font
may also be used to draw reader's attention to particular term.

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

1: Introduction
Topics covered

Heat transfer by conduction

Heat transfer by convection
Heat transfer by radiation
Thermal boundary conditions
Analogies between thermal and structural analysis
Thermal elements: solids and shells
Scalar and vector entities, presenting results
Steady state thermal analysis
Transient thermal analysis
Linear thermal analysis
Nonlinear thermal analysis

What is Thermal Analysis?

Thermal analysis deals with heat transfer in solid bodies. We approach thermal analysis from the
perspective of a user experienced in structural analysis such as static, modal, buckling etc. as
implemented in SOLIDWORKS Simulation. You will soon notice that experience in structural
analysis is directly transferable to thermal analysis because of the close analogies between
structural and thermal analyses. The temperature is analogous to displacement in structural
analysis, strain to temperature gradient, and stress to heat flux. Selected analogies are summarized
in Figure 1-1.

10

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Structural Analysis

Thermal Analysis

Displacement [m]

Temperature [K]

Strain [1]

Temperature gradient [K/m]

Stress [N/m2]

Heat flux [W/m2]

Load [N] [N/m] [N/m2] [N/m3]

Heat source [W] [W/m] [W/m2] [W/m3]

Prescribed displacement [m]

Prescribed temperature [K]

Pressure [N/m2]

Prescribed heat flux [W/m2]

Hooks law:

Fouriers law:

=
Stiffness matrix

=
Conductivity matrix

Figure 1-1: Analogies between structural and thermal analyses with units in SI system.
Different system of units may be used except of radiation problems where temperature is absolute
and must be expressed in Kelvins.
The primary unknown in structural analysis is displacement; the primary unknown in thermal
analysis is temperature. This leads to an important difference between structural and thermal
analysis performed with the finite element method. Displacement, which is a vector and includes
both translation and rotation requires up to six degrees of freedom per node. The number of
degrees of freedom in structural analysis depends on the type of elements, for example solid
elements have three degrees of freedom and shell elements have six degrees of freedom per node.
Two dimensional structural elements have two degrees of freedom per node. Temperature is a
scalar and requires only one degree of freedom per node, regardless of element type. This makes
thermal problems much easier to solve because thermal models typically have fewer degrees of
freedom as compared to structural models.
Another, conceptual difference is that thermal analysis is never a static analysis. If heat flow
does not change, then the problem is steady state analysis and not static because heat flow
never stops. If heat flow changes with time, then problem is called transient.
11

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Mechanisms of heat transfer

Conduction
In a solid body, the energy is transferred from a high temperature region to a low temperature
region. The rate of heat transfer per unit area is proportional to the material thermal conductivity,
cross sectional area and temperature gradient in the normal direction; it is inversely proportional
to the distance (Figure 1-2). This mode of heat transfer is referred to as conduction:
=

)/

Where:
Heat transferred by conduction [W]
k Thermal conductivity [W/m/K]
Cross sectional area [m2]
Temperature on the hot side [K]
Temperature on the cold side [K]
Distance of heat travel [m]
Conduction is responsible for heat transfer inside a solid body.

12

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

TCOLD

THOT

L
Figure 1-2: Heat transfer by conduction.
Conduction is responsible for heat transfer inside a solid body.
Thermal conductivity is vastly different for different materials as shown in Figure 1-3.

Thermal conductivity [W/m/K]

Figure 1-3: Thermal conductivity for different materials.

There are five orders of magnitude difference in thermal conductivity between the best
conductors and best insulators.

13

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Convection
Convective heat transfer is the heat flow between a solid body and the surrounding fluid (either
liquid or gas). Convective heat transfer can be either natural convection where the fluid flow is
due to the variation in specific weight of a hot and cold fluid, or forced convection where the
fluid is forced to flow past the solid body. Therefore, natural convection requires gravity (Figure
1-4), and forced convection does not require gravity (Figure 1-5). Since fluid (air, water, steam,
oil etc.) is required for heat transfer by convection, this type of heat transfer cannot happen in
vacuum. Heat exchanged by convection is expressed as:
= (

Where:
Heat transferred by convection [W]
Convection coefficient [W/m2/K]
Surface area [m2]

Surface temperature [K]

- Fluid bulk temperature [K]

- Bulk temperature of fluid in contact with surface

Gravity
Cooler fluid descends

Warmer fluid rises

- Surface temperature

Figure 1-4: Heat transfer by natural convection.

Convective heat transfer can take place only in the presence of fluid and gravity.

14

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Blower

Cold air

Cold air

Forced convection

Natural convection

Figure 1-5: Natural and forced convection.

Forced convection doesnt require gravity.
The magnitude of the convection coefficient strongly depends on the medium (fluid) surrounding
a solid body (Figure1-6).

Convection coefficient

Medium

W/m2/K

Air (natural convection)

5-25

Air/superheated steam

20-300

Oil (forced convection)

60-1800

Water (forced convection)

300-6000

Water (boiling)

3000-60000

Steam (condensing)

6000-120000

Figure 1-6: Convection coefficient for different media.

There are five orders of difference in convection coefficients between different media and
different types of convection.

15

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Radiation
Radiation heat transfer occurs between a solid body and the ambient or between two solid bodies
without presence of any medium (fluid). This is the only type of heat transfer that occurs in a
vacuum. Heat flows by electromagnetic radiation. The upper limit to the emissive power is a back
body radiating heat and is prescribed by the Stefan-Boltzmann law:
=
Where:
Heat flux (heat emitted by radiation per unit of area) [W/m2]
Stefan-Boltzmann constant = 5.67x10-9 [W/m2/K4]
Surface temperature [K]
The heat flux emitted by a real surface is less than that of a black body at the same temperature. It
is given as:
=
where is a radiative property of a surface called emissivity. Values of are in the range of 0
1 and provide a measure of how well the surface emits radiative energy in comparison to a
black body. It depends strongly on the surface material and finish. For example a polished
aluminum surface has an emissivity of about 0.05; an oxidized aluminum surface has an
emissivity of 0.25. The emissivity also depends on the temperature of the face emitting heat by
radiation.
In heat transfer by radiation, heat may be radiated out to space by a single body; it may be
exchanged between two bodies or it may be exchanged between two bodies as well as radiated
out to space (Figure 1-7).

16

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

(1)
Heat radiated out to space

(2)
Heat radiated from one body
to another body

(3)
Heat radiated from one body
to another body and to space

Figure 1-7: Different cases of heat transfer by radiation.

If heat is exchanged between two bodies only and not radiated out to space, then one body must
be fully enclosed by the other body (2). Heat gained by radiation may be radiated out again into
space (3).
Having introduced three mechanisms of heat transfer we need to make a very important
statement. With SOLIDWORKS Simulation which uses finite element method, only heat
transfer by conduction is modeled directly. Convection and radiation are modeled as boundary
conditions. This is done by defining convection and/or radiation coefficients to faces that
participate in heat exchange between the model and the environment.
The next two examples show how a prescribed temperature, convection and heat load work
together to induce heat flow inside a solid body. These examples are not hands-on exercises.
Hands-on exercises will start in chapter 2.
.

17

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Heat Flow Induced By Prescribed Temperatures

Just like stresses may be caused by prescribed displacement, heat flow may be induced by
temperature differences defined by prescribed temperatures. Consider the model BRACKET TH
with different temperatures defined on two faces as shown in Figure 1-8. Note that the
temperature field establishes itself in the model but heat flow continues due to temperature
gradients. Also notice that no heat escapes from the model because we have not defined any
mechanism to exchange heat through any surfaces other than the two faces with prescribed
temperatures. This implies that model is perfectly insulated, except for two faces where
prescribed temperatures are defined and may correspond to a situation where the bracket holding
a hot pipe is mounted on a cold surface and heat escaping through faces exposed to air is
negligible.

Back face 20C

Cylindrical face 300C

Figure 1-8: Temperature distribution in the model where heat flow is induced by prescribed
temperatures.
A temperature of 300C is applied to the cylindrical face, and a temperature of 20C is applied to
the back face.
Plot in Figure 1-8 uses custom colors (grey substituted for blue) to improve black and white print
quality. Custom colors will be used frequently to present fringe plots in this book. Custom colors
may be defined in Chart Options in plot settings.

18

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Heat flow induced by heat load and convection

Heat flow can also be induced by the applied heat load. The unit of heat load applied to a surface
is called heat flux; heat flowing through an imaginary cross-section is also called heat flux. Total
heat applied to a volume or face is called heat power. Notice that since thermal analysis deals
with heat flow, a mechanism for that heat flow to occur must be in place. In the heat sink problem
HEAT SINK01 shown in Figure 1-9 heat enters the radiator model through the base, as defined
by the applied heat power which is a close analogy to force load in structural analysis.
Convection coefficients [W/m2/K], also called film coefficients, are defined for all remaining
surfaces and provide the way to remove heat from the model. Heat enters the model through the
base where heat power is defined. Heat escapes the model through faces where convection
coefficients are defined.

Heat power
on this face

Heat flux plot

Temperature plot

Figure 1-9: Temperature distribution and heat flux in a heat sink model.
A temperature plot being a scalar quantity can be only shown using a fringe display. Heat flux is
a vector quantity and can be illustrated either by a fringe plot or vector plot. Notice that arrows
coming out of the walls illustrate heat that escapes the model because of convection.

The structural analogy of convection coefficients is a bit less intuitive. Convection coefficients
are analogous to elastic support offered by distributed springs. Just like supports and/or
19

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

prescribed displacements are necessary to establish model equilibrium in structural analysis
problem, convection coefficients and/or prescribed temperatures are necessary to establish heat
flow in thermal analysis problem. Indeed, an attempt to run thermal analysis with heat loads but
with no convection coefficients or prescribed temperatures results in an error similar to the one
caused by the absence of supports in structural analysis.

Modeling considerations in thermal analysis

Symmetry boundary conditions can be used in thermal analysis based on the observation that if
symmetry exists in both geometry and boundary conditions, then there is no heat flowing through
a plane of symmetry. After simplifying the model to in case of single symmetry or to in case
of double symmetry (Figure 1-10), nothing needs to be done to surfaces exposed by cuts. No
convection coefficients defined for those surfaces means that no heat flows across them.

Full model

model

Figure 1-10: Model DOUBLE SYM with double symmetry can be simplified to of its size.
No thermal boundary conditions are applied to faces in the plane of symmetry.

20

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Axisymmetric problems may be represented by 2D models as shown in Figure 1-11.

Axis of symmetry

Full model

2D cross section along the axis of symmetry

Figure 1-11: Axisymmetric model AXISYM represented by a 2D cross section.

Notice that models DOUBLE SYM (Figure 1-10) and AXISYM (Figure 1-11) are suitable for
analysis of temperature, but because of sharp re-entrant edges, they are not suitable for analysis of
heat flux in the vicinity of the sharp re-entrant edges because heat flux there is singular. This is in
direct analogy to sharp re-entrant edges causing stress singularities in structural models.
One you acquire sufficient familiarity with thermal analysis you are encouraged to analyze
models BRACKET TH, HEAT SINK01, DOUBLE SYM and AXISYM using thermal
parameters of your choice.

21

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Lets wrap up this review with an important observation which will serve as a guide to all thermal
analysis problems. In structural analysis we define a load path by defining loads and supports. In
a heat transfer problem, we define a mechanism of heat transfer; we must know how heat enters
the model, how it travels through the model and how it exits the model.

Types of thermal analysis

Thermal analysis may be linear or nonlinear, steady state or time-dependent as shown in Figure 112.

Are material properties

or boundary conditions temperature
dependent?

No

Yes

Linear analysis

Nonlinear analysis

Time-dependent?

Time-dependent?

No

Yes
Linear steady
state analysis

Linear transient
analysis

No

Yes

Nonlinear steady
state analysis

Nonlinear transient
analysis

Figure 1-12: Types of thermal analyses.

In linear analysis, the conductivity matrix does not change during the solution process, in
nonlinear analysis it must be modified because material properties and/or boundary conditions are
temperature dependent. In steady state analysis, material conditions and boundary conditions do
not change with time; in time dependent (transient) they do change.
We will be working with all of types of thermal analyses shown in Figure 1-12.

22

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Thermal analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation

SOLIDWORKS Simulation uses methods of finite element analysis to solve both structural and
thermal problems. CAD models prepared in SOLIDWORKS are discretized (meshed) into finite
elements which type depends on the type of geometry prepared in SOLIDWORKS. Solid bodies
are meshed into solid elements; Surface bodies are meshed into shell elements; 2D axisymmetric
and extruded models are meshed into corresponding 2D elements. Types of finite elements,
meshing techniques and other mesh specific considerations are discussed in details in the prerequisite text Engineering Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation. Here we limit our
review to thermal analysis specific issues.
Elements available in thermal analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation are shown in Figure 113. Notice that beam elements are not available in thermal analysis.

3D elements

2D elements
Axisymmetric
elements

Solid elements

Shell elements
Extruded
elements

First order element

Linear (first order)
temperature field
Constant heat flux field

Second order element

Parabolic (second order)
temperature field
Linear heat flux field

Figure 1-13: Elements available in thermal analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation.

The majority of analyses use the second order tetrahedral element.

23

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

First order elements do not offer any advantages in either structural or thermal analysis and beam
elements are neither applicable nor available in thermal analysis. Therefore we are left with
second order solids and second order shells to model 3D problems and second order plate
elements to model 2D axisymmetric or extruded problems.
Prior to commencing work with thermal problems, make sure that Solid Bodies and Surface
Bodies are visible in the SOLIDWORKS Feature Manager (Figure 1-14).

Figure 1-14: Settings of Feature Manager.

To facilitate working with Simulation models make sure that Solid Bodies and Surface Bodies are
always visible.

24

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

Notes:

25

Thermal Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2015

2: Hollow plate
Topics covered

Heat transfer by conduction

Heat transfer by convection
Different ways of presenting results of thermal analysis
Convergence analysis in thermal problems
Solid elements in heat transfer problems
Shell elements in heat transfer problems

Project description
Well conduct thermal analysis of simple models to study the effects of discretization error and
the use of different types of elements. In this chapter we use our expertise in structural analysis
gained from Engineering Analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation. We use HOLLOW
PLATE TH, similar to the model from this introductory textbook where it is used in structural
analysis examples.
Open model HOLLOW PLATE TH and review the two configurations: 01 solid where the model
is represented as a solid body and 02 shell where the model is represented as a surface body. Stay
in the 01 solid configuration and create a thermal study called 01 solid. Apply the prescribed
temperature boundary conditions as shown in Figure 2-1; these prescribed temperatures will
induce heat flow from hot to cold.

26