Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Tutorial
Fundamental Heat Transfer
 Problem Statement
Thermal Conductivity
A composite wall is made up of 3.0 in (7.6 cm) of material A
exposed to 1000F (540C), 5.0 in (13 cm) of material B, and
6.0 in (15 cm) of material C exposed to 200F (90C). The
mean thermal conductivities for materials A, B, C are 0.06 ,
0.5 and 0.8 Btu-ft/hr-ft2-F (0.1, 0.9, and 1.4 W/mK),
respectively. What are the temperatures at the A-B and B-C
material interfaces?
Scheme of the problem statement

T2 = ? T3 = ?

TA =540C Material A Material B Material C TC =90C

 Theoretical Solution
On a per unit area basis

540 90
=
(7.6 ) ( 1 ) (13 ) ( 1 ) (15 ) ( 1 )
100 + 100 + 100

0.1 0.9 1.4

= 444.8 /2

Theoretical Solution (Continued)

2 = 1

1
(7.6 )(100 )
= 540 (444.8 2 ) ( )

0.1

2 = 202.0
Theoretical Solution (Continued)

3 = 2

1
(13 )(100 )
= 202.0 (444.8 2 ) ( )

0.9

3 = 137.8
Numerical Simulation
 Geometry
Create a 2D planar, Type
deformable, base feature
shell plate of 356mm * 260
mm
Once the plate has been
created click partitions and
create three different areas
Area A, area B, and area C
Place the partition lines
A B C at 76 mm and 206 mm
as depicted in the
figures

76 mm 206 mm
 Creating a Material Definition
Create three materials with the property of A,
B, and C (In this case the electrical
conductivities only)
Create three Sections named for instance
Section A, Section B, and Section C.
Assign the sections A, B, and C to its
corresponding area
 Section Assignment
3 Section assignments for the Part-1 or Plate
 Creating a Step
Double click Steps under Model tree and
Create a step 1
Select the Type Heat Transfer and the Steady-
state response.
Assigning the boundary conditions
Underneath the Assembly in the model tree
select Sets to create a new set of elements
Double click to define the sets for the
boundary conditions, in this case two
temperatures TA and TC
 Assigning the boundary conditions
(continued)
From Step-1 double Click Bcs and click sets to
assign the temperature in this case the first
temperature TA 3

2
 Assigning the boundary conditions
(continued)

SET A for the SET C for the

temperature in temperature in the
the left vertical right vertical edge
edge of Material of Material C
A

Repeat the procedure to assign Tc

 Meshing
Element Type Mesh Controls
Meshing (Continued)
 Field Output Request
By default these
output variables
are selected
 Running the job and results
Once the simulation is completed, go to
results and switch the HFL (Heat flux vector at
integration points to NT (Nodal temperatures
at nodes)
Results: Nodal Temperatures
 Create a Path
From the Results tree, double click Paths
Create Path window will pop up, hit Continue
Edit Node List Path window will pop up, hit
Add Before
Click all the nodes in a horizontal centerline
from the left to the right (maintain order) Hit
Done and Ok
Temperature Profile
 Temperature (C)

0
100
200
300
400
500
600

0
9.5
540

19
28.5
38
47.5
57
66.5
76
86
96
106
116
126
136 201.9174194
146
156
166
176
186
196
206
216
226
236
True distance along path (mm) 246
256
Temperature Profile

137.6619873

266
276
286
296
306
316
326
336
346
356
90
 Results and comparison
Analytical Solutions
T2 and T3 = 202.0C and 137.8C respectively
Numerical Solutions
T2 and T3 =201.91C and 137.66C respectively
 Adding a surface flux
In a similar way that the set was created,
create a surface
 Adding a surface flux (continued)
Select the regions for the surface
 Adding a surface flux (continued)
Double click loads to create a new load
 Adding a surface flux (continued)
Set the Magnitude of the surface heat flux
 Running the job and results
Run the job with the new set of conditions,
once the simulation is completed, go to results
and comment on the effect of the surface flux
on the NT (Nodal temperatures at nodes)