Michigan Tech Campus Mechanical Engineering Office Building with Full Environmental Loading and CFD Wind Convection
This sample model demonstrates RadTherm's unique environmental effects applied to architectural analysis. By combining CFD results with RadTherm's advanced thermal analysis, transient thermal results can be generated with minimal computation time. This allows architects and building designers to improve the thermal performance of planned structures, to test the efficacy of energy-saving devices like low-e windows, or to design passive thermal systems. This sample is an approximate representation of the Raymond L. Smith Building on the campus of Michigan Technological University.
The geometry was created in Rhinoceros and meshed with ANSA for thermal analysis in RadTherm. The high resolution CFD mesh was generated in Gambit. A steady-state CFD analysis was performed with bulk air temp of 6.8°C and wind speed of 5 m/s from the north, representing a cold wind—a common occurrence for autumn in this Houghton, MI, location.
Preliminary thermal results were developed by a RadTherm thermal analysis with RadTherm's built-in wind model. The wall temperatures were exported to Fluent to be used as a boundary condition profile. To read more about data exchange between RadTherm and CFD, click here.
After the CFD run was converged, the standard Fluent export command was used and "RadTherm" chosen as the file type. This exports a Patran Neutral file containing geometry and convection data (convection coefficients and temperatures on an element-level basis). These data are read into RadTherm as a boundary condition for the external surfaces of the buildings.
RadTherm was then used to perform a complete multimodel thermal analysis, including transient solar with loading through the windows. See animations below. The model file and CFD results file can be downloaded from links at the end of this article.
This model illustrates the comprehensive analysis that RadTherm can provide to buildings and downtown areas with effects of reflected solar into windows from surrounding buildings. For example, the windows on side of this building facing away from the sun receive a significant amount of reflected solar radiation. This is transmitted through the windows, and recorded in the energy balance of the interior elements. By capturing collective greenhouse effects of direct, diffuse, and reflected solar loads, RadTherm provides a full multi-bounce mechanistic prediction of thermal and solar behavior. Architects and building designers can more accurately and efficiently plan passive and active thermal management schemes.
Because RadTherm is modeling the actual mechanisms by which building energy is transferred rather than using traditional 1-D empirical approaches, more accurate and elaborate control measures can be tested for cost-benefit analysis.
Thermal Results
The plot at left is a radial transect of the temperatures around the perimeter of the building (Figure 4). Results of the thermal analysis in RadTherm using imported CFD H and T values. The building's thermal performance could be analyzed and controls or improvement strategies tested.
Transient Results
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