Model of the Month: December 2005
This sample model highlights the unique combination of RadTherm features that enable comprehensive thermal analysis of complex systems. In this case, the system is a commercial vehicle used for transportation of cargo under a controlled, refrigerated environment. The vehicle's thermal behavior and the cargo system thermal response are simulated.
One feature of RadTherm is immediately visible with this sample model—the Color by Part feature. This allows users to color the model geometry with randomly chosen part colors and facilitates recognition of part boundaries.
Approximate geometry of a pickup truck was generated and a refrigeration box installed in place of the pickup bed. The surface geometry was meshed with ANSA for thermal analysis in RadTherm. A few engine details and underbody components were added to give the model a representative collection of features. Detailed exhaust lines, exhaust shielding, and primary drivetrain features yield a very reasonable representation of a commercial light truck.
Engine Model
The generic Diesel Engine model of RadTherm was used to generate engine surface temperatures, exhaust gas flow rates and exhaust inlet temperatures.The engine speed curve drives several important thermal parameters: wind-based convection on the vehicle exterior surfaces and engine exhaust temperatures and flow rates.
Exhaust Flow with 1-D Fluid Stream Network
A fluid stream part was used to capture the advective flow effects down the exhaust line after exiting the turbo charger (See Figure 4 below). RadTherm includes part-level radiation patching, allowing for 360-degree patches to be set up in "bands" along a driveshaft or other rotating component, to generate a single view factor averaged for all elements in the band. This prevents unrealistic hot spots from forming in one side of the driveshaft, and is valid for non-reflective part surfaces.
Thermal Results
RadTherm was used to perform a complete multimode thermal analysis, with some highlighted results shown below.
View More Sample Models
This sample model uses thermal design to improve the aircraft’s human comfort while reducing the power load on its climate control system.
This sample demonstrates an evaluation of AC pull-down using two different source air temperature profiles and the resulting effects on localized passenger comfort. The Berkeley Comfort Model provides localized comfort results for each body segment computed from temperatures predicted by our Human Comfort Module.
The analysis for this structure involved a prediction of solar loading as well as air circulation patterns throughout the structure. ThermoAnalytics used RadTherm software to determine the need for transmissive or non transmissive glass and predicted internal temperatures of the Cathedral on a sunny days at both half and maximum occupancy.
A prediction of transient thermal comfort for humans driving a car through the desert. It provides realistic, localized loading of the vehicle's air nodes.
A human thermal model demonstrates the effects of solar intensity and ambient temperature. They drink a cup of coffee as the Human Comfort Module simulates their thermal response to the environment.
RadTherm can predict Formula 1 racetrack surface temperatures. Simulations based on weather and track temperature can be a powerful ally in an event where a racer can win by mere seconds.
We simulated a coil-in-tube cross flow heat exchanger to demonstrate RadTherm's fluid stream and convection heat transfer modeling capabilities. The heat exchanger surfaces were created in Rhino3D and meshed with ANSA. The mesh was exported into RadTherm.
Air travel passengers are all too familiar with the thermal discomforts of summer travel. Our DC-10 model provides insight to thermal management techniques that could improve the experience.
RadTherm can model the thermal behavior of complex systems. In this case, a refrigerated truck transports cargo in a contolled environment. We simulate the vehicle's thermal behavior and the cargo system's thermal response.
One of the most frequent complaints about motorcycles is the engine's heat plume. The plume hits the rider when they're idling in traffic or after getting off the highway. This analysis simulates this heat plume and predicts the temperature increase that the rider will experience.
This sample model demonstrates RadTherm's unique environmental effects applied to architectural analysis. You can generate transient thermal results by combining CFD results with RadTherm.
Thermal simulation of a brake system. The brake model is loosely based on the front rotors of a 2005 Ford Mustang.
This model simulates simple thermostatic control of two heating systems. It represents a common heated plate system used to cure adhesives or control chemical reaction rates.
Modeling the forest canopy generates accurate temperatures or IR signatures of objects in such environments. Studying the canopy can find passive "cool zones" for urban park development. Through simulation, the ideal size and location of trees can be planned to provide improved thermal comfort.
We model the development process of a simple exhaust-shield component model using the supplemental TDFUtility program (supplied with all software from ThermoAnalytics). The TDFUtility is a set of utilities combined into a single executable. We demonstrate how it can improve mesh and model quality.
Sample unmanned ground vehicle signature analysis featuring a simple hybrid drive engine and exhaust system and sensor tower. The defense industry needs to consider the thermal (infrared) signature of its systems under various operating conditions and environments. MuSES performs a full thermal analysis followed by a radiance solution in specific IR wave bands corresponding to the sensor of interest.
The Human Comfort Module is available under a separate license to simulate the thermal response of a human body in an environment with significant thermal loads.
