Problem Seven: Steady State and Thermal Stress

7.

Problem Seven: Steady State and Thermal Stress

7.1 Introduction
This example problem demonstrates two analyses: steady state heat transfer and thermal stress. The model is an exhaust manifold made of steel. The goal of this problem is to get a temperature distribution based on the applied thermal loading from the steady state heat transfer analysis, and then use that temperature distribution to determine the effects on the part due to thermal expansion.

In this problem you will learn how to mesh a solid with hexahedral elements, establish thermal boundary conditions (such as convection), and create a load with the output from a previous analysis. The units used in this model are inch-pound-second (IPS).

7.2 Pre-Process the Steady State Heat Transfer Model

7.2.1 Import the Solid Model
Open Femap. From the Femap Main Menu select File, then Import and Geometry. Navigate to C:\Program Files\NEi Nastran Engine V101\Example Files\Tutorial Problems\Example Problem 7 and open Example Problem 7.X_T. When the Solid Model Read Options dialog box appears, enter 39.37 in the Geometry Scale Factor field. Click OK.

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NOTE: Femap will remember the Geometry Scale Factor last used, so always check to make sure that you have the proper value for the geometry you are importing and the unit system you would like to work in is specified. In order to successfully create a hex mesh, the geometry being meshed will usually require some simplification (or modification). This step has already been done for you. In the Model Info tree, expand the Geometry node by clicking on the + sign. Although this exhaust manifold was originally one solid part, it has been divided into 14 different solids. You can toggle the check boxes on/off to inspect the individual pieces of the solid.

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7.2.2 Define the Material Property

In the Model Info tree, right-click on Material and select New:

In the Define Isotropic Material dialog box click the Load button at the bottom. In the Select From Library dialog box click AISI 4130 Steel and click OK. Change the Reference Temp to 150. This reference temperature is going to be used as an initial condition for the steady state heat transfer analysis. Another method, which will not be used in this tutorial, would be to create a separate load set with a temperature body load and reference this load set as an initial condition in the analysis set boundary conditions.

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Select OK. The Define Isotropic Material dialog box will appear again expecting you to enter another material. Since there is only one material in this model, choose Cancel to exit the next material definition.

7.2.3 Define the Element Property

Right-click in the Model Info tree on Properties and click New. In the Define Property PLATE Element Type dialog box click the Elem/Property Type button. The Element/ Property Type dialog box opens. Select Solid as the element type and click OK.

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When the Define Property SOLID Element Type dialog box appears, enter Solid Property in the title field. Select 1..AISI 4130 Steel under the Material drop-down menu, click OK and then Cancel.

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7.2.4 Apply the Loads

In this step you will create a load set for the steady state heat transfer analysis. This load set will have two load definitions, heat flux and convection.

7.2.4.1 Apply the Heat Flux

From the Femap Main Menu select Model, then Load and On Surface. The New Load Set dialog box appears. In the Title field type SSHT Loads and click OK. The Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog box appears. With your mouse, point to and click the inside surfaces for Flange 2 and all four tubes that make up the hole. The surfaces are highlighted in yellow below.

It may be useful to right-click in the model space and alternate between Pick Normal and Pick Front to easily select all appropriate surfaces.

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Once all the surfaces have been selected click OK. The Create Loads on Surfaces dialog box should open. Type Heat Flux for the Title and select Heat Flux Per Area from the list of load types. Enter a value of 0.035 in the Flux field. This is 0.035 BTU/secin2. Click OK.

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7.2.4.2 Apply the Convection Load

The Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog will reappear. Select one of the sides that make up the thickness of Flange 2, click on the Pick^ button and select Add Tangent Surfaces. This will add all tangent surfaces to the surfaces already selected.

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Once all the tangent surface have been added to the selection list (red box shown above), continue to select the surfaces of Flange 1 and 2 facing the tubes, as well as the exterior surfaces of the tubes. The surfaces that should be selected are shown below. Click OK.

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The Create Loads on Surfaces dialog box opens. Type Convection for the Title and select Convection from the list of load types. Enter a coefficient value of 3.858E-5 BTU / (secin2F) and a bulk Temperature of 70F. Click OK, and then Cancel when the Entity Selection Enter Surface(s) to Select dialog box reappears.

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All the loads have been applied. Now you can remove some of the clutter in the model by turning off the loads and nodes. Push Ctrl+Q (or click ) to bring up the Visibility dialog box. In the Entity/Label tab click on the Loads check box to deselect all loads. Now click Done.

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7.2.5 Mesh the Model

You will mesh this model with hexahedral elements. Running models with these elements gives fast and accurate answers. There are four steps needed to successfully create a hex mesh: 1. You must first subdivide your geometry into hex meshable parts. Generally, a hex meshable part is one which is extrudable. 2. You must then setup a mesh sizing by going to Mesh, Mesh Control, Size on Solid and selecting the Hex Meshing option. This operation will not only apply the mesh size, but link all adjacent surfaces of solids. 3. If the mesh sizing fails, it is an indicator that your geometry needs to be further simplified, step 1 must be repeated. 4. Hex mesh the geometry using the Mesh, Geometry, Hex Mesh Solids command. The imported geometry has already been subdivided for you. For your reference, you can inspect each solid individually to get an idea of what a hex meshable, extrudable, solid looks like.

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7.2.5.1 Define Mesh Size

In the next steps you will set the mesh control on the solids in preparation for the solid hexahedral mesh. This must be done in one operation to assure that meshes match on congruent surfaces of contacting solids. Femap will slave the mesh approach on these surfaces (meaning one mesh will attach to another). From the Femap Main Menu select Mesh, then Mesh Control and choose Size On Solid. When the Entity Selection Select Solid(s) to Set Mesh Size dialog box appears, click Select All, and then click OK. In the Automatic Mesh Sizing dialog box, click the Hex Meshing radio button, enter 0.075 in the Element Size field.

Click OK. You should see regularly spaced mesh points appear in the edges of the model. Most of the model should become transparent blue indicating a successful mesh sizing (but not a successful mesh). There will also be solid colored surfaces, indicating they are slaved in the mesh approach.

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7.2.5.2 Mesh the Model

From the Femap Main Menu select Mesh, then Geometry and select Hex Mesh Solids. When the Entity Selection Select Solid(s) to Mesh dialog box appears, click Select All, and then click OK. The Hex Mesh Solids dialog box appears. From the Property drop-down menu select 1..Solid Property. Click OK.

Push Ctrl+Q or click and this will bring up the Visibility dialog box. In the Entity/Label tab click on the All Off button, then click on the Elements check box so that it is toggled on.

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Now click Done. Your mesh should look as shown below.

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7.3 Run the Steady State Heat Transfer Analysis

From the Femap Main Menu select Model and then choose Analysis. In the Analysis Set Manager (Active: None) dialog box click the New button. In the Title field of the Analysis Set dialog box type Steady State Heat Transfer. From the Analysis Program drop-down menu select 31..NEiNastran and from the Analysis Type drop-down menu select 20..SteadyState Heat Transfer. The box should look like this:

Click OK. Next click Analyze and when the Save As dialog box opens type the filename Example Problem 7a.nas, navigate to your working directory, and click Save.

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When the analysis is complete, the NEi Nastran Editor displays the Errors/Warnings view, and the NEi Nastran Termination Status dialog box appears telling you that the analysis is complete with no errors or warnings. Click Continue and the NEi Nastran output results are written to Femap for post-processing.

When the Femap message box asks, OK to Save Model Now? click Yes. Enter the Filename Example Problem 7 and click Save. Femap has added plot planar elements to model the convection loads, and requires that the model be saved before post-processing.

7.4 Post-Process the Steady State Heat Transfer Model

Press F5 (a shortcut for selecting View then Select). In the View Select dialog box make sure the Quick Hidden Line radio button in the Model Style box and the None - Model Only radio button in the Deformed Style box are selected. Click on the Contour radio button in the Contour Style box.

Click the Deformed and Contour Data button, and the Select PostProcessing Data dialog box opens. From the Output Set drop-down menu select 1..INCR 1, LOAD=1.0. In the Contour field, click on the drop-down menu and select 1..TEMPERATURE. Click OK twice. Your model should look like the image below.

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To stop viewing the contour, press F5 and in the View Select dialog box set the Contour Style to None - Model Only and click OK. Save your model again by pressing F4 (a short cut for selecting File and Save).

7.5 Pre-Process the Thermal Stress Model

We will use the temperature distribution from the steady state heat transfer analysis as a load for a linear static analysis. We will then be able to see the stresses experienced by the part due to thermal expansion. The model will have fixed constraints at the bolt holes, and will be allowed to slide along the surfaces on the flanges facing away from the tubes.

7.5.1 Create the Temperature Load

From the Femap Main Menu select Model, then Load and Create/Manage Set. When the Load Set Manager appears click the New Load Set button. Title the load set Temperature Load and click OK. Once back in the Load Set Manager click Done. The load set should now be created and active. From the Femap Main Menu select Model, Load and select From Output. In the Select Type of Load dialog select Temperatures and click OK.

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In the Create Load from Output dialog make sure 1..INCR 1, LOAD=1.0 is selected as the Output Set, and choose 1..TEMPERATURE from the X Vector drop-down and click OK.

The temperature load from output should now be created.

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7.5.2 Create Constraints

From the Femap Main Menu go to Model, then Constraint, and On Surface. In New Constraint Set dialog add Structural Constraints as the Title and click OK. When the Entity Selection Select Solid(s) to Mesh dialog box appears, select the bolt hole surfaces. You should select 13 holes, or 26 surfaces in total. Click OK.

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In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog box, type Fixed Bolt Holes for the Title, select Fixed from the Standard Types section and click OK.

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The Entity Selection Select Solid(s) to Mesh dialog box will reappear. Select the surface on both of the flanges facing away from the tubes and click OK.

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In the Create Constraints on Geometry dialog box type Sliding Surfaces for the Title. Select Surface from the Advanced Types section, and then select Sliding Along Surface (Symmetry) and click OK. This will allow the nodes on the surface to slide about the plane they are in, but will not allow it to penetrate it. Click Cancel when the Entity Selection Select Solid(s) to Mesh reappears.

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7.6 Run the Thermal Stress Analysis

From the Femap Main Menu select Model and then choose Analysis. In the Analysis Set Manager (Active: Steady State Heat Transfer) dialog box click the New button. In the Title field of the Analysis Set dialog box type Thermal Stress - Linear Static. From the Analysis Program drop-down menu select 31..NEiNastran and from the Analysis Type drop-down menu select 1..Static. Click OK.

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The appropriate loads and constraints should be automatically added to the analysis set since they are the active sets. If you click on the + to expand the Analysis Set, Master Requests and Conditions and Boundary Conditions sections you will see the constraints and loads listed and can verify that the correct boundary conditions are defined for the analysis set.

Click Analyze. In the Save As dialog box type Example Problem 7b.nas in the Filename field, navigate to your working directory, and click Save. The NEi Nastran Editor opens and analysis data scrolls in the Analysis view. The analysis may take several minutes. When the analysis is complete, the NEi Nastran Editor displays the Errors/Warnings view, and the NEi Nastran Termination Status dialog box appears telling you that the analysis is complete. Click Continue and the NEi Nastran output results are written to Femap for post-processing.

7.7 Post-Process the Thermal Stress Results

Press F5 (a shortcut for selecting View then Select). In the View Select dialog box click on the Deform and Contour radio buttons in from the Deformed Style and Contour Style sections.

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Click the Deformed and Contour Data button, and the Select PostProcessing Data dialog box opens. From the Output Set drop-down menu select 2..NEiNASTRAN. Leave the Deformation output vector as 1..TOTAL TRANSLATION. For the Contour output vector, click on the drop-down menu and select 60031..SOLID VON MISES. Click OK twice.

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Click on the Post Options toolbar and select Actual Deformation to view the actual displacements (by default deformation is scaled based a percentage of the model).

Your model should look like the image below.

This is the end of the example. Save your model.

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