Workshop 5

Thermal Stress Analysis in a

T-Junction
14. 5 Release

Solving FSI Applications Using

ANSYS Mechanical and ANSYS CFX
1

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Problem Description
A T-Junction model is subjected
to the mixing of two fluids of
differing temperatures

Warm Water

Cold Water (20 C)

o

Hot Water (80 C)

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Problem Description
Junction is also subjected to fluid pressure
The goal is to perform a Thermal and Static Structural Analysis on the
T-junction using the solution of the Conjugate Heat Transfer problem in
CFX
Outline of procedure:

Solve CHT problem in CFX

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

This step has already been completed

Transfer surface temperatures to a Steady-State Thermal (ANSYS)

simulation and (re)solve solid temperatures
Transfer fluid pressures to a Steady-State Structural (ANSYS) simulation
Use temperatures from the Thermal solution as body loads in the
Structural simulation
Solve Static Structural case
Solve an alternative workflow where the body temperatures from CFX
are applied directly to a structural model, without using an
intermediate Thermal system
July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Project Schematic
1.

Open T_Junction.wbpj in Workbench

2.

Drag Steady-State Thermal from the Analysis Systems toolbox and

drop it onto the Solution cell of the Fluid Flow system (cell A5)

Links are created to share the

geometry and to transfer the
Fluid Flow Solution to the
Steady-State Thermal Setup.
The solution data will be
used as a thermal load in the
Steady-State Thermal
system.

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Project Schematic
3.

Now, select Static Structural and drag it onto Solution cell (B6) of
Steady-State Thermal

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

This will transfer the Mechanical thermal solution to the Mechanical

structural model

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Project Schematic
We also want the fluid pressure to be applied to the ANSYS structural
model
4.

Select the Solution cell (A5) of Fluid Flow and drag it onto Setup cell
(C5) of Static Structural

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Engineering Data
With the CFD model already completed, the thermal and structural analysis will be
carried out in sequence.
The solid material used in the CFX analysis was Steel from the CFX Materials
Library. The default material in ANSYS is Structural Steel. We need to make sure
the material properties are consistent.

5.

Double-click on Engineering Data

under Steady-State Thermal

6.

Right-click on Structural Steel as

shown and select Duplicate

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Add New Material

7.

Rename Structural Steel 2 to CFX Steel

8.

With CFX Steel selected, double-click on

the Density value to edit it, then enter
7854 [kg m^-3]

9.

Deselect the filter icon

in the
toolbar so that all the material
properties are displayed

Isotropic Thermal Conductivity has a

value of 60.5 [W m^-1 C^-1] and Specific
Heat has a value of 434 [J kg^-1 C^-1].
These are consistent with the values
used in CFX.

10. Click Return to Project from the toolbar

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Static Thermal Model

1.

Double-click on Model
under Steady-State
Thermal

2.

Expand Geometry and

suppress the fluid body

3.

Select NutsBolts under

Geometry then change
Assignment to CFX Steel

4.

Select solid and change

Assignment to CFX Steel

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Global Mesh Sizing

5.

Highlight Mesh in the Outline tree

6.

In the details view expand Sizing and

set Relevance Center to Medium

7.

Right-click on Mesh and select Insert >

Method

8.

Right-click on the graphics background

and choose Select All

9.

In the details view click Apply

10. Change the Method to Tetrahedrons

11. Right-click on Mesh and select
Generate Mesh

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Cold and Hot End Boundaries

12. Select Units > Metric (m, kg, N, s, V, A)
13. Right-click on Steady-State Thermal (B5) in the
tree view and select Insert > Temperature
14. Change Scoping Method to Named Selection
15. Pick wall_cold_end from the Named Selection
drop-down
16. Set the Temperature Magnitude to 20C

If the units are in K, select Celsius from the main

Units menu

17. Insert another Temperature condition using the

Named Selection wall_hot_end and a
Temperature of 80C
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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

External Convection Boundary

18. Right-click on Steady-State
Thermal and select Insert >
Convection
19. Change Scoping Method to
Named Selection
20. Select convection from the
Named Selection drop-down
21. Enter Film Coefficient as 10
W/m2 C
22. Enter Ambient Temperature as
15 C

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Imported Temperature Load

23. Under Steady-State Thermal right-click on
Imported Load (Solution) and select Insert
> Temperature

24. Change Scoping Method to Named

Selection
25. From the Named Selection drop-down list
select interface_solid_side

26. From the CFD Surface drop-down list,

select Fluid Solid Interface Side 2

This is the CFX boundary associated with the

solid side of the interface

27. Right-click on Imported Temperature and

select Import Load

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View the imported temperature and the

Imported Load Transfer Summary

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Solve Static Thermal Model

28. Right-click on Steady-State Thermal (B5) and select Solve
29. Right-click on Solution and select Insert > Thermal > Temperature
30. Right-click on Solution and select Insert > Thermal > Total Heat Flux
31. Right-click on created Total Heat Flux object and select Evaluate All Results

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Static Structural Analysis

Note that in the Project Schematic, the Steady-State Thermal analysis is now updated
In the Mechanical window Imported Load (Solution 1) under the Static Structural
model can be seen. The temperature load from previously solved Thermal model will
be automatically transferred to the Static Structural model

1.

In the Project Schematic right-click and Refresh cell C5

In Mechanical Imported Load (Solution) is now

added to the Outline tree for the CFD load

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Fixed Supports
2.

Collapse the Steady-State Thermal branch of

the Outline tree in Mechanical while working
on the Static Structural analysis

3.

Right-click on Static Structural and select Insert

> Fixed Support

4.

Select the three surfaces shown to the right in

green then click Apply in the Geometry field

5.

Right-click on Imported Load (Solution) and

select Insert > Pressure

6.

Set Scoping Method to Named Selection and

pick interface_solid_side from drop down list

7.

Set CFD Surface to Fluid Solid Interface Side 1

8.
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This is the fluid side interface boundary

Right-click on Static Structural and select Solve

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Total Deformation and Equivalent Stress

9.

Right-click on Solution under Static Structural and select Insert >

Deformation > Total

10. Right-click on Solution and select Insert > Stress > Equivalent
11. Right-click on Solution and select Evaluate All Results

12. Close the Mechanical window and save the project, but do not exit
Workbench
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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Using a Body Temperature Import

Instead of importing a surface temperature from CFX, then re-solving the solid
temperature field in Mechanical and transferring the temperature to a structural
system, you can import the volumetric temperature directly from CFX to a
structural system. This avoids the need for a Steady-State Thermal system. You
will complete this alternative workflow next.

1.

In the Project Schematic duplicate the Static Structural system by

right-clicking on cell C5 and selecting Duplicate

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2011 ANSYS, Inc.

Performing Duplicate from the Setup cell retains the shared geometry
and mesh

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Using a Body Temperature Import

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2.

Select and delete the link between the Steady State Thermal
system and the Copy of Static Structural system

3.

Double-click the Setup cell (D5) to edit the Copy of Static

Structural analysis, selecting Yes when asked to read the
modified upstream data

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Using a Body Temperature Import

Examine Static Structural 2 (D5) in the Outline tree. The Imported Pressure load
and Fixed Support already exist from the previous structural analysis. Now add
the Imported Body Temperature load. Start by creating a Named Selection for
the solid parts; youll use this when importing the temperature load:

1.

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In the Outline tree, under

Geometry, expand solid and select
all 6 bodies named Part 2. Rightclick and select Create Named
Selection. Name the selection
solid.

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5

Using a Body Temperature Import

2.

Right-click on Imported Load (Solution) and

select Insert > Body Temperature

3.

Set Scoping Method to Named Selection and

pick solid from drop down list

4.

Set CFD Domain to Solid

5.

Right-click on Imported Body Temperature

and select Import Load

6.

Examine the imported temperature and the

Imported Load Transfer Summary after the
import is complete

7.

Right-click on Static Structural 2 (D5) and

select Solve

8.
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You can compare the solution to the previous

method

Save the project and close Workbench

2011 ANSYS, Inc.

July 26, 2013

Release 14.5