Chapter 67: Thermal Contact on Surface, Edge and Solid Face

Thermal Contact on Surface,

67 Edge and Solid Face


Summary 1235

Introduction 1236

Modeling Details 1236

Solution Highlights 1236

Results 1238

Modeling Tips 1239

Input File(s) 1239

Video 1240
 CHAPTER 67 1235
Thermal Contact on Surface, Edge and Solid Face

Summary
Title Chapter 67: Thermal Contact on Surface, Edge and Solid Face
Features: Thermal Contact
Geometry & Boundary 100 ºC
Conditions Diameter = 0.4m
Height = 0.6 m
Mat 1 0.7 m x 1 m x 0.2 m
Mat 2

20 ºC
0 ºC

1 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
Mat 1
2 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
0 ºC Mat 1

Mat 1: K = 1.25 W/m/°C, Cp = 920 J/Kg/°C, ρ = 2500 Kg/m³

Material properties
Mat 2: K = 12.5 W/m/°C, Cp = 920 J/Kg/°C, ρ = 2500 Kg/m³
Analysis characteristics Solution 400 / RC Network solver.
Applied Loads Heat flux, thermal contact
Element type CQUAD4, CTETRA
FE results
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CHAPTER 67

Introduction
This problem demonstrates the thermal contact feature of SOL 400 RC Network Solver.

Modeling Details
This problem has three surfaces and one cylinder solid. These surfaces and solid do not really touch each other. The
cylinder and vertical surface are above the two horizontal surfaces, with a gap of 0.2 m distance. The two horizontal
surfaces have a 0.2 m distance gap between them.

100 ºC
Diameter = 0.4m
Height = 0.6 m
Mat 1 0.7 m x 1 m x 0.2 m
Mat 2

20 ºC
0 ºC

1 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
Mat 1
2 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
0 ºC Mat 1

Figure 67-1 three Surfaces and Solid Contact Model

RC Network Solver simulates the thermal contact with a “projection” algorithm. When two surfaces or edges are
connected together, they do not need to match their meshes each other. The slave entities project to the master entities
to determine the contact hooks. This is done automatically by the translator during the running time. If the cylinder or
surface is moved, the new contact hooks will be created accordingly.

Solution Highlights
RC Network Solver uses PRJCON entry to simulate the thermal contact. SET 3 entry is used to define the master and
slave entities.
CHBDYE 8282 8140 5
CHBDYE 8283 8146 5
SET3 8 ELEM 8273 8274 8275 8276 8277 8278+
+ 8279 8280 8281 8282 8283
...
CHBDYE 8289 7800 5
CHBDYE 8290 7807 5
SET3 9 ELEM 8284 8285 8286 8287 8288 8289+
+ 8290
PRJCON 2184
HEAT1 8 9 111.
 CHAPTER 67 1237
Thermal Contact on Surface, Edge and Solid Face

PRJCON Thermal RC Element Contact

Specifies a thermal connection between two regions of elements. The connection is automatically determined
geometrically as a projection of the slave region on to the master, and the strength of the connection is calculated based
on the properties given.

Format HEAT1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PRJCON BID +
+ HEAT1 SET3 SET3 Slave h
Master

Format HEAT2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PRJCON BID +
+ HEAT2 SET3 SET3 Slave PID
Master

Format HEAT3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PRJCON BID +
+ HEAT3 SET3 SET3 Slave F Emis Emis Slave
Master Master

Format HEAT4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PRJCON BID +
+ HEAT4 SET3 SET3 Slave F RADC id RADC id
Master Master Slave

Field Contents Type Default

BID BCBODY identification number. I0 Required
HEATx Indicates the start of HEAT elements. C
SET3 Master ID of the master element collection for connection. I0 Required
SET3 Slave ID of the slave element collection for connection. I0 Required
h Convection correlation. R  0.0 Required
for HEAT1
PID PID of the property to be used for h value. I0 Required
for HEAT2
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CHAPTER 67

Field Contents Type Default

F View factor between parts. 0.0  R  1.0 Required
for HEAT3
& HEAT4
Emis Master Emissivity of master collection. R  0.0 Required
for HEAT3
Emis Slave Emissivity of master collection. R  0.0 Required
for HEAT4
RADC id Master RADMID of the material to be used for master emissivity I0 Required
value.
RADC id Slave RADMID of the material to be used for slave emissivity I0 Required
value.

Remarks
1. This “HEATx” and the later parameters are for RC Network solver only.
2. For HEAT2, PID must refer to a PCONV1 type, and not a PCONV or PCONVM.
3. RC Network Solver uses a projection method to determine the connection (not the “nearest neighbor method”).
In most of the cases, the projection method is more accurate than the nearest neighbor method.

Results

Figure 67-2 Temperature Contour of Thermal Contact Model

The vertical surface is just above the middle of the horizontal surface. The projection of the element edges hit at the
middle of center 2D elements. Form the top view of the model, you can see the vertical surface does not really contact
 CHAPTER 67 1239
Thermal Contact on Surface, Edge and Solid Face

with the smaller horizontal surface. The higher temperature on the smaller horizontal surface is actually caused by the
contact through the mismatched meshes between the two horizontal surfaces. You can clearly see that all the meshes
are mismatched.

Figure 67-3 Temperature Contour of Thermal Contact Model (top view)

Modeling Tips
RC Network Solver SSSPM is used for a better accuracy in this problem. SSSPM is a direct linear equation solver
(sparse matrix method or method of quasi-minimized residuals). The bigger horizontal surface is meshed with odd
number elements so that the vertical surface is just above the middle of some center 2-D elements.

Input File(s)
Files Description
QT18_contact.dat MD Nastran SOL400/RC Network Solver thermal input file
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CHAPTER 67

Video
Click on the image or caption below to view a streaming video of this problem; it lasts approximately 30 minutes and
explains how the steps are performed.

100 ºC
Diameter = 0.4m
Height = 0.6 m
Mat 1 0.7 m x 1 m x 0.2 m
Mat 2

20 ºC
0 ºC

1 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
Mat 1
2 m x 1 m x 0.1 m
0 ºC Mat 1

Figure 67-4 Video of the Above Steps