Hellooooooooooooo there! We been working very hard to share more information to most of the users and viewer, to expose their knowledge on the other SOLIDWORKS module. Allowing them to know, SOLIDWORKS not only for CAD design, but for other application as well. Today, we will be covering some information on SOLIDWORKS flow simulation.

Before we start to introduce Flow Simulation, let us briefly explain some analysis you may seems familiar.

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation using CFD analysis, whereby CFD stands for computational fluid dynamics, using numerical analysis and data structures to analyse the performance and capabilities of the design. You can easily check for the definition of CFD everywhere using google. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Module has been categories into few sections, airflow analysis, HVAC heat transfer analysis, and lastly electronic board heat transfer analysis. 

How can Flow Simulation actually helps to save time and operation cost?

The Flow Simulation capable to simulate the water or air flow in the pipeline or an exhaust system in a vehicle engine. Using the colour contour and real time update features in SOLIDWORKS, allow you to observe, easily identify the critical part in the airflow that actually create big impact to your system. Using the Flow Simulation, allow user easier to change their design using configuration feature, and rerun the simulation scenario without repeat the whole setup process.

Besides, using flow simulation to stimulate the internal system, the Flow Simulation allows you to study the drag force, or the air resistance impact on your moving object. Force prediction is always being used for aerodynamic study, operational forces for valves, torque prediction and wind load on tall buildings. These examples show that, the flow simulation not only works for mechanical parts or systems, it also applicable to other industry to study the impact of the airflow on their products.

Pressure drop analysis using the air flow simulation

Studying the flow velocity across the object.

Studying the liquid flow within the pipe system

Simulation HVAC is extra part or extra module of the Flow Simulation, it simulates the room or interior temperature using the air particle movement and heat transfer. With using the HVAC simulation, it able to show the result of the comfort temperature for the room, and using the discrete ordinates radiation model in the simulation. When come to the HVAC, the engineers mostly need to spend more time on calculation and practical testing in the building to stimulate the airflow in physical testing, which takes time and cost to perform this testing, and calculation tends to become more complicated, when there’s a high heat source for certain equipment in the room.

By Using the HVAC simulation, we able to review the simulation result using the PPD setting, which allow the user to get more information on the thermal discomfort zone, by using the color to identify the area. Through the study, the engineers able to understand the impact of the wall materials or surrounding materials will impact the room temperature, and study the choices of materials that could cooling down the room temperature during the hot day.

Studying the room temperature, including the possible heat source within the room

Comparing the temperature in different area, using the colour to determine the temperature across the room

Last but not least, electronic cooling is another major add on module for Flow Simulation. Different compared to HVAC, it will be more focusing on simulation for electronic system or within the electronic products.

Electronic cooling module providing several methods to stimulate the heat transfer and the airflow within the product or system. The airflow optimization, usually used to optimize the product design to ensure the volume of air flow that is needed to cool down the component to the optimal temperature. Heatsink selection, allow the engineer to define the heat source in the system, and study the thermal impact of the components in PCB.

Different between electronic cooling module with Flow Simulation, is that, electronic cooling system consist of the database for the electronic component. The database we referring to, is the thermal properties of the resistor, chip, heat sink and etc. Using the thermal properties for the items in the electronics system, allow us to observe, how the flow direction in the casing, the design or outlet of the airhole, able to reduce the heat generated by the electronic component.

Studying the air flow within the satellite box, including the heatsink of the component, to simulate the heat transfer within the satellite box

As mentioned, the tools above, it is only part of the features can be found in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Module. 

For more information, you are welcome to contact us, or call us for a scheduled hand-on test drive at our training centre! Till next time!