Digital Tool: Heat exchanger based on abstract modelling
Background:
The aim is to create a digital twin based on automatically generated CAD models to optimise a heat transfer process.
Target variables:
A variant study is used to find the optimum design for the arrangement of the heating elements. The target variables are the resulting pressure loss and the amount of heat transferred.
Challenges:
The CAD geometry, in particular the arrangement, shape and number of surfaces for the heat exchangers, can vary greatly.
Solution approach:
● Definition and limitation of the variable parameters in the geometry
● Creation of an abstract model: use of placeholders in the geometry description for meshing and solution attributes
● Definition of the meshing and solution attributes based on the defined placeholders
● Automation of the geometry import with assignment of the placeholders to the respective geometry components
● Script-
● Simulation with stationary OpenFOAM solver (rhoSimpleFoam)
● Automated extraction of relevant results
Abstract modelling is used to find geometric components in different CAD that can be used for mesh definitions or solver settings
Results: Velocity and temperature distribution
Different variants of a heating element arrangement are to be evaluated automatically.
Application:
The creation of a digital twin based on abstract modelling is particularly suitable
- when a very fast implementation based on CAD geometry is required
- for variant analyses based on automatically generated CAD models
- as a CFD tool for the designer,
- if several digital twins are required for different applications
- for modelling in the private cloud
