One Way FSI with SOLIDWORKS Simulation and SOLIDWORK Flow Simulation

1- Introduction

The success of many structural designs requires a deep understanding of both the thermal and
mechanical response of the design as early as possible during the product development process.
Temperature-dependent material properties, temperature gradient and thermally-induced deformation
are important design considerations for a successful product.

Significant numbers of operational failures or performance issues are due to thermal-related problems.
Indeed, heat can have a direct impact on mechanical structures by creating deformation and additional
stress.

For example, when designing heat exchangers or electronic components, temperature changes need to
be considered for the structural analysis as heat impact structural performance of the entire device.
Such approach is called Thermal Stress Analysis. It refers to static analysis that includes the effect of
temperature to asses thermal stress and thermal dilatation.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Solution allows you to seamlessly perform thermal-stress analysis with
SOLIDWORKS Simulation and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation gives product engineers an intuitive virtual testing environment for structural
analysis so they can answer common engineering challenges with this SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD embedded
solution.

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation intuitive CFD (computational fluid dynamics) tool enables users to
simulate liquid and gas flow in real world conditions, run “what if” scenarios, and efficiently analyze the
effects of fluid flow, heat transfer, and related forces on immersed or surrounding components.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation users can perform stress analysis to determine the response of parts and
assemblies due to the effect of forces, pressures or temperatures. Loads can also be imported from
Thermal Fluid Flow studies, from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, to perform multiphysics analysis.
In this case, the temperature distribution on the walls of the model is automatically mapped onto the
mechanical model and a SOLIDWORKS stress analysis is performed in order to determine the resulting
thermal stress and deformation. All without leaving the familiar SOLIDWORKS interface.

The full integration of SOLIDWORKS Simulation and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation inside SOLIDWORKS
3D CAD ensure accuracy of the data as it eliminates data translation, conversion and recreation. Results
from the thermal analysis are seamlessly applied to the structural analysis model with no manipulation,
ensuring the highest level of accuracy.
 2- The One Way FSI process

3D CAD Model

CFD Simulation (SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation)

Flow trajectories Temperature distribution on the inside walls

FEA Simulation (SOLIDWORKS Simulation). Loads comes from the

Thermal Analysis in CFD

Displacement distribution
 3- Definition of a coupled Simulation

In order to leverage the thermal results from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to SOLIDWORKS Simulation,
the steps are:

- Run a fluid thermal analysis in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation (convection, conduction and
radiation are taken into account).

Definition of a CFD analysis with conduction phenomena

Temperature distribution (fluid and solid)

- Define a Thermal-stress analysis in SOLIDWORKS Simulation. Define the thermal loads from the
CFD Simulation:
 List of External Loads in SOLIDWORKS Simulation

The temperature results from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation are simply imported by selecting the CFD
results file (.fld). The fluid pressure effects can also be imported in the same window (‘Fluid Pressure
Option’) by selecting also the CFD results file (.fld).

Import of the temperature results from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

The thermal results appear then in the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Feature Tree as a Thermal loads:

The thermal stress analysis provides the structural response of the product including the thermal loads
from the CFD analysis.

Von Mises Stress distribution

SOLIDWORKS Simulation offers a complete and consistent solution for coupled simulations inside
SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD with SOLIDWORKS Simulation and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.