Linear temperature distribution

[gelsomino]

Hello all.

I know temperature in a pipe at both ends of the tube and i would like to apply a linear distribution of temperature along the line (I will make a thermal-structural coupled analisys). Can someone help me?
I can do it node by node with a little pdl program, but i can't understand if there is a simplest way.

Thanks.

 

[MToft]

Hi,
If you're using PDL code then is your front-end Patran? The simplest route may depend on the solver too, eg if it's Abaqus then you can create a function (specifying the spatial variation, eg as a table) and then pick this function when applying your temperature over the area. Other codes like Nastran and Femap have similar functionality like "=26*xnd(i!)" for using the x-coordinate of the current node, for example.

The best route can be to find out how your solver handles this, then work back through the front-end's translation table for different solvers to see how to put it in...

Good luck!
MToft

 

[gelsomino]

Excuse me. I forgot to tell you that I'm working with ANSYS.
Can you help me?
Thanks

 

[corus]

If it's a linear temperature distribution with known temperatures at the ends of the pipe, then just run a steady state therma analysis and store the temperatures to be read in as a thermal load for the strucural analysis. Temperatures between the ends of the pipe will have a linear variation.

corus

 

[Drej]

> Temperatures between the ends of the pipe will have a linear variation

Not necessarily, depends on the geometry and/or the direction in which the temperature gradient acts. Sounds easy enough to write a bit of APDL and apply the temperatures through a series of either "D" or body force "BF#" commands. Once these are applied and solved (antype,static) you can use the "LDRE" command to read the thermal loadcase in (jobname.rth) and apply as a structural-thermal load.

Cheers,

-- drej --