Applying Thermal Loads

When computing the solid displacement, the stress solver can account for the thermal expansion in response to changes in the solid temperature.

To apply thermal fields to the solid region:

  1. In the solid physics continuum, activate one of the following models:
    • Specified Temperature: allows you to apply existing temperature data on the solid region. This option is suitable for the following cases:
      • The temperature field is known. For example, you can define the temperature field using a user-defined field function, tabular data, or constant inputs.
      • The temperature field was computed by energy models that cannot be activated in the same continuum of the Solid Stress model (for example, the Segregated Energy or Coupled Energy models). In this case, you are required to manually map the temperature data on the solid mesh using data mappers, then apply the mapped data on the solid region.
      • The temperature field is available on a different mesh representation of the solid, for example an imported CAE model.

      For more information, see Specified Temperature Load Model Reference.

    • Finite Element Solid Energy: computes the solid temperature in solid-only simulations, or in fluid-solid CHT simulations. The solid regions can be either 3D solid regions or shell regions (for fluid-solid CHT simulations shell regions are not compatible). At the solid or shell boundaries, you can define heat flux, temperature, or convection. When modeling Conjugate Heat Transfer, the fluid and the solid are explicitly coupled at the fluid-structure interface, where they exchange thermal data. The thermal flux and temperature at the fluid side of the interface is mapped as a convection boundary condition to the solid side. For more information, see Finite Element Solid Energy Model Reference.
  2. Define the thermal properties of the solid material. See Defining Thermal Properties.
  3. Define realistic constraints that are not too restrictive.
    When modeling thermal strain, restrictive constraints such as a fixed condition on a surface segment can prevent thermal expansion and lead to unrealistic stress concentrations. See Applying Constraints.
  4. Depending on the modeling approach, follow the instructions in one of the following sections: