Learning Forum

[sebastian.maluenda.m]

Hello, I would like to know if you can simulate the time it would take for a system to reach thermal equilibrium using Fluent. Basically I have a horizontal steel duct with air flowing inside, and a layer of PCM between its walls. What I need to know is how long it would take for the system to cool down to room temperature.

The reason I use Fluent is that it allows me to simulate the PCM in better detail than a Transient Thermal analysis. Although if there was a better method to analyze it, other than Fluent, it could also be an option.

 

[Rob]

You can. However, unless you're expecting buoyancy effects in the air duct or PCM, Mechanical may be faster. 

[sebastian.maluenda.m]

I simulate in Fluent because not all PCM properties can be simulated correctly in Mechanical, however I do not consider buoyancy since it is an ideal system. Therefore I would like to know how to simulate thermal balance in Fluent, or at least know what conditions the walls must present for heat transfer to occur, and consequently, a loss of system temperature.

[Rob]

Start with the tutorials, PCM may not be fully covered but they're covered in the User's Guide. Note, without any buoyancy in the PCM you'll get uniform melting which may not be physically correct. 

[sebastian.maluenda.m]

The tutorials that I have been able to study do not mention much the cooling of an object or system, however, I will see if the User Guide provides a solution to simulate the PCM through a Mechanical Analysis. As for buoyancy, it is talked about in the tutorials, so I will take the advice into consideration and add it to the analysis.