Learning Forum

[Sara]

Hello,

I'm trying to resolve a problem on what would be the effect on the revolving door that is installed in a building when there is a pressure and temperature difference in both inside and outside of the building. For example, during winters the temperatures outside the building are between -1 to -10F while the temperatures inside the building are maintained and controlled to be 68 to 72F and how would this change in temperature effect the revolving door assuming the door has a certain motor torque to it.

I'm trying to understand if it is possible to simulate in only Ansys Fluid or can be done in Ansys mechanical aswell. Please suggest on this.

Thank you!

[Sampat Kumar]

Hi Sara,
You may observe the temperature changes in the door by doing the thermal analysis (temperature and convection BCs) in the Transient Thermal. Connect the results of the Transient Thermal analysis to the Transient Structural analysis and apply pressure and joint as the BCs in the Transient Structural. You can see the temperature variations to the door by connecting the Transient thermal result to the transient structure. The joint can help you in rotating the door, but there are other parameters and BCs that can be applied, it all depends upon your assumption. You can run the simulation and observe how the applied BCs produced the deformation stress to develop. 
Regards,
Sampat

 

[peteroznewman]

Hello Sara,

Revolving doors in cold climates often have an edge seal that wipes on a fixed cylindrical surface at the edge of the door to reduce to amount of heat lost to air flowing through what would otherwise be a gap that would leak a lot of air around the edge of the door. The friction between the seal and the surface is probably a significant torque load on the motor that rotates the door.  The cylindrical surface is only on 90 degree sections on the sides next to the wall and there are 90 degree sections that are open to allow people to enter and leave the building through the revolving door. Another significant torque is when the door edge seal goes from the opening to the cylindrical surface. There is also a seal that wipes on the floor and ceiling of the revolving door frame. At least these seals don't have intermittent contact the way the edge seal does.

The forces generated by these seals will be orders of magnitude larger than any pressure differences between the inside and outside air in the building.  The effect of temperature may be to change the stiffness of these seals.  A "brush" style seal may have very little change in stiffness with temperature.