Learning Forum

[HCR_student]

Hello,

I am trying to run a thermal analysis on ANSYS Fluent and I am using the 'Convection' setting to run it. 

However, I do not have the 'heat generation rate' value. If I were to leave it blank at 0, would it affect anything?

 

[Rob]

That's the external boundary (click on help and read up on the settings) so if it's zero you'll have no heat transfer from outside. 

[HCR_student]

Apologies because I am still relatively new to using this software.

My analysis is about the window frame, where the one outer face is exposed to the outdoor environment at 36.4 degree celsius and another is exposed to the indoor environment at 25 degree celsius. Those temperature settings at applied under free stream temperature with the respective wall thickness. Convection setting is applied to both faces with (outside environment) free convection to air at 36.4 degrees C (5 W/m^2-K), and (indoor environment) forced convection at low speed of airflow over the surface (10 W/m^2-K) at 25 degree Celsius. 

Can I confirm that it means if the objective of my analysis was just to study the heat transfer through a body, I would not need to bother about the heat generation rate? 

[Karthik Remella]

Hello,

The heat generation rate is how much heat is being added to the body from within. Such a generation could be due to either electrical or chemical sources. If you don't have any external heat-generating sources, then you do not have to account for it. However, in the screenshot above, this setting is talking about the convection heat transfer coefficient, and not the heat generation rate. Just an FYI.

Best,

Karthik