Whether you’re looking to develop a combustion engine, heater, electric motor, steam turbine, spacecraft, rocket engine, electric system, or manufacturing equipment, thermal properties play a critical role in the success of your project. We apply Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to analyze thermal properties for thermal management design validation and optimization.
We have the capacity and expertise to analyze thermal properties including conduction, convection, and radiation giving us the ability to model any heat transfer method. Thermal properties are critical in a wide range of industries including electronics, oil and gas, HVAC, nuclear, automotive, power generation, aerospace, defense, consumer products, processing plants, and more.
Model Thermal Stresses
Through the combination of both thermal analysis and stress analysis, we can determine thermally induced stresses, strain, and fatigue. This can be critical for bodies that undergo large temperature gradients or cyclical thermal loads.
Make Data Driven Design Decisions
With generated models, we can then make data-driven design improvements to optimize thermal management. Once models are generated the cost to iterate on the design is substantially more affordable than iterating with physical prototypes making it a cost-effective way to implement design improvements.
Validate Your Design
Models can also be used for design validation and greatly improve the credibility of proposals and pitches. Design validation can be applied to streamline the certification processes that are required in many industries.
Our Thermal Analysis Capabilities
- Conduction Analysis
- Convection Analysis
- Radiation Analysis
- Steady State Analysis
- Heat Transfer Analysis
- Transient Analysis
- Thermo-mechanical Analysis
- Fluid Coupled Analysis
- Stress & Deflection Analysis
- Creep Analysis
- Non-Linear Thermal Analysis
Conduction Analysis
Thermal conduction occurs when heat is directly transferred through a substance where thermal potential exists between adjoining surfaces without movement. An example of thermal conduction is touching a hot surface such as frying pan where heat is transferred from the pan to your hand potentially burning your skin. Conduction is used in nearly all thermal applications from drawing heat away from processors and distributing it to heat sink fins to heating up a frying pan on an electric coil stove. In most cases thermal conduction occurs simultaneously with convection. We use FEA to analyze conduction and CFD for convection. By applying multiphysics we can model both conduction and convection simultaneously to determine total thermal transfer.
Convection Analysis
Convection is the transfer of heat from one place to another by the movement of fluids. Examples of convective heat transfer are heat transferring from heat sink fins to the air flowing over the fins or heat transfer from a processor to liquid flowing over a conductive surface such as in a liquid cooling system. Through the use of CFD we model convective heat transfer which is critical in systems including electronic thermal management, HVAC, power plants, processing plants, and more.
Radiation Analysis
Radiation heat transfer occurs from electromagnetic waves carrying radiated photons that can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted between bodies. Unlike conduction and convection, radiation occurs without any contact and exists within a vacuum. We apply CFD analysis to model surface-to-surface radiation. By modeling conduction, convection, and radiation simultaneously with multiphysics we generate an accurate model all thermal properties for a product.
Steady State Analysis
Steady state analysis is used for a system or process that is unchanged over time. This occurs in thermal systems there is no change in the internal energy of the system and the energy in is equal to the energy out of a system.
Heat Transfer Analysis
Heat transfer analysis is used to model all heat transfer in a system including conduction, convection and radiation.
Transient Analysis
Unlike steady state analysis, transient analysis deals with thermal quantities that change over time. This is required for many applications such as electronic packaging, structural stress as result of thermal expansion, and more.
Thermo-mechanical Analysis
Thermo-mechanical analysis deals with how properties of materials change with temperatures. Materials are subject to changing strength, ductility, density, and other properties when they undergo thermal changes. In order to generate an accurate model of a systems response to loads and its environment, material property responses to thermal changes are incorporated into the analysis.
Other Engineering Services
Learn more about our wide range of engineering services that can help make your project a success!
Contact us today to speak an experienced engineer or for a free quote!