Modeling Heat Transfer from a Flame to a Copper Tube using ANSYS

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on modeling heat transfer from a flame to a copper tube using ANSYS for a thesis project. The user struggles to accurately simulate the flame and its heat transfer effects, initially approximating the flame as a cylindrical body at 1500K with an emissivity of 1. They encounter issues with the simulation, including an inability to show a time progression to reach the target temperature and discrepancies in calculated heat flow. Suggestions include verifying initial conditions, mesh size, and using both static and transient analyses for accurate results. Ultimately, the user decides to switch from a radiation model to an external forced convection model for better alignment with the flame's characteristics.
Vincenzo

Homework Statement


Can't model a simplfied version of my problem, it's a Steady State Thermal problem. I'm trying to get the superficial temperature of a copper tube and the heat transfer from a flame to the tube(this is a simplified version of the problem).

Now my problem started when I couldn't find a way to modelate a flame or a heat source like a flame, so I did a cruel approximation and made some calculations changing the flame for a cylindrical body with superficial temperature equal to the adiabatic flame temperature(1500K) and a emisivity of 1.
To start an ANSYS simulation, after the having the geometry and the mesh done, one must introduce the boundary conditions, these as far as I know are:
1) The 1500K(1227°C) over the cylindrical body.
2)The existence of radiation between the bodies, with an emisivity of 1(flame). The temperature of the air around the tubes should start as 20°C. a "correlation" (I'm assuming this si to tell ANSYS the surfaces from where to take the vision/form factor) set as surface to surface.
3) The starting temperature of the copper tube, this is 20°C.(emisivity of 0,6)

So I set these conditions and then to the solution I set a Temperature over the copper tube, thing is,
1) I can't find a way to show me a progression over time to reach the 1500 K, it sets it inmediatly.
2) The amount of heat flow (W) absorved is way diferent to the one I calculated.

Homework Equations


Radiation Heat transfer Eq: Q'=ε*As*F*σ*(T14-T24)
Outside diameter of copper tube is 33,4 mm
Outside diameter of "flame" is 49,25 mm
Separation between centers of both cylinders: 46,7375
Form Factor:0,1937 (using crossed string method)

The Attempt at a Solution


I try to guide me from this course without sucess.
https://confluence.cornell.edu/display/SIMULATION/ANSYS+-+Radiation+Between+Surfaces
Any help is welcomed.

To add a sadness factor, this is for my thesis, I'm trying to do a propossal of a desing of an special steam generator and I already did several calculations by hand, just need the pretty color pictures and the data sheet of ansys to support my model... Well I'm still missing the part where I evaporate the saturated water, this is just to heat the water, not to change it's phase. I will get that part done this week hopefully.

Thanks for the time!
 
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Not an expert, in fact I've never used ANSYS, just read the tutorial you linked to.
I'm assuming you are using a geometry similar that in the tutorial, with a half-shell being the flame and the specimen extended downward out of the shell.

Here's another tutorial that may be of help: https://confluence.cornell.edu/display/SIMULATION/ANSYS+-+Thermal+Stresses+in+a+Bar

Just some obvious things to check:
  • Initial conditions (misplaced decimal?)
  • Mesh size
  • Static analysis vs Transient analysis (both needed, Static to set initial conditions, then Transient for time series results)
  • Step size adequate for the thermal mass involved
  • Geometry;
    • a misplaced decimal for size or mass
    • mechanical interference between the pieces (do they touch each other?)
 
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Likes Vincenzo
Thanks for the reply Tom, but I drop the model and change the heat transfer mechanism becuase I couldn't solve the radiation model. I change it to external forced convection.
 
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Likes Tom.G
Vincenzo said:
I change it to external forced convection.
Sounds much more like a flame!
 
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