Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events from TWI:

Subscribe >

Computational Fluid Dynamics for Thermal Management

Understanding heat transfer is crucial for industrial applications where effective thermal management is needed to maintain operating conditions and prevent damage or failure due to excessive thermal gradients, overheating, material degradation, or exothermic chemical reactions. While there exist a variety of established procedures (e.g. ASTM D7863, [1]) to determine parameters such as convective heat transfer coefficients, these are generally applicable to simplified geometries and boundary conditions, and are often not fully representative of real-world scenarios. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can determine a more accurate answer through modelling of the physical mechanisms regulating the heat transfer process and fluid flow phenomena.

Numerical Modelling and Optimisation at TWI

The Numerical Modelling and Optimisation Section at TWI supports industry with a range of computational engineering capabilities from finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to data analysis and software development for bespoke mathematical models. The team comprises Chartered Engineers, Chartered Mathematicians, and NAFEMS-certified Professional Simulation Engineers and participates on a number of national and international standards committees devoted to fatigue and welding and thermal flow. The modelling group supports projects ranging from long-term R&D to short-term consultancy activities to best support TWI Industrial Member needs and has access to high performance computing facilities and a range of commercial finite element analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics software at TWI.

CFD assessment of a heat exchanger manufactured by CoreFlow™
CFD assessment of a heat exchanger manufactured by CoreFlow™

Addressing Thermal Management with CFD

Turbulent flow mixing is a key factor in determining the best compromise between thermal and hydraulic performances of any industrial components. Through the implementation of Navier-Stokes equations, CFD methods represent an effective and reliable tool to identify the optimal flow conditions and design configurations to not only support system design process, but also to estimate the relevant flow parameters involved in heat transfer. TWI actively supports our clients in areas involving thermal management and heat flow modelling:

  • Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue and related integrity assessments for industrial systems
  • Prediction of melt-pool dynamics and control in laser welding and electron beam welding
  • Process Optimisation in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) [2]
  • Thermo-hydraulic performance of cooling channels produced by friction processes [3]
  • Structural integrity assessment through Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) for off-shore wind turbines
  • Performance prediction and optimisation in combustion and biomass gasification processes

 

For any additional information or for a detailed conversation, please get in contact with us.

[1] https://www.astm.org/Standards/D7863.htm

[2] A novel CFD methodology for prediction of laser metal deposition, UK Fluids Conference, 27-29 August, UK, 2019.

[3] 6th International Conference on Scientific and Technical Advances on Friction Stir Welding and Processing, Belgium, 2019.

CFD modelling of the laser metal deposition process
CFD modelling of the laser metal deposition process
Media /

Related Insights

View all insights
}