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--- wiki:sns:intactgh:beginner_ex_6 [2024/02/05 13:00] – graham
+++ wiki:sns:intactgh:beginner_ex_6 [2024/02/05 16:50] (current) – graham
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ======Ex-6: Automation of a variable geometry heat sink ======
-🧰The Rhino and Grasshopper files used in this example can be downloaded here: {{:wiki:sns:intactgh:gyroid_heat_sink.zip}} \\
+🧰The Rhino and Grasshopper files used in this example can be downloaded here: {{:wiki:sns:intactgh:variable_heat_sink.zip}}
-*Legacy* files for Rhino 7 can also be found here: {{:wiki:sns:intactgh:gyroid_heat_sink_rhino7.zip}}
-This example demonstrates how to simulate heat transfer of a heat sink as shown in the picture below. This geometry is generated in [[https://www.ntop.com/|nTop]].
+  * This example demonstrates how to set up an automated workflow for simulating heat transfer of a heat sink with varying numbers of fins. A video showcasing this example is provided along with key steps for setting this scenario up.
+  * New users are advised to check out the [[wiki:sns:intactgh:getting_started|getting started]] page to understand the basics of using the plugin.
+===== Video Demonstration =====
 {{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:variable_sink.mp4?900 }}
-  * The key steps involved in setting up the simulation are explained here.
+=====Geometry Setup=====
-  * New users are advised to checkout the [[wiki:sns:intactgh:getting_started|getting started]] page to understand the basics of using the plugin.
+The geometry consists of 2 main components.
+  * A curve profile/surface that is revolved around the z-axis by 360 degrees.
+  * A rectangular fin geometry that is arranged via a polar array component to create "N" number of fins attached to the core.
+These geometries are then merged to create a single part for the heat sink.
+{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:heatsink_geometrysetup.png }}
+===== Simulation Setup =====
-=====Geometry and material setup=====
+=== Thermal Loads ===
+  * For the component block, the geometry from the previous setup is used along with a standard thermal material block with "Aluminum 6061" selected.
+  * Next convection boundary condition and flux boundary condition components are used for the simulation's boundary conditions.
+  * The heat sink geometry is input for the convection boundary condition component along with a heat transfer coefficient of 39 W/m^2-K and an environment temperature of 293 K.
+  * A small square surface is used for the flux boundary condition with a total input of 257 W or 642500 W/m^2 directly to the BC component in this case.
-  * Create a geometry object on the canvas. Set the geometry to the heat sink, and let’s name this geometry as “heat sink” as shown in (a)
+=== Simulation Settings ===
-  * Create an Intact component and connect the heat sink block’s output to the component as shown in (b)
+  * A resolution of 100,000 is used.
-  * Create an Intact thermal material block. Right-click on the block and choose Aluminum 6061 as the material %%(c)%%.
+  * Direct solver is left as "True".
+  * A default basis order of 1 is used.
+  * Importantly, the solver mode on the thermal solver component is set to "True" once everything is set up properly to begin automatically solving different geometry variations for comparison. Until everything is set up correctly this should be left as "False".
+  * When this solver mode is set to "True" it will solve automatically if anything upstream to the solver component is changed, else the "solve" button will need to be clicked.
-{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:.png |}}
+{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:heatsink_simulationsetup.png |}}
-=====Applying thermal loads=====
-  * The load and restraint surfaces are shown in (a) below
-  * Create a geometry object and set it to the bottom surface. Let’s name this geometry as “fixed temperature surface” as shown in (b)
-  * Create a Temperature boundary condition block as connect the fixed temperature surface block’s output to the component as shown in %%(c)%%
-  * Create a geometry object and set it to the top surface. Let’s name this geometry as “flux surface” as shown in (d)
-  * Create a "flux boundary condition" block and connect the flux surface and the flux magnitude of -1.0E5 W/m<sup>2</sup>, as shown in  (e)
-  * Merge the temperature and flux boundary condition blocks as shown in (f)
-{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:.png |}}
+===== Post-Processing =====
-=====Setup solver=====
-  * Create a solver settings block as shown in (a)
-      * Set the target resolution of 100K
-      * Select the linear solver type (direct)
-      * Select the basis order ( basis order = 1 for linear elements)
-  * Set up the solver block as shown in (b)
-      * Connect the solver settings (SS)
-      * Connect the heat sink (C)
-      * Connect the merged boundary condition block (BCt)
-  * Hit solve to compute the solution
-{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:.png |}}
+=== Visualization ===
-=====Setup visualization block=====
+  * Create a visualization block and connect the solver output to the visualization block
-  * Create a visualization block (b) and connect the solver output to the visualization block
   * Optionally, users can connect the visualization settings block for customizing the views
-  * Right click on the visualize block and choose the simulation output for display (e.g. temperature or heat flux).
+  * Right-click on the visualize block and choose the simulation output for display (e.g. temperature or heat flux).
-{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:.png |}}
+=== Using Automation ===
+One way of utilizing this automated simulation workflow in Grasshopper is by connecting the output of the visualization block to a "Data Recorder" component. This will store the "{min} to {max}" values for each different simulation for the selected quantity such as temperature. Now, the geometry drop-down can be changed to increase the number of fins and seamlessly simulate the new geometry to calculate and record the temperatures. Lastly, the max temperature can be extracted with a custom python script and plotted for each new simulation with a "Quick Graph".
-The temperature distribution of the bonded assembly is displayed below, which shows that the max-min temperature is approximately 320K and 292K, respectively.
+The temperature distribution of the heat sink is displayed below, which shows that the max-min temperature is approximately 367 K and 319 K respectively for the 70 fin geometry. The maximum temperature for # of fins ranging from 10 to 70 with a step size of 10 is also displayed as a plot.
-{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:.png |}}
+{{ :wiki:sns:intactgh:heatsink_postprocess.png |}}