Tutorial: Conjugate Heat Transfer

Learn how to run a conjugate heat transfer analysis with a simple model.

Import Geometry

First, download and unzip this file: CHT_Tutorial.zip.
  1. On the File menu, select Import.
  2. Browse to the CHT_Tutorial.x_b file.
    The model is loaded.
    Note: The model is comprised of the following parts:
    • Channel
    • Component 1
    • Component 2
    • Component 3
      You can view these parts in the Object Browser:


Designate the Static Solid Domain

  1. Click the Static Solid icon.

  2. Box select all parts in the model to designate the Static Solid domain.

    Selected parts will turn red.

  3. In the microdialog, choose Steel (AISI 304) for the static solid domain.
  4. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.

    The parts designated as Static Solid domains will turn black.

Create the Fluid Domain

  1. Click the Create Fluid Domain icon.

    A new fluid domain is detected and created.

  2. In the microdialog, choose a fluid type.
  3. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.

    The new fluid domain turns blue.

Designate Inlets

  1. Select the Inlet icon.

  2. Select a face in the fluid domain where you would like to define an inlet. An arrow appears at each defined inlet.

  3. In the microdialog, enter .25 m/s for the Average Velocity. Use the default value of 298.15 K for the temperature.
  4. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.

Designate Outlets

  1. Click the Outlet icon.
  2. Select a face in the fluid domain where you would like to define an outlet.

    An arrow appears at each defined outlet.

  3. Enter 0 Pa for static pressure for the outlet face.
  4. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.

Define Thermal Conditions

  1. Click the Face icon.
  2. Select Solids.
    Note: Ambient Temperature and Ambient HTC values can be changed as necessary. The default values are 293.15 K and 0 W/(m2*K). This option does not require any selection of parts or faces.
  3. Select Component 1 and Component 2 in the model.

    The microdialog appears with the following options:
    • Temperature
    • Convection
    • Heat Flux
  4. Select the dropdown menu in the microdialog, then choose Heat Flux.
  5. Enter 50 W/m2 for the Heat Flux.
  6. On the Fluids ribbon, select the Part tool.
  7. Select Component 3.
  8. In the microdialog, select Total Power from the dropdown, and then enter 200.0 W.
  9. In the guidebar, enter 298.15 K for Ambient Temperature, and 25 W/(m2*K) for Ambient HTC.

  10. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right click.

Configure Solver Settings

  1. Click the Custom Fluids Run icon.

  2. In the Simulation tab, set the Number of voxels to 100,000 and the Voxel size to .0023 m
  3. Enable Compute thermal problem and Include solids.
  4. Click Run.

Monitor Convergence Plots

While the analysis is running, monitor the convergence plots. The convergence plots automatically appear after you click Run.
  1. At the top of the Convergence Plots window, use the dropdown menu to visualize the simulation data with Engineering quantities or Numerical convergence.

    Additionally, you can select Show Convergence Table to visualize the result quantities in a table.

Review Simulation Results

  1. Once the simulation is completed, a green flag appears in the Analyze tool group.

  2. Click the green flag to Import Completed Runs.

    The results from the simulation will load in the modeling window.

  3. Generate different result types using the Analysis Explorer.
    1. Click to visualize your results with streamlines.

  4. Optionally, you can create local streamlines in the model:
    1. In the streamlines microdialog, disable Inlet seeds to turn off inlet streamlines.
    2. Click to create the first linear streamline region.
    3. Enter a value of 0.09 under Dimension and 100 under No. of Points. Using the move arrows, reposition this linear streamline region closer to the inlet as shown in the image
    4. Click to create the second linear streamline region.
    5. Enter a value of 0.024 under Dimension and 20 under No. of Points. Using the move arrows, reposition this linear streamline region closer to the outlet as shown in the image
    6. In the Analysis Explorer, change the Result Type to Velocity.
      The model should look similar to the image below:

  5. Click to visualize your results with vectors.
  6. Under Result Types, use the dropdown menu to select Velocity.
    Results visualized as Velocity are displayed.

  7. Deselect Vectors as the result Style Option.
  8. Under Result Types, use the dropdown menu to select Temperature.
    Results visualized as Temperature are displayed.
  9. You can make a section cuts of the temperature results.
    1. In the Object Browser, click to next to the component names to hide Component 1, Component 2, and Component 3.
    2. In the bottom-left of the modeling window, select Section Cuts.
    3. In the microdialog, click .
    4. Click the grey section cut pane.
    5. In the microdialog, select Z.
      The section cut is applied.


    1. In the Object Browser, click to next to the component names to unhide Component 1, Component 2, and Component 3.
      The components appear in the model.
    2. Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right click.