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FloTHERM® Introduction

Student Workbook

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Part Number: 073598

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction I

Module 1: Introduction to FloTHERM ............................................................... 13

Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 14

Mechanical Analysis Division Philosophy ........................................................................................ 15

What Is CFD? ..................................................................................................................................... 16

FloTHERM – What Does it Do? ........................................................................................................ 17

How Does FloTHERM Work? ........................................................................................................... 21

Types of FloTHERM Models ............................................................................................................ 26

The FloTHERM User Interface: Starting FloTHERM ...................................................................... 27

The FloTHERM User Interface: Project Manager ............................................................................. 28

The FloTHERM User Interface: Toolbars ......................................................................................... 30

The FloTHERM User Interface: Visual Editor/Tables ...................................................................... 32

The FloTHERM User Interface: Profiles ........................................................................................... 33

The FloTHERM User Interface: FloMCADBridge ........................................................................... 34

The FloTHERM User Interface: Visual Editor/Tables ...................................................................... 35

The FloTHERM User Interface: FloEDABridge ............................................................................... 36

Creating Geometry ............................................................................................................................. 37

Specifying Properties ......................................................................................................................... 39

Editing the Model ............................................................................................................................... 40

Using Library Functionality ............................................................................................................... 43

Getting Help ....................................................................................................................................... 45

Lab Exercise 1 .................................................................................................................................... 48

Module 2: Basics of FloTHERM Studies ............................................................ 49

Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 50

FloTHERM Objects: Basic Definitions ............................................................................................. 51

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction II

FloTHERM Objects: What Makes a SmartPart Smart? ..................................................................... 52

Primitive: Cuboid ............................................................................................................................... 53

Primitive: Source ................................................................................................................................ 54

SmartPart: Enclosure .......................................................................................................................... 55

SmartPart: Perforated Plate ................................................................................................................ 56

SmartPart: PCB .................................................................................................................................. 57

Organizing the Model: Assemblies .................................................................................................... 58

Organizing the Model: Project Manager Tree Hierarchy ................................................................... 59

Defining the Environment: Solution Domain .................................................................................... 60

Defining the Environment: Global System Settings .......................................................................... 61

Defining the Environment: Ambient Conditions ............................................................................... 62

Visual Editor: Visualizing the Model ................................................................................................. 63

Visual Editor: Using the Mouse ......................................................................................................... 64

Visual Editor: Rotating the View ....................................................................................................... 65

Basics of Gridding .............................................................................................................................. 66

Keeping Track of the Solution: Monitor Points ................................................................................. 69

Keeping Track of the Solution: Volume Regions .............................................................................. 70

Managing Projects: Saving ................................................................................................................. 71

Managing Projects: Loading .............................................................................................................. 72

Managing Projects: Importing and Exporting .................................................................................... 73

Running the Solver ............................................................................................................................. 74

Post Processing Simulation Results ................................................................................................... 75

Post Processing Simulation Results: Temperature Plane ................................................................... 76

Post Processing Simulation Results: Velocity Plane .......................................................................... 77

Post Processing Simulation Results: Deleting a Plane ....................................................................... 78

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction III

A FloTHERM Study .......................................................................................................................... 79

Tips on Creating the Geometry .......................................................................................................... 80

Lab Exercise 2 .................................................................................................................................... 81

Module 3: Using EDA Data .................................................................................. 83

Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 84

FloEDABridge ................................................................................................................................... 85

FloEDABridge Window Layout ........................................................................................................ 86

EDA Direct Interfaces ........................................................................................................................ 87

Example: Expedition .......................................................................................................................... 88

FloEDA Files ...................................................................................................................................... 89

Importing a FloEDA File ................................................................................................................... 90

Automatic Component Swapping ...................................................................................................... 91

Component Filtering .......................................................................................................................... 92

Using Power Lists .............................................................................................................................. 93

Viewing the Board Layout ................................................................................................................. 94

Viewer Settings: Annotate Toolbar .................................................................................................... 96

Viewer Settings: Viewer and Color Toolbars .................................................................................... 97

Component Coloring Examples ......................................................................................................... 98

Loading from the Library Manager .................................................................................................... 99

Manual Component Swapping ......................................................................................................... 100

Saving to the Library Manager ......................................................................................................... 101

Metallic Layer and Electrical Vias Processing................................................................................. 102

Metallic Layer Processing Tool ....................................................................................................... 104

Board Layer Stack up ....................................................................................................................... 105

Metallic Layer Processing Guidelines .............................................................................................. 106

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction IV

Additional Geometry: New Geometry Toolbar ............................................................................... 107

Additional Geometry: Heat Sinks .................................................................................................... 108

Additional Geometry: Heat Sink Property Sheet ............................................................................. 109

Additional Geometry: Thermal Vias ................................................................................................ 110

Additional Geometry: ThermalVia Property Sheet .......................................................................... 111

Additional Geometry: EM Can ........................................................................................................ 112

Additional Geometry: Potting Component ...................................................................................... 113

Additional Geometry: Cylindrical Component ................................................................................ 114

Additional Geometry: Daughterboards ............................................................................................ 115

Transfer to FloTHERM .................................................................................................................... 116

Assembly Structure in FloTHERM .................................................................................................. 117

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 119

Module 4: Post-Processing .................................................................................. 121

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 122

Accessing Post-Processing ............................................................................................................... 123

Window Overview ........................................................................................................................... 124

View Manipulation: Mouse Modes .................................................................................................. 125

View Manipulation: Changing Display ............................................................................................ 126

View Manipulation: Keyboard Shortcuts ......................................................................................... 127

View Manipulation: Hiding/Revealing Geometry ........................................................................... 128

Perspective or Orthographic View ................................................................................................... 129

Saving Viewpoints ........................................................................................................................... 130

Create a Plane Plot ........................................................................................................................... 131

Changing the Plane ........................................................................................................................... 132

Plane Plot: Scalars ............................................................................................................................ 133

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction V

Plane Plots: Vectors ......................................................................................................................... 134

Plane Plots: Orientation and Location .............................................................................................. 135

Plane Plots: Display Grid ................................................................................................................. 136

Plane Plots: Deleting and Cloning ................................................................................................... 137

Surface Temperatures Plots .............................................................................................................. 138

Surface Temperature: Tips ............................................................................................................... 139

Scalar Field Properties ..................................................................................................................... 140

Vector Field Properties ..................................................................................................................... 141

Showing Airflow .............................................................................................................................. 142

Showing Airflow with 3D Streamlines ............................................................................................ 143

Annotating the Picture ...................................................................................................................... 145

Annotations ...................................................................................................................................... 146

Assigning Colors to Geometry ......................................................................................................... 147

Adding Realism ................................................................................................................................ 148

Obtain Hard Copy ............................................................................................................................ 149

Taking Movies .................................................................................................................................. 150

Tables ............................................................................................................................................... 151

Geometry Tables .............................................................................................................................. 152

Grid Information .............................................................................................................................. 155

Monitor Point Information ............................................................................................................... 156

Other Available Tables ..................................................................................................................... 157

Saving Visual Editor State ............................................................................................................... 158

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 159

Module 5: Using MCAD Data ............................................................................ 161

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 162

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction VI

Introduction to FloMCADBridge ..................................................................................................... 163

Supported File Formats .................................................................................................................... 164

Import of MCAD files ...................................................................................................................... 165

FloMCADBridge: User Interface ..................................................................................................... 166

Geometry Simplification .................................................................................................................. 167

Global Simplification ....................................................................................................................... 168

Geometry Conversion ...................................................................................................................... 169

Single Object Conversion Example — Fan ..................................................................................... 170

Single Object Conversion Example — Vent .................................................................................... 171

Geometry Conversion — Decompose .............................................................................................. 172

Voxelization ..................................................................................................................................... 174

Voxelization Imputs ........................................................................................................................ 175

Voxelization — How it works ........................................................................................................ 176

Voxelization — Enough Resolution? ............................................................................................... 177

Data Transfer to FloTHERM ........................................................................................................... 178

Additional Features — Slice & Split ................................................................................................ 179

Additional Features — Viewing & Managing ................................................................................. 180

Additional Features — Boolean Ops & Rotate ................................................................................ 181

Additional Features — Measure and Extrude .................................................................................. 182

Additional Features — Assembly Manager ..................................................................................... 183

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 184

Module 6: Gridding and Convergence .............................................................. 185

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 186

Keypoint Grid ................................................................................................................................... 187

System Grid ...................................................................................................................................... 188

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction VII

System Grid: Preset Buttons ............................................................................................................ 189

System Grid: Maximum Size ........................................................................................................... 190

System Grid: Minimum Size ............................................................................................................ 191

Project Manager: Integrated Summary ............................................................................................ 192

System Grid: Smoothing .................................................................................................................. 193

Grid Constraints ............................................................................................................................... 194

Grid Constraints: Number of Cells Control ..................................................................................... 196

Grid Constraints: Example ............................................................................................................... 197

Grid Constraints: Hierarchy Issues................................................................................................... 198

Grid Constraints: Inflation ............................................................................................................... 199

Using Regions to Define Grid .......................................................................................................... 202

Localized Grid .................................................................................................................................. 203

Why Localize? .................................................................................................................................. 204

Localized Grid: On Single Object .................................................................................................... 205

Localized Grid: On Assemblies ....................................................................................................... 206

Localized Grid: On Regions ............................................................................................................. 207

Gridding Advice: Aspect Ratios ...................................................................................................... 209

Gridding Advice: Avoiding Problems .............................................................................................. 210

Gridding Advice: Grid Smoothing ................................................................................................... 211

Grid Summary Dialog ...................................................................................................................... 212

Grid Quality Check .......................................................................................................................... 213

High Aspect Ratios due to Misalignment ........................................................................................ 214

Grid Visualization ............................................................................................................................ 215

Gridding Rules of Thumb: Heat Sinks ............................................................................................. 217

Gridding Rules of Thumb: Components .......................................................................................... 218

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction VIII

Gridding Rules of Thumb: PCBs ..................................................................................................... 219

Grid Independence ........................................................................................................................... 220

FloTHERM痴 Convergence Definition .......................................................................................... 222

What is an Acceptable Residual? ..................................................................................................... 223

But What if ・ .................................................................................................................................. 224

Overall Control: Monitor Point Convergence .................................................................................. 225

Overall Control: Solver Options ...................................................................................................... 226

Remember ........................................................................................................................................ 227

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 228

Module 7: Troubleshooting Convergence ......................................................... 229

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 230

Common Convergence Issues .......................................................................................................... 231

Interpreting Residual Profiles ........................................................................................................... 232

Sanity Check .................................................................................................................................... 233

Common Sanity Check Error ........................................................................................................... 235

Common Sanity Check Warnings .................................................................................................... 236

Sanity Check: Example .................................................................................................................... 237

Input Errors ...................................................................................................................................... 238

Gridding Deficiency ......................................................................................................................... 239

Error Field Tool ................................................................................................................................ 240

Convergence Issues Related to Termination Criteria ....................................................................... 241

Inappropriate Control Parameters .................................................................................................... 242

False Time Steps .............................................................................................................................. 243

Relaxation Methods .......................................................................................................................... 244

Natural Instability ............................................................................................................................. 245

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction IX

Best Practice ..................................................................................................................................... 246

Module 8: More SmartParts .............................................................................. 247

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 248

Heatsink SmartPart ........................................................................................................................... 249

Heatsink SmartPart: Plate Fin .......................................................................................................... 250

Heatsink SmartPart: Pin Fin ............................................................................................................. 251

Heatsink: Advanced Options ............................................................................................................ 252

Fan SmartPart ................................................................................................................................... 253

Fan SmartPart: Model Options ......................................................................................................... 254

Recirculation Device (Blower) ......................................................................................................... 257

Recirculation Device: Online Blower Macro ................................................................................... 258

Fixed Flow SmartPart ....................................................................................................................... 259

Heat Pipe SmartPart ......................................................................................................................... 260

Thermo-Electric Cooler SmartPart (TEC) ....................................................................................... 261

Die SmartPart ................................................................................................................................... 262

More Information on SmartParts ...................................................................................................... 263

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 264

Module 9: Command Center .............................................................................. 265

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 266

Scenarios .......................................................................................................................................... 267

Typical Optimizations Task in Electronics Cooling ........................................................................ 268

Where to Start ................................................................................................................................... 269

Command Center Application Window ........................................................................................... 270

Input Variables ................................................................................................................................. 271

Examples of Input Variables ............................................................................................................ 274

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction X

Output Variables .............................................................................................................................. 278

Scenario Table .................................................................................................................................. 280

Scenario Table: Creating New Scenarios ......................................................................................... 281

Scenario Table: Append Scenario Creation ..................................................................................... 282

Scenario Table: Linear Sweep Scenario Creation ............................................................................ 283

Scenario Table: Superposition Scenario Creation ............................................................................ 284

Scenario Viewer ............................................................................................................................... 286

Solution Monitoring ......................................................................................................................... 287

Exporting the Scenario Table ........................................................................................................... 288

Exporting Full Results ...................................................................................................................... 289

Design of Experiments ..................................................................................................................... 290

Sequential Optimization ................................................................................................................... 293

DoE & Response Surface Optimization (RSO) ............................................................................... 298

Setting up RSO ................................................................................................................................. 299

RSO Graphs ...................................................................................................................................... 300

RSO Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 301

Solver Configuration ........................................................................................................................ 302

Lab Exercise ..................................................................................................................................... 303

Module 10: Radiation .......................................................................................... 305

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 306

Radiation .......................................................................................................................................... 307

What Is Radiation? ........................................................................................................................... 308

FloTHERM Radiation Model ........................................................................................................... 309

Add Radiation .................................................................................................................................. 310

Activating Radiation ........................................................................................................................ 311

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction XI

Setting Radiation Parameters ........................................................................................................... 312

Radiation Attributes: Single and Subdivided ................................................................................... 313

Radiation Attributes: When to Subdivided ...................................................................................... 314

Radiation Attribute: Minimum Area Considered ............................................................................. 315

Effect on Solution ............................................................................................................................. 316

Summary: What is Required for Radiation? .................................................................................... 317

Modelling Solar Radiation ............................................................................................................... 318

Other Solar Considerations .............................................................................................................. 320

Solar Radiation Restrictions ............................................................................................................. 321

Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 322

Module 11: Component Modeling ..................................................................... 323

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 324

PCB SmartPart Components ............................................................................................................ 325

PCB SmartPart Components: Location and Construction ............................................................... 326

PCB SmartPart Components: Modelling Options ............................................................................ 327

PCB SmartPart Components Materials ............................................................................................ 330

Detailed Components ....................................................................................................................... 331

Compact Component Resistance Model .......................................................................................... 332

2-Resistor Compact Model ............................................................................................................... 333

Generating 2-Resistor Compact Models .......................................................................................... 334

DELPHI (Multiple Resistor) Models ............................................................................................... 335

DELPHI Compact Models in FloTHERMPACK ............................................................................ 336

FloTHERM Compact Component SmartPart .................................................................................. 337

Network Assembly ........................................................................................................................... 340

Component Accuracy Levels ........................................................................................................... 342

Table of Contents

FloTHERM Introduction XII

FloTHERMPACK ............................................................................................................................ 343

Utilizing the Library Manager .......................................................................................................... 351

The T3ster ｮ ...................................................................................................................................... 352

The T3ster ｮ and FloTHERM ........................................................................................................... 353

Module 12: Summary .......................................................................................... 355

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 356

Proposed FloTHERM Workflow: Basic Strategy ............................................................................ 357

Six Steps to Successful Thermal Analysis in FloTHERM ............................................................... 358

Step 1: Decide What to Model ......................................................................................................... 359

Step 2: Create Geometry .................................................................................................................. 360

Step 3: Add Grid .............................................................................................................................. 361

Step 4: Solve the Model ................................................................................................................... 362

Step 5: Analyze the Results .............................................................................................................. 363

Step 6: Run Parametrics ................................................................................................................... 364

A Reminder ... (Getting Help) .......................................................................................................... 365