Air conditioning simulation

ANSYS Workbench 11.00

Ott Pabut

Tallinn
2010
  
 

Task
Set up air conditioning simulation with program Ansys Workbench.

inlet  heater 

door 

windows 

outlet  thermometer 

Fig1 - Task

1.1 Creating a new project

Open program ANSYS Workbench

1. Click Empty project

2. From the wizard choose File, Save As...
3. Name the project HVAC
4. From the left menu choose Advanced CFD, New Simulation

Workbench offers possibilities for different flow simulations General, Turbomachinery, Quick
Setup, Library Template

5. Choose General as the simulation type

Now workbench will open the flow simulation preprocessing unit CFX-pre

6. From the wizard choose File, Save Simulation As...

Name the project as HVAC.cfx

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1.2 Importing the mesh

1. Choose File, Import mesh... and upload the file named HVACmesh.cfx
2. Save the simulation

1.3 Setting the simulation type

1. Push Simulation Type

2. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Basic Settings Simulation Type > Option Transient
Simulation Type > Time Duration > Total Time 45 [s]
Simulation Type > Time Steps > Timesteps 3 [s]
Simulation Type > Initial Time 0 [s]

3. Push OK

1.4 Creating the computational domain for fluid

In the current simulation two different computational domains are created: one for fluid and
one for solid (the heater). As the solid and fluid cannot exist in the same space, they must be
separated with different domains.

1. On the upper taskbar click Create a Domain and name it FluidZone.

2. Apply the following settings to the domain

Tab Settings Value

General Location B65
options Basic Settings > Domain Type Fluid Domain
Basic Settings > Fluids List Air Ideal Gas
Domain Models > Pressure > Reference Pressure 1 [atm]
Domain Models > Buoyancy > Buoyant
Domain Models > Buoyancy > Gravity X Dirn. 0 [m/s2]
Domain Models > Buoyancy > Gravity Y Dirn. -9.81 [m/s2]
Domain Models > Buoyancy > Gravity Z Dirn 0 [m/s2]
Domain Models > Buoyancy > Bouy. Ref. 1.2 [kg/m3]
Density
Fluid Models Heat Transfer > Option Thermal Energy
Thermal Radiation Model > Option Monte Carlo

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In order to get realistic results the boundary conditions must be similar to those in the reality.
Air as an ideal gas is with gravitational force is used and the heat distribution is described
with the Monte Carlo statistical method.

3. Click OK

1.5 Creating the computational domain for solid

1. On the upper task bar click Create a Domain and name it SolidZone.
2. Apply the following settings to the domain

Tab Settings Value

General options Location B18
Basic Settings > Domain Type Solid Domain
Basic Settings > Solids List Copper
Solid Models Heat Transfer > Option Thermal Energy
Thermal Radiation Model Monte Carlo
Initialization Domain Initialization (Selected)
Domain Initialization > Initial Conditions (Selected)
Domain Initialization > Initial Conditions > Automatic with Value
Temperature > Option
Domain Initialization > Initial Conditions > 80 [C]
Temperature > Temperature

Copper is chosen as the heater material and temperature for the whole volume is 80 C.

3. Click OK

1.6 Inserting the boundary conditions

The imported mesh contains predefined 2D regions, which make it easier to apply boundary
conditions. For the simulation, following conditions are needed: inlet outlet, windows and
walls (no slip condition).

Inlet

1. From the upper taskbar click Create a Boundary Condition

2. Name - Inlet (make sure that the domain is FluidZone)
3. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Basic Settings Boundary Type Inlet
Location Inlet

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Boundary Flow Regime > Option Subsonic
Details Mass and Momentum > Option Mass Flow Rate
Mass and Momentum > Mass Flow Rate 0.07 [kg/s]
Flow Direction > Option Cartesian Components
Flow Direction > X Component 5*(x-0.05 [m]) / 1 [m]
Flow Direction > Y Component -1+5*(x-0.05 [m]) / 1
[m]
Flow Direction > Z Component 0
Heat Transfer > Static Temperature 10 [C]
Plot Options Boundary Vector (Selected)

Make sure that when describing the flow direction components,the equation writing function

is enabled

4. Click OK

Outlet

1. Create a new boundary condition Outlet

2. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Basic Settings Boundary Type Outlet
Location Outlet
Boundary Flow Regime > Option Subsonic
Details Mass and Momentum > Option Average Static Pressure
Mass and Momentum > Relative Pressure 0 [Pa]

Relative pressure defines the difference between the outlet and inlet pressure, currently the
same pressure applies for both and therefore the relative is 0 Pa.

3. Click OK

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Fig 2 – Inlet and Outlet

Next the heat flux from the windows is defined

Windows

1. Create a new boundary condition Windows

2. Apply the following settings

Tab Settings Value

Basic Settings Boundary Type Wall
Location Window1, Window2
Boundary Heat Transfer > Option Temperature
Details Heat Transfer > Fixed Temperature 26 [C]
Sources Boundary Source (Selected)
Boundary Source > Sources (Selected)

3. Create a new radiation source Add New Item and accept the default name
4. Apply the following setting to the Radiation Source.

Settings Value
Option Directional Radiation Flux
Radiation Flux 600 [W/m2]
Direction > Option Cartesian Components
Direction > X Component 0.33
Direction > Y Component -0.33
Direction > Z Component -0.33
5. Apply the following settings

Tab Settings Value

Plot Options Boundary Vector (Selected)

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6. Click OK

Rest of the walls and the door

1. Change the boundary condition FluidZone Default

2. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Boundary Heat Transfer > Option Temperature
Details Heat Transfer > Fixed Temperature 26 [C]

3. Click OK

1.7 Setting the initial conditions

1. Click Define the Global Initial Conditions
2. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Global Initial Conditions > Velocity Type Cartesian
Settings Initial Conditions > Cartesian Velocity Automatic With Value
Components > Options
Initial Conditions > Cartesian Velocity 0 [m s ^-1]
Components > U
Initial Conditions > Cartesian Velocity 0 [m s ^-1]
Components > V
Initial Conditions > Cartesian Velocity 0 [m s ^-1]
Components > W
Initial Conditions > Static Pressure > Relative 0 [Pa]
Pressure
Initial Conditions > Temperature > Temperature 22 [C]
Initial Conditions > Turbulence Kinetic Energy > (Selected)
Fractional Intensity
Initial Conditions > Turbulence Eddy Dissipation (Selected)
Initial Conditions > Turbulence Eddy Dissipation (Selected)
> Eddy Length Scale
Initial Conditions > Turbulence Eddy Dissipation 0.25 [m]
> Eddy Length Scale > Eddy Len. Scale
Initial Conditions > Radiation Intensity > (Selected)
Blackbody Temperature
Initial Conditions > Radiation Intensity > 22 [C]
Blackbody Temperature > Blackbody Temp.

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3. Click OK

1.8 Modifying the solver control

1. Click Solver Control
2. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Basic settings Transient Scheme > Option Second Order
Backward Euler
Convergence Control > Max. Coeff. Loops 1

3. Vajuta OK

In normal circumstances 3-4 convergence loops are needed to achieve a good result. In this
case there are less to save simualting time.

1.9 Setting the output data

1. Click Create Output Files and Monitor Points

2. Click Trn Results
3. Create a new Transient Results unit by clicking Add New Item and accept the
default name
4. Apply following settings to the Transient Results 1

Settings Value
Option Selected Variables
Output Variables List Pressure, Radiation Intensity,
Temperature, Velocity
Output Frequency > Timestep Interval 3

5. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Monitor Monitor Options (Selected)

6. Create a new Monitor Points and Expressions unit named Thermometer

7. Apply following settings to the Thermometer

Settings Value
Output Variables List Temperature
Cartesian Coordinates 3.5, 1.5, 0

8. Click OK

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1.9.1 Getting the result
1. Click Write Solver File
2. Name it HVAC.def
3. Click Save

Now Workbench will open Run Definition window

4. Click Start Run

Progress of the calculations can be observed form the Momentum and Mass charts. If the
results appear to go into the wrong direction, we can stop the calculations and enforce
necessary changes. On the right, info about the progress of the calculation and iterations is
displayed.

Fig 3 – Progress of the calculations

When the number of iterations has been reached or results have converged Workbench will
issue a message. To display and process results, question Post-process results now? must be
answered “Yes”. To study the simulation progress, the answer should be “No”. The results
can also be viewed by selecting CFX-Post form the lower taskbar.

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1.10 Visualization and processing of results

Choose FluidZone and SolidZone in the Domain Selector and click OK.

To display results a base plane must be created.

1. From the upper taskbar click Insert, Location, Plane

2. Name it Baseplane 1
3. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Geometry Definition > Method XY Plane
Definition > Z 1.75 [m]
Color Mode Variable
Mode > Variable Temperature
Mode > Range User Specified
Mode > Min 15 [C]
Mode > Max 23 [C]
4. Click Apply

After creating the base plane, temperature on it can be displayed for every time step.

1. Click Timestep Selector

2. Double-click on the step you want to observe

Create a second base plane for observing the temperature

1. From the upper taskbar select Insert, Location, Plane

2. Name it Baseplane 2
3. Apply following settings

Tab Settings Value

Geometry Definition > Method ZX Plane
Definition > Y 0.5 [m]
Color Mode Variable
Mode > Variable Temperature
Mode > Range User Specified
Mode > Min 15 [C]
Mode > Max 23 [C]
4. Click Apply

Now isosurface for displaying areas that have the similar temperature is created.

1. Click Insert, Location, Isosurface

2. Name it Isosurface 1
3. Apply following settings

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Tab Settings Value

Geometry Definition > Variable Temperature
Definition > Value 19 [C]
Symbol Symbol Size 0.5

4. Click Apply

Fig 3 – Temperature range

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