Thermal solver modules

Module name	Description
Analyzer	Calculates steady state or transient temperatures and total pressures for thermal and hydraulic models. Heat paths are specified as thermal conductances, fluid flow paths as flow resistances. Boundary conditions specified are elemental heat loads, mass flows, sink temperatures, and total pressures. Parameters may be varied during solution time through table interpolation and with user-written FORTRAN subroutines. The Analyzer is run if Card 2b Analyzer Control is present. For information on algorithms for steady-state, transient, and hydraulic network analyses, see the corresponding sections in Thermal solver theory.
ANS2TMG	Transforms the Ansys version 5 finite element model to TMG input file format or TMG geometry interpolation file VUFF format.
COND and CONN2	Create capacitances, hydraulic resistances, and conductive conductances from geometry for the element center method. Output is written in the MODLF file. The COND and CONN2 modules are considered obsolete and the use of the CONDN module with the element center of gravity (CG) method is recommended.
CONDN	Creates capacitances, hydraulic resistances, and conductive conductances from geometry. CONDN creates special boundary elements on each solid element’s surfaces, planar element's edges, and beam element's ends, and creates conductances between the CGs of the element and these boundary elements.
GRAYB	Creates the radiative conductances (Card 2a `M` = 4) and the IR (`M` = 16) and solar spectrum (`M` = 8) gray body view factor matrices. The radiative conductances may be calculated using the recommended Oppenheim method (activated with Card 9 PARAM OPPENHEIM) or Gebhardt method. They are written in the MODLF file, and the gray body view factor matrices in VUFF.
HEMIVIEW	Calculates diffuse blackbody view factors using the hemicube method, which allows computer graphics hardware to accelerate the calculations. All HEMIVIEW module requests start with Card 6v HEMI ON and end with HEMI OFF. Between these cards is the body of the HEMIVIEW requests. Details of the calculations are written to the verbose and report log files. Results are written in VUFF.
MAIN	Reads the Card 2 Program Control cards, and determines what modules are to be run. It then creates a procedure SCX34 file that runs the appropriate modules.
DATACH	Checks the input data on file INPF for errors. Transforms the nodes into the global coordinate system. Creates elements and nodes from element and node generation cards and Card 9 AXISYMM. Transforms NASTRAN format data into TMG input format. Replaces the TEMPF file if there are Card 9 TINIT cards present. Eliminates elements or conductances with Card 9 KEEPDEL. Create equivalent solar and Earth view factor cards from Card 6 Orbit Generation. Automatically creates 1-node hydraulic at ends of 2-node hydraulic elements that do not already have them. Creates REVNODE and REVNOM reverse side elements. Creates space elements.
ECHOS	Calculates each element CG, element center, area or volume, hydraulic diameter, and surface normal, and writes it in VUFF, along with the location of the nodes.
MEREL	Performs element merging and elimination. MEREL creates the condensed model MODLCF file from the MODLF file and cards 7, 8, and 9.
NEVADA	Converts a NEVADA input deck into an equivalent I-deas Universal (UNV) file. This translator consists primarily of a pre-processor which reads and parses a NEVADA data deck, a finite element mesher and a post processor which writes the surface mesh and material properties to a UNV file. The NEVADA to UNV translator can be invoked through the TMG Executive Menu.
NX2TMG	Converts the thermal and flow simulation data from CAD/CAE environments into formats compatible with the thermal and flow solvers. It parses the XML simulation file that contains the model database including mesh data, boundary conditions, simulation and solution setup. The module checks, validates, and preprocesses this data before converting it into output files that are read by the thermal and flow solvers.
POWER	Calculates IR and solar spectrum radiative heat loads from the orbital view factors, heat flux view factors, and view factors of VUFF. The heat loads are written in MODLF.
REFORM	Transforms the conductance-capacitance model from the MODLCF file into SINDA or ESATAN formats, or the geometry model into TRASYS or NEVADA formats. The formatted models are written in the FMODLF file.
TMG2ANS	Translates the TMG node temperature results from GTEMPF to ANSYS version 5 input files.
TMGINT	An interactive post-processor that can calculate node temperatures for a TMG thermal model, when the element CG method is used. Nodal temperature interpolation is invoked automatically when TMG is executed from the interface. TMGINT may also be invoked from the TMG Executive Menu. To compute the nodal temperatures, TMGINT uses the following files: VUFF, MODLF, and TEMPF. Node temperatures are written in GTEMPF, FMODLF, and the solution results file. The node temperatures of the thermal model are calculated from the element temperatures in the TEMPF file. For each thermal element connected to a node, a temperature is obtained by spatial interpolation, unless the element has zero conductivity or thickness. The node temperature is the conductance-weighted average of the connected element temperatures. If all connected elements have a non-zero thermal conductivity, their temperatures are averaged. If the node has a one-node element, it is assigned the element temperature. If the node is attached to one or more sink elements, then the temperature of the node is the average temperature of the sink elements.
VFRTGPU	Computes blackbody view factors and ray-tracing radiative conductances using the Monte Carlo method. It uses the computer Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to accelerate the calculations. All VFRTGPU module requests start with Card 6 VFRTGPU ON, and end with VFRTGPU OFF. Between these cards is the body of the VFRTGPU requests. Computed outputs are written on files: VUFF and MODLF.
VUFAC	Calculates view factors, orbital view factors (solar view factors, albedo view factors, Earth view factors), heat flux view factors, view factors for axisymmetric modeling with plane stress, and thermal couplings. For the VUFAC module to be run, Card 2a Program Control must have `M` = 2. Details of the calculations, for example ray-tracing and shadowing surfaces used, are written to <simulation/model name>-<solution/analysis name>_report.log. Card 2a with `N` = 512 disables this output. Results are written in VUFF. All VUFAC module calculation requests are specified on Cards 6.

Analyzer

Calculates steady state or transient temperatures and total pressures for thermal and hydraulic models. Heat paths are specified as thermal conductances, fluid flow paths as flow resistances. Boundary conditions specified are elemental heat loads, mass flows, sink temperatures, and total pressures. Parameters may be varied during solution time through table interpolation and with user-written FORTRAN subroutines.

The Analyzer is run if Card 2b Analyzer Control is present.

For information on algorithms for steady-state, transient, and hydraulic network analyses, see the corresponding sections in Thermal solver theory.

ANS2TMG

Transforms the Ansys version 5 finite element model to TMG input file format or TMG geometry interpolation file VUFF format.

COND and CONN2

Create capacitances, hydraulic resistances, and conductive conductances from geometry for the element center method. Output is written in the MODLF file. The COND and CONN2 modules are considered obsolete and the use of the CONDN module with the element center of gravity (CG) method is recommended.

CONDN

Creates capacitances, hydraulic resistances, and conductive conductances from geometry. CONDN creates special boundary elements on each solid element’s surfaces, planar element's edges, and beam element's ends, and creates conductances between the CGs of the element and these boundary elements.

GRAYB

Creates the radiative conductances (Card 2a M = 4) and the IR (M = 16) and solar spectrum (M = 8) gray body view factor matrices.

The radiative conductances may be calculated using the recommended Oppenheim method (activated with Card 9 PARAM OPPENHEIM) or Gebhardt method. They are written in the MODLF file, and the gray body view factor matrices in VUFF.

HEMIVIEW

Calculates diffuse blackbody view factors using the hemicube method, which allows computer graphics hardware to accelerate the calculations.

All HEMIVIEW module requests start with Card 6v HEMI ON and end with HEMI OFF. Between these cards is the body of the HEMIVIEW requests. Details of the calculations are written to the verbose and report log files. Results are written in VUFF.

MAIN

Reads the Card 2 Program Control cards, and determines what modules are to be run. It then creates a procedure SCX34 file that runs the appropriate modules.

DATACH

Checks the input data on file INPF for errors.
Transforms the nodes into the global coordinate system.
Creates elements and nodes from element and node generation cards and Card 9 AXISYMM.
Transforms NASTRAN format data into TMG input format.
Replaces the TEMPF file if there are Card 9 TINIT cards present.
Eliminates elements or conductances with Card 9 KEEPDEL.
Create equivalent solar and Earth view factor cards from Card 6 Orbit Generation.
Automatically creates 1-node hydraulic at ends of 2-node hydraulic elements that do not already have them.
Creates REVNODE and REVNOM reverse side elements.
Creates space elements.

ECHOS

Calculates each element CG, element center, area or volume, hydraulic diameter, and surface normal, and writes it in VUFF, along with the location of the nodes.

MEREL

Performs element merging and elimination. MEREL creates the condensed model MODLCF file from the MODLF file and cards 7, 8, and 9.

NEVADA

Converts a NEVADA input deck into an equivalent I-deas Universal (UNV) file. This translator consists primarily of a pre-processor which reads and parses a NEVADA data deck, a finite element mesher and a post processor which writes the surface mesh and material properties to a UNV file. The NEVADA to UNV translator can be invoked through the TMG Executive Menu.

NX2TMG

Converts the thermal and flow simulation data from CAD/CAE environments into formats compatible with the thermal and flow solvers. It parses the XML simulation file that contains the model database including mesh data, boundary conditions, simulation and solution setup. The module checks, validates, and preprocesses this data before converting it into output files that are read by the thermal and flow solvers.

POWER

Calculates IR and solar spectrum radiative heat loads from the orbital view factors, heat flux view factors, and view factors of VUFF. The heat loads are written in MODLF.

REFORM

Transforms the conductance-capacitance model from the MODLCF file into SINDA or ESATAN formats, or the geometry model into TRASYS or NEVADA formats. The formatted models are written in the FMODLF file.

TMG2ANS

Translates the TMG node temperature results from GTEMPF to ANSYS version 5 input files.

TMGINT

An interactive post-processor that can calculate node temperatures for a TMG thermal model, when the element CG method is used. Nodal temperature interpolation is invoked automatically when TMG is executed from the interface. TMGINT may also be invoked from the TMG Executive Menu. To compute the nodal temperatures, TMGINT uses the following files: VUFF, MODLF, and TEMPF. Node temperatures are written in GTEMPF, FMODLF, and the solution results file.

The node temperatures of the thermal model are calculated from the element temperatures in the TEMPF file. For each thermal element connected to a node, a temperature is obtained by spatial interpolation, unless the element has zero conductivity or thickness. The node temperature is the conductance-weighted average of the connected element temperatures. If all connected elements have a non-zero thermal conductivity, their temperatures are averaged.

If the node has a one-node element, it is assigned the element temperature. If the node is attached to one or more sink elements, then the temperature of the node is the average temperature of the sink elements.

VFRTGPU

Computes blackbody view factors and ray-tracing radiative conductances using the Monte Carlo method. It uses the computer Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to accelerate the calculations.

All VFRTGPU module requests start with Card 6 VFRTGPU ON, and end with VFRTGPU OFF. Between these cards is the body of the VFRTGPU requests. Computed outputs are written on files: VUFF and MODLF.

VUFAC

Calculates view factors, orbital view factors (solar view factors, albedo view factors, Earth view factors), heat flux view factors, view factors for axisymmetric modeling with plane stress, and thermal couplings. For the VUFAC module to be run, Card 2a Program Control must have M = 2.

Details of the calculations, for example ray-tracing and shadowing surfaces used, are written to <simulation/model name>-<solution/analysis name>_report.log. Card 2a with N = 512 disables this output. Results are written in VUFF. All VUFAC module calculation requests are specified on Cards 6.