Modeling immersed ducts with the finite element method
When a model with immersed ducts is solved using the finite element method, the thermal solver uses the algorithm described in the following section.
The thermal solver:
- Generates 2000 random points for each duct element distributed at the channel surface.
- Finds the number of points located on the intersection of the duct external surface and the wall element. This provides the immersed area of the duct in the solid element.
- Computes a linear nodal distribution of convective area inside each solid element.
- Couples each solid element node with fluid element CG accounting for immersed area.