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Assumptions and limitations for importing a model
The following section describes the Thermal Model Exchanger assumptions and limitations when you import a Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal model into Thermal Desktop.
Importing thermal couplings
You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import Thermal Coupling simulation objects from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop as Contactors.
Selection regions
Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing the thermal coupling primary and secondary region selections from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop.

User documentation
- Introduction
  Thermal Model Exchanger is a Windows application that allows you to transfer thermal models between Ansys Thermal Desktop^TM and Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal. The application supports the transfer of meshes, material and optical properties, and boundary conditions of your model.
- Thermal Model Exchanger user interface
  The Thermal Model Exchanger user interface consists of a top border bar and an information window.
- How to use Thermal Model Exchanger
  The following section describes how to use Thermal Model Exchanger to transfer thermal models between Thermal Desktop and Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal.
- Simcenter 3D entities supported by Thermal Model Exchanger
  This page summarizes the Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal entities supported by the Thermal Model Exchanger during the import.
- Thermal Desktop entities supported by Thermal Model Exchanger
  This page summarizes the Thermal Desktop entities supported by the Thermal Model Exchanger during the export.
- Assumptions and limitations for importing a model
  The following section describes the Thermal Model Exchanger assumptions and limitations when you import a Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal model into Thermal Desktop.
  - Importing meshes
    You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import 0D, 1D, 2D and 3D meshes from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal to Thermal Desktop.
  - Importing thermo-physical properties
    Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing thermal and physical properties from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop.
  - Importing thermal loads
    Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing the Heat Load and Heat Flux types of Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal Thermal Loads. It converts these entities into the Total Load and Flux types of Thermal Desktop Heat Load, respectively.
  - Importing temperature constraints
    You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import Temperature constraints from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal to Thermal Desktop.
  - Importing thermal couplings
    You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import Thermal Coupling simulation objects from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop as Contactors.
    - Selection regions
      Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing the thermal coupling primary and secondary region selections from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop.
    - Thermal coupling magnitudes
      The Thermal Model Exchanger import process of the thermal couplings depends on the Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal Thermal Coupling simulation objects magnitude type.
    - Coupling methods and overlapping option
      The Thermal Model Exchanger import process of thermal couplings depends on the selected method for overlapping elements in Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal.
  - Importing radiation
    You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import Radiation simulation objects from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal to Thermal Desktop.
  - Importing orbits and space environments
    You can use Thermal Model Exchanger to import Orbit modeling objects and Orbital Heating simulation objects from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop as External Heating Environment boundary conditions.
  - Importing a solution
    Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing solutions from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop.
- Assumptions and limitations for exporting a model
  The following section describes the Thermal Model Exchanger assumptions and limitations when you export a Thermal Desktop model to a Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal XML file.
- Legal notice

Selection regions

Thermal Model Exchanger supports importing the thermal coupling primary and secondary region selections from Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal into Thermal Desktop.

In Simcenter 3D, the thermal coupling connects primary region elements to secondary region elements. Thermal Model Exchanger (TMX) writes the primary region elements in the Thermal Desktop contactor’s From list and secondary region elements in the To list.

The Region Side Specification options defined in the Simcenter 3D thermal coupling are not imported.

Supported element types

TMX supports 0D, 1D, and 2D elements, element edges, and face element edges for primary and secondary regions except for Thermal Coupling of the Edge Contact type.

In the Thermal Coupling dialog box, when you select 0D nodes and 2D elements for primary or secondary regions, whether the TMX imports the Thermal Coupling simulation object depends on the state of the Only Connect Overlapping Elements check box in the Additional Parameters group. The following table lists when the thermal couplings are imported.


Primary region selection	Secondary region selection	Check box state	Description
0D node	2D elements	Both	Not imported
0D node	0D node	Cleared	Imported as node-to-node coupling
0D node	0D node	Selected	Not imported
2D elements	0D node	Cleared	Imported as node-to-surface coupling
2D elements	0D node	Selected	Not imported
2D elements	Multiple 0D nodes	Both	Not imported

For Thermal Coupling of the Edge Contact type, it supports face or 2D element edge selections for the primary region and face or 2D element selections for the secondary region because Thermal Desktop only allows contactors with element edges selected in the From list.

When the regions contain 0D, 1D, or 2D elements, TMX sets the Contact From to Faces. When the regions contain only element edges or face element edges, the Contact From is set to Edge.

TMX does not support a mix of 2D elements and element edges. In this case, the application ignores the selected edges and displays a warning in the import summary.