Beginners Question
 

Hello,

I have never used Ansys before and am trying to set up a Fluent Model. I have a Solidworks model that I have imported into Ansys Fluent. In simplified terms, the model is diagrammed below. There are a lot more parts and pieces to it than what is shown below, but that is the basic fluid system. The angry face represents a heat source on the solid wall, which I have data for.

So here are a few questions I have had since looking at a few tutorials:

1) Do I need to draw/sketch the physical volume that represents the fluid in the system. Right now, all I have are solid bodies which represent the pipes. Does this mean I have to go in and re-model all the empty spaces as components and then declare those components as fluids in Ansys?

2)How do I enter a heat distribution in a solid body? In my case, that solid body is modeled as its own part, but the distribution is radially Gaussian (Hot in the center and cooler as you go farther out).

___________________________
| |
| -------------------------
:mad: INLET
| _______________________
| |
| |
| |
| ------------------------
| Outlet
|_____________________________

Thanks in advance for any help.

What is it that you are trying to model? I am assuming heat transfer from the solid to the liquid? Are you trying to calculate a film coefficient?
If so, then yes to question 1. The thickness of your pipe, as well as the volume representing the fluid need to be modeled and defined appropriately.

2. You can enter heat distribution using a user-defined function at the specific boundary. Read up on udf's in the Fluent manual.

Good luck

Thanks
 

Thanks and yes, that is exactly what I am trying to do. Realistically, I am trying to determine what the temperature of the source is going to be (I know the energy input rate).

I was thinking the best way to model this would be to have the inlet pipe as its own volume, the outlet pipe as another, and then the geometry between the inlet and outlet as its own. The geometry between the inlet and the outlet is kind of complex, is there a way to define all void space as a new component/fluid area?

If you want to model flow through a volume, you cannot have a 'void' space. You need to have a volume there that represents your 'void' space.

Thanks, but I understood that after the answer to the first question. My new question was, is there any easy way to create a component to fill an area that is currently void space.

You have to go back to your solid model software (design modeler? Gambit?) and remake the geometry.