Engineering | Finite Element Analysis | Stress
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Thermal Stress Analysis
Often an object will fail because of stresses induced by uneven heating, rapid temperature
change or differences in thermal properties. A coupled analysis, which models both
thermal and stress variations, can be effective in predicting the overall structural
response. It facilitates effective prediction of incidents where thermal expansion
is an important consideration, such as in reciprocating & gas turbine engine design.
The usual procedure is to carry out a thermal analysis which evaluates the temperature
distribution. These temperatures can then be used to prime the displacement analysis,
and hence thermal deflections, strains & stresses can be evaluated.
It is also possible
to have fully coupled analyses where the temperatures & displacements are a function
of each other. This is most evident in analyses that involve fluid flows, such as
in a gas turbine or rocket. The heat transfer rates are dependent on mass flow rates,
but mass flow rates are a function of valve & seal clearances (labrynth seals in
gas turbines, nozzles in rockets). Therefore, we end up with a scenario where clearances
are a function of temperature and temperature is a function of clearances. This type
of problem can only be solved via a non-linear and fully coupled solution.
Thermal stress
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