Patent ID: 8150668
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of designing a structure using a time-marching thermal fluid-structure interaction simulation in a finite element analysis comprising: receiving a bulk flow fluid and path definition that includes one or more flow paths in the structure in a computer with a finite element analysis application module installed thereon; defining a plurality of fluid slugs along each of the flow paths in the computer, the plurality of fluid slugs is represented by at least a first bulk flow fluid element (BFFE) and a second BFFE, wherein each of the first and second BFFEs comprises a set of thermal interaction characteristics pertinent to corresponding one of the fluid slugs, and the first BFFE and the second BFFE are connected to each other in a flow direction of said each of the flow paths; and creating a desirable configuration of the structure based on the finite element analysis's results obtained by conducting a time-marching thermal fluid-structure interaction simulation of the structure at a plurality of solution cycles, wherein the finite element analysis's results comprise effects from a first thermal interaction at said each of the first and second BFFEs and from a second thermal interaction between the first BFFE and the second BFFE at each of the solution cycles.