Thermal-analysis tool adds enhancements
-- EDN, January 18, 2001
Flotherm Version 3.1 from Flomerics includes a number of significant enhancements, including a Command Center Module, which enables design engineers to create multiple design variations on an initial base- line model and quickly determine the optimum design (Picture). The FloVolunteer technology enables users to post their various models for solving on other PCs on a network, making effective use of spare processing power. A new SmartPart compact-package library of two-resistor, star, or full Delphi resistance networks enables users to solve complex designs featuring numerous on-board packages. This module also uses a new integrated network solver for fast interaction between the resistance network and Flotherm's resident Computational Fluid Dynamics solver.
The new version also contains a new SmartPart compact-heat-sink library featuring detailed or compact representations of plate- or pin-fin heat sinks. A new heat-exchanger SmartPart allows users to define a thermostat at a point in space, which they can use to turn a heat exchanger on or off at specific points in time. A multigrid solver further reduces solution times and removes any dependency on block correction for conjugate heat-transfer problems. Version 3.1 also integrates a parallel solver that was previously an add-on product at extra price.
To provide greater control for more detailed calculations, simplified gridding creates the computational grids you need to solve heat-transfer and airflow problems across the whole model. The FloMCAD module filters geometrical data from MCAD (mechanical-computer-aided-design) software to produce a simplified thermal-equivalent model, thus reducing the time for performing thermal analysis. Updates and improvements from Spatial Technology (www.spatial.com) include support for ACIS 6 to enhance tolerant modeling operations and improve the ACIS-healing and -translator husks and support for writing AP203 and AP214 STEP file formats. The product runs on NT, Windows2000, HP, Sun, IBM, and SGI platforms. An annual license for Flotherm V3.1 starts at $19,500.
Flomerics, www.flomerics.com.
-by Gabe Moretti
