BDA 31003

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Laboratory Session 6
HEAT TRANSFER IN FIN
Fin Problem
Aluminum fins of rectangular profile, shown in the Figure are used to
remove heat from a surface which temperature, Tb is 100ᵒC. The
thermal conductivity, k of the aluminum fin is 168 W/mᵒC. The
temperature of the ambient air, Tf and the natural convective heat
transfer coefficient, hf associated with the surrounding air are 20ᵒC and
30 W/m2ᵒC respectively. The fins are 80 mm long, 5 mm wide and 1 mm
thick. Determine the temperature distribution along the fin by using 4
elements.

1 (1) 2 (2 3 4 (4) 5
(3
) )
20 20 20 20
mm mm mm mm

DR ZM 2
Type of Analysis Selection
⚫ From the main screen, double click Analysis (default Static 3D).

Double click!

DR ZM 3
…Type of Analysis Selection
⚫ A Global Properties dialog appears, then under General tab,
select 3D > Thermal steady state.

DR ZM 4
Defining Material Properties
⚫ Material properties defined in this step will later be assigned to
the elements that are going to be created. Select Materials menu
from the Model menu.

⚫ A blank material dialog appear, click Add then in Geometric tab,

select Rectangular bar and enter a corresponding value of
a=0.005 and b=0.001. Switch to Thermal tab, select Isotropic
option. Enter the value of thermal conductivity 168 W/m°C then
Close to exit the dialog.

DR ZM 5
Material Properties > Geometric

DR ZM 6
Material Properties > Thermal

DR ZM 7
Renaming the material

⚫ Select Material > Right click > Select Rename > Type
“Aluminium” > Click OK.

DR ZM 8
Creating Geometrical Model

⚫ On the main screen, select New node tab then enter the
coordinates of the 5.

Click “New node”

DR ZM 9
…Creating Geometrical Model

⚫ Enter (0; 0;0) > Click Add, (0.02; 0;0) > Click Add, (0.04; 0;0) >
Click Add, (0.06; 0;0)> Click Add and (0.08; 0;0) > Click Add. Hit
Close button when you have entered all the coordinates to exit
the dialog.

DR ZM 10
…Creating Geometrical Model

⚫ To view in x-y plane, to re-size the model to fit the screen and to
show the node numbers, click all the following tabs.

XY view Fit to screen Show node and

element numbers

DR ZM 11
…Creating Geometrical Model

⚫ All 5 nodes with numbers in x-y plane

DR ZM 12
Creating Element
⚫ To create the 4 elements, we could create line 2 fin elements,
and use a feature in LISA's pre-processor to automatically
convert element
⚫ Use the Add Single menu from the Elements menu

DR ZM 13
Creating Element
⚫ On the displayed dialog, select
the line-2 fin element.
⚫ Type 1, 2 in the popup box to
define element 1, then click Add
> to continue for element 2 until
4 >Close. Now you have 4
element.
⚫ Alternatively, you can click the
nodes that you want to use to
create an element. In this case
click nodes 1, 2 (element 1), 2,3
(element 2) 3,4 (element 3),
and 4,5 (element 4).

DR ZM 14
Creating Element
⚫ You will have element 4 as follows:

DR ZM 15
Showing Node/Element Numbers

⚫ To turn ON/OFF the element number, go to menu then click the

“Show node and element numbers” icon.

Show node and

element numbers

DR ZM 16
Assigning Material Properties to Element

⚫ On the displayed menu, select Default <4 elements> and verify

that the element properties component being created is assigned
to the Default material which is Fin.

DR ZM 17
Checking Element List

⚫ You can also verify the element shape and material from the
Element List. Go to Mesh tools > Node/Element List.

DR ZM 18
Applying Load
⚫ Left end surface (Node 1) is set at 100 ᵒC.
⚫ Fin side surfaces exposed to surrounding air, so convection
occurs at surface area for element 1-4 (4 surface areas).
⚫ Right end surface of element 4 also exposed to surrounding, so
the convection happen at that end surface (1 surface area).
⚫ Overall 5 surface areas are set for convection.

5
1 2 3 4

DR ZM 19
Applying Constraints
⚫ Using the mouse, click the Select node icon above the element
model then select node 1 (at the left end). The nodes will turn
blue when selected.

DR ZM 20
Applying Constraints
Select load & constraints menu, then in the dialog select On selected
nodes>new nodetemperature. Make sure node 1 was selected.

DR ZM 21
Applying Constraints
Then the node temperature will appear in the dialog box.

DR ZM 22
Applying Constraints
Next, make sure the element were view through isometric view. The
reason is because we need to select surface at node 5 since the
surface also expose to surrounding. If in xy view, surface at node 5
cannot be selected.

DR ZM 23
Applying Constraints
⚫ Next, using the mouse, select the surface

DR ZM 24
Applying Constraints
To rename the Named Selections, go to Name Selections, bring the
cursor on Face_selection <5 faces>, right click then select Rename.
Change the name to Convectionsurface in the dialog, then click OK.
Now the name should change to Convectionsurface <5 faces>.

DR ZM 25
Applying Constraints
After assigned the named Selections, then Select load & constraints
menu, then in the dialog select > New Convection and input the value 20
for ambient temperature and 30 for heat transfer coefficient. Then
choose convectionsurface for Named selection.

DR ZM 26
Applying Constraints
The convection will appear in the dialog box under Loads & Constraints

DR ZM 27
Applying Constraints
The convection symbols can be seen in the following picture.

DR ZM 28
…Solving Stage
⚫ After the solver has finished, click the Post Processor button to
see the result and other viewing results.

DR ZM 29
Post-Processing Stage
Click Solution, then the Result of temperature distribution should
show as Figure below.

DR ZM 30
Viewing Results / Post Processing

Various viewing features

DR ZM 31
Table of Data
⚫ Double click Table under Solution menu list. The nodes
temperature distribution result will appear.

DR ZM 32
Activity 7
An alloy fin with uniform circular cross-section is used to remove heat
from a surface which temperature is 100°C. The thermal conductivity, k
of the aluminum is 160 W/m°C. The temperature of the ambient air, Tf
and the natural convective heat transfer coefficient, h associated with
the surrounding air are 20°C and 30 W/m°C respectively. The fins are
800 mm long with diameter of 4 mm. Considering the finite element
model shown in the figure below, determine the temperature
distribution along the fin by using FEA software, LISA.

DR ZM 33
Answer

DR ZM 34
Answer

DR ZM 35
FINISH!!!

DR. ZM