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Hi Numi
Well even if your model seems simple it can, by all the physics involved rapidly grow quite complex. So first of all, my advise would be to follow the no 1 rule: "start simple, one physics at the time"
I always start by scanning the numerous Application Library models related to the subject, among other I see here:
www.comsol.eu/model/free-convection-in-a-light-bulb-303
witch covers many of your subjects.
Another "trick" I always do when I have such a problem is to sketch down on a piece of paper the main COMSOL model tree constituents:
- Geometry: (you have by your drawing there, but I see only 2 components the source and the receiving slab, what about some air container around ? how big ...) But in my opinion for your case you should start in 2D with a simple cut view and then later, once you master and have checked (the VV&C process see (this one is free):
www.nafems.org/publications/browse_buy/browse_by_topic/qa/verification_and_validation/ ) all physics for your model only go to a full 3D
- Materials: and the materials properties required, for each specific part
- Physics: involved, you state HT with Temperature as dependent variable but also radiation exchange ... but then you talk about convection => as an analytical boundary equation or as a full CFD mode (becomes heavy) and what about air conduction? (it might be ignored on larger models, but can become important for small (MEMS) devices ...)
- BCs: which, where, do we have enough to constrain correctly our physical equations
Once you have this you select the simplest case and start to model (do not forget to check your mesh as the diffusion equation behind HT is rather sensitive to regions with high temperature gradients, here you need a fine mesh in these critical regions, or you need to adapt your initial conditions to reduce the gradient steepness)
In your case with radiation you need to master this subject rather well as it's tricky (i.e. "View Factors" this is a good semester course by itself to cover all subtleties) you need to add the boundary emissivities of your radiative exchanging surfaces (these are mostly NOT already defined in the DB of bulk material properties of COMSOL).
For your HT case you must ensure you turn on with the tick mark the Radiation properties in the main HT node in COMSOL, as well as turn on the grouping feature further down in the same node, these are off by default.
I have added a simple stationary radiative exchange alone model hereafter but I have only V5.3 available (sorry for that, and COMSOL is not backwards compatible). Convection losses are set up with an analytical equation with an exchange ration h0[W/(m^2*K)] defined as a parameter applied to external surfaces, radiation group and diffuse emissivity values are set on related boundaries. I have invented sizes in the meter domain so they might not fit yours, but that is easy to adapt.
Be sure you get your grey body emissivity values correct as thermal radiation exchange depend strongly on these and the 4th power of the ABSOLUTE surface Temperatures IN KELVIN.
Emissivity is the same as absorption for grey bodies in the thermal regime. Mostly one talk about absorption in the visible (i.e. 0.5 um wavelength region in direct sun light) and emissivity in the thermal 10um wavelength regimes. But for grey bodies these are exactly the same physical values, we tend only to give different names to them depending on which radiation/light wavelength we are working in, this is often highly confusing. Check the HT documentation its all explained :)
Once you want to move the source you need to find the best way as that will continuously change the view factors telling how much of the energy is transferred by each surface to any other surface (see the HT user manual under radiation).
My first approach would be to move the source stepwise and remesh/restart the time series analysis for each new position, by using the previous temperature values as new initial T values. i.e if you have a source velocity of v0 and a source diameter of D0, then a time step for source stepping and remesh would be typically Dt=~D0/(2*v0) as radiative exchanges are "soft" exchanges.
Hope this helps on the way :)
--
Good luck
Ivar
Hi Numi
Well even if your model seems simple it can, by all the physics involved rapidly grow quite complex. So first of all, my advise would be to follow the no 1 rule: "start simple, one physics at the time"
I always start by scanning the numerous Application Library models related to the subject, among other I see here: https://www.comsol.eu/model/free-convection-in-a-light-bulb-303
witch covers many of your subjects.
Another "trick" I always do when I have such a problem is to sketch down on a piece of paper the main COMSOL model tree constituents:
- Geometry: (you have by your drawing there, but I see only 2 components the source and the receiving slab, what about some air container around ? how big ...) But in my opinion for your case you should start in 2D with a simple cut view and then later, once you master and have checked (the VV&C process see (this one is free): https://www.nafems.org/publications/browse_buy/browse_by_topic/qa/verification_and_validation/ ) all physics for your model only go to a full 3D
- Materials: and the materials properties required, for each specific part
- Physics: involved, you state HT with Temperature as dependent variable but also radiation exchange ... but then you talk about convection => as an analytical boundary equation or as a full CFD mode (becomes heavy) and what about air conduction? (it might be ignored on larger models, but can become important for small (MEMS) devices ...)
- BCs: which, where, do we have enough to constrain correctly our physical equations
Once you have this you select the simplest case and start to model (do not forget to check your mesh as the diffusion equation behind HT is rather sensitive to regions with high temperature gradients, here you need a fine mesh in these critical regions, or you need to adapt your initial conditions to reduce the gradient steepness)
In your case with radiation you need to master this subject rather well as it's tricky (i.e. "View Factors" this is a good semester course by itself to cover all subtleties) you need to add the boundary emissivities of your radiative exchanging surfaces (these are mostly NOT already defined in the DB of bulk material properties of COMSOL).
For your HT case you must ensure you turn on with the tick mark the Radiation properties in the main HT node in COMSOL, as well as turn on the grouping feature further down in the same node, these are off by default.
I have added a simple stationary radiative exchange alone model hereafter but I have only V5.3 available (sorry for that, and COMSOL is not backwards compatible). Convection losses are set up with an analytical equation with an exchange ration h0[W/(m^2*K)] defined as a parameter applied to external surfaces, radiation group and diffuse emissivity values are set on related boundaries. I have invented sizes in the meter domain so they might not fit yours, but that is easy to adapt.
Be sure you get your grey body emissivity values correct as thermal radiation exchange depend strongly on these and the 4th power of the ABSOLUTE surface Temperatures IN KELVIN.
Emissivity is the same as absorption for grey bodies in the thermal regime. Mostly one talk about absorption in the visible (i.e. 0.5 um wavelength region in direct sun light) and emissivity in the thermal 10um wavelength regimes. But for grey bodies these are exactly the same physical values, we tend only to give different names to them depending on which radiation/light wavelength we are working in, this is often highly confusing. Check the HT documentation its all explained :)
Once you want to move the source you need to find the best way as that will continuously change the view factors telling how much of the energy is transferred by each surface to any other surface (see the HT user manual under radiation).
My first approach would be to move the source stepwise and remesh/restart the time series analysis for each new position, by using the previous temperature values as new initial T values. i.e if you have a source velocity of v0 and a source diameter of D0, then a time step for source stepping and remesh would be typically Dt=~D0/(2*v0) as radiative exchanges are "soft" exchanges.
Hope this helps on the way :)
--
Good luck
Ivar