This workflow describes basic steps for performing Icepak Multiphysics analysis (heat transfer/ electromagnetic coupled in ANSYS Electronics Desktop – AEDT) on Nimbix could.
To perform heat transfer/electromagnetic analysis from ANSYS Electronics, the following steps are required:
1. Select your application from the Compute from Nimbix interface.
Click on “More” caret to scroll down if the AEDT application is not on your Compute screen. On the resulting splash screen, click on Electronics Desktop button to launch ANSYS Electronics Desktop in Nimbix.
2. Cloud set-up screen opens.
UNDER GENERAL TAB
Under Machine type drop down menu, you have the choice of selecting the type of machine you want to run your job on. The decision on machine type selection is based on the size and complexity of your model and cost associated with the machine type (some machines will have higher RAM, others will only run the job on single CPU, others will have better graphics and therefore higher cost, etc).
NOTE: When running interactive based applications, you’ll find that selecting an NC9 or any NC* machine types should offer significant visual performance over not selecting an NC machine type. By selecting an NC machine, this places a GPU on your head-node, and offers better visual performance. Another thing to keep in mind, is that when running interactively you can use a web-browser, or in some cases for large models or you might consider using RealVNC.
2. Select the number of cores:
The machine type you selected in the previous step, will dictate the increment in the number of cores that you can select. For a small model, you can leave default selection, which in this case would be “16” or move the scroll bar to the desired number of cores or simply type over “16” the number of cores you wish to run your job on (“32” if you want to use 2 nodes):
NOTE: Do not confuse the number of cores with the number of nodes (nodes represent the number of increment of cores that you selected. In the example above, 2 nodes represent 32 cores).
UNDER OPTIONAL TAB
Assign a JOB LABEL (give a name that will help you keep track on your running jobs. For example, My_Multiphysics_Project):
UNDER STORAGE TAB
1. Select vault type: Default vault is “Elastic_File”
The “Elastic_File” vault is recommended for small to medium size jobs, such as Icepak projects, simple linear Mechanical Analysis projects, some HFSS and simple Fluent projects (not multi-phase). For any complex and computationally heavy jobs, and where partitioning the job over number of cores becomes challenging, the Performance_SSD vault is strongly recommended. The Performance_SSD vault can be found in the drop-down under “Select Vault” tab (NOTE: requires subscription and extra monthly payment to have access to Performance_SSD vault).
Before submitting your job for running, you can preview your settings under the PREVIEW SUBMISSION tab.
Click the Submit green button to submit your job to NIMBIX
Dismiss the subsequent windows by clicking the “OK” button to start AEDT application.
After Electronics Desktop has successfully launched, save your project in your “data” directory (Caution: Default option is Ansoft folder and that is not where you want your job saved or run).
Note: Multiphysics projects generally consist of coupled analysis using two or more software. ANSYS Electronic Desktop on NIMBIX allows the user to perform electromagnetic (EM)-CFD/heat transfer analysis within the same graphical user interface. HFSS/Maxwell/Q 3D Extractor etc. electromagnetic analysis can directly be 2-way coupled with Icepak in AEDT.
ELECTROMAGNETIC ANALYSIS
1. Insert a new HFSS/Maxwell project (refer to ANSYS user guide or NIMBIX help on how to use AEDT to create a new EM simulation project)
NOTE: You can rename your project as desired and there are several options to insert a new project into the AEDT Project Manager
a. From “Project” tab on the main toolbar
b. From the corresponding project button in the main toolbar
c. Right click on the “Project” in the project manager à Insert à Insert New Design (choice of projects includes HFSS, Maxwell, Q 3D Extractor)
2. Build and analyze your electromagnetic model
NOTE: ANSYS Maxwell Eddy currents heating in a board is used here as a case study. Refer to ANSYS User Guide or ANSYS/NIMBIX help on how to perform electromagnetic analysis in ANSYS on NIMBIX cloud.
3. Analyze your model and compute all required ohmic heating as desired. You are now ready to set-up your Icepak analysis.
COUPLED HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS USING AEDT ICEPAK ON NIMBIX
1. Copy your model objects that you will be using in the heat transfer analysis (in this case the coil and the stock) by selecting the objects (in Object Select Mode) in the EM design, (Right Mouse Button) RMB > Edit > Copy.
2. Insert a New Icepak Design using one of the options described above (Project tab, right click on Project Manager, Main toolbar icon)
3. Double-click on the newly created Icepak design and paste the copied geometry in the graphical window (right click in the graphical window > Edit > Paste).
NOTE: The copied geometry and materials (assigned in the EM model tree) will be added to the Icepak project. The air block (cabinet) dimensions will be automatically adjusted to add 50mm padding to your geometry.
4. Set-up the Icepak Design for CFD/heat transfer analysis.
4.1 Set “Solution Type” to Temperature and Flow (right click on the Icepak design > Solution Type > Select Temperature and Flow radio button (as desired))
4.2 Assign Design Settings (right click on Icepak Project à Design Settings) such as ambient conditions, gravity, radiation settings:
4.3 Review Materials set-up in the Model tree (assign thermal properties if required)
4.4 Customize (expand/shrink) the air region as desired (use padding as means to extend the air region beyond the solid geometry). This is your Icepak cabinet. Access cabinet dimensions through the Model > Solids > air > Enclosure option in the model tree pane.
4.5 Insert Openings to your region as desired/needed (select the faces of the air region as required, then right click on Thermal - Assign - Opening. You can customize your opening as needed in the Properties window
4.6 Import EM losses: Select the target objects using Ctrl+LMB (Left Mouse Button) click. Then right click on Thermal - Assign - EM Loss.
NOTE: In this case we imported EM Loss for both solids used in EM analysis
4.7 In the General tab of the Setup Link window, check the “Use This Project” Source Project option, then click the “OK” button to dismiss the window.
NOTE: The software will auto-populate the Source Design (change the design using the right caret as needed) and Source Solution (LastAdaptive is the default option but can be changed as desired)
4.8 Click “Sync Loss Type From Source” button. You can change the name as needed for tracking purposes.
4.9 Mesh your model: right click on Mesh > Edit Global Region. Click on Advanced tab and enter your Icepak mesh settings. Right click on Mesh > “Generate Mesh” to start meshing.
NOTE: Use Advanced settings for better mesh control in Icepak. The mesh slider in the “General” tab can be used for coarse meshing but is usually not recommended. Additional “per object” meshing operations can be inserted if desired (expand the “Mesh” menu and add mesh operations as desired).
4.10 Add Analysis setup: Right click on Analysis à Add Solution Setup. Complete your solver settings and solution setup. In this step you will set up the NIMBIX cores as well.
SET UP NIMBIX CORE FILE
In the Icepak Solve Setup General tab, click the “HPC and Analysis Options…” button located in the lower right corner of the dialog box. HPC and Analysis Options dialog box will open as shown below. Click on the “Add” button.
In the Analysis Configuration dialog box, click on “Import Machines from File …” button. Navigate to your JARVICE folder and open the cores file (use “File type” as All Files (*) if not displayed in the Open window)
Nimbix cores will be imported according to your cloud set-up option. Click OK to dismiss the info dialog box. Name your configuration (REQUIRED) and click OK to dismiss the Analysis Configuration dialog box.
Activate your configuration by selecting (left button mouse click) on the “YES” pull down button under the configuration named previously.
NOTE: Dismiss all dialog boxes (click “OK” button to dismiss a dialogue box). You are now ready to solve your model.
4.11 Solving the model. Right click on Setup1 (or the current setup name) - Analyze.
NOTE: You can monitor the progress of your analysis through the “Progress” bar on the bottom on your graphic windows or by displaying your residuals/monitoring points (Right click on Setup1 - Residual…)
4.12 You can monitor your job progress and core utilization using the NIMBIX preview window in your browser dashboard. CPU utilization can be monitored using Detailed Job Metrics icon in the preview window.
4.13 Post Processing. Display your temperature and velocity profiles using Field Overlay feature (right click on Field Overlay - Plot Fields - Temperature or right click on Field Overlay - Plot Fields > Velocity)
NOTE: Use plot visibility as desired to show several other computed fields. Refer to ANSYS help for additional information on how to set-up Icepak AEDT analysis for specific projects.