ANSYS Mechanical APDL - Rotating Boundary Conditions

In summary, the conversation was about a project where thermal boundary conditions were rotated around a cylinder in the ANSYS environment. The speaker used 360 nodes on the outer surface perimeter for ease of adjusting the cylinder's RPM and creating different thermal conditions per degree of rotation. They also mentioned the possibility of mapping temperature results onto a structural version to acquire stress/strain solutions. It was noted that this model could not be done in Workbench and understanding Mechanical APDL is valuable for this reason.
  • #1
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I recently completed a project where transient thermal boundary conditions are rotated around a cylinder for a general number of revolutions. In reality, the cylinder rotated but it was much easier to rotate the thermal conditions around the model in the ANSYS environment.

I used 360 nodes on the outer surface perimeter to keep the math easy when adjusting the RPM of the cylinder. This also allows for simple creation of different thermal conditions per degree and allows for writing out each time step during the transient to plot the temperature distribution per degree of rotation. If each temperature result is written out then each temperature result can be mapped onto a structural version (use structural elements and recreate the model) and the stress/strain solution can be acquired at the desired time step.

By keeping each revolution as a stand alone *DO loop, each revolution can have different thermal boundary conditions.

This model could not be done in Workbench. This is one of many reasons that learning and understanding Mechanical APDL is still very valuable.
 
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Thanks for the post! Sorry you aren't generating responses at the moment. Do you have any further information, come to any new conclusions or is it possible to reword the post?
 

FAQ: ANSYS Mechanical APDL - Rotating Boundary Conditions

1. What is a rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL?

A rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL is a type of boundary condition that allows for the modeling of rotating parts in a mechanical system. It specifies the rotational speed and direction of a boundary or interface, and can be applied to various types of elements such as nodes, elements, and contact surfaces.

2. How do I define a rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL?

To define a rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL, you can use the "RBE3" element or the "ROTATE" command. The "RBE3" element allows for the creation of a rotational coupling between two nodes, while the "ROTATE" command can be used to specify the rotational speed and direction of a boundary or interface.

3. Can a rotating boundary condition be applied to any type of element in ANSYS Mechanical APDL?

No, a rotating boundary condition can only be applied to certain types of elements in ANSYS Mechanical APDL, such as nodes, elements, and contact surfaces. It is important to check the element type and its capabilities before applying a rotating boundary condition.

4. What are the advantages of using a rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL?

The main advantage of using a rotating boundary condition in ANSYS Mechanical APDL is that it allows for the simulation of rotating parts in a mechanical system. This can be useful in various applications, such as modeling rotating machinery, turbines, and gears. Additionally, it can help to reduce the complexity of the model and improve the accuracy of the results.

5. Are there any limitations to using rotating boundary conditions in ANSYS Mechanical APDL?

Yes, there are some limitations to using rotating boundary conditions in ANSYS Mechanical APDL. One limitation is that it can only be applied to certain types of elements, as mentioned in question 3. Additionally, it may not accurately capture the effects of large deformations or nonlinear behavior in the rotating parts. It is important to carefully consider these limitations when using rotating boundary conditions in ANSYS Mechanical APDL.

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