Differentiating Features:

n Object Based Modeling

1. The user can copy a PCB (with or without its components) by clicking on Copy button and inputting a given offset value and all component with move with it.

2. Moving and reorienting a PCB will result automatic movements of its components

n Very Easy to Use

n Fully Automatic Meshing

n Coupled Electrical / Thermal / CFD Analysis

1. Accurate accounting of self-heating effects resulting from flow of electrical current in conductors in the model

2. Solve for Temperature, Flow and Voltage fields using Electrical Current and Voltage Boundary Conditions

3. This analysis mode allows the solution of problems previously requiring manual iteration between electrical and thermal solutions.

n Automatic Application and Calculation of Radiative Viewfactors

1. Patented 1 button click application of Radiation for entire model

2. Full user control over complexity of Radiosity Network generated

n Nonlinear Loads and Boundary Conditions -Time, Temperature and/or Spatial Dependence using pointers to Functions and/or Tables

n Point-to-Point Thermal/Electrical Links

1. Provide additional Heat/Current path by specifying resistance.

2. Ideal for modeling leads and cables.

n Frozen CFD Solver

1. Take whatever airflow results have been calculated up to that point, and complete the solution without calculating any more airflow. This allows the user to get more accurate result in a short time span for problems that are mainly conduction driven.

Specifications…

· Graphical User Interface

· On-Line Help (Topic and Context Sensitive)

· Transient/Steady-State Solutions

· 2D or 3D problems

· Conduction, Convection, Radiation, Conjugate Heat Transfer

· Full CFD (Solve for Flow and Pressure In Addition to Temperature) and Non-CFD (No Flow Calculations) Solution Methods

· Laminar/Turbulent Flows

· User Extensible Material Properties Library

· User Extensible Component Library

· User Extensible Convection Correlation Library for non-CFD solutions

· Vent, Fan and Fin Models

· Open and Porous Boundaries

· Advanced Post Processing Features:

1. Bar Chart

i. Displays Bar Chart Plot of Selected Component

ii. Reports Component Temperatures and Break Down of Heat Loss by Mode

2. Plane Plot

i. Displays Fringe Plot on a Plane “Cut” Through Model

ii. Results Can Include Velocity Vectors Sized by Its Magnitude and Colored by Fluid Temperature

3. Heat Flux

i. Calculate Total Heat From Surface

ii. Plot Heat Flux Fringe Plot On Surface

4. PCB Fringe

i. Similar to Plane Plot, But Showing PCB and Its Components

5. Particle Tracking

i. Provides Ability to Track Mass-less Particles In Flow Field

6. XY Plot

i. Displays XY Plot Along a Specified Curve Trough Model

ii. Allows Input / Output of External Files

7. Average Temperature

i. Calculates Average Temp, Average Fluid Temp. or Average Solid Temp in a Region

8. Joule

i. Shows Heat Dissipation for an electrical and thermal region

9. Animation

i. Allows the user to create a slide show of Plane Plots

· Periodic Boundary Conditions

· Heat Exchanger/Fluid Network Boundary Condition

· Comprehensive object shapes, including rectangular blocks, cylinders, ellipsoids, elliptical cylinders, prisms, concentric cylinders, and user defined cross-sections

· Parameterized material properties and boundary conditions - ability to set up and run multiple trials/design options from the Eflo interface

· Functions that allow you to create your own component or part and assembly libraries and share them with your team.

· Superimposed plots (e.g. velocity vectors and temperature contours)

· Determine which object has priority over shared space with the click of a button

· Transform objects from a continuous domain to a discretized domain.

· Point to Fixed Thermal/Electrical Links – Select the point where energy can leave the system

· Mesh

1. Finite volume mesh is fundamentally tied to geometry definition.

2. “Key-Planes” are automatically created at solid boundaries.

3. User can create additional Key-Planes.

4. Global mesh can be refined locally by selecting two Key-Planes and modifying “Local Parameters” by one of three methods available

5. Intuitive mesh viewing tools that facilitate review of mesh quality

§ Keep your model size down by automatically searching for unnecessary key planes

§ Add a new key plane to set a specific boundary condition outside the model geometry

§ Temperature Dependent material properties

§ Alter fluid properties, to test your model in a specific environment

§ The following types of boundary conditions are available

§ Temperature

· Heat Flux

· Heated Volume

· Convection

Convection may be applied automatically to all surfaces within a specified volume.

· Radiation

1. Radiation to Ambient

2. Radiation Network - automatically perform viewfactor calculations and generate a radiosity network

· Point Source

Used to fix a temperature, heat input, current or voltage to a single element

· Velocity

· Plane Thermal Resistance

This is very useful for modeling contact resistances or including a thermal resistance due to parts that are thermally significant, but not modeled in detail (i.e., gasket material, etc.)

· Voltage

· Current

· Heat Exchanger

· Function or table variations are used to define variable boundary condition (of any type).

1. Functions - polynomial, sinusoidal or exponential. (With an independent variable of x, y, z, time or temperature)

2. Tables -The user selects the independent variables. The user may choose up to 2 spatial variables (e.g., x, y or x, z, etc.) or may choose time or temperature.

· Alter the gravity field for convection problem in high altitude or high g-force conditions

· Available turbulence models include a zero equation model, standard k-epsilon model, as well as a low Reynolds number model

· User controlled output settings

1. For steady-state solutions, the user may control the number of iterations between output file generation

2. For transient problems, the user may enter both the number of iterations between output file generation as well as a table of time intervals indicating how often output files are produced

· Terminate solver execution during a run and save all result files (User may view results up to that point and continue at a later time)

· Change the time step size (“false time-step” for steady state solutions) during the solver execution (very useful feature to prevent divergence in some cases, or to move out of an “oscillatory” CFD behavior).

· Tools:

§ Global Grid:

EFlo construction grids can be used to facilitate point-picking procedure. Selection control must be on Point – Grid.

§ PCB Grid:

The PCB grid may be accessed through the Controls-Grid Control-PCB menu or from the Geometry-PCB menu.

§ Temperature @ Point:

Gives you the ability to find the temperature at any specific point on the model.

§ Potting Solution:

This tool may be used to create a solid region to replace the air in a section of the model (i.e., potting solution).

§ Solid Info:

Provides quick access to frequently needed information on any solid region. This tool can be reached from Tools-Solid Info … menu pick.

§ Region Fill:

The Region Fill Tool is used to fill an unoccupied region with a solid

§ Objects @ Key Planes:

Identify solid objects that coincide with any key-plane. The user is presented with a summary report of all objects at a key-plane pair and can optionally merge the two key-planes and modify the objects.

§ Sensor Points:

Places sensor points in the model for monitoring temperature at desired locations in the model during the program execution.

§ Member Display:

Allows the user to alter how the model is color coded. It also lets you view the order that the materials are in any chosen plane

§ Thermoelectric Device:

This allows the user to create a thermoelectric cooling device

§ Electric Connection:

View the electrical conductors, either by material or region, that exist within the model. If selected, Eflo will assign a solid color to each material or region, allowing the user to easily check where the conductors are.

§ Group:

Create a group of objects and then alter them all at the same time. You may create as many groups as needed and then view the group alone.

§ Calc Dist between any two points

· Display Control

§ Using the controls on this form, the user may control the displayed appearance of the entities contained in the model (walls, PCB’s and components). This includes the ability to display the entity as a color filled object or in wireframe mode.

· Titles & Text

§ This tool allows the user to place titles and text in various windows.

· Spectrum Control

§ The Spectrum Control form is used to control the appearance of a spectrum for post processing

· Installation Priority

§ This feature allows the user to have full control over the order of installation of solids.

· User Notes:

§ The user can use this text area to enter comments associated with the model.

· Materials in Model:

§ A listing of properties of materials used in the model is provided in this section

· Model Summary:

§ An automated report describing various features and parameters of the model is presented here. This report is a valuable tool for checking then model. It can also be used to help generate a final report at the conclusion of a project.

We are always adding features to ElectroFlo®, and the majority of the features come from customer requests, so if you find you need an extra feature, we will try to provide you with it in a timely manner.

Example 1

Example 2 Conclusion

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