Built on Proven Solver Technology

Multiphysics technology from ANSYS is built on proven solver technology validated by many years of application in the world’s leading universities and corporations.  Technical depth and breadth in all physics — structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid flow and electromagnetics — is essential to understanding the complex interactions between different physics disciplines.  This industry-leading solver technology for all physics disciplines, in conjunction with the engineered scalability of the ANSYS product portfolio, allows users to solve challenging, real-world multiphysics problems.

A conjugate heat transfer solution and subsequent thermal-stress analysis of a computer graphics card. Fluid streamlines and solid temperatures (left) and thermal stresses (right) are shown for the coupled simulation. 

Unified Simulation Environment

The ANSYS Workbench platform is a powerful multi-domain simulation environment that harnesses the core physics from ANSYS, enables physics interoperability and provides common tools for interfacing with CAD, repairing geometry, creating meshes and post-processing results. An innovative project schematic view ties together the entire simulation process, guiding the user through complex multiphysics analyses with drag-and-drop simplicity.

The ANSYS Workbench platform is a powerful multiphysics simulation environment. The project schematic shows the multiphysics workflow for a coupled electric conduction, heat transfer and subsequent thermal-stress analysis.

Native CAD Import & Robust Meshing

Native, bi-directional CAD connectivity and automatic meshing with advanced options are provided through the ANSYS Workbench platform. The ANSYS Workbench platform provides bi-directional CAD connectivity with major CAD systems and allows import from most neutral geometry formats.

ANSYS Workbench also provides a wide range of highly robust and automated physics-based meshing tools including tetrahedral, pure hexahedral, mixed hex/tet/pyramid, inflation layers and high-quality surface meshes. Users have the ability to control many advanced meshing options such as body, surface or edge sizing controls, sphere of influence, inflation layer meshing, mesh defeaturing tolerances, and much more.

Flexible Simulation Methods

Multiphysics technology from ANSYS delivers two proven solution techniques to solve multiphysics problems: direct coupled-field elements and the ANSYS Multi-field solver. These approaches provide flexible simulation methods to solve a broad range of both direct and sequentially coupled multiphysics problems, such as induction heating, electrostatic actuation, Joule heating and fluid–structure interaction (FSI).

Coupled thermal–electric solution of a buss bar of a short-circuit test transformer with current up to 150 kA. Electric conduction coupled with heat transfer analysis performed in the ANSYS Workbench environment

Model courtesy WEG Electrical Equipment.

Direct Coupled-Field Elements

Direct coupled-field elements allow users to solve a coupled-physics problem by employing a single finite element model with the appropriate coupled-physics options set within the element itself. A direct coupled-field solution simplifies the modeling of multiphysics problems by allowing users to create, solve and post-process a single analysis model for a wide variety of coupled-field problems. Capabilities include thermoelasticity, piezoelectricity, piezoresistivity, piezocaloric effect, Coriolis effect, electroelasticity, thermoelectricity and thermal–electric–structural coupling.

Coupled thermoelectric simulation of an IC metallization structure performed using direct coupled-field elements in ANSYS Workbench. Current density (top) and temperature (bottom) are shown.

ANSYS Multi-Field Solver

The ANSYS Multi-field solver enables users to solve multiphysics problems by using automated implicit sequential coupling, which couples multiple single-physics models in one unified simulation. The ANSYS Multi-field solver employs robust, iterative coupling in which each physics discipline is solved sequentially and convergence is obtained between the individual disciplines at each time point during the solution. The multi-field coupling is based on customized inter-process communication technology, and no third-party coupling software is required. Coupling capabilities include thermal–structural, thermal–electric, thermal–electric–structural, electromagnetic–structural, electromagnetic–thermal, electrostatic–structural, thermal–electric–fluid, fluid–thermal and fluid–structure interaction.

Fluid structure interaction of a three-lobe valve; simulation solved using the ANSYS Multi-field solver. The model includes non-Newtonian blood flow and anisotropic hyperelasticity to model biological tissue.

Powerful Solver Capabilities

ANSYS structural mechanics solutions offer a large library of out-of-the box equation solvers. The library contains the sparse direct solver, the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) iterative solver, the Jacobi conjugate gradient (JCG) solution, etc. In addition, the algebraic multi-grid (AMG) solver as well as distributed versions of PCG, JCG, and sparse solvers are available for use in large-scale computing via parallel processing. By combining  our parallel algorithms with the power of GPUs you can  further reduce the solution time required for your large models.

Variational technology from ANSYS allows acceleration of the computation of normal modes for cyclic structures, especially when a large number of harmonic indexes are required. Frequency sweeps such as those found in harmonic analyses also benefit from variational technology. Typical speedup factors observed range from three to 10. Transient thermal runs and certain classes of nonlinear structural transient problems are computed in a shorter time using these same principles.

Multiple GPUs can be used on nodes of a cluster to reduce computing time. For example, solder balls were modeled with 4M DOF for creep strain analysis.

Results courtesy MicroConsult Engineering, GmbH.

Solver Customization & Scripting

Customization capabilities through user elements, user materials and scripting using the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) provide flexibility and extend the range of applications for multiphysics solutions. APDL is the foundation for accessing sophisticated features and creating user-defined coupling options. In addition, APDL can be used to automate common tasks, such as creating parametric models, running design optimization studies, including adaptive meshing, etc. APDL offers many convenient features such as parameters, macros, branching, looping and array parameters that can be used in day-to-day analyses.