Surface thickness, Obstruction thickness and grid size.

410 views
Skip to first unread message

Danish

unread,
Dec 9, 2015, 7:31:47 AM12/9/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
Dear FDS User,

I have a query regarding the definition of surface thickness, in my model the at some location wall thickness is greater than cell size and at some location both are equal while the surface thickness is remain identical for both scenario. 
for example

Case1:

Surface thickness =0.75ft
Obstruction thickness=  0.5ft
Grid size =0.5ft

Case2 


Surface thickness =0.75ft
Obstruction thickness=  1.0ft
Grid size =0.5ft

 Is it correct to get the temperature variation inside solid, if I define the surface id with the thickness of 0.75ft for both cases.


Best Regards


untitled.png

Wali Hasan

unread,
Dec 9, 2015, 8:16:55 AM12/9/15
to fds...@googlegroups.com
Dear Users,

For above question, there is gas cell on both side in every case. i.e EXPOSED condition in surface id, then in that case above scenario is valid or not?


Thanks

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "FDS and Smokeview Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/fds-smv/zWXmWKTWB4I/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+u...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/fds-smv/87d9fa64-e51c-45e8-b62b-0d0522be7825%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Kevin

unread,
Dec 9, 2015, 9:36:36 AM12/9/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
If the obstruction is zero or one grid cell thick, FDS assumes that the THICKNESS on the SURF line is the actual thickness of the obstruction for the purpose of calculating the heat conduction. It also assumes that the back side of the obstruction is EXPOSED; that is, it is heated or cooled by the gases behind it. If the obstruction is at the edge of the computational domain, the back side exposing temperature is ambient (TMPA). If the obstruction is more than one grid cell thick, FDS assumes that the back side conditions are the same as if the obstruction were at the edge of the computational domain. There is no heat conduction through more than one grid cell.

On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 8:16:55 AM UTC-5, Danish wrote:
Dear Users,

For above question, there is gas cell on both side in every case. i.e EXPOSED condition in surface id, then in that case above scenario is valid or not?


Thanks
On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 6:01 PM, Danish <wali.th...@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear FDS User,

I have a query regarding the definition of surface thickness, in my model the at some location wall thickness is greater than cell size and at some location both are equal while the surface thickness is remain identical for both scenario. 
for example

Case1:

Surface thickness =0.75ft
Obstruction thickness=  0.5ft
Grid size =0.5ft

Case2 


Surface thickness =0.75ft
Obstruction thickness=  1.0ft
Grid size =0.5ft

 Is it correct to get the temperature variation inside solid, if I define the surface id with the thickness of 0.75ft for both cases.


Best Regards


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "FDS and Smokeview Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/fds-smv/zWXmWKTWB4I/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

Danish

unread,
Dec 10, 2015, 3:30:24 AM12/10/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions

Dear Kevin,

 

Thanks for your quick response, so in that case when the obstruction thickness is more than the cell grid size the obstruction should be split into two parts placed one another. For that scenario, Is the heat transfer from one block to other?

 

So, in my work I have brick kiln model in which the bricks are arranged in particular fashion shown in Figure1.

Actual brick dimension: 0.75 x 0.375 x 0.25 (ft)

Cell grid Size that I have used 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 (ft)

I have some question regarding this:

1)      Which thickness should I use in surface id for the 1 D conduction and can I apply this surface id to all 6 faces since they have different dimension in all 3 axis.

2)      For some brick they are in contact each other ie they are not exposed to the gas cell in the domain. so for that face what surface id should I use so that heat transfer from one another via conduction. (Figure 2)

 

Best Regards

figure1.JPG
figure 2.JPG
Message has been deleted

Danish

unread,
Dec 10, 2015, 8:08:43 AM12/10/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
Dear FDS User,

Plz have a look in my issue
Thanks in advance


Best Regards

On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 6:01:47 PM UTC+5:30, Danish wrote:

Kevin

unread,
Dec 10, 2015, 9:28:18 AM12/10/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
You are pushing FDS beyond its capability. FDS uses a 1-D conduction model through solids. This assumption is predicated on the fact that most solids in an FDS apps are walls, and the characteristic length and width are much greater than the depth. If you have a complicated arrangement of bricks, the 1-D assumption may not be appropriate.

My advise to you is not to use FDS for this application. The 1-D heat transfer model is inappropriate for the 3-D heat conduction that will occur in these bricks.

Wali Hasan

unread,
Dec 11, 2015, 4:12:21 AM12/11/15
to fds...@googlegroups.com
Thanks Kevin for your comments, but can you please clarify me the following points :

1) If the length or width of the blocks are large as compare to depth (i.e 1D conduction along the depth) then what happens when two blocks placed in contact like in Figure1 still heat transfer takes place from one block to another , since middle surface (the contact surface) is not directly exposed to the gas cell condition  so for that surface what surface id should I use 


2)For the same scenario, what surface id should I use for the surface having large length and width ie 4 surface other than exposed surface.(can I use inert surface id for these 4 surface and the exposed surface id for the depth along which the 1D conduction occurs)


Thanks once again 

Best Regards


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "FDS and Smokeview Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/fds-smv/zWXmWKTWB4I/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+u...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.

Kevin

unread,
Dec 11, 2015, 8:28:58 AM12/11/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
No, heat transfer does not take place between two abutting obstructions. The heat is conducted in the direction normal to the surface through a distance of THICKNESS. Then the energy is lost to an ambient temperature void.

There is no need to specify a SURF condition for a surface that is not at the interface between gas and solid. FDS will ignore these SURF conditions.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.

Wali Hasan

unread,
Dec 12, 2015, 1:52:17 AM12/12/15
to fds...@googlegroups.com
Dear Kevin

Plz also elaborate the second point..

Thanks

To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+u...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "FDS and Smokeview Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/fds-smv/zWXmWKTWB4I/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to fds-smv+u...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.

Randy McDermott

unread,
Dec 12, 2015, 6:07:52 AM12/12/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
SURF only applies to an exterior surface of an OBST.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "FDS and Smokeview Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to fds-smv+u...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to fds...@googlegroups.com.

Wali Hasan

unread,
Dec 14, 2015, 2:53:22 AM12/14/15
to fds...@googlegroups.com
Dear Randy, 

Thanks for your comments but I am asking for my second point:

For the same scenario, what surface id should I use for the surface having large length and width ie 4 surface other than exposed surface.(can I use inert surface id for these 4 surface and the exposed surface id for the depth along which the 1D conduction occurs)

Best Regards


Randy McDermott

unread,
Dec 14, 2015, 8:55:36 AM12/14/15
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
We cannot answer this question for you.  You need to understand the model well enough to know what surface conditions to apply.  Please read the user guide.  If there is something in the guide that is unclear, please point to that specifically.

brookl...@gmail.com

unread,
Jan 4, 2016, 8:18:54 AM1/4/16
to FDS and Smokeview Discussions
What is the surface thickness,Sorry ,i do not understand?

在 2015年12月9日星期三 UTC+8下午8:31:47,Danish写道:
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages