Thermal Loads and Restraints

Thermal loads and restraints, except for temperature which is also used in structural studies, are only accessible for thermal studies.

For steady state thermal studies with a heat source, a mechanism for heat dissipation must be defined. Otherwise, analysis stops because the temperatures increase without bound. Transient thermal studies that run for a relatively short period of time do not require a heat dissipation mechanism.

The following types of loads and restraints are available for thermal studies:

• Temperature (prescribed temperatures)

• Convection

• Heat Flux

• Heat Power

• Radiation

Click here for a summary of thermal loads and restraints.