Engineering Analysis and Simulation

Verification of the design through simulations has helped bring down the product design lifecycle time and cost significantly. Simulations not only help understand the potential failure modes but also give insights into margins available for optimization. Our broad range of engineering analysis and simulation portfolio is listed below.

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA):

Whether it is stress, deformation, temperature or vibration - using FEA tools we support customers gain a good understanding of the behaviour of a component or sub-system. Our involvement often starts with developing the analysis approach by understanding the physics of the problem and once results are available, our team not only provides valuable insights in the behaviour of the current design but also provides recommendations for design improvement. Our technical reports are the icing on the cake which support document the approach, results and recommendations in a detailed manner. Following are few of the analysis types our team handles:

• Linear Stress Analysis, Stress and Deformation prediction
• Design optimization for weight and structural integrity
• Non-linear Stress Analysis – Contact, Material non-linearity (Plasticity, Hyper-elasticity), Geometric non-linearity
• Gasket Analysis, Sealing, analysis of bolted joints
• Steady state and Transient Thermal Analysis
• Thermal-structural analysis
• High Cycle and Low Cycle Fatigue (durability) Calculations
• Natural Frequency Prediction through modal analysis
• Forced Response Analysis - Harmonic, random excitation (PSD)
• Transient Dynamic Analysis (Shock load analysis)
• Seismic Analysis
• Coupled field analysis
• Piping Stress Analysis

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD) ANALYSIS:

CFD is a powerful technique for analysing flows and heat transfer. Our team is adept at using various CFD tools such as ANSYS-Fluent, Star-CCM+ and OpenFOAM and with its strong understanding of fluid mechanics and heat transfer principles supports customers in analysing complex systems. Few of the analysis types we routinely support are listed below:

• Analysis of pressure drop, flow velocities and velocity vectors for complex systems
• Flow optimization to reduce restriction, recirculation and dead zones
• Conjugate heat transfer analysis for simultaneous prediction of temperature in fluid and structures for components such as heat exchangers
• Performance map prediction and optimization of rotating machines such as fans, blowers, pumps, compressors and turbines
• Transient simulations for rotating and sliding geometries
• Modeling of sprays, Multi-phase analysis (cavitation, mixing etc)
• Simulation of sloshing using free surface modeling
• Simulation of mixing of multiple fluid streams
• Cooling simulations for electronic circuits, simulation of battery cooling
• Flow and heat transfer simulation of electrical machines such as motors and alternators
• Room ventilation studies
• External Aero-dynamic simulations for vehicles
• Drag load prediction on telecommunication towers

ROTOR DYNAMICS:

Systems could behave well individually but when put together, they do throw-up surprises! That is the challenge in understanding dynamic behaviour of power trains and we support customers in this with our niche capabilities in rotor dynamics simulations as listed below:

• Creation of complex power train and drive train models for engine, steam turbine and gas turbines for rotor dynamic / torsional vibration analysis (TVA)
• Idealization of gear box, hydrodynamic bearings and flexible couplings
• Estimation of torsional and lateral bending natural frequencies
• Identification of critical speeds using Campbell diagram
• Backward and Forward whirl prediction
• Coupling selection assessment
• Forced Response Analysis of turbine and alternator rotors under the action of harmonic excitations such as rotor unbalance and unbalanced magnetic pull
• Prediction of dynamic response at bearings
• Transient Response Analysis for the power train under steady state torque condition (such as at start-up) and fault torque condition (electric short-circuit torque) to assess torque and torsional shear stress at various sections
• Bolted joint assessment for torque capability

DESIGN CALCULATORS (1D CALCULATIONS, LOAD / STRESS / PRESSURE DROP CALCULATIONS):

While advanced techniques such as FEA and CFD help understand behaviour of complex systems and scenarios, hand calculations using fundamental principles often give a good starting point for arriving at and assessing the design dimensions. We have developed several developed calculators such as those listed below that our team used during the early design phase:

• 1D calculator for performing performance prediction of heat exchangers such as Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler and Oil cooler
• 1D calculators for pressure drop prediction in pipe networks and hydraulic circuits
• 1D calculators for impeller blade design for rotating machines such as pumps, fans, etc
• 1D calculators for flow calibration test rigs
• Belt load calculations for belt drives
• Lifting load calculations for scissor lifts
• Design calculators for coil springs
• Calculators for bolted joint sizing and joint margin predictions under operating mechanical and thermal loads
• Wind load calculations as per IS875
• Design calculators for assessing compliance to codes and standards such as API, ASME, ISO, Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), TEMA, DNV GL, etc