Our Expertise | AUTOMOTIVE

Analysis of the thermo-fluid dynamics of a paint shop’s hot water distribution network

Futurities Year 20 n°1
By Luca Zanellato, Matteo Caldaroni - SimulHub

Abstract

This article describes an analysis of the performance of a hot water distribution piping network consisting of a main boiler and various utilities inside an automotive paint shop based in France. The simulation is performed using Flownex, a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software with concentrated parameters.

A paint shop is powered by several energy sources (hot and cold water, natural gas, electricity, and compressed air) that serve to drive the applications of surface treatments to the car body from the pre-treatment phases to the actual painting. The energy is delivered to different components (process tanks, air supply units, oven heating units) via a complex network of pipes. This study focuses on the hot water distribution system.

Traditional spreadsheets cannot manage the whole system and lead to excessive approximations and greater possibilities of error. Flownex enabled the complete system to be studied under various operating conditions using a one-dimensional model with concentrated parameters.

Flownex software can easily manage the complexity typical of engineering plants and will also be used in other areas of the automotive paint shop.

Read the article

Find out more

software

Flownex

System Level Thermal-Fluid Flow Simulation Software

Flownex is a design tool for fluid network. It allows a fast and accurate CFD analyses of a plant because it defines components through lumped parameters and connects them in a thermo-fluid network.

flownex

NEWSROOM

Stay connected with us: news, analysis and trends from our experts.

Newsroom  

MEDIA CENTER

Scroll through our Media Center to view all the videos, video-tutorials and recorded webinars.

Media Center  

CASE STUDY

Improving the reliability of multibody simulation by implementing a hysteretic tyre model for radial dynamics

Multibody simulation is integral to engineering, enabling precise analysis of structural loads and dynamic behaviours in complex systems. In the context of forklifts, where tyres play a critical role due to the absence of suspension systems, accurate tyre modelling is essential. This study develops and validates a hysteretic Bouc-Wen model for the radial dynamics of solid rubber tyres to enhance simulation reliability.

multibody recurdyn mechanics automotive