Heat Exchange modelling and Meshing

Heat Exchange Modeling & Quenching Simulation

This project, developed during a course at Politecnico di Torino, focused on the advanced thermal simulation of two components using SALOME-MECA: a 3D printer hot-end heatsink and a motorbike piston made of AISI 1045 steel. Our team applied both steady-state and transient analysis techniques to study heat exchange and the effects of cooling through different environments.

For the hot-end heatsink, we modeled geometry, defined boundary conditions, meshed the structure using NETGEN, and performed linear and nonlinear simulations to understand temperature gradients and heat dissipation efficiency. This part of the work aimed to replicate the real-world performance of a 60W heated assembly cooled by ambient air.

In the second part, we simulated quenching of an AISI 1045 steel piston in both water and oil. We imported geometry, refined the mesh, and defined temperature-dependent material properties including thermal conductivity and specific heat. The nonlinear simulation was carried out using THER_NON_LINE solver, applying boundary conditions with variable heat transfer coefficients.

Results were visualized in Paravis, where we analyzed thermal flux, time-dependent cooling behavior, and gradients through the piston thickness. This simulation provided critical insight into the influence of cooling media on mechanical properties and stress evolution during heat treatment.

Throughout the project, we also explored geometry clipping, meshing sensitivity, and time-step optimization. The combination of modeling, simulation, and post-processing taught me how to approach thermal analysis projects in a structured and efficient way.

This was a team project done in collaboration with four other students, where I contributed to simulation setup, material property definition, and result interpretation. Working together under tight academic timelines helped strengthen my skills in thermal engineering, simulation logic, and collaborative work.

Want to know more about how this model was built or see the complete report? I’d be happy to share it upon request.