Creating Point Heat Fluxes

Point heat fluxes represent uniform scalar heat fluxes applied to selected degrees of freedom.

Point heat fluxes can be applied only in heat transfer steps.

The magnitude of a point heat flux can vary with time during a step according to an amplitude definition (see Amplitudes for more information on defining amplitudes). You can also apply knowledgeware techniques to control the value of a point heat flux (for more information, see Applying Knowledgeware).

Point heat fluxes can be applied to point or vertex supports or to a point group.

This task shows you how to create a point heat flux on geometry.

  1. Click the Point Heat Flux icon .

    The Point Heat Flux dialog box appears, and a Point Heat Flux object appears in the specification tree under the Loads objects set for the current step.

  2. You can change the identifier of the load by editing the Name field.

  3. Select the geometry support (a point). Any selectable geometry is highlighted when you pass the cursor over it. You can select several supports to apply the load to all supports simultaneously. You can also select a point group.

    The Supports field is updated to reflect your selection.

  4. Enter a value for the point heat flux Magnitude.

  5. Right-click on the point heat flux Magnitude field to add knowledgeware controls (for more information, see Applying Knowledgeware).

  6. Click More to access additional point heat flux options.

    1. Toggle on Selected amplitude, and select an amplitude from the specification tree to define a nondefault time variation for the point heat flux.

      If you do not specify an amplitude, Abaqus applies the reference magnitude based on the Default load variation with time option that you selected when you created the step. Abaqus either applies the reference magnitude linearly over the step (Ramp) or applies it immediately at the beginning of the step and subsequently holds it constant (Instantaneous).

      See About Prescribed Conditions in the Abaqus Prescribed Conditions Guide for more information.

  7. Click OK in the Point Heat Flux dialog box.

    Symbols representing the applied heat flux are displayed on the geometry.