17.6.2.3. Pipe Temperature

For 3D structural analyses, a Pipe Temperature load applies a constant, tabular, or functional variation of temperature to one or more line bodies which are set to be pipes. You can select it to be internal pipe temperature or external pipe temperature from the Details pane.

This page includes the following sections:

Analysis Types

Pipe Temperature is available for the following analysis types:

Dimensional Types

The supported dimensional types for the Pipe Temperature boundary condition include:

  • 3D Simulation

Geometry Types

The supported geometry types for Pipe Temperature include:

  • Wire Body/Line Body/Beam: Line Bodies only.

Topology Selection Options

The supported topology selection options for the Pipe Temperature boundary condition include:

  • Edge

Define By Options

The Define By option is, by default, program controlled. Internal and external temperatures are input on an average basis.

Magnitude Options

The supported Magnitude options for Pipe Temperature include the following:

  • Constant

  • Tabular (Time Varying)

  • Tabular (Step Varying): Supported for Static Structural analysis only.

  • Tabular (Spatially Varying)

  • Function (Time Varying)

  • Function (Spatially Varying)

Applying a Pipe Temperature Boundary Condition

To apply a Pipe Temperature:

  1. On the Environment Context tab, open the Loads drop-down menu and select Pipe Temperature. Alternatively, right-click the Environment tree object or in the Geometry window and select Insert>Pipe Temperature.

  2. Define the Scoping Method as either Geometry Selection or Named Selection and then specify the geometry. Pipe Temperature can only be scoped to line bodies that are specified as pipes.

  3. Define Magnitude as a constant, tabular, or functional input.

  4. Select Loading to be Internal or External according to your problem.

Note:  Given elbow elements (ELBOW290) with inner pipe temperature specifications only, the application will, by default, specify this inner temperature as outer temperature as well.

Details Pane Properties

The selections available in the Details pane are described below.

CategoryProperty/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method: Options include:

  • Geometry Selection: Default setting, indicating that the boundary condition is applied to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using a graphical selection tool.

    • Geometry: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Geometry Selection. Displays the type of geometry (Body, Face, etc.) and the number of geometric entities (for example: 1 Body, 2 Edges) to which the boundary has been applied using the selection tools.

  • Named Selection: Indicates that the geometry selection is defined by a Named Selection.

    • Named Selection: Visible when the Scoping Method is set to Named Selection. This field provides a drop-down list of available user–defined Named Selections.

Definition

Type: Read-only field that displays boundary condition type - Pipe Temperature.

Magnitude: Input field to define the magnitude of the Pipe Pressure.

Suppressed: Include (No - default) or exclude (Yes) the boundary condition.

Loading: Specify whether the loading is Internal or External.

Mechanical APDL References and Notes

The Mechanical APDL Solver is the only solver available for this boundary condition.

API Reference

For specific scripting information, see the Pipe Temperature section of the ACT API Reference Guide.