3D Conduction

A current passing through a metal heats it up in what is commonly called Ohmic heating. In this phenomenon, the metal heats up because of the electrical resistance offered by the metal to the flowing current. As this heating continues, the temperature of the metal becomes uniform throughout and continues to rise with time. The temperature rise can weaken the metal or even deform in to an extent that it may become structurally fragile. Using the finite element method, it is possible to estimate the time it takes for the body to reach a certain temperature.

This SimCafe Structural Course was developed by Dr. Rajesh Bhaskaran, Swanson Director of Engineering Simulation at Cornell University, and Samuel Huntington Smith, in partnership with Ansys. It was last modified by Sebastien Lachance-Barrett. It serves as an e-learning resource to integrate industry-standard simulation tools into courses and provides a resource for supplementary learning outside the classroom. In this course, we will explore a design-problem. A platinum micrometer bridge deposited on a silicon wafer is submerged into a pool of water. We will highlight the step-by-step procedure to perform the thermal analysis across the platinum micrometer bridge circuit using Ansys Thermal and estimate the time it takes to heat up the platinum to a certain temperature threshold.

For more ways to learn, check out the Cornell edX course, A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering Simulations at ansys.com/cornell.

Cornell University also offers a Fluid Dynamics Simulations Using Ansys online certificate authored by Dr. Rajesh Bhaskaran. Learn more here: https://ecornell.cornell.edu/fluiddynamics

A course completion badge allows you to showcase your success. We partner with Credly’s Acclaim platform, and digital badges can be used in email signatures, digital resumes and social media sites. The digital image contains verified metadata that describes your participation in our course and the topics and skills that were covered. This badge is for successfully completing the 3D Conduction course.