TEMP/W is formulated to account for the latent heat associated with water turning into ice and ice turning into water. The rate at which the latent heat is absorbed or released is controlled by an unfrozen water content function. Above the phase change temperature, all the water is unfrozen. As the temperature falls below the phase change point, the portion of the water that remains unfrozen decreases. Complete flexibility in defining the unfrozen water content function makes it possible to analyze a wide variety of ground conditions. When linked with SEEP/W or AIR/W it can consider convective heat transfer if flowing water or moving air.
Easy to Use
Defining a Geothermal Model
The unique CAD-like technology in TEMP/W allows you to generate your finite element mesh by drawing regions on the screen. You can then specify material properties and interactively apply boundary conditions. Boundary conditions can be automatically created from imported climate data, thermosyphon properties, and convective surface data. If you make a mistake, you can correct it using the Undo command.
Viewing the Analysis Results
Once you have solved your geothermal problem, TEMP/W offers many tools for viewing results. Generate contours or x-y plots of any computed parameter, such as temperature, flux, gradient, latent heat, or net radiation. Gradient vectors show the energy flow direction and rate. Transient conditions can be shown by plotting the changing frost front position over time. View energy flow paths and flux quantities. Interactively query computed values by clicking on any node, element Gauss region, or flux section. Then export the results into other applications, such as Microsoft Excel or Word, for further analysis or to prepare presentations.
Typical Applications
TEMP/W can model almost any geothermal problem, including:
- • Degradation of permafrost beneath warm buildings or around a warm, buried pipeline
- • Development of a frost bulb around a chilled pipeline
- • Ground freezing for soil stabilization, including use of freezing pipes around mine shafts or thermosyphons on top of earth dams
- • Freeze-thaw action beneath roadways and airport runways
- • Frost depth penetration beneath chilled structures such as a recreational ice surface or a highway during winter
- • Effectiveness of various insulation alternatives for reducing freezing and/or thawing
