| Case Study: Finite Element Modeling |
| Business Challenge: |
| BEST-Biotech, Inc. was approached by a client to determine the necessary thickness of an insulating fluid to
maintain a temperature specification for a biological assay at an electrode surface. |
| BEST-Bio Solution: |
| To deliver against this project, BEST-Bio analyzed the problem with finite element modeling software. A heat
transfer fluid with the desired physical properties was chosen, and the initial temperature of the fluid was set to 80°C. Once the simulation
started, the bottom boundary was maintained at 80°C, and heat transfer to the air (ambient temperature = 25°C) was modeled both in terms of
conduction and natural convection. |
| The model showed that a 2.5 cm-thick layer of the fluid was sufficient to maintain the temperature at a specified
distance from the bottom surface within specification. The thinner layers allowed the heat from the fluid to transfer to the atmosphere too rapidly to
maintain the temperature specification. |
