Multiphysics FEM Integration Issues - A Case Study in Nuclear Fusion Research Activities

The engineering design phase usually requires the integration of different types of studies and analyses for the definition of the whole system. Depending on their nature, these studies can be carried out thanks to specific FEM models and tools which differ from each other on the basis of the physics problem under investigation. A proper methodology for integration of different analyses is needed, in order to transfer information and integrate the multi-physics issues. The aim of this paper is to present a methodological framework supporting the analyses integration process and the results assessment. Based on a CAD-centric approach, the framework is applied in the software Ansys Workbench, to show how to deal with this problem in such tool, thanks to the Import Load function. A study case is considered in the nuclear fusion research field: multiphysics analysis on DEMO divertor, where several physics interact with each other due to the relevant complexity of such systems. In this study, force results from FEM EM analysis are imported into the structural analyses, in order to evaluate the effect of such loads on the cassette structure. Problems dealt with concern the difference of meshes' specifics and the varying of load interpolation settings.