Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)

Two large industrial tanks connected by insulated pipes at sunset.
When the fluid deforms the structure and the structure alters the flow, analyzing them separately means accepting an error from the outset. We solve the coupled problem.

When it's needed

Do you recognize your equipment in any of these cases?

  • Your equipment undergoes severe thermal transients: preheating, first salt melts, frequent start-ups and shutdowns.
  • There is a risk of thermal shock or temperature gradients that generate stresses the steady-state analysis doesn't capture.
  • The fluid pressures on the system are not uniform and you need the real distribution for the mechanical analysis.
  • A decoupled analysis has given you results that don't match the equipment's observed behavior.

What we do

A single analysis for a coupled problem.

We analyze the fluid and the structure together, because neither can be understood without the other.

  • Multiphysics coupling

    We analyze how the fluid pressures generate structural deformations and how these, in turn, alter the flow behavior. An essential view for equipment operating under extreme conditions.

  • Thermal and mechanical transients

    We study thermal shock and transient temperature gradients, and assess their immediate and cumulative structural impact.

  • Pressure drop and coupled analysis

    We predict the fluid's pressure drop as it passes through the system and perform the mechanical analysis with the pressure distribution obtained from CFD, including the effect of pressure differences in ducts and equipment.

How we do it

CFD → FEA coupling, with systematic verification.

The temperature and pressure maps computed with Ansys Fluent are transferred directly to the Ansys Mechanical finite element model through Synapp, our integration platform. The mechanical analysis thus works with the most realistic conditions possible, time step by time step, with systematic verification and validation.

Close-up of a flanged joint connecting a pipe to a piece of equipment, with the ring bolts visible.

What we deliver

Concrete deliverables, ready for the certification process.

  • Temperature and pressure maps of the complete system.
  • Stress time-histories for all simulated analysis cases.
  • Coupled analysis report with all checks, traceable and ready for the certification process.

Why Vanguard FSI

Technical rigor, controlled risks and calculation ready for certification.

  • A single problem, not two

    Where others treat the fluid and the structure separately, we solve the coupled problem. The mechanical results are based on actual temperature and pressure distributions, not on simplifications.

  • Risks detected at the design stage

    We identify the critical points before manufacturing: it saves prototypes, repairs and surprises during commissioning.

  • Calculation ready for certification

    We work with Ansys Mechanical and Ansys Fluent and deliver complete and traceable calculation reports, prepared for the certification process the project requires.