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SINDA/FLUINT (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) is a computer program used to analyze thermal/fluid systems that can be represented in finite difference, finite element, or lumped parameter form. In addition to conduction and radiation heat transfer, the program is capable of modeling steady or unsteady single- and two-phase flow networks, their associated hardware, and their heat transfer processes. Because it is generalized, versatile, and user-extensible, SINDA/FLUINT is a standard in the aerospace industry for modeling thermal control systems. It is also used in the automotive, aircraft, electronics, petrochemical, HVACR (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration), and process industries. C8R's SinapsPlus™ is a complete graphical user interface (pre- and postprocessor) and model debugging environment for SINDA/FLUINT (Ref 7, 8). SinapsPlus also supports the C and C++ languages in addition to the traditional choice of Fortran for concurrently executed user logic.

This paper describes revolutionary advances in SINDA/FLUINT, the NASA-standard heat transfer and fluid flow analyzer, changing it from a traditional point-design simulator into a tool that can help shape preliminary designs, rapidly perform parametrics and sensitivity studies, and even correlate modeling uncertainties using available test data. Innovations include the incorporation of a complete spreadsheet-like module that allows users to centralize and automate model changes, even while thermal/fluid solutions are in progress. This feature reduces training time by eliminating many archaic options, and encourages the performance of parametrics and other what-if analyses that help engineers develop an intuitive understanding of their designs and how they are modeled.

This paper describes the need for dynamic (transient) simulation of automotive air conditioning systems, the reasons why such simulations are challenging, and the applicability of a general purpose off-the-shelf thermohydraulic analyzer to answer such challenges. An overview of modeling methods for the basic components are presented, along with relevant approximations and their effect on speed and accuracy of the results.

SINDA/FLUINT (Ref 1, 2) is a computer program used to analyze thermal/Fluid systems that can be represented in finite difference, finite element, or lumped parameter form. In addition to conduction and radiation heat transfer, the program is capable of modeling steady or unsteady single- and two-phase flow networks, their associated hardware, and their heat transfer processes. Because it is generalized, versatile, and user-extensible, SINDA/FLUINT is a standard in the aerospace industry for modeling thermal control systems. It is also used in the automotive, aircraft, electronics, petrochemical, HVACR (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration), and process industries. C&R's SinapsPlus™ (Ref 3), a replacement for SINAPS, is a complete graphical user interface to SINDA/FLUINT. SinapsPlus is a schematic-oriented pre- and postprocessor that brings modern visualization methods to a simulation code that lacks geometric constraints.

SINDA/FLUINT (Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer / Fluid Integrator, formerly SINDA '85) is a computer code used to analyze thermal/fluid systems that can be represented in finite difference or lumped parameter form. In addition to conduction and radiation heat transfer, the code is capable of modeling steady or unsteady single- and two-phase flow networks, their associated hardware, and their heat transfer processes. Because it is generalized, versatile, and user-extensible, SINDA/FLUINT is a standard in the aerospace industry for modeling thermal control systems. It is also used in the automotive, commercial aircraft, electronic packaging, petrochemical, and process industries. SINAPS (SINDA Application Programming System) is a complete graphical user interface to SINDA/FLUINT. SINAPS is a schematic-oriented pre- and postprocessor that brings modern visualization methods to a simulation code that lacks geometric constraints.

SINDA/FLUINT (formerly SINDA '85) is a computer program used to analyze thermal/fluid systems that can be represented in finite difference, finite element, or lumped parameter form. In addition to conduction and radiation heat transfer, the program is capable of modeling steady or unsteady single- and two-phase flow networks, their associated hardware, and their heat transfer processes. Because it is generalized, versatile, and user-extensible, SINDA/FLUINT is a standard in the aerospace industry for modeling thermal control systems. It is also used in the automotive, aircraft, electronics, petrochemical, and process industries. SINAPS™ (SINDA Application Programming System) is a complete graphical user interface to SINDA/FLUINT. SINAPS is a schematic-oriented pre- and postprocessor that brings modern visualization methods to a simulation code that lacks geometric constraints.

Over the past 15 years, the industry standard tool for thermal analysis, SINDA, has been expanded to include advanced thermodynamic and hydrodynamic solutions (“FLUINT”). With the recent culmination of the unique modeling tools that are described in this paper, and with concurrent expansions described elsewhere (Ref 1), SINDA/FLUINT has arguably become the most complete general-purpose thermohydraulic network analyzer that is available. These advances have enhanced the usage of the code in the areas of liquid propulsion, fire suppression, and environmental control systems (ECLSS), providing for the first time a common framework for analysis and data exchange between engineers in these otherwise distinct specialties.