Vehicle Thermal Design Tool

To maximize the performance of the next generation of vehicles, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), the Army needs an integrated design tool. Employing the latest advances in computer conceptual design and simulation techniques, ThermoAnalytics, Inc.(TAI) proposes to create a tool to allow designers to simultaneously optimize drivetrain performance, thermal management, and signature control. TAI will integrate two of their software packages: HEVsim, a drivetrain design simulator, and MuSES, a powerfulthermal analysis and signature prediction tool. TAI will also add in new and innovative modules. To design cooling and exhaust systems, TAI will develop a fluid flow analyzer. This CFD code will be tailored to flow problems specific to vehicle design, thusallowing the code to be tuned for fast and easy use. To solve for volumetric heat transfer in thick armor blocks, TAI will use the boundary element method (BEM). Compared with conventional finite element techniques, BEM is faster and more tolerant of meshimperfections. Overall, the GUI-based vehicle design tool will provide continuous performance feedback to the user throughout the design process, guiding the user through parameter trades and design space explorations. The end result will be robust vehicledesigns optimized for performance, efficiency, and survivability.