While "hot" usually implies thermal expansion, it can also mean near-boiling scenarios (e.g., cooling systems or fire events). The software tracks (heat content). If water flashes to steam inside a crack, the volume expansion (1600x) acts like a hydraulic explosive, instantly propagating the crack.

For decades, simulating the precise moment a concrete dam develops a crack due to thermal shock and high-velocity water pressure has been a computational nightmare. Enter and its advanced "Crack Hot" modeling environment. This is not just a feature; it is a paradigm shift in how engineers predict failure.

: If the hydro-cracking process involves significant temperature changes (e.g., due to the use of heated fluids), FLOW-3D can also model heat transfer between the fluid, the rock, and the surroundings.

, this is modeled by coupling fluid flow with thermal stress evolution. Model Selection : Enable the Thermal Stress Evolution

If you’re dealing with — whether in metal solidification, high-temperature pipe flows, or thermal cycling — FLOW-3D HYDRO provides the essential thermal-fluid foundation. For crack initiation and growth, pair it with a structural solver. The software’s strength lies in capturing where and when the thermal-mechanical conditions for cracking arise.