An integrated design, analysis, and CFD solution from SolidWorks/Cosmos helped Henry Technologies make its refrigeration/AC component design flow more smoothly

Though important, time to market is not the most critical factor for companies that make components for the commercial refrigeration and air conditioning (AC) markets. Failsafe reliability is. If a pressure relief valve doesn’t work as it’s supposed to for any refrigeration or air conditioning system, the failure could lead to a dangerously over pressurized system. This could result in injury to personnel and damage that could cost tens of thousands of pounds.

CFD analysis of pressure relief valve.

“This industry is very intolerant of equipment problems,” said David Perston, design and applications engineer at the Glasgow, Scotland offices of AC and refrigeration component manufacturer Henry Technologies. “Components have to be able to function correctly and last for many years. So potential bugs need to be identified and fixed during product development. This is especially true because we deal in high volumes.”

Realising it needed more precise analysis of its products to ensure dependability and longevity, the company standardised on SolidWorks 3D CAD and Cosmos design validation software.

One file, many uses

Headquartered in Beloit, Wis., Henry Technologies has subsidiaries in Canada, Germany, and Scotland, and sells products in 45 countries, including Russia, South Africa, India, and Israel. Its refrigeration valve components ensure refrigeration units in Wal-Mart, Tesco, Morrisons, and other major supermarkets around the world run smoothly and safely. Its oil separators, level regulators, and other oil management components keep industrial AC units humming.

Deploying SolidWorks, CosmosWorks, and CosmosFloWorks provided engineers with integrated design and analysis, solving the time and complexity challenges they previously encountered while working in separate applications. “We now have a seamless workflow from CAD to analysis,” said Perston. “We use one model for design, FEA [Finite Element Analysis], and CFD [Computational Fluid Dynamics]. That means we have data integrity which also means design accuracy.”

Dependable development

Pressure relief valve designed by Henry Technologies.

CosmosFloWorks gave Henry Technologies the in-depth CFD capabilities its engineers didn’t have before. It lets engineers study how refrigerant flows through a valve assembly and determine how best to maximise performance. They can measure cross-sectional areas in an assembly to ensure optimal aerodynamics.

“We can now interrogate the models much more easily, and in more detail,” said Perston. “That precision helps us design better products that have longer lifecycles and more reliability. It also helps us get the design right the first time, so we can reduce prototyping time and costs. FEA has enabled us to design products for higher pressures while retaining the level of safety expected of our equipment without resorting to expensive prototyping.”

SolidWorks produces high-quality models that the company uses in its product catalog and marketing materials. Henry Technologies supplies solid models to customers to allow them to quickly design their systems. The software also generates accurate 2D drawings used for manufacturing processes locally and abroad.

“Innovation occurs more easily because we don’t have to spend the same amount of time we used to working in different design and analysis applications,” said Perston. “We focus more of our time on finding new solutions to challenges to make sure our products make our customer’s products work better.”

www.solidworks.com