I have started a new public project that I need some help on to kickstart me into the FEA world.
I am trying to apply some FEA methods to an airship envelope.
This envelope is symmetrical front to back so I have only drawn the front half of the envelope and will use a symmetry plane (I used a 1/2 space geometry primitive in an effort to accomplish this).
The envelope is made out of 76 micron PET plastic film.
I would like to analyze envelope shape and stresses with 3.5x10-4 MPa gauge pressure inside it using air, helium and hydrogen as the internal gas (air at sea level STP will be the gas outside the envelope).
Ultimately, I am hoping that there will be a way to account for the shape and stresses in the fabric that takes into account the helium, hydrogen or hot air lift and even the weight of the fabric itself. I assume I will need to add a bridle over the envelope and attach the bridle to the ground somehow.
But first I just want to pressurize it with air to see the shape and stresses in it as just an inflated structure.
I have been able to create a mesh using default parameter values.
My simulation âRun 1â did not finish and I do not understand the error.
I am not even sure I have set the simulation up correctly.
Once I get a simulation to finish without error I will have more questions to accomplish my ultimate goals.
Any help would be appreciatedâŚ
Thanks,
Dale