This example demonstrates the thermal response of two masses connected by a conducting element. The two masses have the same heat capacity but different initial temperatures (T1=100 [degC], T2= 0 [degC]). The mass with the higher temperature will cool off while the mass with the lower temperature heats up. They will each asymptotically approach the calculated temperature T_final_K (T_final_degC) that results from dividing the total initial energy in the system by the sum of the heat capacities of each element.
Simulate for 5 s and plot the variables
mass1.T, mass2.T, T_final_K or
Tsensor1.T.signal, Tsensor2.T.signal, T_final_degC
This example was copied from an equivalent example of the corresponding sub-library of the Modelica standard library. However, the simulation results obtained are slightly different.
The reason is that the conductance model used by the standard library operates on a real resistor. Yet, this is not a realistic assumption. A resistor heats up. It generates additional entropy. This entropy needs to be routed back into the thermal circuit.
In an electrical circuit or in a mechanical system, it may make sense to ignore the heat generated by the resistors. However here, we operate already in the thermal domain. Hence ignoring the heat generated by the resistors makes no sense whatsoever.