FAQ - frequently asked questions

• How to find and where to get the complete user documentation? Can it be downloaded?

  Complete user documentation is provided electronically and can be viewed by following means:

  • directly within the program by choosing Main menü->Help->Help ; or
  • by pressing the F1-Key on the Keyboard. This functionality is provided for each application window; or
  • from the windows start menu. Therein choose "All programs->AnTherm" to get further option to open program documentation, tutorial and so on.

  The documentation browser (MS Help Viewer) can show table of contents, provides search and index search. There is also possibility to page forward and backwards sequentially through the documentation. The usage of the documentation browser shall be very intuitive and easy. There is also exhaustive documentation for this browser which can be reached via the menu "Help on Help".

  Separate documentation pages can be also printed. Printing of the whole documentation is currently not supported nor allowed by the copyright and the license terms.
  By choosing this (electronic) solution we are able to provide the most current documentation content to the user.

  Up to date online version can be found at http://help.antherm.eu/ .
   

• How much RAM memory does the software need?

  We recommend having 1 Gigabyte RAM or more installed, to be able to efficiently use versatile abilities of evaluation. We explicitly dissuade you from extensive use of virtual memory (paging file, swap-space).

  Memory requirements of AnTherm will double with VAPOR-option active (i.e. when AnTherm calculates the vapour diffusion solution and such results are included in the evaluation also)
  See also: System requirements
   

• Which operating systems can AnTherm be used on?

  AnTherm has been tested on various configuration of Windows-XP Professional, Windows Vista 32bit and 64bit, Windows 7 32bit and 64bit. It shall also properly execute on MS Windows XP Home, Windows NT 4.0SP6, Windows 2000 with possible limitations .
  Microsoft .NET must be installed prior to installing AnTherm.
  This software cannot be used nor installed on Windows ME, Windows 98 or older.
  See also: System requirements
   

• Why it is only possible to show and enter rectangular elements?
  How to deal with sloped boundaries?

  In this version you you use the part of the application which does only support input of rectangular or cubic elements. Boundaries of these elements must be parallel to coordinate axes. The limitation to work only with rectangles or cubes originates in the computational algorithms used.
  It is intended to provide sloped or curved input processing in some future version of the program. This future software component will dissolve such sloped boundaries into stepped lines.

  Currently you cannot process sloped or curved lines directly. To support the input of constructions with slopes or curvatures however, you must resolve such figures into stepped lines by turning to functionalities of typical CAD-programs. In such case you create DXF files which can be then imported via the CAD interface of AnTherm.
   
• Modelling the construction component and Element Types

  Modelling of the construction component is done by input of elements. Boundaries created by intersections of such model elements are automatically created.

  Initial modelling space is filled with adiabatic condition. This initial condition is equivalent to an “Empty” element type of infinite dimensions. “Empty” elements can be also used to create additional adiabatic boundaries if required later in the resulting model. Intersection of material elements of a component results in creation of adiabatic boundaries thus no heat flow is possible through such boundary (for vapour diffusion an “Empty” means no vapour diffusion at the boundary at all).

  Modelling of thermal boundaries is done by placing “Space” type elements. Different spaces are distinguished by their names (text like “exterior”, “interior”, “room A” or “Bathroom”, “Loggia” etc.). Intersections of material elements with spaces create a surface boundary described by its thermal transfer coefficient and respective space name. Later on (during evaluation) spaces are assigned to real boundary conditions – in steady state case represented by the air temperature of that space (relative humidity is used also during vapour diffusion simulation). Varying of thermal transfer coefficient is done by entry of multiple space element with different surface property but still assigned the same space name (later assigned to temperature).

  Modelling the constructions themselves is done with “Material” elements described in terms of heat conductivity (vapour diffusion number µ is also used for vapour diffusion calculation). Intersection of material elements creates material boundaries. Intersection of material with space creates surface boundaries. Intersection of material with empty creates adiabatic boundary.

  There is also a term of “Power Source” elements defining extents producing or consuming heat (sources or sinks). Heat sources can only be applied to material thus telling that these regions produce/consume power. Different power sources are distinguished by their names (text like “heating coating”, “floor heating”, etc.). The interior of “Power Source” elements overlapping material create power source areas. Power sources are in that case different from other element types in that they overlap materials only, but they can still be overlapped by any other element type. Later on (during evaluation) power sources are assigned to real boundary conditions – in steady state (stationary) case represented by power density.
  
  

• How to Undo mistaken editing?
  Can undone action be redone?

  AnTherm keeps track of the editing sequence up to 1000 editing actions which can be easily undone to revert to the input state valid prior to the respective action.
  Actions Undone recently can be redone in the same order.
  Regardless of this powerful ability of the program you shall save your project data regularly.
   

• How to model decreasing transfer coefficient at corners?

  In the area of decreased transfer coefficient apply additional space element assigned to the same space name but with different surface property. Same applies at areas of increased transfer surfaces.

  Currently there is no means of automatically generate such areas.
  Best and easiest method is to copy the space of the required name, reduce its extents to the area of interest and apply the changed transfer coefficient to it (eventually also changing the name given to the surface) – but still keeping the space name unchanged.
  
  

• How to create adiabatic boundary?

  Initially, modelling space is automatically filled with adiabatic medium, thus any material element is placed within adiabatic boundary conditions at first. By entering space type elements you apply thermal conditions at intersections with materials. Use power source elements to mark areas of heat source/sink over materials.

  Placing “empty” elements creates adiabatic boundary at intersections with materials.
  
  

• Can AnTherm show heat stream lines?

  Yes. One can define a starting point from which the heat flow will be traced and shown as a stream line. Detailed description of this function can be found in chapters Results 3D and Stream lines.

  In 2-dimensional cases in particular multiple heat streamlines can be shown simultaneously.

  Important: Showing vector fields requires the calculation of the particular secondary function being turned on. Please check the state of the switch "secondary function" within the "General" tab and the name of the vector function chosen for evaluation also.
  If the respective function is not shown please check the application setting "Which Secondary Functions" if the right one is active also.
   

• How to show multiple heat streamlines in equidistant intervals of the heat stream from one space boundary in 2D case?

  Such an evaluation is only possible for 2D projects (actually for all such projects in which the construction is homogenous in the Z-directions and without space boundaries in this direction). You will be notified that such evaluation is possible or not within the control tab „Streamline“ of the Results 3D window. If the option „Start at: Space“ is disabled then this specific evaluation is not available in the context of supplied computational results of the calculated model.

  Because multiple streamlines will be drawn from (or in 2D case onto) the Z slice plane, this slice plane must be active (and also visible). Following recommended setting combination cab be used for quick initial display:

  • General: Perspective OFF (because only 2D), Bounding box OFF
  • Model: Model active OFF, Model slices: active OFF (later you can vary the visibility of model slices by varying Slice-Z, Streamline-Tube-Radius and Colour)
  • Surface: Surface active OFF (otherwise the interior, incl. streamlines, is obscured!), Edges OFF, Slice-Edges ON (or OFF), Slice Edges Colouring ON/BLACK/WHITE (up to your favour)
  • Slice X Active OFF (alls slices only needed for the streamline from the cross point of Slices X/Y/Z, otherwise only disturbing cross lines shown)
  • Slice Y Active OFF (see above)
  • Slice Z Active ON, Value 500; Opaque ON, Solid ON, Colouring ON (you can later vary Opaque/Solid/Coloured; Value need not be 500 - does not matter on Z-homogenous/2D-Modell)
  • Isolines OFF (later can try the combination of isolines and streamlines resulting in very interesting pictures)
  • Labels n/a (does not matter)
  • Isosurface OFF
  • Streamlines Active ON, ev. Tuberadius=0 (to save memory), Start-At SPACE, Opaque ON, Solid ON, Colouring WHITE
  • Colormap OFF (actually don't care)
  • Probe OFF
  • Axes OFF (actually don't care)
  • 3D: View from TOP (right-middle box button) Perspective OFF (button not sunken)

  Now, within the tab "Streamline" you can choose the space boundary by its name and the number of intervals It is recommended to turn t