Advantages of SVHeat 3D

The SVHeat automated geothermal modeling software package is not designed to be just another geothermal modeling package. It is specifically designed to bring geothermal modeling to "the next level". As such, it offers the following significant advantages over currently available geothermal modeling software packages:

• Automatic mesh generation - Fully automatic mesh generation is provided based on problem geometry. The automatic mesh generation allows for simulation of extremely complex problems drawn manually or imported from AutoCAD.
• Automatic mesh refinement - SVHeat is the only geothermal software package worldwide to provide automatic mesh refinement based on any problem variable. For example, mesh refinement can be set to respond to temperature, gradients in the x or y direction, conductivities in the x or y direction, etc.
• Fully Automatic Time-step Refinement - SVHeat also provides automatic time-step refinement for transient geothermal models. The time-step refinement provides an added degree of convergence stability in transient problems. Plots of program variables may be selected at any time-step irregardless of the time-step increment used to obtain a solution.
• Customizable Solutions - This unique feature allows experimental formulations to be tested with no programming effort. For more information on this feature, click here.
• Increased Solution Stability - The automatic mesh refinement present in SVHeat causes the mesh to be refined around critical zones of the solution mesh. There are two benefits of this refinement. (1) The user is able to determine the location of critical zones visually, and, (2) the ability of SVHeat to converge around these critical zones is better than conventional geothermal software. The solver used by SVHeat uses the Galerkin Integral method with a non-linear Newton-Raphson iteration technique with three types of pre-conditioning of the convergence matrix. The pre-conditioning of the convergence matrix significantly improves convergence stability over other software solutions.
• Modeling in the Unsaturated Zone - SVHeat is formulated to handle heat flow through the unsaturated (vadose) zone.
• Model Creation Method - SVHeat offers four specific advantages over other software solutions in the creation of models. 3D wireframes of grids and regions allow previewing of created model. The following four features allow the creation of extremely complex models quickly and efficiently:
• 1) Varying Grid Density - Models are created in SVHeat3D by stacking grids. Each grid may be of a different density. Grid densities of up to 12,000 points have been successfully implemented in SVHeat3D models. Grids may be imported from Surfer files.

• 2) Varying Grid Size - It is not a requirement in SVHeat3D that grids be the same size.

• 3) Pinching out of Grids - Pinching out of grids can be handled easily in SVHeat3D. Overlapping grids can also be handled by specifying which grid is the dominant grid. Grids can also be modified to allow a minimum thickness between grids.

• 4) Highly irregular problem definition - Regions are specified as cookie-cutter shapes extruded between surfaces. Regions may be any irregular shape and may be extruded between one or several surfaces.

• Problem Customization - Models set up by the front end are written in a scripting language (similar to MathCAD ™) prior to being solved by the solver. The models may be modified and/or prior to solution by end-users familiar with the mathematical language. Coupling of models may be performed as well as additional functions or problem variables defined.
• Internal Database Of Model Soil Properties - An internal database of soil properties (required for geothermal modeling) is maintained by the SVHeat software (separate from the SoilVision database). The user therefore has a choice with each new model to either enter new soil properties or pull soil properties from a previous problem.
• Metric and Imperial Units - All developed models may be built and viewed using metric or imperial units.
• Flexible Boundary Conditions - Free form equations may be input as boundary conditions.
• Database Driven - All created models are stored in a database. This allows the user to develop a database of models. Models are organized by project and model type for future reference. All previous models can be used as templates in the creation of future models. The database format is also ideal for multi-user environments. The database file may be installed on a server and multiple users may "plug in" to the same file. All model creation is therefore centralized and available to the entire company.
• Price advantage - SVHeat is designed as high-end geothermal modeling software while not breaking your budget! Email us for our current price list.