Moving Zones

Moving Zones
Introductory FLUENT Training
© 2007 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Introductory FLUENT Notes Fluent User Services Center
FLUENT v6.3 Oct. 2007 www.fluentusers.com
Outline
 Introduction and Overview of Modeling Approaches
 Single-Reference Frame (SRF) Model
 Multiple Zones and Multiple-Reference Frame Model (MRF)
 Mixing Plane Model (MPM)
 Sliding Mesh Model (SMM)
 Dynamic Mesh (DM) Model
 Summary
 Appendix
© 2007 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 11-2 ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary
Introduction
 Many engineering problems involve flows through domains which
contain translating or rotating components.
 Examples – Translational motion:
 Train moving in a tunnel, longitudinal sloshing of fluid in a tank, etc.
 Examples – Rotational motion:
 Flow though propellers, axial turbine blades, radial pump impellers, etc.
 There are two basic modeling approaches for moving domains:
 If the domain does not change shape as it moves (rigid motion), we can
solve the equations of fluid flow in a moving reference frame.
 Additional acceleration terms added to the momentum equations
 Solutions become steady with respect to the moving reference frame
 Can couple with stationary domains through interfaces
 If the domain changes shape (deforms) as it moves, we can solve the
equations using dynamic mesh (DM) techniques.
 Domain position and shape are functions of time.
 Solutions are inherently unsteady.
Moving Reference Frame vs. Dynamic Mesh

y
Moving Reference
Frame – Domain
moves with rotating
coordinate system
x
Domain
Dynamic Mesh –
Domain changes
shape as a function
of time
Overview of Modeling Approaches

 Single Reference Frame (SRF)
 Entire computational domain is referred to a moving reference frame
 Multiple Reference Frame (MRF)
 Selected regions of the domain are referred to moving reference frames
 Interaction effects are ignored  steady-state
 Mixing Plane (MPM)
 Influence of neighboring regions accounted for through use of a mixing plane model at
rotating/stationary domain interfaces
 Circumferential non-uniformities in the flow are ignored  steady-state
 Sliding Mesh (SMM)
 Motion of specific regions accounted for by a mesh motion algorithm
 Flow variables interpolated across a sliding interface
 Unsteady problem - can capture all interaction effects with complete fidelity, but more
computationally expensive than SRF, MRF, or MPM
 Dynamic Mesh (DM)
 Like sliding mesh, except that domains are allowed to move and deform with time
 Mesh deformation accounted for using spring analogy, remeshing, and mesh extrusion techniques
Outline
 Summary
 Appendix
Introduction to SRF Modeling

 SRF assumes a single fluid domain which rotates with a constant speed with respect to a specified axis.
 Why use a rotating reference frame?
 Flow field which is unsteady when viewed in a stationary frame can become steady when viewed in a rotating frame
 Steady-state problems are easier to solve...
 simpler BCs
 low computational cost
 easier to post-process and analyze
 NOTE: You may still have unsteadiness in the rotating frame due to turbulence, circumferentially non-uniform variations in flow, separation, etc.
 example: vortex shedding from fan blade trailing edge
 Wall boundaries must conform to the following requirements:
 Walls which move with the fluid domain may assume any shape
 Walls which are stationary (with respect to the fixed frame) must be surfaces of revolution
 Can employ rotationally-periodic boundaries for efficiency (reduced domain size)
Stationary Walls in SRF Models

baffle
stationary wall
rotor
Correct Wrong!
Wall with baffles not a surface
of revolution!
N-S Equations: Rotating Reference Frames

 Equations can be solved in absolute or rotating (relative) reference frame.
 Relative Velocity Formulation (RVF)
 Obtained by transforming the stationary frame N-S equations to a rotating
reference frame
 Uses the relative velocity and relative total internal energy as the dependent
variables
 Absolute Velocity Formulation (AVF) y
 Derived from the relative y
CFD domain
velocity formulation 
 Uses the absolute velocity r
 R
and absolute total internal ro
energy as the dependent rotating x
z
variables frame
 Rotational source terms appear 
stationary 
in momentum equations. z
frame
x axis of
rotation
 Refer to Appendix for a detailed listing of equations
The Velocity Triangle

 The relationship between the absolute and relative velocities is given by
  
V  W U

 the laws
In turbomachinery, this relationship can be illustrated using
 of vector
 addition. This is known as the Velocity Triangle
U   r

V  Absolute Velocity

W  Relative Velocity

W 
U

V
Comparison of Formulations
• Relative Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

  wx p
 
      
   W wx      vrx   2   W      r  ˆ
t x
Coriolis acceleration Centripetal acceleration
• Absolute Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

vx p
 
   
   Wv x      vx     V  ˆ
t x
Coriolis + Centripetal accelerations
SRF Set-up: Solver

 Solver Choice recommendations:
 Pressure Based – Incompressible, low-speed
(subsonic) compressible flows
 Density Based – High-speed (transonic,
supersonic) compressible flows
 Velocity Formulation recommendations:
 Use absolute velocity formulation (AVF)
when inflow comes from a stationary domain
 Use relative velocity formulation (RVF) with
closed domains (all surfaces are moving) or if
inflow comes from a rotating domain
 NOTE: RVF is only available in the
segregated solver
 Gradient Option
 Use Node-Based gradients for tet/hybrid meshes
 Use Least Squares gradients for polyhedral cells
SRF Set-up: Fluid BCs

 Use fluid BC panel to define
rotational axis origin and
direction vector for rotating
reference frame
 Direction vectors should be
unit vectors but Fluent will
normalize them if they aren’t
 Select Moving Reference Frame as
the Motion Type for SRF
 Enter Rotational Velocity
 Rotation direction defined by
right-hand rule
 Negative speed implies rotation
in opposite direction
SRF Set-up: Inlet/Outlet Boundaries

 Velocity Inlets:
 Absolute or relative velocities may be defined regardless of formulation.
 Pressure Inlet:
 Definition of total pressure depends on velocity formulation:
V 2
pt ,abs  p  incompressible, AVF
2
W 2
pt ,rel  p  incompressible, RVF
2
 Pressure Outlet:
 For axial flow problems with swirl at outlet, radial equilibrium assumption option
can be applied such that:
Specified pressure is hub pressure p 2
V
 

 Other BCs for SRF problems R outlet R

 Non-reflecting BCs
 Target mass flow outlet
Wall BCs
 For moving reference frames, you
can specify the wall motion in
either the absolute or relative
frames.
 Recommended specification of
wall BCs for all moving reference
frame problems…
 Activate “Moving Wall” option
 Set Rotation-Axis Origin and
Direction same as fluid zone
 For stationary surfaces (in the
absolute frame) use zero
Rotational speed, Absolute
 For moving surfaces, use zero
Rotational speed, Relative to
Adjacent Cell Zone
Solution Strategies for SRF Problems

 SRF problems may be more difficult to solve because of large flow
gradients resulting from the rotation of the fluid domain.
 May require a finer mesh to resolve steep gradients due to rotational effects.
 Some things to consider for troublesome cases:
 Make sure the mesh quality is good (max cell skewness < 0.9 – 0.95).
 Start problems using first order discretizations.
 Reduce underrelaxation factors / Courant numbers to enhance stability.
 Use FMG initialization for hard-to-start problems.
 Especially desirable for compressors, pumps, and similar applications .
 Consider running the problem as a transient calculation.
 Can provide more robust convergence versus the standard steady-state approach.
 Use first order discretization in time and about 2-3 time steps per iteration.
 Run until steady-state is achieved.
Outline
 Summary
 Appendix
Multiple Zone Modeling

 Many rotating machinery problems involve stationary components which cannot
be described by surfaces of revolution (SRF not valid).
 Systems like these can be solved by dividing the domain into multiple fluid
zones – some zones will be rotating, others stationary.
 The multiple zones communicate across one or more interfaces.
 The way in which the interface is treated leads to one of following approaches
for mutiple zones models:
 Multiple reference frame model (MRF)  Steady-state solution
 Simplified interface treatment - rotational interaction between reference frames is not
accounted for.
 Mixing plane model (MPM)  Steady-state solution
 Interaction between reference frames are approximated through circumferential
averaging at fluid zone interfaces (mixing planes).
 Sliding mesh model (SMM)  Unsteady solution
 Accurately models the relative motion between moving and stationary zones at the
expense of more CPU time (inherently unsteady).
Single Versus Multiple Component Modeling
interface
Single Component Multiple Component

(blower wheel blade passage) (blower wheel + casing)
Introduction to the MRF Model

 The computational domain is divided into stationary and rotating fluid zones.
 Interfaces separate zones from each other.
 Interfaces can be Conformal or Non-Conformal.
 Flow equations are solved in each fluid zone.

 Flow is assumed to be steady in each zone (clearly an approximation).
 SRF equations used in rotating zones.
 At the interfaces between the rotating and stationary zones, appropriate
transformations of the velocity vector and velocity gradients are performed

to compute fluxes of mass, momentum, energy, and other scalars.
 MRF ignores the relative motions of the zones with respect to each other.
 Does not account for fluid dynamic interaction between stationary and
rotating components.
 For this reason MRF is often referred to as the “frozen rotor” approach.
 Ideally, the flow at the MRF interfaces should be relatively uniform or “mixed
out.”
Interfaces in MRF Models

 Conformal interfaces
 An interior mesh surface separates cells
from adjacent fluid zones.
 Face mesh must be identical on either
side of the interface.
 Non-conformal interfaces
 Cells zones are physically disconnected
from each other.
 Interface consists of two overlapping
surfaces (type = interface)
 Fluent NCI algorithm passes fluxes Conformal interface
from on surface to the other in a
conservative fashion (i.e. mass,
momentum, energy fluxes are
conserved).
 User creates interfaces using
DefineGrid Interfaces…
 Interfaces may be periodic
 Require identical translational or
rotational offset.
Non-conformal interface
Interface Shapes
 Walls which are contained within the rotating fluid zone interfaces are
assumed to be moving with the fluid zones and may assume any shape.
 Stationary walls are permitted if they are surfaces of revolution.
 The interface between a the two zones must be a surface of revolution with
respect to the axis of rotation of the rotating zone.
 Periodic interfaces are permitted but the periodic angles (or offsets) must be
identical for all zones.
stationary zone
Consider a mixing rotating zone

impeller inside a
rectangular vessel:
- Problem can be
described with two
reference frames or
zones. Interface is not a
surface
or revolution
Correct Wrong!
Example of Rotationally Periodic Interface
Each zone has

same periodic
angle (40 deg)
periodic
non-conformal
interface
Centrifugal compressor stage
MRF Set-Up
 Generate mesh with appropriate stationary and rotating fluid zones
 Can choose conformal or non-conformal interfaces between cell zones
 For each rotating fluid zone
(Fluid BC), select Moving
Reference Frame as the Motion
Type and enter the rotational
speed.
 Identical to SRF except multiple zones
 Stationary zones remain with
Stationary option enabled
 Set up for other BCs and
Solver settings same as SRF
model.
Solution Strategies for MRF Problems

 Like SRF problems, MRF problems may be difficult to solve because of large
flow gradients resulting from the rotation of one or more fluid zones.
 Interactions between adjacent cell zones may need to use lower under-relaxations
than default.
 Some things to consider for troublesome cases:
 Make sure the mesh quality is good (max cell skewness < 0.9 – 0.95), particularly
in the vicinity of grid interfaces.
 Use FMG initialization.
 Can employ unsteady time-marching as a means of achieving a stable steady-state
solution.
 NOTE: MRF is a steady-state method - transient solutions are not meaningful!
 If MRF is producing unstable or unrealistic results, you may want to run the
case using the unsteady, sliding mesh model.
Outline
 Summary
 Appendix
Introduction to Mixing Plane Model (MPM)

 The MPM was originally implemented to accommodate rotor/stator
and impeller/vane flows in axial and centrifugal turbomachines.
 Can also be applied to a more general class of problems.
 Domain is comprised of multiple, single-passage, rotating and
stationary fluid zones
 Each zone is “self contained” with a inlet, outlet, wall, periodic BCs (i.e.
each zone is an SRF model).
 Steady-state SRF solutions are obtained in each domain, with the
domains linked by passing boundary conditions from one zone to
another.
 The BC “links” between the domains are called the mixing planes.
 BCs are passed as circumferentially averaged profiles of flow variables,
which are updated at each iteration.
 Profiles can be radial or axial.
 As the solution converges, the mixing plane boundary conditions will
adjust to the prevailing flow conditions.
MRF vs MPM
 MRF can be used only if we have equal
periodic angles for each row.
 Flow properties are passed locally along the
interface, which may lead to some unphysical
behavior.
 Odd blade numbers may require modeling the
entire (360 deg.) geometry in order to have equal
MRF
periodic angles for each blade row.
 The MPM requires only a single blade passage
per blade row regardless of the number of
blades.
 This is accomplished by mixing out (averaging)
the circumferential non-uniformities in the flow at
the mixing plane interface.
MPM
Mixing Plane Configurations

 A mixing plane is an interface that consists
of the outlet of an upstream domain and the
inlet to the adjacent downstream domain.
 The inlet/outlet boundaries must be assigned
BC types in one of the following
combinations:
 Pressure-Outlet / Pressure-Inlet
radial machines
 Pressure-Outlet / Velocity-Inlet
 Pressure-Outlet / Mass-Flow-Inlet
 The MPM has been implemented for both
axial and radial turbomachinery blade rows.
 For axial machines, radial profiles are used.
 For radial (centrifugal) machines, axial
profiles are used.
axial machines
MPM Setup
 Set fluid zones as Moving Reference
Frames and define zone velocities.
 Assign appropriate BC types to inlet-
outlet boundary pairs.
 Select upstream and downstream zones
which will comprise mixing plane pair.
 Set the number of points for profile
interpolation.
 Should be about the same axial/radial
resolution as the mesh.
Mixing Plane Geometry determines 1
  (r , )d

 z (r ) 
method of circumferential averaging.  p  p
 Choose Radial for axial flow machines.
1
 Choose Axial for radial flow machines.  r ( z) 
 p   ( z, )d
 Mixing plane controls  p
 Under-Relaxation - Profile changes are underrelaxed using factor between 0 and 1
Solution Strategies for Mixing Plane Models

 Because the mixing plane model involves modifying boundary
conditions at the mixing plane interface, rapid changes in flow
conditions at the mixing plane may cause convergence difficulties.
 Try reducing the mixing plane under-relaxation factor to 0.1 - 0.5 to help
stabilize the solution.
 Some other things to consider for troublesome cases
 Make sure the mesh quality is good (max cell skewness < 0.9 – 0.95).
 Use FMG initialization for hard-to-start problems.
 FMG initialization is compatible with the mixing plane model.
 Reduce under-relaxation factors and/or Courant numbers.
 Run you case with fixed BCs for some interations, then enable the mixing
planes.
Outline
 Summary
 Appendix
Introduction to Sliding Mesh Model (SMM)

 The relative motion of stationary and rotating components in a turbo-
machine will give rise to unsteady interactions. These interactions are
generally classified as follows:
 Potential interactions Shock potential
(pressure wave interactions) interaction interaction
 Wake interactions
 Shock interactions
 Both MRF and MPM neglect
unsteady interaction entirely and
thus are limited to flows where stator
these effects are weak. rotor
 If unsteady interaction can not be wake interaction

neglected, we can employ the Sliding
Mesh Model to account for the relative motions of the stationary and
rotating components.
How the Sliding Mesh Model Works

 Like the MRF model, the domain is divided into moving and stationary zones,
separated by non-conformal interfaces.
 Unlike the MRF model, each moving zone’s mesh will be updated as a function
of time, thus making the mathematical problem inherently unsteady.
moving mesh zone
cells at time t cells at time t+t

 Another difference with MRF is that the governing equations have a new moving
mesh form, and are solved in the stationary reference frame for absolute
quantities (see Appendix for more details).
 Moving reference frame formulation is NOT used here (i.e. no Coriolis, centripetal
accelerations).
 Equations are a special case of the general moving/deforming mesh formulation.
 Assumes rigid mesh motion and sliding, non-conformal interfaces.
Sliding Interfaces
 Sliding interfaces must follow the same rules as MRF problems:
 Any translation of the interface cannot be normal to itself.
 The interface between a rotating zone and an adjacent
stationary/rotating zone must be a surface of revolution with respect to
the axis of rotation of the rotating subdomain.
 Many failures of sliding mesh models can be traced to interface time t = 0
geometries which become disconnected as the mesh is moved!
 Sliding interfaces can be partially-overlapping.
 Can either be: t + t
 Periodic
 Walls Elliptic interface
 If periodic, boundary is not a surface of
revolution.
zones must also be
periodic and have identical offsets.
Sliding Mesh Setup

 Enable unsteady solver.
 Define sliding zones as Interface
BC types.
 For moving zones, select Moving
Mesh as Motion Type in Fluid BC
panel.
 For each interface zone pair,
create a non-conformal interface
 Enable Periodic option if
sliding/rotating motion is
periodic.
 Enable Coupled for conjugate heat
transfer.
 Other BCs are same as SRF, MRF
models.
Solution Strategies for SMM Problems

 Choose appropriate Time Step Size and Max
Iterations Per Time step to ensure good
convergence with each time step.
 Time Step Size should be no larger than the time it
takes for a moving cell to advance past a stationary
point:
s s = average cell size

t 
R R= characteristic velocity of
the moving zone (R = mean
 Advance the solutionradius
until ofthe
interface surface)
flow becomes time-
periodic (pressures, velocities, etc., oscillate with
a repeating time variation).
 Usually requires several revolutions of the
grid.
 Good initial conditions can reduce the time
needed to achieve time-periodicity.
Outline
 Summary
 Appendix
What is the Dynamic Mesh (DM) Model?

 A method by which the solver (FLUENT) can be instructed to move
boundaries and/or objects, and to adjust the mesh accordingly.
 Examples:
 Automotive piston
moving inside a
cylinder
 A flap moving on
an airplane wing
 A valve opening
and closing
 An artery
expanding and
contracting
Volumetric fuel pump
Dynamic Mesh (DM) Model: Features

 Internal node positions are automatically calculated based on user specified
boundary/object motion, cell type, and meshing schemes
 Spring analogy (smoothing)
 Local remeshing
 Layering
 2.5 D
 User defined mesh motion
 Boundaries/Objects motion can be moved based on:
 In-cylinder motion (RPM, stroke length, crank angle, …)
 Prescribed motion via profiles or UDF
 Coupled motion based on hydrodynamic forces from the flow solution, via
FLUENT’s 6 DOF model.
 Different mesh motion schemes may be used for different zones. Connectivity
between adjacent zones may be non-conformal.
Spring Analogy (Spring Smoothing)

 The nodes move as if connected via
springs, or as if they were part of a
sponge.
 Connectivity remains unchanged;
 Limited to relatively small
deformations when used as a stand-
alone meshing scheme.
 Available for tri and tet meshes;
 May be used with quad, hex and wedge
mesh element types, but that requires a
special command.
Local Remeshing
 As user-specified skewness and
size limits are exceeded, local
nodes and cells are added or
deleted.
 As cells are added or deleted,
connectivity changes.
 Available only for tri and tet
mesh elements.
 The animation also shows
smoothing (which one typically
uses together with remeshing).
Layering
 Cells are added or deleted as
the zone grows and shrinks.
 As cells are added or deleted,
connectivity changes.
 Available for quad, hex and
wedge mesh elements.
Combination of Approaches
 Initial mesh needs
proper decomposition;
 Layering:
 Valve travel region;
 Lower cylinder
region.
 Remeshing:
 Upper cylinder
region.
 Non-conformal
interface between
zones.
Dynamic Mesh Setup

 Enable unsteady solver.
 Enable Dynamic Mesh model in
DefineDynamic Mesh.
 Activate desired Mesh Methods
and set parameters as appropriate.
 Define boundary motion in the
Dynamic Mesh Zones GUI.
 UDF may be required.
 Other models, BCs, and solver
settings are same as SRF, MRF
models.
 Mesh motion can be previewed
using SolveMesh Motion
utility.
 Fluent will identify mesh quality
problems if they occur during the
preview.
Other Dynamic Mesh Options

 2.5 D Mesh Motion
 Special remeshing approach for extruded geometries.
 Permits tri mesh to be extruded as wedge elements through volume.
 Advantage – can handle small gaps better than tet elements.
 User-Defined Mesh Motion
 Mesh motion controlled through a UDF.
 No change in mesh topology can occur.
 Advantage – can provide for general mesh motions not possible with spring analogy,
remeshing, or layer approaches.
 6 DOF Model
 Permits moving mesh surfaces to represent moving objects with defined mass, moments of
inertia.
 Motions of surfaces respond to pressures ans stresses computed by the CFD solution.
 Gravitational and other forces can be added to force balance.
 Additional information on these options are provided in the Appendix and the User’s
Guide.
Outline
 Multiple Zones and Multiple-Reference Frame (MRF) Model
 Dynamic (Moving and Deforming) Mesh Model
 Summary
 Appendix
Summary
 Five different approaches may be used to model flows over moving
parts.
 Single (Rotating) Reference Frame Model
 Multiple Reference Frame Model
 Mixing Plane Model
 Sliding Mesh Model
 Dynamic Mesh Model
 First three methods are primarily steady-state approaches while sliding
mesh and dynamic mesh are inherently unsteady.
 Enabling these models, involves in part, changing the stationary fluid
zones to either Moving Reference Frame or Moving Mesh.
 Most physical models are compatible with moving reference frames or
moving meshes (e.g. multiphase, combustion, heat transfer, etc.)
 Follow best practice guidelines provided in the previous slides.
Appendix
 Navier-Stokes equations for moving reference frames
 Relative Velocity Formulation
 Absolution Velocity Formulation
 Navier-Stokes equations for moving mesh problems
N-S Equations: Rotating Reference Frame

 Two different formulations are used in Fluent
 Relative Velocity Formulation (RVF)
 Obtained by transforming the stationary frame N-S equations to a rotating reference
frame
 Uses the relative velocity as the dependent variable in the momentum equations
 Uses the relative total internal energy as the dependent variable in the energy
equation
 Absolute Velocity Formulation (AVF)
 Derived from the relative velocity formulation
 Uses the absolute velocity as the dependent variable in the momentum equations
 Uses the absolute total internal energy as the dependent variable in the energy
equation
 NOTE: RVF and AVF are equivalent forms of the N-S equations!
 Identical solutions should be obtained from either formulation with equivalent
boundary conditions
Reference Frames
y
y
CFD domain

r
 R
ro
rotating
x
z frame
stationary 
frame 
z x axis of
rotation
Note: R is perpendicular
to axis of rotation
Assumptions and Definitions

 Assumptions

 No translation ( dro / dt  0 )
 Steady rotation (constant) about specified axis
 axis passes through origin of rotating frame
 Ignore body forces due to gravity and other effects (for the
equations shown)
 Ignore energy sources (for the equations shown)
 Definitions

 Absolute velocity ( V ) - Fluid velocity with respect to the stationary
(absolute) reference frame

 Relative velocity (W ) - Fluid velocity with respect to the rotating
reference frame
 3-D compressible, laminar forms of the equations presented in
the following slides (other forms are similar)
Relative Velocity Formulation

 

t 
 d   W  nˆ dS  0
S
(Continuity)
   

t 
W d   ( W  W  p   vr )  nˆdS
S

 
    
  Fb   2  W    (  r ) d  (Momentum)

    

t 
etr d   ( Wetr  pW   vr  W  q )  nˆdS
S
 
  ( Fb  W  Q g )d (Energy)

Relative Velocity Formulation (2)
etr  e 
2

1 2
W U 2  (Relative total internal energy)
 
    
 T 2 

 vr   W  W   W (Viscous stress)
 3 
 (Fourier’s Law)
q   kT
  Control Volume
S  Boundary Surface of Control Volume

Fb  Body Forces
Q  Heat Generation Source Term
g
RVF Accelerations Due to Rotating Frame
    
  2  W    (  r ) 
Coriolis centrifugal
acceleration acceleration
Rothalpy
 Consider steady, adiabatic, inviscid flow within a flow passage in a
rotating reference frame. The energy equation reduces to:
 
  
 W etr  p W  nˆ dS   W htr  nˆ dS  0
S S
 e   W 2  U 2 
p p 1
htr  etr 
  2
 The quantity htr is known as the rothalpy.

 From the above, it is seems that rothalpy is conserved for steady,
inviscid flow in a rotating frame.
 Rothalpy is also conserved for viscous flows if the flow passage walls are
moving with the rotating frame (such that the relative velocity is zero on
the rotating wall).
Absolute Velocity Formulation

 

t 
 d   W  nˆ dS  0
S
(Continuity)
   

t 
V d   ( W  V  p   v )  nˆdS
S

 
    
  Fb     W    (  r ) d  (Momentum)

    

t 
et d   ( Wet  pV   v V  q )  nˆdS
S
 
  ( Fb V  Q g )d (Energy)

Absolute Velocity Formulation (2)

1
et  e  V 2 (Relative total internal energy)
2
 
    
T 2 

v   V  V   V (Viscous stress)
 3 
 (Fourier’s Law)
q   k T
  Control Volume
S  Boundary Surface of Control Volume

Fb  Body Forces
Q  Heat Generation Source Term
g
AVF Accelerations Due to Rotating Frame
    

 
    W    (  r )     V  
Acceleration reduces to single term involving

rotational speed and absolute velocity
Velocity Formulation Recommendations

 Use AVF when inflow comes from a stationary domain
 Absolute total pressure or absolute velocities are usually known in this case
 Example: Flow in a ducted fan system, where inlet is a stationary duct
 Use RVF with closed domains (all surfaces are moving) or if inflow comes
from a rotating domain
 Relative total pressure or relative velocities are usually known in this case
 Example: Swirling flow in a disk cavity
 As noted previously, RVF and AVF are equivalent, and therefore either can be
used successfully for most problems
 Discrepancies on the same mesh can occur if the magnitude of absolute velocity
gradients are very different than magnitude of the relative velocity gradients
 Differences between solutions should disappear with suitable mesh refinement
Scalar Equations in a Moving Reference Frame

 General form for a scalar transport equation referred to a moving
frame can be written as follows:

 


t 
 d   W  D  nˆdS   S d
S 
  Scalar variable
D  Diffusion coefficient
S  Source term
 Equation shows that scalars are convected along relative streamlines.
 Gradients, source terms are defined with respect to the moving control volume.
 Examples: turbulence model equation, species conservation equations, etc.
N-S Equations: Moving Mesh Form

 The sliding mesh (aka moving mesh) and the dynamic mesh
formulations assume that the computational domain moves relative to
the stationary frame.
 No reference frame is attached to the computational domain.
 The motion of any point in the domain is given by a time rate of

change of the position vector (r ).

 r is also known as the grid speed
 For rigid body rotation at constant speed
   
r   r  U
 Equations will be presented in integral form.
Moving Mesh Illustration

y Moving CFD domain
stationary
frame

r (t  Δt)

r (t )
z  x

axis of
rotation
N-S Equations: Moving Mesh (1)

d  

dt 
 d    (V  U )  nˆ dS  0
S
(Continuity)
d

dt 

 
  

 V d    V  U  V  p    v  nˆ dS
S
 (Momentum)

  Fb d

d

dt 
 

  
 et d    V  U et  pV   v V  q  nˆ dS 
S
 
  ( Fb V  Q g )d (Energy)

N-S Equations: Moving Mesh (2)

 In the foregoing equations,  and S are the volume and boundary
surface of a moving control volume, respectively.
 For the sliding mesh model,  remains constant since the mesh is not
deforming.
 For the moving/deforming mesh model,  =  (t), and is determined
using the geometric conservation law (GCL):
d 
  U  nˆ dS
dt S
 The time derivative (d/dt) represents differentiation with respect to

time following the moving control volume.
 All spatial gradients are computed with respect to the stationary frame.
The 2.5 D Model

 The 2.5D mesh essentially is a
2D triangular mesh which is
extruded along the normal axis of
the specific dynamic zone that
you are interested in modeling.
 Rigid body motion is applied to
the moving boundary zones.
 Triangular extrusion surface is
assigned to a deforming zone
with remeshing and smoothing
enabled.
 The opposite side of the
triangular mesh is extruded and
assigned to be a deforming zone
as well, with only smoothing
enabled.
User Defined Mesh Motion

 Mesh motion is defined
by the user through a User
Defined Function (UDF).
 No connectivity change is
allowed if using UDF to
move the mesh.
 Useful applications
include:
 Vane pumps
 Gerotor pumps
 Bearing
 Rotary compressors
6 DOF Coupled Motion

 Objects move as a result of aerodynamic forces and moments acting
together with other forces, such as the gravity force, thrust forces, or
ejector forces (i.e., forces used to initially push objects away from an
airplane or rocket, to avoid collisions).
 In such cases, the motion and the flow field are thus coupled, and we call
this coupled motion.
 Fluent provides a UDF (user-defined function) that computes the
trajectory of an object based on the aerodynamic forces/moments,
gravitational force, and ejector forces. This is often called a 6-DOF
(degree-of-freedom) solver , and we refer to it as the 6-DOF UDF.
 The 6-DOF UDF is fully parallelized.
6 DOF Coupled Motion (cont’d)

 Store dropped from a
delta wing (NACA
64A010) at Mach 1.2.
 Ejector forces
dominate for a short
time.
 All-tet mesh.
 Smoothing -
remeshing with size
function.
 Fluent results agree
well with wind tunnel
results!

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Introductory FLUENT Training

© 2007 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Moving Reference Frame vs. Dynamic Mesh

Overview of Modeling Approaches

Introduction to SRF Modeling

Stationary Walls in SRF Models

N-S Equations: Rotating Reference Frames

The Velocity Triangle

• Relative Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

• Absolute Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

SRF Set-up: Solver

SRF Set-up: Fluid BCs

SRF Set-up: Inlet/Outlet Boundaries

 Other BCs for SRF problems R outlet R

Solution Strategies for SRF Problems

Multiple Zone Modeling

Single Versus Multiple Component Modeling

Single Component Multiple Component

Introduction to the MRF Model

 Interfaces can be Conformal or Non-Conformal.

 Flow equations are solved in each fluid zone.

 SRF equations used in rotating zones.

 At the interfaces between the rotating and stationary zones, appropriate

transformations of the velocity vector and velocity gradients are performed

Interfaces in MRF Models

Consider a mixing rotating zone

Example of Rotationally Periodic Interface

Each zone has

Centrifugal compressor stage

Solution Strategies for MRF Problems

Introduction to Mixing Plane Model (MPM)

Mixing Plane Configurations

 Under-Relaxation - Profile changes are underrelaxed using factor between 0 and 1

Solution Strategies for Mixing Plane Models

Introduction to Sliding Mesh Model (SMM)

 If unsteady interaction can not be wake interaction

How the Sliding Mesh Model Works

moving mesh zone

cells at time t cells at time t+t

Sliding Mesh Setup

Solution Strategies for SMM Problems

s s = average cell size

needed to achieve time-periodicity.

What is the Dynamic Mesh (DM) Model?

Dynamic Mesh (DM) Model: Features

Spring Analogy (Spring Smoothing)

Dynamic Mesh Setup

Other Dynamic Mesh Options

N-S Equations: Rotating Reference Frame

Assumptions and Definitions

Relative Velocity Formulation

Relative Velocity Formulation (2)

RVF Accelerations Due to Rotating Frame

 The quantity htr is known as the rothalpy.

Absolute Velocity Formulation

Absolute Velocity Formulation (2)

AVF Accelerations Due to Rotating Frame

Acceleration reduces to single term involving