4/29/2010

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS METHODS OF INVESTIGATION

•Computational
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is one of the EXPERIMENTAL METHOD:
branch of Engineering ,Finding numerical solutions Understanding fluid behavior using laboratory models
of governing equations, using high-
high-speed digital and experiments. Important for validating theoretical
computers.
computers. solutions.Example:Water tanks, wind tunnels.
THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION:
CFD simulations used to model fluid flows over a
•CFD • “A theory is something nobody
wide range of physical scales.
scales. The fundamental of believes except the person proposing
the CFD simulation is the conservation of equations.
equations. the theory and an experiment is
something everybody believes except
the person doing the experiment”
•
• --ALBERT EINSTEIN
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 1 Satish Kumar, Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 2

MATHEMATICAL MODELING
METHODS OF INVESTIGATION
• Experimental investigation:
– full scale • Mathematical representation of a real system
• expensive and often impossible with certain assumptions
• measurement errors
– on a small scale model
• simplified • A model has a clear purpose to solve a
• difficult to extrapolate results particular problem
• measurement errors
• Theoretical calculation:
• It is based on certain conservation principle to
– analytical solutions
• exist only for a few cases satisfy the physics of the problem
• sometimes complex
• for almost any problem • A model is a simplification of a real problem
which is very complex
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 3 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 4

SIMULATION
MODELING VS EXPERIMENTATION
• The process of predicting the situations • Advantages of modeling:
that have not yet been observed because – cheaper
they do not yet exist
– more complete information
– can handle any degree of complexity as long
• Mathematical models are the tools used in as…
simulation • Disadvantages of modeling:
– deals with a mathematical description not with
• Accuracy of predictions depend on the reality
amount of assumptions made in the – multiple solutions can exist
models
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 5 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 6

1
 4/29/2010

CFD METHODOLOGY
LAGRANGIAN VS. EULERIAN DESCRIPTION
In the Lagrangians description
considering the individual particle
history.

In the Eulerian description

considering the fluid stream line
at a spatial point.

Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 7 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 8

How Does a Commercial CFD code work

All codes contain three main elements PRE-PROCESSOR
i) Pre-processor
• Definition of the geometry of the region of interest GEOMETRY GENERATION
• Grid Generation (mesh generation): Sub division of domain into a number of
smaller sub domains (grid/ cells/ control volumes)
• Specification of appropriate boundary conditions
ii) Solver
• Integration of the governing eqns. of fluid flow over all the control volumes of
MESH GENERATION
the domain
• Discretisation- conversion of the resulting integral eqns. Into a system of
algebraic equations
• Solution of the algebraic equations by an iterative method
iii) Post processor
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering
• Domain geometry and grid display. Meshing of the single blade
Department,Thapar University,Patiala
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 9 10
• Vector, contour plots and other plots to visualize the results

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
• FOR FLUID FIELD AT THE WALL FOR TEMPRATURE FIELD
No slip conditions 1.Drichlet Conditions (First Kind)
The values of the dependent variables are specified at the
•Inlet condition boundaries. Boundary conditions of the first kind can be
• Outlet condition, expressed as:
• Pressure and velocity B.C.: T = f(t) or at x=0 t>0
• Rotation about the axis direction B.C.: T=T2 at X=L
• Amount of mass flow at inlet and out let Initial Conditions
T=f(x) at t=0 0≤x≤L
T=To

Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 11 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 12

2
 4/29/2010

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS SOLVER

2.Neumann Conditions (Second Kind) There are three methods using for discretizing a given
The derivative of the dependent variable is given as differential equation,
a constant or as a function of the independent • Finite Difference Method
variable on one boundary. • Finite Volume Method
• Finite Element Method
δT/δx =0 at x=L and t ≥ 0
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
3.Robbins Conditions (Third Kind)
In this type of boundary condition, the derivative of 1.Introduced by Euler in the 18th century.
2.Governing equations in differential form
domain with grid

the dependent variable is given as a function of the replacing the partial derivatives by approximations in terms
dependent variable on the boundary. of node values of the functions
one algebraic equation
per grid node
linear algebraic equation system.
k δT/δx=h(T-T∞) at x=0 3.Applied to structured grids
- k δT/δx=h(T-T∞) at x=1
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 13 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 14

FINITE VOLUME METHOD POST-PROCESSOR

A post-processor, which is used to massage the data and
1.Governing equations in integral form
solution show the results in graphical and easy to read format.
domain is subdivided into a finite number of
contiguous control volumes
conservation
equation applied to each CV.
2. Computational node locates at the centroid of
each CV.
3. Applied to any type of grids, especially complex
geometries

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

1. Similar to FV
2. Equations are multiplied by a weight function Path lines across a car
before integrated over the entire domain. Path lines across a missile
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 15 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 16

Temperature distribution during combustion

of liquid Mixing of fuel and air in a premixed
gas burner
Centrifugal Blower
Path lines through the modified pump

Temperature and flow distribution in a

burner Centrifugal Fan CAD geometry of the water pump stage
Temperature distribution in Utility
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 17 Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 18
boiler

3
 4/29/2010

AERONAUTICS INTERIOR COMFORT

Room air flow

Flow pathlines in a refrigerator

Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 19

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION AND VELOCITY VECTORS IN CASING

PROCESS ENGINEERING

Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala

22

AUTOMOTIVE AERODYNAMICS IMAGES OF TURBULENT FLOWS

Incompressible turbulent boundary

layer Turbulent flow

Simulation of turbulent flow coming out of a tailpipe

4
 4/29/2010

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE TURBULENT FLOW Instantaneous stream wise velocity Instantaneous vertical velocity
component component
AROUND AN ROTOR BLADE SEGMENT

Computational mesh for solving the Perspective view of predicted

discretized Navier-Stokes equations streamlines over the suction side

+ +

Time series

u x or u y
time

Commercial CFD Packages: FLUENT

Velocity contours behind one turbine show the wake
effect on a second, smaller turbine
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering
27
Department,Thapar University,Patiala
CFX, FLUENT, PHOENICS, Preprocessor : Gambit
(Based on Finite Volume
approach) Solver/ post processor
: Fluent
•Modeling Basic Fluid Flow, Heat Transfer and Turbulence
•Modeling Flows in Moving and Deforming Zones
•Introduction to Modeling Species Transport and Reacting Flows: (Species
Transport and Finite-Rate Chemistry, Non-Premixed Combustion ,Premixed
Combustion, Partially Premixed Combustion ,Modeling Pollutant Formation)
•Predicting Aerodynamically Generated Noise
•Introduction to Modeling Multiphase Flows: ( Discrete Phase Models, VOF
models, Mixture models and Eulerian models )
•Solidification and Melting
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering
28
Department,Thapar University,Patiala

Steps to solve a problem using Fluent Software

1. Gambit:
a) Define/Draw the geometry/domain of your problem using Geometry tool
b) Mesh it using edge/face/volume Meshing tool
c) Define the boundary conditions (wall, velocity inlet,etc.) using zones tool
d) Save this file in proper directory (*.dbs, *.jou,..etc files)
e) Export this file (*.mesh) for Fluent Solver.

2. Fluent
a) Read the *.mesh file
b) Check the Grid and Display the grid
c) Define models ( viscous, energy, species, solidification…etc)
d) Select the materials
e) Define boundary conditions (input values to boundary)
f) Controls solution parameters ( select relaxation factor/ discretization
Schemes etc)
g) Initialize the problem
h) Iterate and check the convergence.
i) Display the results and save it (*.cas and *.dat files) in proper directory.
Satish Kumar,Mechanical Engineering Department,Thapar University,Patiala 29