Solver Settings

• Explicit Schemes
– Use geo-reconstruct or compressive for sharper interface tracking and better accuracy
– Use PISO algorithm
– Increase all URF factors up to 1.0
• Lower time step if does not converge
– Ensure good volume conservation - solve pressure correction equation with high accuracy
(termination criteria to 0.001 for multigrid solver)
– Solve the VOF equation once per time step
– Always use PRESTO or body force weighted scheme for pressure
• Implicit Scheme
– Use Compressive scheme for better accuracy, HRIC for better stability
– Increase the VOF URF from 0.2 to 0.5

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 Solver Settings
• Variable time stepping
– Scheme for explicit and implicit VOF
– Automatically adjusts the time step based on
• Global Courant number
– Controls can be provided for
• Max and min time steps used
• Change factor for time steps
• Useful for explicit problems as the time
step determines the stability for speed of
the solution

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 Solver Settings: Bounded Second Order Implicit
• Same second order time accuracy with better stability
compared to second order implicit formulation
• Larger time steps compared to First and Second order
• Comparison with the 1st order and 2nd order
formulations
Schemes comparison
Slotted Circle :
Accuracy Bounded Second order ~ Second order > First order
Comparison with initial
Speed First order > Second order > Bounded second order
profile after full rotation
Stability Bounded second order > First Order > second order

• It is available with all models (single phase/multiphase)

using pressure based solver except for MDM

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 Solution Strategies – Time Dependence
• How to choose transient time step for VOF calculations
• Time step in Solve panel can be estimated as 1/ 3
Vcell, min
t 
U
• where 𝑉𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙,𝑚𝑖𝑛 can be obtained from the Grid Check panel and U is the velocity scale of the
problem (e.g. inlet velocity).
– If divergence occurs at first time step, decrease time step by factor of 10 and see if it converges.
Ideally, you should converge each time step in around 10-15 iterations
– Start with smaller time step size for a few time steps, and then increase the time step size
– If divergence persists, try switching off Skewness-Neighbor Coupling in the Solution Controls panel
– Non-iterative time advancement (NITA) reduces computational effort per time step in comparison
with iterative schemes (SIMPLE, PISO)
– Use variable time stepping for explicit schemes to optimize time steps

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 Solver Settings: Coupled VOF Solver
• Solves the momentum, pressure based continuity and volume fraction equations
together
• The full implicit coupling achieved through an implicit discretization of pressure gradient
terms in the momentum equation and implicit discretization of face mass flux in
continuity and volume fraction equations
• Formulation involves the following linearization
– Linearization of phase mass flux in VOF equation
– Linearization of body force due to gravity in momentum equation
• Coupled VOF solver aims to achieve faster steady state solution compared to segregated
method of solving equations

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 Solution Strategies – Avoid Common Mistakes
• At any inlet or outlet, only one phase must enter or exit. This means that on any flow
boundary, the volume fraction must be either 0 or 1. No intermediate values should be
used.
– In order to facilitate convergence for pressure inlet, it is advisable to patch VOF of incoming to 1
for the cell layer adjacent to the pressure inlet
• Operating density should be the density of the fluid with majority of it contacting open
pressure boundaries (low density fluid)
• Outflow boundary condition is not recommended for multiphase flows
• Ensure suitable back flow fraction of secondary phase at the outlet boundary
• Interface update scheme is most sensitive to grid quality. It is advisable to put highest
quality mesh in areas where the interface is expected

41 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. December 15, 2015 ANSYS Confidential

 Summary
• VOF model is an Eulerian fixed-grid approach easy for tracking interface of 3D flows with
good volume conservation
• Sharper interface can be maintained by using explicit scheme for solving transient phase
volume fraction equation together with high resolution schemes such as geo-
reconstruction and compressive schemes
• Free surface flows can be simulated as steady state with implicit scheme on the phase
volume fraction equation
• Available in conjunction with most other ANSYS FLUENT models
• Not available with the following reacting flow models:
– Eddy dissipation concept
– Premixed, non-premixed, partially premixed
– Composition PDF
– NOx and soot

42 © 2015 ANSYS, Inc. December 15, 2015 ANSYS Confidential