Tutorial 1

Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

Problem Description
In this Tutorial we present an automated parametric study of laminar flow over a backward facing step. Based on a table of input values, Simulation Manager calls CFD-GEOM to update model geometry and grid, changes boundary conditions, then runs the CFD-ACE+ solver for each case. In this Tutorial, we vary the dimensions of the step, h and s, and the value of x-direction velocity on the inlet boundary (see Figure 1-1). There are three steps in performing this parametric study: 1. 2. 3. Create original geometry and grid in CFD-GEOM Define the model in CFD-ACEU Run the parametric study in Simulation Manager

These steps are described in detail in this tutorial.

Figure 1-1.

Problem Geometry

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

Step A: Create the Geometry and Journal File

In the following steps we prepare the geometry and structured grid for the backward facing step. Before creating the geometry, you will activate the CFD-GEOM journaling option. This tells CFDGEOM to create a journal file, or recipe, containing instructions for re-creating the geometry and grid. The journal file will contain definitions of parameters that will be controlled by Simulation Manager.

1.

Start CFD-GEOM.
Select SettingPreferences Geometry Ensure that the Journaling checkbox is selected. Select OK to close the Preferences panel.

Start CFD-GEOM.

Note

If, in the previous step, the Journaling checkbox was not already active when you opened the Geometry panel, you must restart CFD-GEOM after selecting the Journaling checkbox.

2. Create parameters for the model.

In this step we create parameters using the parameter creation tool in CFD-GEOM. These parameters are changed during the parametric study to create different designs.

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

Create parameters: Choosing: Tools Parameters Click the New Field button three times to create three rows of data entry fields.

Enter the data as shown below:

Click Apply and OK to close the Parameters panel.

3. Create points for the geometry.

Select GeometryPoint CreationPoint. The Point->Create panel appears as shown here:

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

Enter the following points being sure to select the Apply button after entering each point:

Point P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8

X Value Y Value Z Value 0 0 -0.04 -0.04 0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0 s s m m 0 s m 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The points should appear as shown in figure 1-2. Note that several points hide behind each other. It will be necessary to zoom in on the areas where cluster of points are, and hover over the point. This will display the points XYZ coordinates.

Figure 1-2. Geometry points

4. Create line segments joining the points created.

Select GeometryLine CreationLine. To draw the lines for this step it is necessary to zoom and hover over points to insure the correct one is selected. This is illustrated in the figure shown here. Note that Label Number corresponds to the order in which the points were created. In this case, Label Number: 1 is P1 (created in the previous step) .

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

Select the following points in the order shown After all lines are created, the geometry should being sure to press Apply after selecting each appear as shown in figure 1-3. pair of points. P1-P2 P2-P3 P3-P4 P4-P5 P6-P7 P7-P8 P5-P8 P2-P5 P1-P6

Figure 1-3. Created Line Segments

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

5. Create edges on the lines created.

Create edges by choosing the tool: Grid Struc- The Edge->Create panel appears as shown here. tured Edge Options Create (Edit) Structured Edge.

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

According to the table shown below and figure 1-4, enter the specified parameters to create all edges. Click the Apply button after entering the parameters for each edge. Power Law Power Forward Forward Forward Forward Forward

Edge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Number of Points 81 81 21 21 11 11 11 11 11

Distribution Hyperbolic Tan Hyperbolic Tan Hyperbolic Tan Hyperbolic Tan Power Law Power Law Power Law Power Law Power Law

delta-s 1 0.02 0.0005 0.0005 0.005 -

delta-s 2 0.0005 0.02 0.005 0.0005 -

Figure 1-4. Edges

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

6. Create faces on the geometry.

Create two faces by choosing the tool: Grid Structured Face Options Create Structured Face. The Face->Create panel appears as shown here.

Create Face 1 using edges 3, 4, 5, and 6 being sure to click the middle mouse button after selecting each edge.

In a similar manner, create Face 2 using edges 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Note that edges 6 and 7, must be entered as one set, therefore do not press the middle mouse button after selecting edge 6, but after select 6 and 7. (This also applies to edges 8 and 9).

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

7. Create 2D blocks.
Create blocks by choosing the Tool: Grid Structured Block Options Create Structured 2D Block. The status line prompts you to select faces to create a 2D block.

Select Face 1 and press the middle mouse button to create Block . In a similar manner create Block 2 using Face 2.

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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

8. Set Boundary Conditions.

To activate the BC/VC editor: Click on the collapse bar located above the entity bar .

From the panel that opens, click on the BC/VC Editor tab.

In the 2D/3D section of the BC/VC editor panel, select the 2D ModelBoundary.

In the viewer window, select Edge 5.

In the BC/VC Editor, select Inlet from the Type menu and enter Inlet in the Name field. Click Apply.

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In the viewer window, select Edge 8. In the BC/VC Editor, select Outlet from the Type menu and enter Outlet in the Name field. Click Apply.

In the viewer window, select Edge 9. In the BC/VC Editor, select Outlet from the Type menu and enter Outlet in the Name field. Click Apply.

9. Save the model.

From the File menu: When the GGD file is created, the journal file (backstep.py) is automatically created. We will Select Save As DTF and click OK to save set up the DTF file for the CFD-ACE+ solver in the file as backstep.DTF. the next part of this tutorial. Select Save As and save the model as backstep. GGD

Step B: Setup and Run the Simulation in CFD-GUI

If you are already comfortable with CFD-GUI/ACE(U) operations, then you may follow these quick start instructions to quickly set up the simulation. If you have difficulties performing these steps then it is recommended that you stop here and go through CFD-ACEU Tutorial 1, "Laminar Flow Past a Backward Facing Step", located in Volume 2 of the CFD-ACE Tutorial Manual.

1. Load the DTF File and Title the Simulation.

Select File -> Open and read backstep.DTF

2. Specify the Problem Type Settings.

PT -> Modules Activate Flow
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Tutorial 1: Parametric Study of Flow Over a Backward Facing Step

3. Specify the Model Options.

MO -> Shared Polar: non-axisymmetric Time Dependence = Steady Gravity: off Rotation: off MO -> Flow Simple Flow Model: off Reference Pressure = 100000 N/m2

4. Specify the Volume Condition Properties.

VC -> Properties Select All VCs (2) Group Fluid Properties: Density (Constant) 1.15 kg/m3 Viscosity (Constant Kinematic) = 1.5e-5 m2/s

5. Specify the Boundary Condition Values.

BC -> General Inlets(1) Flow ->Fix.Vel.(Cartesian)-> U=0.2885 V=0 P=0 T=300 Outlets(2) Group Flow ->Fixed Pressure-> P=0 T=300

6. Specify the Initial Condition Settings.

IC -> Initial Conditions: For All Volumes IC Sources: Constant Flow -> U=0.2 V=0 P=0 T=300

7. Specify the Solver Control Settings.

SC -> Max. Iterations = 100 SC -> Spatial Differencing Velocity: Central 0.01 blending Density: Central 0.01 blending SC -> Solvers Velocity: CGS+Pre, 50 sweeps, 0.0001 criteria Pressure Correction: CGS+Pre, 500 sweeps, 0.0001 criteria SC -> Relaxation
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Velocities 0.1 P Correction 0.1 Pressure 1.0 Density 1.0 Viscosity 1.0

8. Specify the Output Options.

SC -> Output Output Results: End of Simulation SC -> Print Mass Flow Summary: on SC -> Graphics Velocity Vector: on Static Pressure: on Stream Function: on

9. Save DTF File

File->Save

Step C: Parametric Study Using SimManager

1. Start Simulation Manager.
Start Simulation Manager by typing SimMan- The Simulation Manager interface is launched ager from the command line prompt; or if you (figure 1-5). using Windows, use the Start Menu to bring it up as follows. Start ProgramsCFDRCSimulation Manager.

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Figure 1-5. Simulation Manager Main Window

2. Run the Simulation Manager.

From the toolbar of Simulation Managers inter- The window shown in figure 1-6 opens. face, click the icon Parametric Studies using CFD-GEOM and CFD-ACEUA Solver parameters (see figure 1-5).

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Figure 1-6. Specify CFD-GEOM and Solver Parameters Panel Next to the DTF file text box, click Browse and locate the file backstep.DTF in the tutorials directory. Select Use CFD-GEOM Parameters check button. Next to the CFD-GEOM script file text box, click Browse and locate the file backstep.py in the tutorials directory.

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Make sure that option Import Parametric Table The lower portion of the panel appears as shown from Text File is selected. here:

Click the Browse button and open the file backstep_parameter.txt.

This text file was created using MS Excel. The file backstep_parameter.txt must be in the format, specified in the manual. This file defines the step dimensions and inlet velocity values that will be used in this parametric study.

Click the Next button. Information about optional collecting CFDACEU Solver Output data and using previous run for Initial Condition appears on these input fields. You can ignore this data for this tutorial.

Click the Next button. Table with the parameters for your case appears on the screen. Any parametric value in this table can be selected and modified.

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Click Run All to begin the parametric study.

When the simulation starts, CFD-GEOM is called (in background mode) to run the journal file. After new geometry and grid are created using the CFD-GEOM parameters (h and s), the boundary condition value (velocity) is updated. CFD-ACEU is then called to solve the flow in the model. This process repeats until all three combinations of the parameters have been analyzed. Each case produces a different DTF file named backstep.0000n.DTF, where n is the case number. File backstep.rst is also created and contains information to restart the parametric study.

3. View the Residuals

You can view the CFD-ACEU solution residuals The residual plot shown in figure 1-7 appears. of each case while the parametric study is run- The residuals give us an idea of the convergence ning or after it. One way to view the residuals is of the solution. to select View Residuals from the Tools menu, or click the corresponding icon on the toolbar. Another way is to select the corresponding parametric case in the table and select option View Residuals for the Parametric Studies window.

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Figure 1-7. Residual Plotter Close the residual plotter by selecting Close under the plotters File menu.

4. Post-Process the Results Using CFD-VIEW

Start CFD-VIEW. To import a DTF file select Import DTF or PLOT 3D from the File menu, browse to locate backstep.00001.DTF, and click Accept.
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From the Visualization panel select U from The contours of x-direction velocity are disthe Primary Variable pull-down menu then click played. the Surface On icon.

Figure 1-8. Model Display in CFD-VIEW To View the next model, select New Model under the File menu then import the file named backstep.00001.DTF. Repeat the above step for all three DTF files created during the parametric study.

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From the Windows menu, select Tile Horizontally to view the three models in one screen as shown in figure 1-8.

The variation of step dimensions and inlet velocity is evident in the velocity contour plots.

5. This tutorial is now finished.

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