MCB3063

Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Lab – January semester 2017

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Laminar Step Flow Analysis in 3-D Duct

Model Description

This example models fluid flow in a three-dimensional duct. Initially, it defines an air
as a fluid to simulate laminar flow with a Reynolds number of approximately 1700.

Fig. 1 Three dimensional diagram of rectangular duct

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Approach

Three dimensional CFD analysis will be performed using the ANSYS-FLUENT

software.

Dimensions and Properties

The example uses the following values:
Duct Length 4m
Inlet Height 0.3 m
Inlet Length 1m
Duct Height 1.3 m
Duct Width 0.15 m
Air density 1.205 kg/m3
Air Viscosity 1.8135x10-5 kg/m-s
Inlet Velocity 0.17 m/sec
Outlet Pressure 0 Pascal

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ANSYS Workbench>Fluent

Fig. 2 ANSYS Fluent workbench

1. Create Geometry

In this step, there are two areas: two rectangles representing the inlet and the outlet, it
can be drawn by choosing line from sketch option. First, only draw the lines according
to the shape of duct. Then, fix the size of each line through dimension section then
extrude the whole body by insert the of duct width. Procedure is shown in Fig. 3,4.

1.1 Geometry>Select xy or zx or yz plane>Select sketch>Select line>Draw lines

like geometry> Dimensions

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Fig. 3 Lines drawn at xy plan

1.2 Extrude>Inset width of duct>Generate geometry

Fig. 4 Extrude the geometry along Z Axis

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2. Create Mesh

Duct geometry is meshed using ANSYS workbench Fluent as shown in Fig. 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Front view of meshed geometry is shown in Fig. 9.

Meshing> Physics Preference CFD>Relevance center-Maximum>Mesh

Smoothing-High> Mesh transition-Slow>Mesh sizing>Select width>Element
Division

Fig. 5 Division of width face element to make mesh more fine

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Fig. 6 Element divided into 5 sections along width of duct

Select all the faces of geometry> Face Meshing

Note: Face mesh option is used to make the element size equal.

Fig. 7 Face mesh the width element

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Fig. 8 Face mesh all faces

Fig. 9 Mesh form of rectangular duct

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3. Boundary name selection

Figure 10, 11 and 12 show the way to name the inlet and outlet of duct.

Fig. 10 Name selection Manu

Fig. 11 inlet section of duct

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Fig. 12 Outlet section of duct

Fig. 13 Heat source for the duct

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4. How to apply boundary conditions?

Figure 13 and 14 show the way to apply the boundaries at duct.

Fig. 13 Boundary condition at inlet

Fig. 14 Fig. 13 Boundary condition at outlet

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Now save the file on your portable drive (i.e. pen-drive) because you will use it in the
next lab.

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