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Problem Specification
Consider air flowing at high-speed through a convergent-divergent nozzle having a circular cross-
sectional area, A, that varies with axial distance from the throat, x, according to the formula
A = 0.1 + x2 − 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.5
where A is in square meters and x is in meters. The stagnation pressure po at the inlet is 101,325 Pa.
The stagnation temperature To at the inlet is 300 K. The static pressure p at the exit is 3,738.9 Pa.
We will calculate the Mach number, pressure and temperature distribution in the nozzle using
FLUENT and compare the solution to quasi-1D nozzle flow results. The Reynolds number for this
high-speed flow is large. So we expect viscous effects to be confined to a small region close to the wall.
So it is reasonable to model the flow as inviscid.
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9. Define → Operating Conditions
We’ll work in terms of absolute rather than gauge pressures in this example. So set Operating
Pressure to zero. It is important that you set the operating pressure correctly in compressible
flow calculations since FLUENT uses it to compute absolute pressure to use in the ideal gas law.
Grid Adaption
FLUENT offers the capability of adapting the grid to the solution by enabling the user to increase the
grid resolution in regions of high gradients.
To adapt the grid to the pressure gradient, click on Adapt → Gradient. Make sure that Pressure . . .
and Static Pressure are selected under Gradients Of. Select Gradient under Method (use Curvature
only if you want to adapt to the second- rather than first-derivative). The next step is to select
the Refine Threshold. The grid will be refined in regions where the static pressure gradient is above
the Refine Threshold. Click on Compute. This will display the minimum and maximum values of
the adaption variable (pressure gradient). Display the static pressure gradient field by clicking on
Contour. . . . Select Adaption and Existing Value under Contours Of. Select Filled and deselect Node
Values. Click Display.
Deselect Auto Range in the Contours panel. Try various values for Min to determine the Refine
Threshold.
Close the Contours panel and set the Refine Theshold. Click on Mark. FLUENT will report how many
cells have been marked for refinement. Click on Adapt and Yes to Hanging-node mode. FLUENT will
adapt the grid and display the old and new grid statistics.
Look at the adapted grid using Grid → Display. Iterate until convergence on the adapted grid.