Dynamic Mesh

in FLUENT
Uberblick und
Ausblick
Dipl.-Ing. Michael Ehlen
Fluent Deutschland GmbH
CFD Konferenz 2004 in Bingen
Overview of the
Dynamic Mesh {DM}
Model
What is the Dynamic Mesh {DM}
Model?
A method by which the solver (FLUENT) can be instructed to move
boundaries and/or objects, and to adjust the mesh accordingly
Examples:
Automotive piston
moving inside a
cylinder
A flap moving on
an airplane wing
A valve opening
and closing
Volumetric fuel pump
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Why Use the Dynamic Mesh
Model?
Used when rigid boundaries move with respect to each other, e.g.,
Piston moving w.r.t. an engine cylinder (linear motion)
Flap moving w.r.t. an airplane wing (rotating motion)
Used when boundaries deform/deflect, e.g.,
A balloon that is being inflated
A solid propellant retreating as it is being consumed by the flame
The shrinking or extending walls of an engine cylinder as the piston
moves in and out
Dynamic Mesh {DM} Model:
Overview
A general purpose model targeted for moving boundary problems
Aero industry: store separation, stage separation, jet engines, etc.
Auto industry: IC engines, valves, fuel injectors, etc.
Mechanical engineering: pumps, blowers, turbomachinery, etc.
Many more applications!
Can also be used for steady-state parametric studies, to vary the
geometry methodically;
Compatible with all physical models in FLUENT 6., except the Eulerian
multiphase models;
Compatible with all three solvers;
Compatible with any pre-processor;
Fully parallelized.
Dynamic Mesh {DM} Model:
Features
Several meshing schemes are available to handle all types of boundary
motion;
Boundaries/Objects may be moved based on:
In-cylinder motion (RPM, stroke length, crank angle, );
Prescribed motion via profiles;
Prescribed motion via UDF (User-Defined Function);
Coupled motion based on hydrodynamic forces from the flow solution,
via FLUENTs 6 DOF model.
DM Model: Mesh Motion
8chemes
Fluents DM (Dynamic Mesh) model offers three meshing schemes:
Spring analogy (smoothing);
Local remeshing;
Layering.
Mesh motion may be applied to individual zones;
Different zones may use different schemes for mesh motion;
Connectivity between adjacent deforming zones may be non-conformal, e.g.,
there might be a sliding interface between two neighboring zones.
8pring Analogy {8pring 8moothing}
The nodes move as if connected via
springs, or as if they were part of a
sponge;
Connectivity remains unchanged;
Limited to relatively small
deformations when used as a stand-
alone meshing scheme;
Available for tri and tet meshes;
May be used with quad, hex and
wedge mesh element types, but that
requires a special command;
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Local Remeshing
As user-specified skewness and
size limits are exceeded, local
nodes and cells are added or
deleted;
As cells are added or deleted,
connectivity changes;
Available only for tri and tet mesh
elements;
The animation also shows
smoothing (which one typically
uses together with remeshing).
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Layering
Cells are added or deleted as the
zone grows and shrinks;
As cells are added or deleted,
connectivity changes;
Available for quad, hex and wedge
mesh elements.
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Layering
Bottom Layering Top Layering
Settings:
- wall (bottom): rigid body
Settings:
- fluid (hex): rigid body
- interior zone: stationary
- wall (bottom): rigid body
fluid (hex)
interior zone
wall (bottom)
Combination of Approaches
Initial mesh needs
proper
decomposition;
Layering:
Valve travel
region;
Lower cylinder
region.
Remeshing:
Upper cylinder
region.
Non-conformal
interface between
zones.
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GU {Graphical User nterface}
Define > Dynamic Mesh > Parameters
Select Dynamic
Mesh to enable the
model, then select
one or more specific
mesh method: spring
smoothing, layering,
and/or local
remeshing;
The In-Cylinder
option is for easily
defining the motion of
pistons and valves.
Motion 8pecification
The motion of certain
boundaries or fluid zones is
specified via
Define > Dynamic Mesh >
Zones
The example shows a wall
called rotor_clock that
moves as a rigid body
according to a UDF called
clockwise: the example is
for a gear that spins clockwise
about its C.G. (center of
gravity).
8pring Analogy {8pring 8moothing}
Local Remeshing
Layering Example 1: Piston
Split if:
Collapse if:
h
ideal
is defined later, during
the definition of the dynamic
zones.
ideal S
h h ) 1 ( + >
ideal c
h h <
Layering
Constant Height:
Every new cell layer has the same
height;
Constant Ratio:
Maintain a constant ratio of cell
heights between layers (linear
growth);
Useful when layering is done in
curved domains (e.g. cylindrical
geometry).
Initially,
piston at
bottom-most
position
Piston at
top-most
position
Edge i
Edges i and
i+1 have
same shape
Edge i+1
is an average
of edge i
and the
piston shape
Constant
Height
Constant
Ratio
Layering
Definition of the
dynamic zone:
piston (wall zone) moves as a
rigid body in the y-direction
Layering
Definition of the ideal
height of a cell layer;
h
ideal
is about the same
as the height of a typical
cell in the model.
Motion 8pecification
Internal node positions are automatically calculated based on user specified
boundary motion:
Prescribed mesh motion:
Position or velocity versus time, i.e., profile text file;
UDF with expression for position or velocity versus time
(independent of the flow solution).
Flow dependent motion (coupled motion):
Mesh motion is coupled with the flow solution through a UDF;
One can compute forces (pressure, gravity, viscous, etc.) on a body
to arrive at its translational and rotational velocity components;
Six degree of freedom (6DOF) UDF provided;
UDF readily customized for desired mesh motion.
Mesh Preview
Mesh motion can be previewed without calculating flow variables:
Allows user to quickly check mesh quality throughout the simulation
cycle;
Applicable to any dynamic mesh simulation;
Accessed via GUI: Solve > Mesh Motion;
Be careful with the time step.
Save your case before doing the preview, else the setup will be lost!
Dynamic Mesh {DM} Model:
Limitations
Objects may not move from one fluid zone into another;
Cannot (yet) be used in conjunction with hanging node adaption (including
dynamic adaption);
Constrained motion, such as a motion about a hinge, is only allowed if one
uses a UDF;
Bodies may not make contact, since that implies a change in topology; one
always leaves at least one layer of cells between bodies;
DPM (discrete phase model) particles cannot be released from moving
surfaces (but one could vary the injection location as a function of time).
New Dynamic Mesh
Features in FLUENT 6.2
2.5 D Remeshing/8moothing
For mapable (2.5D; extruded) geometries in particular pumps
Boundary Region Remeshing
8ymmetry Remeshing
New in FLUENT 6.2:
Symmetric boundaries
Across multiple zones
Feature preservation
(e.g., corners are
preserved)
Non-closed loops
Remeshing/8moothing with
Dynamic Adaption
Limitation:
Dynamic
adaption
cannot be used
in conjunction
with layering
or with
boundary
remeshing
Layering at Periodics
Also: layering
is now possible
in fluid zones
with mixed
cell types,
provided the
cell type does
not change as
one crosses
from the
layering zone
to the adjacent
zone(s).
Full Compatibility with VOF
6-DOF 8olver
6-DOF solver now built into the GUI;
GUI panels still do not provide for constraints (such as hinges),
but constrained motion is possible via UDF;
The dynamic mesh UDFs contain hooks for load
forces/moments;
Transformations can be customized (although we use a
transformation between local and global coordinate systems that
is widely used in the aerospace and shipbuilding industries).
Dynamic Mesh Events
Events based on time (not just based on the crank angle as
before), and without having to use the in-cylinder tools (where
they were called in-cylinder events);
New events:
Activate/Deactivate cell zones
Change URF
You can also use events to control the time step!
Parallel Efficiency
mprovement
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Fluent 6.1 Fluent 6.2
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1CPU 2CPU 1CPU 2CPU
- 12%
- 34%
5.4 days 4.5 days
4.83 days 3 days
HP-Linux machine with 2.2GHz processor speed
No need to encapsulate the interfaces
Run time reduction depending on case
Can vary between 33%-40%
New C Panel
IC specific setup panel
Fewer inputs and more features than 6.1 panel
Automatic setup of activate/deactivate, variable time step size and
URFs
Three different pistons types are also automatically set up
Pistons with enough room to put one layer to start with (1)
Flat pistons with tight squish combustion chamber (2)
Complex piston shape like GDI engines (3)
User need not specify the meshing parameters in the panel
Meshing parameters automatically calculated by the journal
Takes care of symmetry engine as well
Can read and write parameters into a file
Becomes very handy if a slightly different setup is explored.
New C Panel
Fluent 6.2 IC Panel
Examples
n-Cylinder
Fly
Piston Cooling
Passing Cars
8tore 8eparation
Valve
Fuel n]ector