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Tutorial 3:
Assigning Inflow,Outflow and Wall Boundaries
for a Simple Simulation
Introduction:
The intention of this tutorial is to assign boundary conditions for the pre-prepared mesh. Then to
select a continua and the physics of the studied mesh. This tutorial provides the reader with
required info to run a straight forward simulation. Try to read whats written before each step and
what follows it under the figure title.

Step1: Launch STAR-CCM+ by double clicking on its icon on the desktop, then go to file and choose
New Simulation.

Figure1: If you have a pre-saved project use the Load Simulation option.





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Step2: You will get a window asking you to choose Run Mode choose Serial then press Ok.


Figure2: if you are working on a multi core computer you can choose the Parallel option.
Step3: Go to file then import and choose Import Surface Mesh.

Figure3: you can choose A Volume Mesh if you already have a ready one.
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Step4: Go to the web site that you downloaded the tutorial from and pick the link to down load a
ready modelled mesh called Ball.x_t, remember where you have saved the file and apply the
required path for STAR-CC+ to find the Ball.x_t file.

Figure4: you can apply this tutorial steps on other prepared meshes that have a box domain with an
empty cavity that refers to the studied solid.
Step5: A window with the title Import Surface Options appears Select Create new Region.

Figure5: The more you spend time with software the more you become choose in selecting the
provided options.
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Step6: Go to the Parasolid Transmit Import Options and choose under the Boundary Mode a one
boundary per face option and press Ok.

Figure6: Depending on the studied case you select the options of the boundary mode so if your not
interested in applying several inflow planes you can select one boundary for all faces .
Step7: The read in geometry should look something like this try to make your window view in the
direction of the xy plane. Then go to create Plane Section.

Figure7: The main objective to use wire frame view is because if you use the slice commands you
cant view the existence of the solid capsule inside the extruded box.
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Step8: Press on the top part to select the first point of the slice plane and go down try to make the
slice plane in a straight line and press the next point.

Figure8: Notice that the view of the part is in perspective view and its in shaded mode without
edges, you can use orthogonal projection in views to get a more accurate slice.
Step9: A window with the title having a Select Displayer appears. Select New Scalar Displayer.

Figure9: The objective of this step is to assign a scalar quantity to the cross sectional plane.


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Step10: As a result the sectioned plane should look something like this where it splits the studied
domain in half.

Figure10: You can select the place of the cross sectional plane depending on the region which is of
our concern .
Step11: Click on continua you should get a sub-tree called Mesh right click on Mesh and select
Meshing Models.

Figure11: Depending on the studied geometry the selection of the Meshing model is done.


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Step12: Next step is the model selection window, select Surface Remesher, Surface Wrapper and
Tetrahedral Mesher.

Figure12: Once the selections are done you can see that they have been moved to the right hand
side, they are put under the Enabled Models.
Step13: once your satisfied with your selection press close.

Figure13: Getting around the other provided options will be covered at later tutorials.



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Step14: Select Continua then right click then select new and Physics Continuum.

Figure14: The main objective of this is to assign the domain its physical properties.
Step15: Under the Continua sub-tree select Physics 1 then select Models then from models right
click and select Select models....

Figure15: Its very essential to get the right value for the base size, to ensure that you get the
required grid density to capture as much as possible data from the run simulation.




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Step16: You should get a window with Physics 2 Model Selection, select a steady case.

Figure16: Selecting a steady flow case is the simplest starting case.
Step17: Select under Material Gas, note that it is automatically transferred to the left hand side of
the window under the Enabled Models List.

Figure17: For our case it's a gas but you can choose Liquid or Solid depending on your studied case.
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Step18: choose under Flow Segregated Flow.

Figure18: If you where studying a combustion case or a heat case you might consider selecting
Radiation.

Step19: Under Viscous Regime choose Laminar.

Figure19: At some cases you might need take into account gravities effect on the flow such as when
you study a domain filled with tall buildings .

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Step20: Finally the Physics 2 Model Selection window should look something like this, once you feel
your finished close the window.

Figure20: The software is flexible you can deselect any of the right hand sided list (Enabled List).
Step21: You might need to go to increase the mesh density that through clicking on continua then
clicking on Reference values then selecting Base Size right click on the Base Size and select Edit .

Figure21: Looking on the bottom left hand side of the screen you can see the value of the base size
which is 1 in our case.


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Step 22: Change the value of the Base Size from 1 to 0.001 .

Figure22: Remember that the finer the mesh is selected the longer the generation time it takes .
Step 23: You will need to select the Clear Generated Mesh after the modification then select the
Generate surface Mesh then Select the Generate Volume Mesh . The generated Mesh should look
something as the one below.

Figure 23: If you don't clear the generated data mesh you will have problems later .

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Step 24: Go to stepping Criteria and right click on Maximum steps and choose Edit Modify the
number from the default number which i presume 6000 and choose 1000. Select the inflow plane at
the top part of domain then go to regions then boundaries and choose inflow and assign an inflow
velocity of 1 and do the same as for the outflow face.

Figure 24: I intentionally choose 1000 to check that the simulation dose work .
Step 25: Looking on the right hand side of the figure select Regions the select boundaries right click
and choose and inflow for the top face and outflow for the bottom face and the 4 faced surfaces
assign a wall, you can edit the value by right clicking on the constant and editing the value .
Figure 25: Once satisfied with selected option just click on the run icon that looks like a man running.

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Step 26: once the calculation is finished go to scenes go to vector scene 1 and edit the geometry
spacing by right clicking on it and modifying the ratio to 50.

Figure 26: once you finish click close.
Step 27: Go to scenes go to vector scene 1 and edit the relative length by right clicking on it and
modifying the ratio to 10, you will find that the arrows get bigger.

Figure 27: once you finish click close.

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Step 28: The final result should look something like this visualising the velocity magnitude in contour
mode.

Figure 28:notice the blue contour colours on the walls of the domain referring to stagnation regions.


Thats the end of this tutorial I hope that was helpful please feel free to contact me regarding any
mistakes or recommendations for the tutorial.
Ahmed Al Makky
A.al-Makky@warwick.ac.uk
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/pg/students/esrhaw