Lecture8

NonConformalInterfaces&MovingZones
14.0Release

IntroductiontoANSYS
FLUENT
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Introduction
LectureTheme:
ManyCFDapplicationsacrossindustriesinvolvesystemsordeviceswith
movingparts.FLUENToffersmanydifferentmodelsforrotatingmachinery,
forarbitraryprescribedmotionandforobjectswhosepathisdeterminedby
theflow.
LearningAims:
Youwilllearn:
Howtodefinenonconformalinterfacesandperiodicboundaryconditions
Themodelsavailableforrotatingmachinerysuchasthemultiplereference
frameandslidingmeshmodels
Thedifferentdynamicmeshingmethodsforarbitrarymotion,includingthe
coupled6DOFsolver
LearningObjectives:
Youwillbeabletousenonconformalmeshesandwillbecomefamiliarwith
FLUENTsmodelsforsystemswithmovingpartsandwhenaparticularmodel
isapplicable.
Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

Summary
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NonconformalInterfaces

Overview
Acrossaninterfacebetweentwocellzones,thenodesmayormaynotexactly
align

Ifthenodesmatchperfectly,thisisaConformalmesh

IfusingDesignModeler,combiningbodiesintoasinglepartwillgiveaconformalmesh
Ifthenodesdonotmatchup,thisisaNonConformalmesh
FLUENTcaninterpolateacrosstheinterface,butthismustbedefinedintheGUI.
Ifnot,FLUENTwilltreattheinterfaceasawall,andnofluidcanflowthrough.

Conformal
Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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NonConformal
RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

Summary
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NonconformalInterfaces

Overview
NonconformalInterfacescanbeusedfor:
Connectionofmismatchedmeshes(hextotet forexample)

asinglemeshfilemaycontainnonmatchingmeshregionsandrequirenon
conformalinterfaces
Changesinreferenceframesbetweencellzones
evenifthemeshmatches
Connectdifferenttypesofcellzonestogether(e.g.FluidandSolid)
Createperiodicregionswithinadomain

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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NonconformalInterfaces

InsertingNonconformalInterfaces
Tocreateanonconformalinterface:
Step1:Define/BoundaryConditions
Changethetypeofeachpairofzones
thatcomprisesthenonconformal
boundarytointerface

Step2:Define/MeshInterfaces
EnteranamefortheinterfaceintheMeshInterfacetextentrybox
Specifythetwointerfacezonesthatcomprisethemeshinterfacebyselectingoneormore
zonesintheInterfaceZone1listandoneormorezonesintheInterfaceZone2list
Ifoneofyourinterfacezonesismuchsmallerthantheother,youshouldspecifythesmallerzone
asInterfaceZone1toimprovetheaccuracyoftheintersectioncalculation

EnablethedesiredInterfaceOptions ifappropriate

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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NonconformalInterfaces

PeriodicBoundaryCondition
TocreateaPeriodicboundarycondition
EnablethePeriodicBoundaryConditionoptionintheMeshinterfacespanel
SelecteitherTranslationalorRotationalastheperiodicboundaryconditionType
RetaintheenableddefaultsettingofAutoComputeOffsetifyouwantANSYSFLUENTto
automaticallycomputetheoffset

Meshcanbenonconformal

TranslationalPeriodicity
Simulatesgeometriesthathavetranslational
periodicity
Allowsforeitherthemassflowrateorthe
pressurechangeacrosstheinterfacetobe
specified
Thequantitynotspecifiedwillbepartofthe
solution

RotationalPeriodicity
Simulatesrotationallyperiodicgeometries
Beforeproceeding,youhavetocorrectlyenter
therotationalaxisforthecorrespondingcell
zoneintheBCpanel

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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IntroductiontoMovingZones
Manyflowproblemsinvolvedomainswhichcontain
translatingorrotatingcomponents

Twotypesofmotionarepossible:translationaland
rotational

Therearetwobasicmodelingapproachesformoving
domains:

MovingReferenceFrames
Frameofreferenceisattachedtothemovingdomain
Governingequationsaremodifiedtoaccountfor
movingframe

Moving/DeformingDomains
Domainpositionandshapearetrackedwithrespectto
astationaryreferenceframe
Solutionsareinherentlyunsteady
Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

MovingReferenceFramesvs.MeshMotion
y

MovingReferenceFrame
Domain moveswithcoordinatesystem
Tofollowthemotionofthebody,topologyofthemesh
doesnotneedtobeupdated
Rotation/TranslationoftheMovingdomain

MeshMotion
Domainchangesshapeasafunctionoftime
Tofollowthemotionofthebody,topologyofthemesh
needtobeupdated
Smoothing/Remeshing ofthedomain

Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

RotatingEquipment
Whyusearotatingreferenceframe?
Aflowfieldwhichisunsteadywhenviewedinastationaryframecan
becomesteadywhenviewedinarotatingframe
Steadystateproblemsareeasiertosolve...
Additionalaccelerationtermsareaddedtothemomentumequations
SimplerBCs
Lowcomputationalcost
Easiertopostprocessandanalyze

Limitation:

Centrifugal
Compressor
(single blade passage)

Youmaystillhaveunsteadinessintherotatingframedueto
turbulence,circumferentiallynonuniformvariationsinflow,
separation,etc.
Example:vortexsheddingfromfanbladetrailingedge

Rotationallyperiodicboundariescanbeemployedforefficiency
(reduceddomainsize)
Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

Singlevs.MultipleReferenceFrameModeling
Whendomainsrotateatdifferentratesorwhenstationarywallsdonot
formsurfacesofrevolutionMultipleReferenceFrames(MRF)areneeded
baffle

stationarywall

stationary wall

SRFis sufficient

Introduction
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MRFis necessary

NonConformalInterfaces
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stationarywall

RotatingZones

MRFis necessary

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

DifferentApproaches:
OverviewofModelingApproaches:
SingleReferenceFrame(SRF)
Entirecomputationaldomainisreferredtoamovingreferenceframe
steadystate

MultipleReferenceFrame(MRF)
Selectedregionsofthedomainarereferredtomovingreferenceframes
Interactioneffectsareignored
steadystate

MixingPlane(MPM)
Influenceofneighboringregionsaccountedforthroughuseofamixingplanemodelat
rotating/stationarydomaininterfaces
Circumferentialnonuniformitiesintheflowareignored
steadystate

SlidingMesh(SMM)
Motionofspecificregionsaccountedforbyameshmotionalgorithm
Flowvariablesinterpolatedacrossaslidinginterface
Unsteadyproblem cancaptureallinteractioneffectswithcompletefidelity,but
morecomputationallyexpensivethanSRF,MRF,orMPM

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

DefiningaMRFZone
ThesimplestapproachtosetupandsolveisusingaMovingReferenceFrame
Solutionissteadystate
Meshneveractuallymoves,localaccelerationsappliedtoeachgridcell
Thisisapplicableifthereisasteadystatesolutiontotheproblem,so:
Exactrelativepositionsofmovingandstationary(rotor/stator)partsdoesnotmatter
Novortexsheddingorothertransientphenomena

Foreachcellzone,enable
FrameMotionandsetthe
detailsofthemotion.

Thismotioncanbedefinedrelativetoanother
zone,itdoesnthavetobesettoabsolutecoordinates

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

DefiningaSlidingMeshproblem
Inotherproblems,onemustactuallymovethemeshcomponents.Thesolutionistherefore
transient.

DefinethelinearorrotationalmotionofeachzonetouseaslidingzonebysettingMesh
Motion

Rememberthatinthiscasethedifferentcellzonesareactuallymovedateachtimestep.
Makesurethemodelisalwayssavedbeforetestingthemotion!
Otherusefultipsaboutrunningatransientsimulation(likegeneratingimagesontheflywillbegivenin
alaterlecture.

Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

MeshDeformation
MeshDeformationcanbeappliedin
simulationswhereboundariesorobjects
aremoved
Thesolvercalculatesnodaldisplacementsoftheseregions
andadjuststhesurroundingmeshtoaccommodatethem

Examplesofdeformingmeshesinclude

Automotivepistonmovinginsideacylinder
Aflapmovingonanairplanewing
Avalveopeningandclosing
Anarteryexpandingandcontracting

Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

Summary
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MovingZones

DynamicMesh(DM)Methods
Internalnodepositionsareautomaticallycalculatedbasedonuserspecified
boundary/objectmotion,celltype,andmeshingschemes

BasicSchemes
Springanalogy(smoothing)
Localremeshing
Layering

OtherMethods

2.5D
Userdefinedmeshmotion
Incylindermotion(RPM,strokelength,crankangle,)
PrescribedmotionviaprofilesorUDF
Coupledmotionbasedonhydrodynamicforcesfromtheflowsolution,viaFLUENTssixdegreeof
freedom(6DOF)solver

Introduction
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

DynamicMeshMethods

Layering
Layersofcellsaregeneratedand
collapsedastheyareoverrunby
themovingboundary.Layeringis
appropriateforquad/hex/prism
mesheswithlinearorrotational
motionandcantoleratesmallor
largeboundarydeflections

Introduction
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LocalRemeshing

SpringAnalogy

Inlocalremeshing,ascellsbecome
skewedduetomovingboundaries,
cellsarecollapsedandtheskewed
regionisremeshed.Localremeshing
isappropriatefortri/tet mesheswith
largerangeofboundarymotion

Springanalogyisusefulwhenthere
aresmallboundarydeformations.
Theconnectivityandcellcountis
unchangedduringmotion.Spring
analogyisappropriatefortri/tet
mesheswithsmalldeformations

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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

TheDynamicMesh(DM)Model
Combinationofapproaches:
Initialmeshneedsproperdecomposition
Layering:
Valvetravelregion
Lowercylinderregion

Remeshing:
Uppercylinderregion

Nonconformalinterface
betweenzones

Anadvancedtrainingcourseon
DynamicMeshisavailable
Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

6DOFCoupledMotion
Objectsmoveasaresultofaerodynamic
forcesandmomentsactingtogetherwith
otherforces,suchasthegravityforce,
thrustforces,orejectorforces

Insuchcases,themotionandtheflowfield
arethuscoupled,andwecallthiscoupled
motion

FLUENTprovidesthe6DOFModel
Thetrajectoryofanobjectiscomputedbased

ontheaerodynamicforces/moments,
gravitationalforce,andejectorforces
The6DOFUDFisfullyparallelized

Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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MovingZones

Summary
Fivedifferentapproachesmaybeusedtomodelflowsovermovingparts

Single(Rotating)ReferenceFrameModel
MultipleReferenceFrameModel
MixingPlaneModel
SlidingMeshModel
DynamicMeshModel(ConsiderourAdvancedTrainings)

Thefirstthreemethodsareprimarilysteadystateapproacheswhilesliding
meshisinherentlyunsteady

Enablingthesemodelsinvolvesinpart,changingthestationaryfluidzonesto
eitherMovingReferenceFrameorMovingMesh

Mostphysicalmodelsarecompatiblewithmovingreferenceframesor
movingmeshes(e.g.multiphase,combustion,heattransfer,etc.)
Introduction
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NonConformalInterfaces
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RotatingZones

DynamicMesh

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Appendix

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MotioninSolidZones
Inmostsimulationsitisnotnecessarytospecifyanymotionin
solidzones

Solidzonemotionshouldbeusedwhentheconvectionofenergy
needstobeconsidered
Forexample,ahotjetimpingingonarotatingdisk.Topreventahotspotfrom
formingtheconvectionofenergyinthesolidneedstobeincluded

Inthiscasetheheattransferequationhasaconvectiveterm

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MotioninSolidZones
Insolidzones,theconservationoftheenergyequationcan
accountforheattransportduetomotionofthesolid,conduction
andvolumetricheatsources

h
( U S h ) ( T ) S E
t
Solid Velocity

Notethatthesolidisneverphysicallymovedwhenusingthis
approach,thereisonlyanadditionaladvectiontermaddedto
theenergyequation

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MotioninSolidZones
Solidzonemotioncanbeclassifiedq=0
intotwoareas:

TranslationalMotion

Tin = Tspec

q=0
q=0

Forexample,aprocesswherea
solidmovescontinuouslyinalinear
directionwhilecooling
Thesolidmustextendcompletely
throughthedomain

RotationalMotion
Forexample,abrakerotorwhichis
heatedbybrakepads

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MovingReferenceFrameModeling
Systemslikethesecanbesolvedbydividingthedomainintomultiplefluidzones
somezoneswillberotating,othersstationary
Stationary
zone
Interface

Rotating
zone

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NavierStokesEquations:RotatingReference
Frames
Equationscanbesolvedinabsoluteorrotating(relative)
referenceframe
RelativeVelocityFormulation
ObtainedbytransformingthestationaryframeNSequationstoarotating
referenceframe
Usestherelativevelocityasthedependentvariable
CanbeselectedundertheGeneraltabinProblemSetup

AbsoluteVelocityFormulation
Derivedfromtherelative
velocityformulation
Usestheabsolutevelocity
asthedependentvariable
DefaultformulationforrotatingzonesinFLUENT

Rotationalsourcetermsappear
inmomentumequations
z

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y
CFD domain

ro

rotating
frame

z
stationary
frame

R
x

axis of
rotation

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TheVelocityTriangle
Therelationshipbetweentheabsoluteandrelativevelocitiesisgivenby

Inturbomachinery,thisrelationshipcanbeillustratedusingthelawsofvectoraddition.
ThisisknownastheVelocityTriangle

V Absolute Velocity

W Relative Velocity

V
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ComparisonofFormulations
Relative Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

wx
p
W wx vrx 2 W r
t
x
Coriolis acceleration

Centripetal acceleration

Absolute Velocity Formulation: x-momentum equation

v x
p
Wv x vx V
t
x
Coriolis + Centripetal accelerations

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IntroductiontotheMRFModel
Thedomainissubdividedintostationaryandrotatingfluidzones
Morethanonerotatingzoneispermitted
Zonescanrotateatdifferentspeeds

Governingequationsaresolvedineachfluidzone
SRFequationsusedinrotatingzones
Attheinterfacesbetweentherotatingandstationaryzones,appropriate
transformationsofthevelocityvectorandvelocitygradientsareperformedto
computefluxesofmass,momentum,energy,andotherscalars
Flowisassumedtobesteadyineachzone(clearlyanapproximation)

MRFignorestherelativemotionsofthezoneswithrespecttoeachother
Doesnotaccountforfluiddynamicinteractionbetweenstationaryandrotating
components
ForthisreasonMRFisoftenreferredtoasthefrozenrotorapproach

Ideally,theflowattheMRFinterfacesshouldberelativelyuniformormixed
out

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TheMixingPlaneModel(MPM)
TheMPMisatechniquewhichpermitssteadystatesolutionsformultistageaxial
andcentrifugalturbomachines whereupstreamanddownstreamperiodic
domainsdonotmatchattheconnection
Advantage:
MPMrequiresonlyasinglebladepassageperbladerowregardlessofthenumberofblades,because
ofcircumferentialaveragingnonuniformitiesintheflowatthemixingplaneinterface
MPMcanhandledifferentnumbersofbladesatbothsidesofmixingplane

Fan (9 blades)

Vane (12 blades)

Mixing plane interface

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MPMvs.MRF
MRFcanbeusedonlyifwehaveequalperiodic
anglesforeachrow

Formultistageturbomachinery problems
Thestageboundaryconditionsareoftenknown(e.g.inlettotal
pressureandtemperatureandstageoutletstaticpressure)but
nottheinterstageconditions
Bladecountswillgenerallynotbethesame fromonerowtothe
next

TheMPMrequiresonlyasinglebladepassageper
bladerowregardlessofthenumberofblades
Thisisaccomplishedbymixingout(averaging)the
circumferentialnonuniformitiesintheflowattheinterstage
(mixingplane)interface

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Axialvs.RadialMixingPlanes
SRFsolutionsareobtainedineachdomain,withthedomainslinkedbypassing
boundaryconditionsfromonezonetoanother

Theinlet/outletboundariesmustbeassignedBCtypesinoneofthefollowing
combinations:
Pressureoutlet/Pressureinlet
Pressureoutlet/Velocityinlet
Pressureoutlet/Massflowinlet

Axial machines
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Radial machines
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MixingPlane SetUp
MixingPlaneModel
GUI:Define MixingPlanes

(r )
z

( z)
r

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1
p
1
p

(r, ) d

( z , ) d

January19,2012

MixingPlaneGeometrydetermines
methodofcircumferentialaveraging
ChooseRadialforaxialflowmachines
ChooseAxialforradialflowmachines
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TheSlidingMeshModel(SMM)
Therelativemotionofstationaryandrotating
componentsinaturbomachinewillgiveriseto
unsteadyinteractions
Shock
interaction

Theseinteractionsaregenerallyclassifiedasfollows:

potential
interaction

Potentialinteractions
(pressurewaveinteractions)
Wakeinteractions
Shockinteractions
BothMRFandMPMneglectunsteadyinteraction
entirelyandthusarelimitedtoflowswhere
theseeffectsareweak

Stator

Rotor

wake interaction

Ifunsteadyinteractioncannotbeneglected,wecan
employtheSlidingMeshmodel(SMM)to
accountfortherelativemotionbetweenthe
stationaryandrotatingcomponents
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HowtheSlidingMeshModelWorks
LiketheMRFmodel,thedomainisdividedintomovingandstationaryzones,
separatedbynonconformalinterfaces
UnliketheMRFmodel,eachmovingzonesmeshwillbeupdatedasafunction
oftime,thusmakingthemathematicalprobleminherentlyunsteady.

moving mesh zone

cells at time t

cells at time t + t

AnotherdifferencewithMRFisthatthegoverningequationshaveanew
movingmeshform,andaresolvedinthestationaryreferenceframefor
absolutequantities

MovingreferenceframeformulationisNOTusedhere(i.e.noadditionalaccelerations

actingassourcestermsinthemomentumequations)
Equationsareaspecialcaseofthegeneralmoving/deformingmeshformulation

Assumesrigidmeshmotionandsliding,nonconformalinterfaces
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NSEquations:SlidingMesh

d
dV (V U ) 0

dt V
S

d
v x dV V U v x pi dS vx dS

dt V
S
S

v y dV V U v y pj dS vy dS

dt V
S
S


d

v z dV V U v z pk vz dS

dt V
S
S

(x momentum)

(y momentum)

(z momentum)

d
et V U

dt V
S

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(continuity)

p
et dS vx v x vy v y vz v z q dS (energy)

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SMM Setup
Enabletheunsteadysolver
DefineslidingzonesasInterfaceBCtypes
Foreachinterfacezonepair,createanon
conformalinterface

EnablePeriodic optionifsliding/rotatingmotionis
periodic.
EnableCoupled forconjugateheattransfer

Formovingzones,selectMoving Mesh asMotion

Type inFluid BC panel

OtherBCsaresameasSRF,MRFmodels

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SolvingSMMProblems
ChooseappropriateTime Step Size andMax Iterations

per Time Step toensuregoodconvergencewitheach

timestep
Time Step Size shouldbenolargerthanthetimeittakesfora
movingcelltoadvancepastastationarypoint:

s
t
R

s = Average cell size

R = Translational speed

Advancethesolutionuntiltheflowbecomes
timeperiodic(pressures,velocities,etc.,
oscillatewitharepeatingtimevariation).
Usuallyrequiresseveralrevolutionsofthegrid.
Goodinitialconditionscanreducethetime
neededtoachievetimeperiodicity`

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