ETA CFD Post Processing Tools for CFD

Tutorial 6

ETA
Tools for CFD Post Processing
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2 1.1. Prerequisites ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. Problem Description ............................................................................................................ 2 1.3. Data Files ............................................................................................................................ 2 2. Post Processing Procedure ........................................................................................................ 3 2.1. Read Geometry ................................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Model handling Pids List .................................................................................................. 5 2.3. Reading of results ............................................................................................................... 7 2.4. Labels Options .................................................................................................................... 8 2.5. Fringe Options ..................................................................................................................... 9 3. Streamlines ............................................................................................................................... 10 3.1. Streamline from Line ......................................................................................................... 10 3.2. Set Fringe on Time ............................................................................................................ 14 3.3. Streamlines from Plane ..................................................................................................... 15 3.4. Streamlines from Surface .................................................................................................. 16 4. Append more results ................................................................................................................ 17 4.1. Read Velocity Magnitude and Turbulence Y+ results ....................................................... 17 5. User Calculations ..................................................................................................................... 18 5.1. Calculate Total Pressure ................................................................................................... 18 6. Isofunctions............................................................................................................................... 19 6.1. Total Pressure at Zero ...................................................................................................... 19 7. Cut Planes ................................................................................................................................ 20 7.1. Cut plane at YZ plane ....................................................................................................... 20 8. CFDPost toolbar ....................................................................................................................... 21 9. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 22

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1. Introduction
This tutorial highlights some of the features oriented in CFD post processing. After completing this tutorial the user will be able to handle easily a CFD model and its results. A Fluent model is used for this purpose. Not all capabilities and features are exhausted within this tutorial. The steps described in this tutorial include: Loading of geometry Handling of properties Loading of results Labels Fringe options Streamlines creation, modification Appending of results User calculations IsoFunctions creation, modification Cut planes creation, modification 1.1. Prerequisites It is recommended for users who have never used before to read the Introduction Tutorial. For old users it would be helpful referring to Release Notes. 1.2. Problem Description Completing this tutorial, the user should be able to load geometry and results, create streamlines, cutplanes and isofunctions, perform user calculations.

1.3. Data Files The files required for this tutorial are: /tutorials/mETA_tutorials/06-CFD/beta.cas /tutorials/mETA_tutorials/06-CFD/beta.dat

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2. Post Processing Procedure

2.1. Read Geometry 1. 2. Start selecting the CFD option in Launcher window. opens with the CFDPost toolbar docked in the user interface. TIP: Fluent, OpenFOAM, STARCCM+, Ensight, CFD++ results are currently supported.

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1. Switch to the Read Results tab and press the button to open the File Manager. For this tutorial select the: ../06-CFD/beta.cas

file and press Open to read in the geometry of the model.

2.

The model is read and it should appear as it is shown in the image on the left.

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2.2. Model handling Pids List

1.

Isolate some of the parts of the model by using the Focus buttons (e.g. Not) on PID level. The result is shown in the image on the left.

2.

Open the Pids list.

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3. Press the Type header in order to sort the properties according to their type.

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1. Select all properties of type Interior and Interface. Hide these properties by selecting Hide option, from the Right-Mouse button menu. Click once in white space to deselect properties. In case that, after closing the Pids list, some properties are hidden, but still remain identified, press the iReset button to reset identification. TIP: After isolating the parts to be visible activate the Lock button.

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2. 3.

TIP

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2.3. Reading of results The reading of results can be done either from the CFDPost toolbar or from the generic ETA interface. For demonstration purposes, the later case is described below: 1. Switch to Results tab. finds automatically the results file (*.dat). For this tutorial the results file is: ../06-CFD/beta.dat 2.

Switch to Scalar and Vector tabs and select: Scalar -> Pressure Vector -> Velocity For this model only one state exists in the States list, which is automatically selected.

3. 4.

Scalar and Vector options are checked automatically. Finally, press the Read button.

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5. Results are loaded and animation bar is populated. Slider moves automatically to position corresponding to State 1.

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2.4. Labels Options

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1. Enable the Scalar Fringe & Vector Fringe. Model is drawn with pressure as scalar and velocity as vectors, as shown in the image on the left. TIP: Colors and Palettes can be modified from Fringe Colors option in the context menu of the Fringe.

2.

The loaded results appear as Labels in the Labels tool. TIP: For each state one or more labels (results) can be loaded as described in Chapter 4.

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2.5. Fringe Options 1. It is possible to change the Fringe options by pressing the black arrow on the Fringe icon. For example switch to On Node for scalar results.

2.

Change the vectors scale from the menu appearing when pressing the black arrow on the Vector Fringe icon.

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3. Streamlines
3.1. Streamline from Line

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1. Create a new Streamline from Line.
Streamlines created are tangent to the velocity vector of the flow.

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2. The Line tool is created on the Z axis. Change the orientation or position of the Line by selecting Edit. Line enters Edit mode (becomes black). Switch to right view with F6 and press Shift+F3 to set the Direction of the Line on the Z axis. 3. Move the Line towards the X axis by dragging its middle area with the Left mouse button.

TIP: Note all possible uses of the F keys in the Meta Info window.

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1.

Switch to front view with F2 and move the Line towards the Y axis.

2.

Change Start-Stop position of the Line by 3. dragging each point with the Right mouse button. Points move along the Z axis.

Move Line towards +Z axis by dragging its middle area with the with the Right mouse button.

TIP: This is a quick way for positioning the Line tool in the desirable position with accuracy. Another way is turning to Isometric view, with F10 and moving the Line in two directions at the same time.

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4. Deactivate Fringes and open the Streamlines card by pressing the Streamlines icon.

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1. Define the properties of the streamlines such as, the direction of the flow (e.g. Forward), the Start-Stop position, the Total number of streamlines, etc.

2.

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3.

Switch to Styles tab. Enable the Shade option. Streamlines are drawn as cylinders. Enable the Modulate option. Streamlines radius variates according to the result label selected (e.g. Pressure). Enable Fringe Style option and set Fringe on Scalar.

4.

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1. Change Shape to Ribbon and apply Twist according to Pressure with scale factor 1. Before proceeding to the next step disable Shade option. Activate Scalar Fringe.

2.

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3.2. Set Fringe on Time 1. Enable the Fringe On Time to color Streamlines according to actual time (integration-time). Switch to Settings tab. Specify settings Max. Time 0.08 and Calculation method Fine. TIP: With Element Vector the streamline will be straight and hold one value within an element. Faster solution of differential equation but coarse result. Nodal Vector is more accurate.

2.

Adaptive Timestep can increase/decrease the accuracy of the streamline according to the defined coefficient e.g. 0.1 (this means that each element is divided into 10 steps). Coarse or Fine options correspond to the calculation methods of solving the differential equation (V = dx/dt): Coarse: Euler->1 order nd Fine: Runge-Kutta->2 order
st

3.

Max. Time is the time where the lines will end. This is the actual time (integrationtime) of where the flow will be at time e.g. 0.08 sec. Before proceeding to the next step delete the Streamline.

4.

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3.3. Streamlines from Plane 1. 2. Create a new Streamline from Plane with settings as shown in the image on the left. Enable the Restrict on Plane option in order to visualize vorticity of flow. Switch to Styles tab and enable the Fringe Style > Fringe on T-Vector option. Before proceeding to the next step delete the Streamline.

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3.

4.

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3.4. Streamlines from Surface 1. Create a new Streamline from Surface by choosing Pid 1 car_body with settings as shown in the image on the left. In Styles tab enable the Fringe Style > Fringe on TVector option. Enable the Oil Flow option in order to visualize flow on top of surfaces such as the rear window of the vehicle.

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2.

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TIP: When Oil Flow is activated on a Streamline from Line, it is possible to edit interactively the oil flow results. This is done by enabling the Interactive Edit mode and changing the direction of the streamlines by holding the Middle mouse button pressed and dragging the mouse in Left-Right direction. Such an example is shown in the image below. 3. Before proceeding to the next step delete the Streamline.

TIP

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4. Append more results

4.1. Read Velocity Magnitude and Turbulence Y+ results The appending of results can be done either from the CFDPost toolbar or from the generic ETA interface. Although it is possible to append many results in one step through the CFDPost toolbar, for demonstration purposes, the later case is described below: 1. In order to add more scalar or vector results switch to Results card. Select the result to be added. For this tutorial select Velocity Magnitude. Enable the + button next to Scalar option to append Velocity Magnitude to the currently loaded results and not to overwrite the existing. Deactivate Vector option. Press Read. The Labels tool is updated and Velocity,Magnitude label is automatically selected. Repeat the same procedure for appending Turbulence Wall Yplus result. TIP: It is possible to append more than one type of results (Deformation, Scalar, Vector) at the same time. After selecting the result to be appended the corresponding + button must be enabled. Replace existing results by disabling the + buttons of the corresponding type before reading the new results.

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3.

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4. 5.

6.

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5. User Calculations
5.1. Calculate Total Pressure

Total Pressure can be read as one of the available results. However, for demonstration purposes, the procedure of calculating user-defined results is described below:

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1. From the Main menu open Calculate > Create user Field Function in order to create new results based on user formulas. Select the type of result to be calculated. For this tutorial Total Pressure is calculated based on Scalar results (Pressure, Velocity Magnitude) currently loaded on the model. Formulas syntax is automatically filled by picking entities from the lists. 3. 4. 5. Set options for naming the new results as shown in the image above. Press Apply. The Labels tool is updated with Total Pressure. Set active label Total Pressure and enable Fringe.

2.

* Formula for Total Pressure: s1.f[label={Pressure}]+0.5*1.225*pow(s1.f[label={Velocity,Magnitude}],2) 3 Air density = 1.225 kg/m (TIP: Use dot as decimal separator).

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6. Isofunctions
6.1. Total Pressure at Zero

1. 2. 3.

Create a new IsoFunction on Default Value 0. Set the settings as shown in the image on the left and press OK. It is possible to edit IsoFunction interactively by enabling the Edit mode. Pick IsoFunction from screen and drag mouse holding the Left mouse button pressed.

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4. 5.

Open IsoFunctions card by pressing the IsoFunctions icon. In the same way, as it is done for Streamlines, it is possible to Lock Fringe of an IsoFunction on a specific result and view the model with a different one.

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7. Cut Planes
7.1. Cut plane at YZ plane

1. 2.

Create a new Cut Plane on the Default YZ plane. Change the position or orientation of the Cut Plane by selecting Edit. Cut Plane enters Edit mode (becomes black). If more cut planes exist, then editing can be performed through the Cut Planes tool.

3.

Use Mouse buttons to rotate the plane or move it along the X axis. Restore the orientation of the Cut Plane directly on the principal planes by pressing any of the Shift+F# button.

4. 5.

Open Cut Planes card by pressing the Cut Planes icon. In the same way, as it is done for Streamlines and IsoFunctions, it is possible to Lock Fringe of a Cut Plane on a specific result and view the model with a different one. Before proceeding to the next step delete Cut Plane and IsoFunction and deactivate Fringe.

6.

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8. CFDPost toolbar
By using the CFDPost toolbar it is possible to: - read multiple results in one step - calculate Drag/Lift Forces, Coefficients, Moments, Surface and Volume Integrals - create 2d plots of Cd, Cl versus Time and Distance For more details, refer to CFDPost toolbar User Guide available under Help > META Documentation Index

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9. Conclusion
In this tutorial some of the basic tools used for CFD analyses have been presented. Not all capabilities were demonstrated. Below are some examples of using some of the tools described in this tutorial.

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