Chapter 1

Introduction

Introduction to ANSYS
ICEM CFD

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 1-1 January 2010
Introduction
Schedule Training Manual

Day 1
Introduction
Geometry Handling
Shell Meshing
Volume Meshing
Output to Solver

Day 2
Prism meshing
Intro to Hexahedral meshing

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
Purpose/Goals Training Manual

Gain understanding of basic functionality for

Geometryy import/editing
p g
Meshing (surface meshing, tetra, prism, hexa)
Mesh Editing (smoothing, checks, individual element editing)
Solver setup
p

Propose best meshing practices

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
What is a Mesh? Training Manual

Mesh
Volume comprised of elements 2D Surface/Shell
used
d tto discretize
di ti a d
domain
i ffor Quads
numerical solution Tris
Thin sheet modeling
Structural 2D volume
Fl id d
Fluid dynamics
i 3D mesh boundary
Electromagnetics 3D - Volume
Tetra
Other Pyramid
Elements Penta (prism)
0D Node element Hexa
Solid modeling
Point mass 3D fluid modeling
Constraint,
C t i t lload
d llocation
ti Formats
1D Lines Unstructured
Bars, beams, rods, springs Block Structured
2D mesh boundary Nodes
Point locations of element
corners
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Ansys ICEM CFD Features Training Manual

Geometry Creation/Repair/Simplification
Including Mid-Plane Extractions/Extensions
Most ggeometryy intended to be imported
Powerful Meshing tools
Tetra/Prism from CAD and/or existing surface
mesh
Shell meshing: structured, unstructured
Hex-dominant, swept, Structured hexa,
Extruded quads, Body-fitted and stair-step
Cartesian
Hybrid meshing (merging, multi-zone)

Advanced mesh editing

Solver Setup
Output to 100+ Solvers
Post processing
Scripting and much more
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Ansys ICEM CFD Product Purchasing Training Manual

ICEM CFD
Full capabilities (all meshers, CFD and FEA)
Enables Ansys meshing in Workbench
ICEM CFD Tetra/Prism
Includes hexa core, but not other hexa methods
Enables Ansys meshing in Workbench
ICEM CFD hexa
No tetra/prism
Includes Body-fitted
Body fitted Cartesian (BFC) and Hex
Hex-
dominant
ICEM CFD Add-on
Lower cost, added to Ansys solver bundles
Full capabilities
Only writes to Ansys solvers (Ansys, CFX, Fluent)
CAD interfaces sold separately
Settings->Product filters what options are seen in the application, but
the licensing determines which ones can be used
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 1-6 January 2010
Introduction
GUI and Layout Training Manual

Utility Menu

Utility Function Tabs

Icons

Selection Toolbar
Model
Tree

Display
Di l
Data Entry Triad
Panel Message Histogram
Window Window

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
File and Directory Structure Training Manual

Use of many files

Not one large common database
For faster input/output
All files are usually associated within a Project
Establishes working directory
Settings (*.prj) file
Primary
y file types:
yp
Tetin (.tin): Geometry plus
Geometry entities and material points .prj
Part association
Global and entity mesh sizes
C
Createdd iin A
Ansys ICEM CFD or Di
Direct C
Cad
d IInterface
f
Domain file (.uns) .tin
Unstructured mesh .blk
Blocking file (.blk) .uns
Blocking topology
Attribute file (.fbc, .atr)
Boundary conditions, local parameters & element types
Parameter file (.par) .fbc
solver p
parameters & element types
yp
Journal and replay file(.jrf, .rpl) .rpl
.par
Record of performed operations (echo file) .jrf
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Mouse Usage Training Manual

Dynamic viewing mode (click and drag)

left: rotate (about a point)
middle: translate
right: zoom(up-down)
screen Z-axis rotation (sideways)
Wheel zoom
S l ti mode
Selection d (click)
( li k)
left: select (click and drag for box select)
middle: apply operation
right: unselect

F9 toggles the mouse control to Dynamic

mode while in Select
S mode

Spaceball allows for dynamic motion even

while in select mode
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction

Utility Menus Training Manual

Settings
File Menu Edit Menu View Menu Info Menu Menu Help Menu
(file i/o) (preferences)

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
File menu Training Manual

To open/save/close Most common

Projects functions are
Will open/save/close all d li t d as utility
duplicated tilit
associated files including icons:
Geometry (*.tin)
Mesh (*.uns)
Attributes (*.fbc, *.atr)
All file types can be Open Project Save Project
opened/saved/closed
d/ d/ l d
independently
Open/Save/Close
Also to Geometry
Open/Save/Close
Read in results data Mesh
Open/Save/Close
Import/Export Blocking

Geometry/Mesh
Invoke scripting
Save frequently!
Exit
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Other Commonly Used Utilities Training Manual

Edit > Undo/Redo

Local Coordinate System
Used by:
View Select location
Fit Measuring
Node/point movement/creation
Fit active entities into screen
Alignment
g
Box Zoom
Loads
Standard views Transformation
Top, Bottom, Left, etc.
Can also select X, Y, Z axis of display triad
in lower right hand corner of main view Surface display
screen to orient to standard view, e.g. Wireframe
selecting X will orient right Solid
Isometric select blue dot within triad Transparent
Measure
Distance
Angle
Location

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
Help Training Manual

Menu Driven
Searchable
Includes tutorials
Programmers guide
(for ICEM CFD/Tcl
scripting procedures)
Hyper-link
Hyper link to specific
topic

Bubble explanation with

cursor positioning

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction

Function Tabs Training Manual

Geometry Create/Modify geometry

Set mesh sizes, types and methods

Mesh Set options
p
Auto create Shell, Volume, Prism meshes

Initialize a block
Blocking S lit/ dif bl
Split/modify blocks
k
Generate structured hexa
mesh
Check, Smooth
Refine/Coarsen
M
Merge, A
Auto
t
Edit Mesh repair,
Manual edit
Transform, etc.
Set Boundary
ou da y Co Conditions
dto s
and Parameters
Output Write mesh for 100+
solvers.
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Primary Function Tabs Training Manual

Create, read, write out

material properties
Properties Apply to geometry/elements

Set constraints,
displacements,
define contacts,
Constraints initial velocity,
y, rigid
g
walls

Set force, pressure

and temperature
Loads loads

Set parameters,
attributes, create
Solve subcases write out input
subcases,
options file, run solver

Visualize results: cut

plane, streams, animation,
Post calculate integral and
Processing more.

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
Selection Toolbar Training Manual

During select mode, popup selection toolbar appears

Some tools are common to all, others are contextual
Linked to select mode hotkeys
Filtering of entities By Part
Cancel

Geometry

Select all Only visible Flood fill to Angle

Polygon Entity Filter
Flood fill to Curve Mesh on Geom

Mesh

Circle
Entire/Partial toggle Set FF angle All Shells

Blocks Faceted
Toggle
Geometry
Dynamic B S
By Subset
b t From S
Segments
t
Mode (F9) Corners In between
segments
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction

Model Tree Training Manual

To toggle on/off various sections

of the model
g
Main Categories for:
Geometry, Mesh, Blocking, Parts
Element Properties, Connectors,
Displacements, Loads and Material
Properties
Toggle check boxes to
blank/unblank
Blanked/inactive
Bl k d/i ti
Visible/active
Partiallyy visible/active: some sub
members turned on, some turned off
Click on plus sign to expand tree
Expose sub members
Right mouse click for display
options
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Model Tree: Parts Training Manual

Parts
Grouping of mesh and geometry entities
Based on boundary condition/property
Based
B d on mesh h size
i (can
( sett mesh
h size
i byb part)
t)
Based on material property
Just to partition large model
Select to blank/unblank all entities within part
Color coded: Part name matches entity screen
display
Right Mouse Button on Parts to access:
Create Part
Create Assembly
Delete Empty Parts
Etc.
RMB on specific
ifi parts
t branches
b h allows
ll options
ti
to modify or delete the parts
Properties are shown as a sub branch of the
part
Double Left Click or RMB > Modify to modify
element properties
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Workflow Training Manual

Typical ICEM CFD Workflow:

Create/open new project
Import/Create
p geometry
g y
Build topology/Clean geometry
Mesh model (Possibly Hex Blocking)
Check/edit mesh
Output to Solver
Postprocess

Workflow
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Overall Meshing Process Training Manual

Open/Create Project Geometry Import/Creation

Geometry Manipulation/Clean Up

Set Parts

Create Mesh Sett M

S Mesh
h Sizes,
Si
Auto sizing
Methods and Types Blocking (Quad/Hexa)
Default method/type

View/Edit Pre-Mesh

Shell Mesh Auto Volume

Mesh

View/Edit Mesh

Solver Setup

Output
p to Solver Run
Solver
Post process

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
Accessing from Workbench Training Manual

Ansys ICEM CFD 12 is no longer a module inside Workbench

Export files from Mechanical Model (Simulation) to open in ICEM CFD

Many ICEM CFD capabilities

have been integrated into
the Meshing Application
Tetra octree
Patch dependent surface
mesher
Multizone
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
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Introduction
Workbench Interactive Link Training Manual

Ansys ICEM CFD can still be accessed in Workbench 12 by setting

the environment variable:
ICEM_CFD_INTERACTIVE
_ _ =1
Insert a meshing method
MultiZone
Patch Independent
Autoblock
Generate Mesh
Edit within
ithi ICEM CFD
CFD, save
project, then exit ICEM CFD

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0

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Introduction
Lets Explore the GUI with a simple practice part Training Manual

File > Import Geometry (parasolid or acis)

Show menu locations
Mouse controls
Change display options
Shading/Wire, simple/full
Views/Save
Vi /S view
i

Create Part
Parts
P t conceptt
Overview process
Create/open/Save Project
Build topology
Define global and local mesh sizes
Create volume mesh
Edit/check quality, smooth
Set up and write out to solver
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary Release 12.0
2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 1-23 January 2010