Workshop: Mixing Tank

ANSYS Fluent Watertight Geometry

Workflow
Release 2019 R1
Introduction

• This workshop demonstrates the use of

the Watertight Geometry workflow in
Fluent Meshing to mesh a mixing tank

• All steps are not shown explicitly in the

slides – please watch the video for
complete details
Geometry

Topology Not Shared – requirement for BOI

Shared Topology – shared items highlighted in graphics

Visibility of BOI bodies is off in this picture

BOI Bodies

Visibility of BOI bodies is on in this picture

They are copies of the MRF volumes (with name "fluid" in the
structure tree) but they are excluded from shared topology

Using copies of MRF volume to define the BOIs is not

required, just convenient in this case
Named Selections (NS)

NS assigned to faces of BOI bodies

Turn off visibility of MRF bodies to

ensure the correct faces are being
selected

Confirm faces (and not bodies) are

selected by checking in the border below
the graphics window
Import Geometry

Use mm for Units

The name of the workshop input file is mt-2i.scdoc

Add Local Sizing

Size Control Type: Size Control Type:

Body of Influence Face Size

Target Mesh Size = 10 mm Target Mesh Size = 4 mm

Face Zone Labels: Face Zone Labels:

boi-lower & boi-upper wall-impeller-lower
wall-impeller-upper
Create Surface Mesh
The default values are acceptable.

Min. size is much smaller than any

feature and it is unlikely curvature
and proximity settings will result in
overrefinement.

Based on size preview boxes, max.

size is suitable for this problem.

Use clipping plane to examine mesh

near impellers

Baffles are expected so the

warning message is not a
concern

Maximum skewness of ~ 0.4 is good

Describe Geometry

This model contains three fluid regions – the main tank region and
one MRF region surrounding each of two impellers.

Setting fluid-fluid boundary types to internal is important in this

model because these are the boundaries between the MRF regions
and the main tank region.
Update Boundaries

Change the boundary types for “sym-top"

to “symmetry”. It is common practice in
mixing tank simulations to represent the
free surface as a symmetry boundary when
no surface vortex is present.
Update Regions

"fluid-lower-mrf" "fluid-main-tank" "fluid-upper-mrf"

Region names are initially inherited from SpaceClaim part names.

They can be changed in this panel but here they already had the
desired names. Mousing over the region in the panel will highlight it
in the graphics window if the highlight option is active.
Create Volume Mesh

Choose poly-hexcore for the fill method and set the

number of buffer layers to 3.

Buffer layers control the rate of transition of the hex

core cells. A larger number produces a more gradual
transition. In this case it will result in a higher
number of smaller hex cells close to the impeller and
shaft surfaces.
Final Mesh

Orthogonal quality is good.

Notes:

For problems with MRF zones, check carefully to make sure boundaries are
internal. When zone assignment is correct, there will not be any boundary layer
mesh visible, which is the case here.

In mixing tank problems, if the top surface of the domain is the liquid surface and
not an actual wall, set the boundary type to symmetry during meshing to avoid
boundary layer mesh generation. The boundary type can be changed in solution
mode if it is desired to define a slip wall as opposed to a symmetry plane
 Final Mesh

Effect of increasing buffer layers can be seen near

impeller blades
Clip by Limit in Z and note that the boundary layer mesh is also
grown from the baffles.

Hint: If you want to use the slider bar to change the clipping plane,
movement is faster if you turn off Draw Cell Layer, move slider to
desired position, turn Draw Cell Layer back on
Switch to Solution

Save mesh file before switching to

solution. Workflow tasks and inputs are
stored in the mesh file.

Or alternatively, save the workflow