Introduction

The purpose of this simulation is to study the fluid separation and reattachment produced by a sharp
discontinuity in geometry like in this case a backward step. We used numerical method to simulate this
process and study the reattachment point at different Reynolds number first within the laminar region
than in turbulent region. The result of all is compared including the flow profile at exit, reattachment
locations using pressure and axial velocity gradient. Further a sip condition is studied to further
understand the process.

Geometry
To simulate the flow over the backward facing step, Ansys CFX is used while Design Modeler of ANSYS
Workbench is used to model the geometry as follows:

The unstructured hexahedron mesh is produced for the geometry using the ANSYS workbench meshing
module. The five different meshes are generated with each next mesh is refined to validate the result.
The following table shows the element size and number for each mesh. All the meshes generated are
nearly uniform.

S. No. Mesh Element Size Element Number

1 Mesh 1 0.25 400
2 Mesh 2 0.20 625
3 Mesh 3 0.11 2025
4 Mesh 4 0.08 8136
5 Mesh 5 0.03 33670
Material Properties
Ansys CFX-Pre is used to the model properties and setting. During the refining process the model
Reynolds number is maintained at 100 and the result is compared with the previous mesh and the mesh
is selected when the difference become acceptable. Further, During complete simulation, the custom
material with following properties:

Dynamic Density, ρ (kg/m3) Molar Mass

Viscosity, μ (kg/kmol)
(kg/ms)
0.01 1.00 1.00

Boundary Conditions:
During refining phase, the following boundary conditions is used:
Once the mesh is selected during this refining phase then the velocity is changed at the inlet to simulate
the result at different Reynold Number as shown below:

S. No. Velocity Re
Laminar Flow
1 1.00 100
2 0.50 50
3 1.50 150
4 2.00 200
Turbulent Flow
5 50 5000

Laminar model is selected for the domain as Reynold number is in the laminar region while the no slip
condition is applied at the wall. Pressure outlet is used for outlet condition at 0 Pa gauge pressure.

For turbulent flow two cases with two turbulent flow models i.e. K-Epsilon and K-Omega SST is utilized.

Reattachment length is given as the length covered by flow after the separation due to some
discontinuity on surface till the flow reattached to the surface.

Results
Refining phase:
The result obtains from the first phase of simulation in which the refining is carried out and
reattachment length is calculated for each mesh and it is observed as shown in following graphs and
tables that the length is increased as the mesh become finer and the difference reduces as mesh refined
and mesh 4 and mesh 5 has comparable reattachment length hence mesh 4 is selected for the remaining
cases.
 x-velocity profile
0.05

-0.05
Mesh size =
velocity u

-0.1 0.25
Mesh size =
0.11
-0.15 Mesh size =
0.08
Mesh size =
-0.2 0.03

-0.25
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates

P-Gradient
0.1
Mesh size =
0.08 0.25
Mesh size =
0.11
Pressure Gradient

0.06
Mesh size =
0.08
0.04
Mesh size =
0.03
0.02

-0.02
0 2 4 6 8 10 12

X-Coordinates

S.No. Mesh Reattachment length (m)

1 Mesh 1 4.8979578
2 Mesh 2 5.3061209
3 Mesh 3 5.9183655
4 Mesh 4 6.1200000
5 Mesh 5 6.1224701
Variable velocity phase:
In the next phase, mesh 4 is used and four difference cases with Re 50,100,150 and 200 is study by
changing the inlet velocity using 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m/s respectively and reattachment length is
observed with velocity profile. It can be reattachment length increase with increase in the Re as higher
Re number has more inertial effect and tends to remain in its form more.

flow profile at outlet

1.5
Re=50 Re=150
1 Re=200 Re=100

0.5
Y-coordinates

-0.5

-1

-1.5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
U-velocity

0.3
Pressure Gradient
0.25
0.2
Pressure Gradient

0.15
0.1 Re=50

0.05 Re=100

0 Re=150

-0.05 Re=200

-0.1
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates

0.01
x-velocity profile

-0.01
U-Velocity

-0.02 Re=50
Re=100
-0.03
Re=150
-0.04 Re=200

-0.05
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates
 S.No. Re Reattachment length (m)
1 50 3.67
2 100 6.12
3 150 7.75
4 200 8.16

Reattachment length (m)

9
8 f(x) = 3.37 ln(x) − 9.42
7
Re attachment lengths

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
Re

Review Question:
Answer of Q1:

The Aspect ratio and skewness along with element quality is the main criteria to measure the mesh
quality.

Answer of Q2:

The 4 equation including x,y and z momentum equations along with continuity equation is solved for the
given case.

Answer of Q3:

Flow circulation is cause by the flow separation at the step which produce the adverse pressure gradient
between the step and reattachment point and produce circulation. As shown in following figure:
Answer of Q4:

The reattachment point is identified using the pressure gradient as where it tends to zero represent the
reattachment point.

Answer of Q5:

The high Reynold number flows are dominant by inertial forces which causes the separation at sharp
discontinuity due to inertial effect (a tendency of a body to remain in its current form) further it also
increases the length of reattachment as it tends to remain in its form more than the low Reynolds
number flows.

Exploratory Questions:
Comparison of reattachment length between top boundary with slip and no slip:

An another case is run at mesh 4 on Re of 50 with top boundary. In this case the top boundary has slip of
100% and comparison has been done with same case but no slip condition:

When we observed the above figure it can be seen that when there is slip in top boundary it reduce the
viscous effect which balanced out the inertial effect of the flow as described by Reynolds number is no
more in top boundary hence the reattachment length is extend beyond the outlet in this case when
compared to no slip top boundary case on the right which has considerably lower reattachment length
of 3.67 m from discontinuity. Same can be seen in the following graphs as there is reattachment in the
slip case.

0
x-velocity profile
0

0
U-Velocity

0
No slip on
0 top surface
0 slip on top
surface
0

-0.01
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates

Further the exit boundary profile has significant change when compared with no slip condition as shown
below:

1
flow profile at outlet
0.8
0.6
0.4
Y-coordinates

0.2
0
-0.2
No slip in top
-0.4 surface
-0.6 slip in top
-0.8 surface
-1
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
U-velocity

Reattachment length for turbulent flow Re = 5000:

Another flow is study in which turbulent conditions is used with two turbulent models K-epsilon and SST
K-Omega and reattachment length is compared as following graph represent the result is comparable
with slight reduction in attachment length for SST K-omega model.
 x-velocity profile
10

0
U-Velocity

K Epsilon
Re=5000
-5
SST K
Omega
-10 Re=5000

-15
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates

Pressure Gradient
150

100
Pressure Gradient

50 K Epsilon
Re=5000
0
SST K Omega
Re=5000
-50

-100
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
X-Coordinates