Challenge 8- ABAQUS REVIEW

Victor Sanjai Vincent

ABAQUS FEA is created by Dassault Systems Inc. Abaqus/CFD is one of it’s core products which provides advanced [2]
computational fluid dynamics capabilities with extensive support for preprocessing and post-processing .

Numerical Architecture:
 Abaqus is based on hybrid finite-volume and finite-element method [1]

 Incompressible, pressure-based flow solver: [1]

 Energy equation for thermal analysis [1]

 The Abaqus-CFD FSI capability uses a staggered approach to solve fluid-structure interaction problems [5]

 Buoyancy driven flows (natural convection) [1]

• Using Boussinesq approximation

 Turbulence models [1]

• Spalart-Allmaras • ILES (Implicit Large-Eddy Simulation)

 Iterative solvers for momentum, pressure and transport equations [1]

• Krylov solvers for transport equations • Algebraic Multigrid (AMG) preconditioned Krylov solvers for Poisson’s Eq.
Strengths:

 The solving time in Abaqus is very quick in comparison to Fluent

 It allows python scripting
 Pre-processing in Abaqus is highly robust
 Ability to perform deforming-mesh analyses [4]
 Also changes can be easily made in an analysis model, for e.g. mesh of a part can be easily modified without
affecting the named selections, boundary conditions etc. and the solution can be immediately calculated.
 The Geometry, Mesh and Setup are in the same window

Weakness:

 Fluent is more suitable for phase change and multi-phase problems

 Fluent has a material database which Abaqus lacks.
 Ansys Fluent provides a wide variety of meshing options in comparison to Abaqus eg:- mesh control options such
as Refinement, Inflation and sizing based on Sphere of Influence, No. of Divisions etc.
 Both the results part of Ansys-Fluent and CFD Post has a wide variety of options in comparison to Post-processing
in Abaqus.
 It is easier to define UDF, Create Custom Field Functions and generate Plots and Reports in Fluent.
Availability:

 Abaqus 6.14-2 student edition is available online for free with a maximum no. of nodes limitation of 10,000 nodes
http://academy.3ds.com/software/simulia/abaqus-student-edition/

 Abaqus can be purchased online based on the User Requirements

 The supported platforms are: Windows x86-64 and Linux x86-64

User-Base:

• Used in Automotive Industries for flow analysis in Engines, Disc Brakes, ABS etc. [1]

• Used in Gas Power Industries for analysis of Pipelines, Heat Exchangers etc. [1]

• Electronic Applications for cooling of Electronic Components [1]

• Medical Applications such as Blood Flow Analyses in Heart Valves [1]

• It is widely used for academic and Advanced Research purposes [3]

Recommendations:

• The Pre-processor in Abaqus is similar to Fluent, hence it is easier to figure out for someone with Fluent experience

• It is user-friendly, being a new user I was able to quickly figure it out using the online tutorials when compared to
other software which I tried such as Open Source CFD.

• It is available in GWC 481 so it is very accessible for students of ASU.

• Tutorial Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a9a8lfN-RE

 Example:
Nozzle Geometry
Inlet Diameter = 0.05 m
Outlet Diameter = 0.1 m
Length = 1.5 m
Inlet Velocity = 0.5 m/s
Outlet Pressure = 0
No slip condition for wall
surface
Nozzle Geometry Meshed Geometry (Element Size = 0.03 m)

Velocity Magnitude Contour in XY Plane Pressure Contour in XY Plane

References:

[1] http://imechanica.org/files/CFD.pdf
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaqus
[3] http://www.3ds.com/products-services/simulia/academics/
[4] http://www.3ds.com/products-services/simulia/products/abaqus/abaquscfd/
[5] http://www.3ds.com/fileadmin/PRODUCTS/SIMULIA/PDF/tech-briefs/Cross-Fluid-Structure-Interaction-with-Abaqus-
FLUENT-05.pdf