CFX11 Customizing CH2 CCL and CEL

2008 International
ANSYS Conference
Training Manual
Customizing CFX
CFX Command Language (CCL) and
CFX Expression Language (CEL)
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

2008 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Inventory #002568
CCL and CEL
Methods of customization
Training Manual
CFX can be customized using:

CFX Command Language (CCL)
Including CFX Expression Language (CEL)
Additional variables
User sources
Embedded Perl in CCL

User Fortran
Customised executables produced by ANSYS (modified source
code)

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CCL and CEL
CFX Command Language (CCL)
Training Manual
CCL is the language used to specify the solver

physics, including:
Material properties
Physical models
Boundary conditions
Initialisation
Solver control
A knowledge of CCL is helpful for User Fortran

Many users do not need to use CCL as it is
automatically generated by CFX-Pre
Advanced users will find CCL a time-saving and
powerful feature
CCL is also used by CFX-Pre and CFX-Post
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CCL and CEL
Why edit CCL?
Training Manual
CCL is normally generated automatically by CFX-Pre,

but may also be edited manually
Useful for trivial changes without starting CFX-Pre
Some advanced solver functionality can only be set up
this way for example:
Some advanced CCL parameters
Certain expert parameters e.g.
EXPERT PARAMETERS:
solve meshdisp = f
END
Advanced users often use CCL to make more complex

changes
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CCL and CEL
Editing CCL
Training Manual
CCL is contained within the

definition file
Command File (CCL)
The definition file is a binary

file and cannot be edited
directly
Mesh (def and res file)

Definition or
Results file
The CCL editor may be used

to make simple changes
Solution Data
(res file or def file
after solution
interpolation)
More complex changes

require the CCL to be
manually edited

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CCL and CEL
Editing CCL using cfx5cmds
Training Manual
The cfx5cmds utility is used from the command line as follows:
Read CCL from the definition file:

cfx5cmds -def file1.def -text file1.ccl -read
The CCL may then be edited using a text editor:

Finally, write the modified CCL to the definition file:
cfx5cmds -def file1.def -text file1.ccl -write
file1.def (original)
cfx5cmds -read
file1.def (original)
Editor
file1.ccl (original)
cfx5cmds -write
file1.ccl (modified)
file1.def (modified)

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CCL and CEL
CCL structure and syntax
Training Manual
Comments start with # (inline comments permitted)

\ (backslash) is the continuation character
Organised as a hierarchical structure of CCL objects, which
may contain other objects and parameters
LIBRARY:
MATERIAL: Water at RTP
Option = Pure Substance
PROPERTIES:
Option = General Fluid
Density = 9.98E2 [kg m^-3]
Dynamic Viscosity = 1.E-3 [kg m^-1 s^-1]
Specific Heat Capacity = 4.19E3 [J kg^-1 K^-1]
Thermal Conductivity = 5.91E-1 [W m^-1 K^-1]
Thermal Expansivity = 2.1E-4 [K^-1]
END
END
END
RULES file contains allowed objects and parameters (located

in the etc subdirectory in a CFX installation)
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CCL and CEL
The -ccl option
Training Manual
This allows CCL to be specified directly to the solver without

modifying the definition file
Example of usage:
cfx5solve -def test.def ccl file1.ccl
Important notes:
The CCL in the definition file is not changed
The CCL specified with the ccl option does not replace the CCL
in the definition file
The specified CCL is merged with the CCL already in the definition
file
Can be used to add or modify but not remove CCL
The resulting CCL used by the solver is given at the top of the
solver output file
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CCL and CEL
Training Manual
CFX Expression Language (CEL) is a subset of CCL

It is important to be comfortable with the syntax and application of
CEL in order to use CFX user CEL functions (user Fortran)
effectively

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CCL and CEL
Training Manual
CEL is an interpreted, declarative language

which enables users to enhance simulations
without recourse to external fortran routines
Many functions which could only be performed
in user Fortran in CFX-4 and CFX-TASCflow can
be performed using CEL
CEL uses mathematical expressions for physical
quantities as opposed to using fixed values
Access is available to many CFX internal
variables (including solution variables)
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CCL and CEL
Training Manual
CEL includes built-in mathematical functions

In CFX-Pre, CEL can be used on any form which has an
Expression Editor button (click in the value field to see this
button)
Since CEL is a subset of CCL, it may also be edited as part
of a CCL file
Examples where CEL may be used:
Variable Material Properties

Complex boundary conditions
Variable initial conditions
User Sources
In CFX-Post (e.g to define user defined variables)

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CCL and CEL
Creating Expressions - constants
Training Manual
Constant value expressions are specified with units. For

example:
x1 = 4.8 [m]
inletspeed = 840.25 [m/s]
Tsource = 353.15 [K]
inletmf = 0.9
If no units are specified, the value is interpreted as

dimensionless ( [ ] is also dimensionless)

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CCL and CEL
Creating Expressions - continued
Training Manual
Expressions are mathematical combinations of predefined

values, system variables, numerical constants, and other
predefined expressions:
area = 0.25*pi*d^2
xc = R*cos(theta)
vel12scaled = scale*sqrt(u^2+v^2)
Expressions may include in-line units:

xoffset = x + 4 [m]
vdot = mdot / 133 [kg m^-3]
The result units of expressions are not declared. They are

the result of units in the expression. The following
expression has units of [kg m^-2 s^-1]
8.0[kg m^-3] * 3.3[m s^-1])

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CCL and CEL
Rules for Expressions
Training Manual
Variables and expressions are case sensitive

Brackets can be used to specify the order of operations
For multiple line expressions, operators may be used to
separate each line e.g., A+ B/C could be written as:
A+
B
/C
Expressions must be dimensionally consistent e.g:

1.0[mm] + 0.45[yds]
2.5[s m^-1] - (3.0[m s^-1])^-1
1.0[mm] + 0.3[kg]

(valid)
(valid)
(invalid)
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CCL and CEL
System Variables
Training Manual
Only a very small selection is shown, there are many others

Use the right-click menu in the Expression Editor for a
complete list of available variables
Variable
Units
Description
x,y,z
Direction 1, 2 and 3 in Local Coordinate Frame
m s-1
Velocity in the x coordinate direction
kg m-1 s-2
Pressure
ptot
kg m-1 s-2
Total Pressure
mf
dimensionless
Mass Fraction
density
kg m-3
Density
Temperature
viscosity
kg m-1 s-1
Dynamic Viscosity
Cp
m2 s-2 K-1
Specific Heat Capacity at Constant Pressure
cond
kg m s-3 K-1
Thermal Conductivity
ctstep
dimensionless
Current time step
atstep
dimensionless
Accumulated time step
citern
dimensionless
Current iteration number
aitern
dimensionless
Accumulated iteration number

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CCL and CEL
System Variable Prefixes
Training Manual
In order to distinguish system variables of different

components and fluids, prefixes are used. This is relevant in
multi-phase or multi-component simulations. For example:
Variable
Meaning
pressure
Pressure (no prefix required).
Air.density
Density of Air.
Air.viscosity
Viscosity of Air.
Air.carbondioxide.mf
Mass fraction of carbon dioxide in air (in a multi-component

mixture).
For single-phase, single component simulations, the prefix

can usually be omitted

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CCL and CEL
Vector & Tensor Components
Training Manual
CEL is a scalar language. To specify the components of

velocity or stress variable use u,v,w postfixes. Velocity itself
is a special case and the short forms u, v, w are valid for the
x, y, z components of the velocity. All other vectors and
tensors use post fixes X,Y,Z.
Variable
Components
Velocity
Velocity u, Velocity v, Velocity w or u,v,w
Reynolds stress
Reynolds Stress uu, Reynolds Stress uv, ..
Normal Vector
Normal Vector X, Normal Vector Y, Normal Vector Z
Note that short name forms use lower case X,Y,Z post fixes.
E.g. Magnetic Induction X or bmag x are identical.
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CCL and CEL
Variables : Normal Vectors
Training Manual
Normal unit and area vectors can be used in CEL

expressions on 2D regions
A = Normal X *
B = Normal Area X * .
Only supported on 2D region element faces, or

integrations points
Can only be used in expressions on boundaries (e.g:
boundary conditions or boundary sources) or domain
interfaces

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CCL and CEL
Variables : Coordinate Frames
Training Manual
Local coordinate frame transformations currently only

apply to position variables on RHS of expressions:
x, y, z, r, theta, aaxis, taxis, raxis
If desired, in 11.0 local transformations are applied to

vector and tensor variables (eg: velocity) by setting the
expert parameter
cel global to local = t
Default value is set to false for backwards compatibility

issues

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CCL and CEL
Variable Operators
Training Manual
Variable operators can be used in CEL expressions

Curl, Gradient, Trnmin, Trnmax, Trnrms, Trnsdv, Trnavg:
A = Pressure.Trnrms * ..
B = Temperature.Trnavg
C = Temperature.Gradient X
Gradients on vertices only available for solved for (principal)
variables plus Temperature, Density and Algebraic AVs
Gradients on vertices require parallel communication
Variable operators cannot be used as arguments to

integrated CEL functions, nor can be monitored/probed at
a point
Workaround: create an algebraic AV, and use it instead
Workaround also works to get at gradients of non-principal
variables
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CCL and CEL
CEL Built-in constants
Training Manual
Constant
Value
Units
Description
2.7182818
dimensionless
Usual meaning
9.806
m/s2
Acceleration due to gravity
pi
3.1415927
dimensionless
Usual meaning
8314.5
m2/(s2 K)
Universal gas constant
stefan
5.670400E-08
W m-2 K-4
Stefan-Boltzmann constant
boltzmann
1.3806503E-23
J K-1
Boltzmanns constant
planck
6.62606876E-34
Js
Planck Constant
clight
2.99792458E+08
m/s
Speed of light
avogadro
6.02214199E+23
mol-1
Avogadro constant

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CCL and CEL
CEL operators
Training Manual
Operator
Description
1st operand
dimensions
2nd operand
dimensions
Operand
values
Result
dimensions
-x
Negation (unary)
any
any
[x]
x+y
Addition
any
[x]
any
[x]
x-y
Subtraction
any
[x]
any
[x]
xy
Product
any
any
any
[x]*[y]
x/y
Quotient
any
any
y0
[x]/[y]
X^y
Power
any
[]
Any
[x] [y]
(if y<0 then x must be

non-zero)
(where y is a simple constant integer

expression)
X^y
Power
any
[]
Y>0
[x] [y]
[]
[]
Y>0
[]
(where y is a simple constant expression)
x^y
Power
(where y is not
simple and constant)

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CCL and CEL
CEL Built-in functions
Training Manual
Function
Description
Argument units
Result units
sin(x)
sine
angle
dimensionless
cos(x)
cosine
angle
dimensionless
tan(x)
tangent
angle
dimensionless
asin(x)
sin-1
dimensionless
angle
acos(x)
cos-1
dimensionless
angle
atan(x)
tan-1
dimensionless
angle
atan2(x,y)
tan-1
dimensionless
angle
sinh(x)
hyperbolic sine
angle
dimensionless
cosh(x)
hyperbolic cosine
angle
dimensionless
tanh(x)
hyperbolic tangent
angle
dimensionless
exp(x)
ex
dimensionless
dimensionless

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CCL and CEL
CEL Built-in functions
Training Manual
Function
Description
Argument units Result units
loge(x)
natural log
dimensionless
dimensionless
ln(x)
(alias for loge function)
log10(x)
log base 10
dimensionless
dimensionless
log(x)
(alias for log10 function)
abs(x)
|x|
any
units of x
sqrt(x)
square root
any
units of x
step(x)
step function
dimensionless
dimensionless
min(x,y)
minimum
any ([x] = [y])
units of x
max(x,y)
maximum
any ([x] = [y])
units of x
int(x)
integer part of x
any
units of x
nint(x)
nearest integer
any
units of x
besselJ(n,x)
bessel function (1st kind)
dimensionless
dimensionless
besselY(n,x)
bessel function (2nd kind)
dimensionless
dimensionless

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CCL and CEL
Expression Editor
Training Manual
Available from many forms and

from the toolbar:
Interactive tool for developing and

managing expressions within CFXPre
Define, delete, edit and copy values
and expressions
Plot and evaluate expressions

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CCL and CEL
CEL Example (boundary condition)
Training Manual
Setting a parabolic velocity profile for an inlet boundary:
Right click will bring a lot

of functionalities

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CCL and CEL
Integrated quantity CEL functions
Training Manual
These allow integrated quantities to be used in CEL expressions

Integrated quantity functions operate on a locator:
min, max, average values of variables over points, areas, volumes
area, volume, force on a boundary
volume and area integrals of variables
These may be calculated over a domain, subdomain or boundary

patch, see following table for valid locations for each quantity.
Defined mesh regions may also be used.
In the Solver, the integrated quantities are evaluated at the start of
each time-step
In a parallel run, data is automatically collated over all partitions
and the required global value returned
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CCL and CEL
List of integrated quantity CEL functions

Function
Return units
Valid regions
D
Training Manual
Description
area()
area
Total surface area of all faces of specified boundary
area_x(), area_y(),
area_z()
area
Total surface area of all faces of specified boundary projected in

the x, y or z direction
massFlowAve(
)
units of
Mass flow weighted average of on a 2D locator

(non-boundary regions use approximate mass flows)
massFlowAveAbs(
)
units of
Absolute Mass flow weighted average of on a 2D locator

massFlow()
mass flow
Mass flow through faces of specified 2D locator

massFlowInt(
)
units of . area
Mass flow weighted integration of on specified 2D locator

massAve(
)
units of
areaAve(
)
units of
rmsAve(
)
units of
volumeAve(
)
units of
areaInt(
)
units of . area

Mass weighted average of
Y
Y
Area weighted average of on a boundary
RMS average of on a boundary or domain

Volume weighted average of on a domain
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Surface area integration of on a boundary
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CCL and CEL
Function
Return units
Valid regions
D
Training Manual
Description
ave(
)
units of
Arithmetic average of
sum (
)
units of
Sum of over all domain vertices or boundary faces
minVal (
)
units of
Minimum value of
When is a vector or tensor the minimum magnitude is returned
maxVal (
)
units of
Maximum value of
When is a vector or tensor the maximum magnitude is returned
probe (
)
units of
force()
force
Magnitude of the total force on a 2D locator

(non-boundary regions use approximate forces)
force_x()
force
Total force in the x-direction on boundary faces

force_y()
force
Total force in the y-direction on a 2D locator

force_z()
force
Total force in the z-direction on a 2D locator


Cartesian
coordinate
Value of at specified point locator
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CCL and CEL
Function
Return units
Valid regions
D
Training Manual
Description
torque()
torque
Magnitude of the total torque on a 2D locator

(non-boundary regions use approximate torques)
torque_x()
torque
Total torque in the x-direction on a 2D locator

torque_y()
torque
Total torque in the y-direction on a 2D locator

torque_z()
torque
Total torque in the z-direction on a 2D locator

volume()
volume
Total volume of a domain or subdomain
mass()
mass
Total mass within a domain or subdomain
volumeInt (
)
units of . vol
Volume weighted integration of
massInt (
)
units of . mass
Mass weighted integration of
inside()
dimensionless

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Returns 1 if in specified region 0 if not.
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CCL and CEL
Regions for integrated quantities
Training Manual
Non-physics regions are available as locators for integrated

quantities
Non-physics = not used for a BC, subdomain, domain
General syntax: Function(<Variable>)@<Locator>
<Locator> can be a general 2D or 3D region defined during mesh
generation or in CFX Pre
Non-unique named locators can be differentiated using the REGION:

syntax
User defined region or mesh region
massFlow()@REGION: Inlet
Physics boundary
massFlow()@Inlet
REGION syntax does not yet work in CFX Post, which has its own approach for
addressing non-unique names
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CCL and CEL
Integrated functions + Local Coordinates
Training Manual
Return value of integrated CEL vector functions such as

force(), torque() and area() respect local coordinate
frame definitions
The syntax <_Axis>[_CoordFrame] for those vector
based CEL functions is supported, for example:
torque_x_Coord 1()@REGION: inlet
force_y_My Local CoordFrame()@Wall
area_z_Coord 2()@Inlet

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CCL and CEL
Examples of using integrated quantity functions
Training Manual
Expression to return the nodal average value of the density

of the fluid called FuelGas in the domain called Tank
rhoMean = ave(FuelGas.density)@Tank
Expression to return the area of the boundary called inlet1

area1 = area()@inlet1
Expression to return the mass flow of the fluid called FuelGas

through the boundary called inlet1
mdotGasIn = FuelGas.massFlow()@inlet1
Expression to return the area of the mesh region called in1

area2 = area()@REGION:in1

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CCL and CEL
Example: Applying a parabolic inlet profile with CEL
Training Manual
Step with parabolic inlet velocity profile

This is achieved by setting the inlet velocity as a function of
one of the coordinate values:
e.g. umax(1-(y/ymax)2)
A very simple example implemented in CEL

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CCL and CEL
Example: Applying a parabolic inlet profile with CEL
May easily be set up from

CFX-Pre or by editing the
command language from
an existing definition file
A number of CEL values
and expressions are
defined
The inlet velocity is
specified using a CEL
expression
In a later practical
exercise, this example will
be implemented in user
Fortran
Training Manual
LIBRARY:
.. ..
CEL:
EXPRESSIONS:
velmax = 1.0E-03 [m/s]
ymax = 0.05 [m]
ynorm = y/ymax
END
END
END
BOUNDARY: inlet
Boundary Type = INLET
Coord Frame = Coord 0
Location = inlet
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS:
FLOW REGIME:
Option = Subsonic
END
MASS AND MOMENTUM:
Normal Speed = velmax * (1.0 - ynorm^2)
Option = Normal Speed
END
END
END
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CCL and CEL
User specified sources
Training Manual
User Sources may be specified for any equation

In CFX, sources are in residual mode. This is different
from the level mode implementation in some codes. The
implications of this are:
The source (S
) is set to the actual source value.
Either a source per unit area/volume Source option
Or the total source over the entire location Total Source option
An optional source coefficient may be specified e.g. S/

/
/ or an
approximation to this
The source coefficient has no effect on the converged solution,
but will affect convergence
A positive source coefficient is likely to cause divergence

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CCL and CEL
User specified sources
Training Manual
Sources may be specified on subdomains or at a point

location in a domain
Sources may be defined using an expression, which may
include a user CEL function (Fortran)
There are special considerations for sources in a
multiphase simulation:
Fluid specific sources are added to the phase equations
without volume fraction weighting. If required, this must be
included explicitly
Bulk sources are multiplied by the volume fraction
For mass sources:

Values may be specified for incoming variables
If values are not specified, then the solution values are used
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CFX11 Customizing CH2 CCL and CEL

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2008 International

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CFX can be customized using:

Embedded Perl in CCL

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CFX Command Language (CCL)

CCL is the language used to specify the solver

A knowledge of CCL is helpful for User Fortran

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

Why edit CCL?

CCL is normally generated automatically by CFX-Pre,

Advanced users often use CCL to make more complex

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CCL is contained within the

The definition file is a binary

Mesh (def and res file)

The CCL editor may be used

More complex changes

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

Editing CCL using cfx5cmds

The cfx5cmds utility is used from the command line as follows:

Read CCL from the definition file:

The CCL may then be edited using a text editor:

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CCL structure and syntax

Comments start with # (inline comments permitted)

RULES file contains allowed objects and parameters (located

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

The -ccl option

This allows CCL to be specified directly to the solver without

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CFX Expression Language (CEL)

CFX Expression Language (CEL) is a subset of CCL

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CFX Expression Language (CEL)

CEL is an interpreted, declarative language

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

CFX Expression Language (CEL)

CEL includes built-in mathematical functions

Variable Material Properties

In CFX-Post (e.g to define user defined variables)

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008

CCL and CEL

Creating Expressions - constants

Constant value expressions are specified with units. For

If no units are specified, the value is interpreted as

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

August 26, 2008