Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Overview Introduction to the ANSYS Meshing Application Meshing Requirements for Different Physics ANSYS Meshing Workflow Meshing Methods for 3D and 2D geometries Workshop 2.1
Automatic Meshing for a Multibody Part Program Controlled Inflation Transferring Mesh to CFX or FLUENT
Training Manual
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Training Manual
Parametric: Parameters drive system Persistent: Model updates passed through system Highly-automated: Baseline simulation w/limited input Flexible: Able to add controls to influence resulting mesh (complete control over model/simulation) Physics aware: Key off physics to automate modeling and simulation throughout system Adaptive architecture: Open system that can be adapted to a customers process
CAD neutral, meshing neutral, solver neutral, etc.
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What is the ANSYS Meshing Application? ANSYS has been working to integrate best in class technologies from several sources:
ICEM CFD TGrid GAMBIT CFX ANSYS Prep/Post Etc.
Training Manual
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Training Manual
The objective of the ANSYS Meshing Application in Workbench is to provide access to common ANSYS Inc. meshing tools in a single location, for use by any analysis type: FEA Simulations
Mechanical Dynamics Simulation Explicit Dynamics Simulation
AUTODYN ANSYS LS DYNA
Electromagnetic Simulation
CFD Simulation
ANSYS CFX ANSYS FLUENT
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Mesh Specification
Training Manual
Purpose
For both CFD (fluid) and FEA (solid) modelling, the software performs the computations at a range of discrete locations within the domain. The purpose of meshing is to decompose the solution domain into an appropriate number of locations for an accurate result. The basic building-blocks for a 3D mesh are:
Tetrahedrons (unstructured)
Manifold Example: Outer casting and internal flow region are meshed for coupled thermal/stress gas flow simulation
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
Refinement
Where in the domain are the most complex stress/flow gradients? These areas will require higher densities of mesh elements.
Refined mesh around bolt-hole Extra mesh applied across fluid boundary layer
April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
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Mesh Specification
Efficiency
Training Manual
Greater numbers of elements require more compute resource (memory / processing time). Balance the fidelity of the simulation with available resources.
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Mesh Specification
Quality
Training Manual
In areas of high geometric complexity mesh elements can become distorted. Poor quality elements can lead to poor quality results or, in some cases, no results at all! There are a number of methods for measuring mesh element quality (mesh metrics*). For example, one important metric is the element Skewness. Skewness is a measure of the relative distortion of an element compared to its ideal shape and is scaled from 0 (Excellent) to 1 (Unacceptable).
0-0.25 Excellent
0.50-0.80 good
0.80-0.95 acceptable
0.95-0.98 bad
0.98-1.00 Unacceptable
*Further information on mesh metrics is available in the documentation and training lecture appendices
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Mesh Specification
Example showing difference between good and poor meshes:
Training Manual
This example illustrates an unconverged thermal field in a manifold solid casting. On closer inspection it is clear that the simulation is unable to resolve a sensible data field in the region of poor quality elements. The example with good quality elements demonstrates no problems in the solution field.
The ANSYS Meshing Application provides many tools to help maximise mesh quality
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
Structural FEA
Refine mesh to capture gradients of concern
E.g. temperature, strain energy, stress energy, displacement, etc.
tet mesh dominated, but hex elements still preferred some explicit FEA solvers require a hex mesh tet meshes for FEA are usually second order (include mid-side nodes on element edges)
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Training Manual
tet mesh dominated, but hex elements still preferred tet meshes for CFD are usually first order (no mid-side nodes on element edges)
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Hex Mesh
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Tet Mesh
1) Can be generated quickly, automatically, and for
complicated geometry
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Tet Mesh
2) Isotropic refinement in order to capture gradients in one direction, mesh is refined in all three directions cell counts rise rapidly
x
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Tet Mesh
3) Inflation layer helps with refinement normal to the wall, but still isotropic in 2-D (surface mesh)
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Hex Mesh
Fewer elements required to resolve physics for most CFD applications
This hexahedral mesh, which provides the same resolution of flow physics, has LESS than half the amount of nodes as the tet-mesh)
TET
HEX
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Hex Mesh
Fewer elements required to resolve physics for most CFD applications.
Anisotropic elements can be aligned with anisotropic physics (boundary layers, areas of tight curvature like wing leading and trailing edges)
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Mesh Types
Training Manual
Hex Mesh
For arbitrary geometries, hex meshing may require a multi-step process which can yield a high quality/high efficiency mesh For many simpler geometries, sweep techniques can be a simpler way to generate hex meshes
Sweep MultiZone
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Training Manual
The ANSYS Meshing Application uses a divide & conquer approach A different Meshing Method can be applied to each part in the geometry
Meshes between bodies in different parts will be non-matching or non-conformal Matched or conformal meshes will be generated for bodies in a single part
All meshes are written back to a common central database A number of different methods are available for 3D and 2D geometry
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Training Manual
There are six different meshing methods in the ANSYS Meshing Application for 3D Geometry:
Automatic Tetrahedrons Patch Conforming Patch Independent
(ICEM CFD Tetra algorithm)
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Training Manual
There are four different meshing methods in the ANSYS Meshing Platform for 2D Geometry which can be applied to Surface Bodies or Shells:
Automatic Method (Quadrilateral Dominant) All Triangles Uniform Quad/Tri Uniform Quad
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Training Manual
Faces and their boundaries (edges and vertices) are respected Includes the Expansion Factor setting, which controls the internal growth rate of tetrahedrons with respect to boundary size Includes inflation or boundary layer resolution for CFD Can be mixed with Sweep methods for bodies in a single part conformal meshes will be generated
Element Shapes
Tet
Swept Mesh
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Training Manual
Element Shapes
Pyramid
Prism
Tet
Sweep Method
Produces Hexes and/or Prisms Body must be Sweepable Single Source, Single Target
Body split into 2 parts to allow for swept meshing
Training Manual
Element Shapes
Prism
Hex
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Training Manual
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Automatic Method
Training Manual
The Automatic setting toggles between Tetrahedral (Patch Conforming) and Swept Meshing, depending upon whether the body is sweepable. Bodies in the same part will have a conformal mesh.
Swept Tetrahedron (Patch Conforming) Tetrahedron (Patch Conforming)
No inflation
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Inflation
Training Manual
Inflation is accomplished by extruding faces normal to a boundary to increase the boundary mesh resolution, typically for CFD Smooth Transition from inflated layer to interior mesh Collision avoidance:
Stair-stepping Layer compression
Preview Inflation Pre vs. Post inflation All methods can be inflated except for Hex-Dominant and Thin Sweep Sweeping:
Pure hex or wedge
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Training Manual
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Hex-Dominant Method
Training Manual
The hex-dominant meshing algorithm creates a quad-dominant surface mesh first, then hexahedral, pyramid and tetrahedral elements are filled in as needed.
Recommended when a hex mesh is desired for a body that cannot be swept Useful for bodies with large amounts of interior volume Not useful for thin complicated bodies where the ratio of volume to surface area is low No boundary layer resolution for CFD Mainly used for FEA analysis
Element Shapes
Pyramid
Prism
Tet
Hex
Hex-dominant mesh shown above: 19,615 Hex (60%) 5,108 Tet (16%) 211 Prisms (1%) 7,671 pyramids (24%)
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April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
CFX-Mesh Method
Training Manual
Inflation layer
April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
Workshop 2.1
Pipe Tee Mesh
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Goals
This workshop will illustrate the use of the Automatic Meshing Method for a single body part The transfer of the mesh to FLUENT and CFX is also demonstrated
Training Manual
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Specifying Geometry
1. Copy the pt.agdb file from the tutorial files folder to your working directory
2. Start Workbench and double-click the Mesh entry in the Component Systems panel in the Toolbox 3. Right-click on Geometry in the Mesh entry in the Project Schematic and select Import Geometry/Browse 4. Browse to the pt.agdb file you copied and click Open 5. Note that the Geometry entry in the Project Schematic now has a green check mark indicating that geometry has been specified
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Training Manual
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Initial Mesh
6. Double-click the Mesh entry in the schematic or right-click and select Edit. This will open the Meshing Application
7. In the Meshing Options panel set the Physics Preference to CFD, the Mesh Method to Automatic and press OK 8. Right click on Mesh and select Generate Mesh 9. Use the view manipulation tools and the axis triad to inspect the mesh
Based upon choice of physics (CFD), the Meshing Application has produced a mesh accommodating curvature, a reasonable sizing strategy and automatic selection of optimal mesh methods with minimal user input. There are many ways in which the Meshing Application can control and improve the mesh. Some further mesh controls will now be demonstrated.
Training Manual
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Named Selections
velocity-inlet-2 velocity-inlet-1
Training Manual
10. Set the Selection Filter to Faces and select one of the pipe end faces as shown. Right-click in the Model View and choose Create Named Selection. Enter velocityinlet-1 for the Selection Name
11. Repeat for the other two pipe end faces using the naming as shown 12. The Named Selections just created are listed in the Outline by expanding Named Selections. The names assigned here will be transferred to the CFD solver so the appropriate flow conditions can be applied on these surfaces.
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
pressure-outlet
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Inflation
13. Select Mesh in the Outline and expand Inflation in Details 14. Set Use Automatic Tet Inflation to Program Controlled, leave other settings 15. Right click on Mesh and select Generate Mesh. Note the inflation layers are grown from all boundaries not assigned a Named Selection. The thickness of the inflation layers is calculated as a function of the surface mesh and applied fully automatically.
Training Manual
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Section Planes
16. Orient the model by clicking on the axis triad (+X Direction) 17. Click on the New Section Plane icon in the menu bar. Left click, hold and drag the cursor in the direction of the arrow as illustrated to create the Section Plane 18. Created Section Planes are listed (bottom left). Planes can be individually activated using the checkbox, deleted and toggled between 3D element view and 2D slice view. Try this now (you will need to rotate the model to see the cross-section)
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Training Manual
After the Section Plane has been created the Section Plane cursor tool will still be active. Left clicking in the viewport and dragging will slide the Section Plane along its axis. Clicking on either side of the Plane tool will cut the mesh on each side respectively. Clicking twice on one side will change the view to a planar slice.
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Mesh Statistics
19. If you expand the Statistics entry under Mesh, it will summarize the number of nodes and elements in the mesh
20. Under Mesh Metric select Skewness. Note the reported mesh quality
Training Manual
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Training Manual
23. Note that the Mesh entry now has an Update symbol, right click the Mesh entry and select Update. This will pass data to the new FLUENT/CFX instance.
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
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