Week 1: Channel flow simulation using CONVERGE CFD
Aim --> Channel flow simulation using CONVERGE CFD.
Introduction
Channel flow is an internal flow in which the confining walls change the hydrodynamic structure of the flow from an arbitrary state at the channel inlet to a certain state at the outlet. The simplest illustration of internal flow is a laminar flow in a circular tube, while a turbulent flow in the rotor of a centrifugal compressor is an example of the most intricately shaped internal flow. Engineering devices employ channels with cross-sections of various geometrical shapes.
Geometry
Boundary
- Inlet
- outlet
- Top and Bottom
- Front 2D
- Back 2D
Case Setup
- Application type --> time-based
- species are N2 and O2.
- Simulation parameters
- steady-state solver
- steady-state monitor (Uncheck Use sheared memory)
- Simulation time parameters
- Steady-state solver parameters
- Boundary and Initializations
- Post variable selection
--> After setting the case we export the input files to a directory. Then we use Cygwin command-line interface to run the solver and obtain the files for post-processing. We also have to convert the files into .vtk format so that we can view the results in Paraview.
Results
Case I --> [Mesh Size] dx = 2e-4m, dy = 2e-4m, dz = 2e-4m
1. Mesh
2. Mass flow rate
3. Velocity plots
4. Pressure plots
5. Total cell count
Case II --> [Mesh Size] dx = 1.5e-4m, dy = 1.5e-4m, dz = 1.5e-4m
1. Mesh
2. Mass flow rate
3. Velocity plots
4. Pressure plots
5. Total cell count
Case III --> [Mesh Size] dx = 1e-4m, dy = 1e-4m, dz = 1e-4m
1. Mesh
2. Mass flow rate
3. Velocity plots
4. Pressure plots
5. Total cell count
Conclusion -->
- Channel flow case setup in Converge studio and post-processed in Paraview.
- Mesh refined for 3 cases and results documented.
- For the refined cases, we see the actual velocity.
- Mesh refinement gives accurate results.