Challenge

Week 8 - BlockMesh Drill down challenge

AIM:To simulate an incompressible-laminar-viscous flow through the backward facing step geometry.

We should perform a transient simulation. The solver can be chosen based on the described physics of the flow.

Here based on the decribed physics of the flow we have chosen icoFoam solver.

After that, you will perform 2 case studies as described below and compare the results.

Case 1 - Simulate the flow without using any grading factor (i.e., GF = 1)

Case 2 - Simulate the flow with grading factor of 0.2. The cells should be finer near the walls (includig the step wall).

You can use the following mesh parameters but you can feel free to modify these values.

Mesh specification

  1. Number of cells along the x direction (longer dimension) = 200
  2. Number of cells along the longer y direction = 20;

Boundary condition specification

The domain specifications are provided in the following figure.

Case 1 - Simulate the flow without using any grading factor (i.e., GF = 1).

BlockMeshDict:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    object      blockMeshDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

convertToMeters 0.1;

vertices
(
    (0 0 0)
    (8 0 0)
    (8 0.5 0)
    (0 0.5 0)
    (8 1 0)
    (0 1 0)
    (20 1 0)
    (20 0.5 0)
    (20 0 0)
    (20 -1 0)
    (8 -1 0)
    (0 0 0.1)
    (8 0 0.1)
    (8 0.5 0.1)
    (0 0.5 0.1)
    (8 1 0.1)
    (0 1 0.1)
    (20 1 0.1)
    (20 0.5 0.1)
    (20 0 0.1)
    (20 -1 0.1)
    (8 -1 0.1)
 );

blocks
(
    hex (0 1 2 3 11 12 13 14) (80 5 1) simpleGrading (1 1 1)
    hex (3 2 4 5 14 13 15 16) (80 5 1) simpleGrading (1 1 1)
    hex (10 9 8 1 21 20 19 12) (120 10 1) simpleGrading (1 1 1)
    hex (1 8 7 2 12 19 18 13) (120 5 1) simpleGrading (1 1 1)
    hex (2 7 6 4 13 18 17 15) (120 5 1) simpleGrading (1 1 1)
 );

edges
(
);

boundary
(
    inlet
    {
        type patch;
        faces
        (
            (0 11 14 3)
            (3 14 16 5)
        );
    }
    outlet
    {
        type patch;
        faces
        (
            (9 8 19 20)
            (8 7 18 19)
            (7 6 17 18)
        );
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type empty;
        faces
        (
            (0 3 2 1)
            (3 5 4 2)
            (10 1 8 9)
            (1 2 7 8)
            (2 4 6 7)
            (11 12 13 14)
            (14 13 15 16)
            (21 20 19 12)
            (12 19 18 13)
            (13 18 17 15)
        );
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type wall;
        faces
        (
            (5 16 15 4)
            (4 15 17 6)
            (10 21 12 1)
            (0 1 12 11)
            (10 9 20 21)
        );
    }
);

mergePatchPairs
(
);

// ************************************************************************* //

ControlDict:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    location    "system";
    object      controlDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

application     icoFoam;

startFrom       startTime;

startTime       0;

stopAt          endTime;

endTime         0.5;

deltaT          0.001;

writeControl    timeStep;

writeInterval   20;

purgeWrite      0;

writeFormat     ascii;

writePrecision  6;

writeCompression off;

timeFormat      general;

timePrecision   6;

runTimeModifiable true;


// ************************************************************************* //

Here i have given step time =0.001 to satsify courant number condition.

Velocity file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       volVectorField;
    object      U;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

dimensions      [0 1 -1 0 0 0 0];

internalField   uniform (0 0 0);

boundaryField
{
    inlet
    {
        type            fixedValue;
        value           uniform (1 0 0);
    }

    outlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type           noSlip;
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }
}

// ************************************************************************* //

Pressure file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       volScalarField;
    object      p;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

dimensions      [0 2 -2 0 0 0 0];

internalField   uniform 0;

boundaryField
{
    inlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }

    outlet
    {
        type            fixedValue;
        value            uniform 0;                        
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }
    
}

// ************************************************************************* //

Plots that we get from the above simulation:

Surfacewithedges:

Velocity profile:

Velocity plot:

Case 2 - Simulate the flow with grading factor of 0.2.

Here we have to alter the blockmeshdict block:

BlockMeshDict:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    object      blockMeshDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

convertToMeters 0.1;

vertices
(
    (0 0 0)
    (8 0 0)
    (8 0.5 0)
    (0 0.5 0)
    (8 1 0)
    (0 1 0)
    (20 1 0)
    (20 0.5 0)
    (20 0 0)
    (20 -1 0)
    (8 -1 0)
    (0 0 0.1)
    (8 0 0.1)
    (8 0.5 0.1)
    (0 0.5 0.1)
    (8 1 0.1)
    (0 1 0.1)
    (20 1 0.1)
    (20 0.5 0.1)
    (20 0 0.1)
    (20 -1 0.1)
    (8 -1 0.1)
 );

blocks
(
    hex (0 1 2 3 11 12 13 14) (80 5 1) simpleGrading (1 5 1)
    hex (3 2 4 5 14 13 15 16) (80 5 1) simpleGrading (1 0.2 1)
    hex (10 9 8 1 21 20 19 12) (120 10 1) simpleGrading (5 5 1)
    hex (1 8 7 2 12 19 18 13) (120 5 1) simpleGrading (5 5 1)
    hex (2 7 6 4 13 18 17 15) (120 5 1) simpleGrading (5 0.2 1)
 );

edges
(
);

boundary
(
    inlet
    {
        type patch;
        faces
        (
            (0 11 14 3)
            (3 14 16 5)
        );
    }
    outlet
    {
        type patch;
        faces
        (
            (9 8 19 20)
            (8 7 18 19)
            (7 6 17 18)
        );
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type empty;
        faces
        (
            (0 3 2 1)
            (3 5 4 2)
            (10 1 8 9)
            (1 2 7 8)
            (2 4 6 7)
            (11 12 13 14)
            (14 13 15 16)
            (21 20 19 12)
            (12 19 18 13)
            (13 18 17 15)
        );
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type wall;
        faces
        (
            (5 16 15 4)
            (4 15 17 6)
            (10 21 12 1)
            (0 1 12 11)
            (10 9 20 21)
        );
    }
);

mergePatchPairs
(
);

// ************************************************************************* //

Controldict:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    location    "system";
    object      controlDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

application     icoFoam;

startFrom       startTime;

startTime       0;

stopAt          endTime;

endTime         0.5;

deltaT          0.001;

writeControl    timeStep;

writeInterval   20;

purgeWrite      0;

writeFormat     ascii;

writePrecision  6;

writeCompression off;

timeFormat      general;

timePrecision   6;

runTimeModifiable true;


// ************************************************************************* //

Velocity file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       volVectorField;
    object      U;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

dimensions      [0 1 -1 0 0 0 0];

internalField   uniform (0 0 0);

boundaryField
{
    inlet
    {
        type            fixedValue;
        value           uniform (1 0 0);
    }

    outlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type           noSlip;
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }
}

// ************************************************************************* //

Pressure file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  8
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       volScalarField;
    object      p;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

dimensions      [0 2 -2 0 0 0 0];

internalField   uniform 0;

boundaryField
{
    inlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }

    outlet
    {
        type            fixedValue;
        value            uniform 0;                        
    }
    noslipwalls
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
    }
    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }
    
}

// ************************************************************************* //

Plots that we get from the above simulation:

surfacewithedges:

Velocity profile:

Velocity plot:

Conclusion:

By changing the simple grading factor from the value of 0.2 to 1 the mesh becomes finer and the solution becomes very accurate.

From the graph it can be seen that the velocity in two cases are same that is 1.2 m/s at distance of 0.085 from the inlet in x-axis.

Overall the change in the size of simple grading factor (mesh size) the results remains the same as approximately.

The excecution time is lower for lower meshing grading factor.

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