Challenge

Week 8 - Simulation of a backward facing step in OpenFOAM

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;

Simulation of a backward facing step in OpenFOAM

icoFoam: Transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of Newtonian fluids.

Step 1: Open the tutorials folder and go inside incompressible because the flow is an incompressible-laminar-viscous flow.

Step 2: Open icofoam because icofoam is a transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of Newtonian fluids.

Step 3: Copy the cavity folder and paste it into the run folder.

Step 4: Go to the run folder and open the cavity -> system folder.

Step 5: Now open the blockMeshDict file and modify the values (for case 2,change the simple grading value.).

Step 6: Now open the ControlDict file and modify the values.

Step 7: And then open the U & p file and modify the values that fit the problem.

Step 8: type blockMesh and then checkMesh and icoFoam.

Step 9: Type paraview to visualize the mesh and the simulation.

Step 10: Use plot over line to plot the U.

The thickness is 0.5 m

Dividing the domain into 5 blocks.

Vertices:

Inlet & Outlet face:

Mesh grading = (size of end cell)/(size of starting cell)

Front & Back faces:

No slip walls:

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

BlockMesh file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    object      blockMeshDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

convertToMeters 0.01;

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 0.5)
    (8 0 0.5)
    (8 0.5 0.5)
    (0 0.5 0.5)
    (8 1 0.5)
    (0 1 0.5)
    (20 1 0.5)
    (20 0.5 0.5)
    (20 0 0.5)
    (20 -1 0.5)
    (8 -1 0.5)

);

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

mergePatchPairs
(
);

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

ControlDict file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    location    "system";
    object      controlDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

application     icoFoam;

startFrom       startTime;

startTime       0;

stopAt          endTime;

endTime         0.6;

deltaT          1e-5;

writeControl    timeStep;

writeInterval   20;

purgeWrite      0;

writeFormat     ascii;

writePrecision  6;

writeCompression off;

timeFormat      general;

timePrecision   6;

runTimeModifiable true;


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

U file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    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 (5 0 0);
    }
    outlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
        
    }

    fixedWalls
    {
        type            noSlip;
    }

    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }

    noslipwalls
    {
type           noSlip;
    }
}

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

p file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    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;
    }

    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }


    noslipwalls
    {
type            zeroGradient;
    }

}

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

OutPut:

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

BlockMesh file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    object      blockMeshDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

convertToMeters 0.01;

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 0.5)
    (8 0 0.5)
    (8 0.5 0.5)
    (0 0.5 0.5)
    (8 1 0.5)
    (0 1 0.5)
    (20 1 0.5)
    (20 0.5 0.5)
    (20 0 0.5)
    (20 -1 0.5)
    (8 -1 0.5)

);

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

mergePatchPairs
(
);

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

ControlDict file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    location    "system";
    object      controlDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //

application     icoFoam;

startFrom       startTime;

startTime       0;

stopAt          endTime;

endTime         0.6;

deltaT          1e-5;

writeControl    timeStep;

writeInterval   20;

purgeWrite      0;

writeFormat     ascii;

writePrecision  6;

writeCompression off;

timeFormat      general;

timePrecision   6;

runTimeModifiable true;


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

U file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    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 (5 0 0);
    }
    outlet
    {
        type            zeroGradient;
        
    }

    fixedWalls
    {
        type            noSlip;
    }

    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }

    noslipwalls
    {
type           noSlip;
    }
}

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

p file:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
  =========                 |
  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
   \\    /   O peration     | Website:  https://openfoam.org
    \\  /    A nd           | Version:  9
     \\/     M anipulation  |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    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;
    }

    frontAndBack
    {
        type            empty;
    }


    noslipwalls
    {
type            zeroGradient;
    }

}

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

Output:

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