AM 12 Appendix A
AM 12 Appendix A
AM 12 Appendix A
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Overview
Mesh Quality Metrics in ANSYS Meshing
Skewness Aspect Ratio Worst Element
Training Manual
Mesh Quality Considerations for the CFX Solver Factors Affecting Mesh Quality
CAD Issues Mesh Resolution and Distribution Meshing Method Inflation I fl ti CAD Cleanup Virtual Topology Pinch Controls Pi h C t l Sensible Mesh Sizings and Inflation Settings General Recommendations
Workshop A.1 Virtual Topology for an Auto Manifold Workshop A.2 FLUENT and CFX Mesh Quality Metrics A2 Q alit
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Training Manual
Training Manual
actual cell
circumsphere
Skewness = maxmax e , e min min 180e e Where e is the equiangular face/cell (60 for tets and tris, and 90 for quads and hexas) Applies to all cell and face shapes pp p 0 Used for prisms and pyramids Perfect
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max
1 Worst
April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
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Training Manual
aspect ratio = 1
high-aspect-ratio quad
aspect ratio = 1
high-aspect-ratio triangle
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
FLUENT requires high quality mesh to avoid numerical diffusion Several Mesh Quality Metrics are involved in order to quantify the quality, however the skewness is the primary metric The aspect ratio and cell size change mesh metrics are also very important I worst scenarios and depending on th solver used (d In t i dd di the l d (density b it based or d pressure based) FLUENT can tolerate poor mesh quality. However some applications may require higher mesh quality, resolution and good mesh distribution The location of poor quality elements helps determine their effect Some overall mesh quality metrics may be obtained in Ansys Meshing under th St ti ti object d the Statistics bj t Additional mesh quality metrics may be retrieved in FLUENT GUI under Mesh/Info/Quality from the menu, or using the TUI commands mesh/quality h/ lit
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
Poor mesh quality may For all/most applications: lead to inaccurate solution and/or slow For Skewness: convergence For Hexa, Tri and Quad: it should be less than 0.8 For tetrahedra: it should be less than 0 9 0.9 Some applications may For Aspect Ratio: require even lower skewness than the It should be less than 40, but this depends on suggested value the flow characteristics More than 50 may be tolerated at the inflation layers
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Training Manual
High skewness values are not recommended Generally try to keep maximum skewness of volume mesh < 0.95. However this value is strongly related to type of physics and the location of the cell FLUENT reports negative cell volumes if volume mesh contains degenerate cells. Classification of the mesh quality metrics based on skewness:
0-0.25 0 0 25 0 25 0 50 0.25-0.50 very good 0 50 0 80 0.50-0.80 good 0 80 0 95 0.80-0.95 acceptable 0 95 0 98 0.95-0.98 bad 0 98 1 00* 0.98-1.00* Inacceptable*
Excellent
* In some circumstances the pressure based solver in Fluent can handle meshes containing a small percentage of cells with skewness ~0.98.
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Training Manual
VzMIN-90ft/min VzMAX600ft/min
(max,avg)CSKEW=(0.801,0.287) (max,avg)CAR=(8.153,1.298)
Mesh 2
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Training Manual
Fluent uses a a cell-centered scheme, in which the fluid flow variables are allocated at the center of the computational cell, and the mesh-element is the same as the solver-element CFX employs a vertex-centered scheme for which the fluid flow variables are stored at the cell vertex, and the solver-element or control volume is a dual of the mesh-element. This means that the vertex of the meshelement is the center of the solver element solver-element
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Training Manual
Good
(OK)
Acceptable
( ) (ok)
Questionable
(!)
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Training Manual
Orthogonality measures alignment of: ip-face normal vector, n, & node-to-node vector, s.
Orthogonality Factor = ns, >1/3 desirable Orthogonality Angle = 90-acos(ns), >20 desirable 90 acos(n s), >20 Are these different than Max/Min Face Angles in CFD Post? YES!
Face angles correspond to angles between edges One can have an acceptable Face Angle and an unacceptable Orthogonality Angle if an element is skewed in two directions
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Training Manual
Expansion factor measures how p poorly the nodal p y position corresponds p to the control volume centroid
Mesh Expansion Factor ratio of largest to smallest element volumes surrounding a node node, <20 is desirable The Mesh Expansion Factor is essentially identical to the Element Volume Ratio in CFD Post
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Training Manual
Aspect Ratio = maximum of the ratio of largest to smallest ip-areas for each element surrounding a node, <100 i d i bl 100 is desirable The Aspect Ratio is very similar to the Edge Length Ratio in CFD Post
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
Inappropriate resolution and distribution di t ib ti may l d lead to large cell size change, aspect ratio and/or skewness
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
Inappropriate usage of Meshing Method (Automatic, Tetrahedrons, Sweep, MultiZone and CFX-Mesh) may lead to large skewness The selection of the Meshing Method depends on the geometry and application It is a good practice to use Show the Sweepable Bodies under the Mesh object in the Tree Outline Many applications may take advantage of Patch Conforming and Sweep Meshing Method
A relatively good mesh in terms of ma ske ness max skewness, however the average and standard deviation are large
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Training Manual
Affected Inflation
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
Pinch locations are detected automatically with Pinch Controls under Mesh object in the Tree Outline
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Training Manual
The minimal size decreased 2X in order to fit the narrow geometry. As a result the mesh quality has been improved. Local face sizing may also be used
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Training Manual
A volume mesh may be considered inacceptable if it satisfies one or more the following conditions:
Very high skewness for FLUENT meshes(> 0.98) Degenerate cells (skewness ~ 1) High Hi h aspect ratio cells t ti ll Negative volumes
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Miscellaneous
If the model contains multiple parts or bodies the mesh metric information can be shown by highlighting them under the Geometry object in the Tree Outline The Body of Influence (BOI) technique may be used also to control the mesh quality and appropriate local resolution More advanced mesh statistics including histograms can be exhibited by FE Modeler Mesh Metrics in FEM Different mesh quality metrics can also be viewed in CFD Post
Training Manual
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Workshop A.1 p
Virtual Topology for an Auto Manifold
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Goals
Training Manual
This workshop uses the manifold geometry from workshop 5.2. Recall that this geometry contains many problematic small faces and sharp angles.
In workshop 5.2, the Patch Independent method was used to produce a good quality mesh without modifying the geometry. In this workshop Virtual Topology will be used to remove the p p gy problematic g geometry and then the y default Patch Conforming meshing method will be used.
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
Launch ANSYS 12.0 Workbench Click on Component Systems in the Toolbox on the LHS of the main panel Double click the Mesh option to add it to the Project Schematic In the Project Schematic right-click on Geometry and select Import Geometry > Browse. Select the file Auto-Manifold.agdb
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Named Selections
Training Manual
5. Next, make sure that Named Selections will be brought into Meshing: 6. Right-click on cell A2 and then select Properties 7. Ensure Named Selections is checked, and the Named Selection Key is blank 8. Close the Properties window
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Training Manual
10. Start by suppressing the fluid region and meshing the solid: y pp g g g
Select the inner fluid region, so that it is highlighted in green, and then right-click and select Suppress Body S B d
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Mesh Settings
11. Select Mesh from the Outline tree 12. In the Details view set the Physics Preference to CFD
Training Manual
The assumption here is that heat transfer will be solved in the solid region p g using a CFD solver
13. Expand the Sizing section in the Details view and set:
Span Angle Center = Medium Min Size = 1.0 mm Max Ma Face Si e = 10 0 mm Size 10.0 Max Tet Size = 10.0 mm
14. Right-click on Mesh in the Outline tree and select P i t d l t Preview S f Surface Mesh
Since the body is not sweepable, the Patch Conforming method will be applied by default
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April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
Training Manual
The Patch Conforming method meshes each individual surface. This produces a poor quality mesh on some surfaces in this geometry. Examine the surface mesh and look for regions of poor mesh quality. By switching between G Geometry and Mesh in the O Outline tree relate regions of f poor mesh quality to the underlying surface geometry. Some examples are shown here:
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Training Manual
Virtual Topology allows you to merge adjacent surfaces, removing undesirable surface geometry feature and producing a higher quality mesh 15. Right-click on Model (A3) in the Outline tree and select Insert > Virtual Topology
A Virtual Topology entry is added to the Outline tree In the Details view note that the Behaviour is set to Low
16. Right-click 16 Right click on Virtual Topology in the Outline tree and select Generate Virtual Cells
This automatically creates virtual cells using a Low merging strategy. Medium High Medium and High strategies are likely to result in more faces being merged into virtual cells
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April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
Virtual Topology
Training Manual
When Virtual Topology is selected in the Outline tree the viewer shows all virtual cells that have been created Examine the new surface geometry and note that most of the problematic faces have been merged to produce a cleaner surface geometry 17. In the Details view change the Behaviour to Medium
Right-click on Virtual Topology in the Outline tree and select Generate Virtual Cells Note that more faces have been merged into virtual cells
18. Try generating virtual cells using the High option for Behaviour
This does not work as well for this geometry as shown to the right
19. Switch back to the Medium option and generate the virtual cells again
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
20. Re-create the surface mesh and examine the regions that previously showed poor mesh quality
You should find that the surface mesh has been greatly improved
21. There are still some regions where the mesh quality could be improved. The arrows below shows one of these locations.
If you zoom in and examine the geometry here you will find a kink at the edge of the surface
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Training Manual
22. You can manually add Virtual Cells to improve the mesh further
Pick the Face selection icon from the toolbar Orient the view approximately as shown below (note the X-Y axes) Check that Virtual Topology is selected from the Outline tree Select the four faces shown below, then right-click and select Insert > Virtual Cell
3 1 2
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Training Manual
You can continue adding Virtual Cells as necessary g y In some cases the automatic virtual cell creation may merge faces that you do not want to merge. You can delete individual virtual cells by selecting the Virtual Face from below the Virtual Topology entry in the g p gy y Outline tree and right-clicking to delete.
24. 24 Right-click on Mesh and select Generate Mesh to create the final solid mesh
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Training Manual
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Adding Inflation
26. Select Virtual Topology from the Outline tree
Training Manual
Virtual Cells have already been created on the fluid region from earlier There should be no small surfaces remaining in the model Right click Right-click on Mesh and select Insert > Inflation In the Geometry field you need to select the solid body corresponding to the fluid region from the Viewer then click Apply Once this has been selected click on No Selection in the Boundary field so y that the Apply / Cancel buttons appear
27. Check that the automatic virtual cells look reasonable 28. The next step is to add inflation to the fluid walls
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Training Manual
29. 29 To generate the final mesh right-click on Mesh and select Generate Mesh
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
NO VT
VT
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Workshop A.2 p
FLUENT and CFX Mesh Quality Metrics
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Goals
Training Manual
This hands on tutorial will demonstrate how the Meshing Application in ANSYS is used to generate a CFD mesh for an internal flow domain The geometry represents portions of an aerospace valve region, decomposed into 3 bodies The goal is to produce a conformal hybrid CFD mesh including hex, pyramid, prism and tetrahedral elements including pinch controls and to examine mesh quality metrics for the Fluent and CFX solver preferences
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Training Manual
2. 2 Click on Component Systems in the Toolbox on the LHS of the WB main panel 3. 3 Double click the Mesh option
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Training Manual
4. Right click (RMB) on the Geometry button and select Import Geometry (the question mark on the button goes away once a geometry file is imported)
5. Import the Aero-Valve.agdb file from the tutorial folder 6. Double click on the Mesh button in the Project Schematic to launch the Meshing Application
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Geometry
Training Manual
7. The original geometry is a Solid part and the Fluid region was extracted out in DesignModeler (DM). Other operations performed in DM;
A parameter was defined for the position of the valve Some outlet ports were closed One multi-body part was created and a given the name Fluid and the material Fluid Individual bodies were re-named and Named Selection was used to define the Inlet and Outlet Fillets were added to some sharp corners to improve mesh quality
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Meshing Options
Physics Preference CFD Mesh Method Automatic Click OK after you make the selection In Units, make sure the setting is mm
Training Manual
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Training Manual
Solver Preference
Fluent or CFX
Fluent is used initially, but results for the CFX setting are also presented
Set Curvature Normal Angle to 15 S Mi Si to 0 20 mm Set Min Size 0.20 Maintain all other defaults
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Training Manual
Click drop-list for Use Automatic Tet Inflation and select Program Controlled, leave all others as default
Note: Program Controlled Inflation will add inflation on all boundaries that do not have assigned Name Selection. It does not add inflation to Fluid-Fluid interfaces Note: Smooth Transition provides a transition between the inflation layers and the tetrahedral mesh following the specified Growth Rate
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Pinch Controls
13. Create Pinch control :
Right-Mouse-Button -click in the Tree (RMB (Tree)) Select Create Pinch Controls
Training Manual
10 Pinch Controls are created (Expand the Mesh button to list the pinch controls)
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Training Manual
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Sweep Method
15. Assign Sweep Method to the inlet and outlet bodies:
Select Mesh button in Tree Select the bodies (as shown below) ( )
Set the Cursor Mode to Body Selection Left-Mouse-Button click (Select) one sweepable body Hold Ctrl key and select the second body
Training Manual
Insert Method
Right-Mouse-Button -click in the graphics window (RMB (Window)) Insert - Method
The Automatic Method form appears Automatic Method
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Training Manual
Hold the Ctrl key and pick both the Inlet and the Outlet face Apply the Selection
Inlet
Additional Settings
Set Free Face Mesh Type; All Quad Set Sweep Num Divs; 20 Set Sweep Bias Type; _ __ ___ __ _ Set Sweep Bias; 4
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Training Manual
Pick Edges
Set the Cursor Mode to Edge selection Select four edges surrounding the inlet and outlet faces (marked in red) Apply the selection
Inflation Settings
Set Maximum Thickness: 3.0 mm Maintain all other options
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Training Manual
Th Ad The Advanced Size Function creates a very fine mesh in th swept bodies, d Si F ti t fi h i the t b di
We can reduce the size by specifying the edge intervals on the Inlet and Outlet
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April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
Edge Sizing
19. Scoped edge mesh on swept bodies:
Insert Scoped Edge Size ;
Activate edge picker Pick the four edges surrounding the inlet and outlet faces Right-click Right click
Insert ->Sizing
Training Manual
Set Parameters
Ch Change th T the Type
Number of Divisions; 20
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Preview Inflation
20. Check the inflation layer: (Optional)
Right-click on Mesh and select Preview Inflation
View the mesh Statistics, mesh size and max skew is around 310000 and 0.92 respectively We are ready for volume meshing
Training Manual
.
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
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Training Manual
Again, check the Statistics for the total element count and Max Skewness which will be around 926000 and 0.92 respectively
.
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
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Training Manual
Click on Show Whole Element Reselect the rotation button to adjust the view
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April 28, 2009 Inventory #002645
Training Manual
Tip: Select Wireframe from the View menu to help see the element
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Training Manual
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Training Manual
Workbench 2
Drag-and-Drop FE Modeler on top f M h i th P j t S h t of Mesh in the Project Schematic ti Double click on Model
FEModeler
RMB (Tree) Insert Mesh Metrics Mesh Metrics - Valve 4 Node Linear Tetrahedron Set Mesh Metric Type: Aspect Ratio
Max aspect ratio is less than 50
.
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Training Manual
In the WB panel select Update In the WB panel select File > Save Project As and give the project a name Exit from ANSYS Workbench by selecting File > Exit
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