CFD application tutorials

Basic example of
exterior flow analysis
This tutorial requires knowledge from the previous internal flow analysis
tutorial

Problem description and analysis purpose

10 m/s wind velocity

Fix area

Problem Explanation

Analysis Purpose

Important points

Solar Panel Status Investigation

Investigate the flow around an

Atmospheric pressure boundary

Fixed on the ground

object

conditions application method

Wind at 10m/s velocity is

CFD analysis in steady state

applied on all the surface of the

panel

Change the interface to the Analyst Mode

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Open midas NFX

Select Application>Analyst Mode

CFD Analysis is
always performed in
Analyst Mode

Solver

Results

Check the Units

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Go in the tools>options
Go in the
General>units section
and select
: N-m-J-sec

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

These are the best

units to work in CFD
as it is the basic
unit of the material
DB in NFX

Enter 9.8 m/sec for the

acceleration of gravity

Click on Apply

Verify that the value

defined is correct

Check the Fluid Materials(Incompressible)

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Options>General>
Material(CFD)

Compressibility Solver Type :

Incompressible.

Compressibility Type :
Incompressible

Click on apply

Incompressible solver is almost

always used, except when the
material definition imposes to
use compressive solver (natural
convection and compressible
flow).
Even when using compressible
solver, the flow stays
incompressible for flows with a
Mach number inferior to 0.3

Geometry and Mesh options setup

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Geometry/Mesh/Connections
> Mesh Set>Common > Seed
Control>Use Adaptive Seed
: True

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

When a small edge exists or when an edge is smaller

than the meshing seed, this feature able the mesher
to mesh a second time using an automatic linear
grading size control.

Use Geometry Proximity

: True
Off

Curve Sensitivity: Normal

Higher Order Elements: False

Tetra Mesh Control

Avoid Tetra with all boundary
nodes: True

Apply
When a small edge exists and is close from
another small edge the relative distance
between the two edges is calculated and the
first edge is divided by two.

Off

On

On

Sensibility increased

NFX-CFD is optimized for

low order elements

This condition divides

automatically the elements
which have all their nodes
on the boundary surface

Select the number of processors and the element formulation

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Analysis/Results Tab
> Analysis Control Tree

Number of cores:
Enter the number of CPU
cores in your computer

Element Formulation:
Standard (Stability)

In CFD Analysis, the

Standard element
formulation is used to
get more stability in the
solution

Results

New Project
Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Click on New

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Select 3D
Unit System: N-m-J-sec
Click OK

N-m-J-sec is the best unit system

for CFD analysis.

Results

Import Geometry
Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Geometry > Import

Select Parasolid CAD file
type

In NFX 2014 R2, the tutorial

models can be found in the
installation folder of the
software on your computer
C:\Program Files\midas NFX
2014\Manual

Open the folder of the CAD

models
Import the model
application tutorial 2.x_t

*If CFD Tutorial Models are not

available, please send an
Email to
cyprien@midasit.com

Solver

Results

Hide All Guiders

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Show the model on the

screen.

Click right bottom of mouse

and select Hide All Guiders

10

Results

Create the fluid model use the Box

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Select Geometry

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Select Box
Set box size :
Origin PT.[OP] is -2,-2,0
Width X[WX] is 4
Width Y[WY] is 6
Height[H] is 3.5

Select Preview icon

Click OK
Select the box part and
right-click with the mouse
then select Display Mode > Line Only

This box will

represent the
external fluid
volume around the
model

11

Solver

Results

Create the fluid model use the Boolean cut

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Select Boolean -> Solid

Select Cut
Click Select Target Object
to select the box model

The solid part inside the

bow have to be cut from
the box part to create
the external fluid part

Click Select Tool Object(s)

to select the Solar Panel
model

The inner part can be

selected by creating a
drag window with the
mouse. Part can also be
selected directly from
the work tree (pressing
the keyboard [] or []
is useful to change the
selected part quickly)

Unselect Delete Tool

Click OK
Unselect the SolarPanel
part to check the cutted
box model.

The Delete Tool command

determine if the Tool part
should be deleted after
performing the geometry
operation. In this tutorial, we
dont need it for the
simulation, but it can be
conserved for post
processing purpose.

12

Define Fluid Material

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

CFD > Material

Add/ Modify Material >
Create (click on the button
on the right)> Fluid (CFD)

This is the window in which materials used in the present

analysis are defined. All constants of material that are
required in CFD analysis (density, viscosity, conductivity,
specific heat) are defined here.

13

Results

Define Fluid Material

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Select AIR 25
Click OK
Click Close

By choosing the
material in the
material database,
the density and
viscosity will be
defined automatically

14

Define Properties
Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Click on Properties
Add/Modify properties
> Create (Arrow button)
> Click on 3D...

During the Mesh creation phase, the properties assigned to the

mesh will have to be defined as well. This property will bring to
the mesh the assigned material information.
Properties gather together material information, porous material
usage and properties, MRF (Multi-reference Frame) application
Area definition, etc..

15

Results

Define properties
Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

CFD 3D Tab

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Material : Select 2:
AIR_25C

Click on OK

Click on Close

*porous media and MRF Analysis will be available from NFX 2014R2 (end of may 2014)

16

Define outflow boundary conditions: Inlet

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Click Inlet
Type select Face

Select Object : select face in

front of box model

In NFX-CFD, boundary conditions

can be assigned to the mesh
surface or to the geometry
directly.

Input V : 10 m/sec
CFD BC Set : Inlet

Inlet condition corresponding to a

wind velocity of 10 m/s is applied
on the front face.

Click OK

The name of the CFD

boundary set is not
important but it is
useful to define it if
several cases are
considered in the
analysis.
The name will also
permit to identify more
easily the corresponding
boundary condition.

17

Define outflow boundary conditions: Outlet

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Select Outlet

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Type change to Face

Select Objetct(s) : select face
in back of box model

Input Pressure value is 0

CFD BC Set : Outlet
Click OK

Outflow is at atmospheric pressure

so 0 Pa is defined.
When analysis is conducted using
uncompressible fluid model and the
real value of the pressure at the
boundary condition is calculated,
some differences with the supposed
0 value can appear.

18

Solver

Results

Define outflow boundary conditions: Wall

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Type change to Face

Select Object : select bottom
face of box model and all
faces of SolarPanel model
total faces are 11(11
Object(s))
Wall type change to No Slip
CFD BC Set : Wall

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

CFD Analysis is the analysis of liquid or gas flow, thus solid

parts is not directly considered in the analysis and wall
condition should be used on the faces which are in contact with
solid parts.

Click Wall

Meshing

Click OK

19

Define outflow boundary conditions: Wall

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Click Velocity

Type change to Face

Select top face of box model

Component Vx : off
Select Vz and Velocity : 0
m/sec
CFD BC Set : top face of
environment
Click OK

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

In addition to inlet, outlet and wall conditions, velocity or pressure

conditions should be applied on external model faces in contact
with air. These conditions represent the fact that the air around is
almost infinitely large. This condition can de defined by applying a
normal velocity 0 condition to the face at the boundary with the
atmosphere.

If the value is unchecked, the Vx velocity will be calculated

automatically according to the previous step value.

Only the Vz coordinate (according to the Global Coordinate System)

will be defined constant equal to 0 m/sec

20

Define outflow boundary conditions: Velocity

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Click Velocity

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Type change to Face

Select Object(s) : select 2 side
faces on the box model

CFD BC Set : side face of

environment

Click OK

21

Results

In addition to inlet, outlet and wall conditions, velocity or pressure

conditions should be applied on external model faces in contact with
air. These conditions represent the fact that the air around is almost
infinitely large. This condition can de defined by applying a normal
velocity 0 condition to the face at the boundary with the
atmosphere.

Vx : on and Velcity input 0

m/sec

Solver

Contact Condition definition: None

Analysis
Analysis
Settings
Settings

Geometry
Geometry

Materials/
Materials/
Properties
Properties

Boundary
Boundary
Conditions
Conditions

Contacts
Contacts

Meshing
Meshing

Analysis
AnalysisCase
Case

Solver
Solver

Because this tutorial only focus on single

fluid model analysis so we dont need to

setup contact.

22

Results
Results

Mesh Generation Size control definition

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Select Size Ctri.

Select Objetct(s) : select all
faces of SolarPanel model
total face is 24 Object(s)

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

To mesh the model, a certain mesh size is required.

Nevertheless, we may require better accuracy on certain
parts of the model which are relatively small or complex. To
be able to do that, the size control allow to select some
specific edges and assign a certain defined mesh size on it
called also a seed. This seed will be used later on to get
refined mesh on the seeded part.

Mesh Size : 0.05 m

Click Preview icon to show
node distribution

Click OK

The preview option helps to see the mesh seed that will
be generated before the application. It is useful to check if
the mesh size is appropriate or not on the considered area.

23

In this area, the fluid momentum

will change drastically, this is why
we need to define finer mesh in
this area.

Mesh Generation Size control definition

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Click 3D

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Lets create the mesh

elements required to
perform the CFD analysis.

Select Object(s) : Select the

box model
total is 1 Object(s)
Size Method is 0.2
Property select 1:3D Property

Click OK

The property
defined
previously is
used here

24

Solver

Results

Check mesh Quality

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Aspect ratio represent the

ratio of the longest mesh
edge over the smallest mesh
edge in the model. When
this ratio is too large, it can
cause convergence problems
during the analysis.

Click Check -> Check Mesh

Quality

Click Quality Type

> Skew Angle : Off
> Warpage : Off

Click Apply
Output window will show the
message
Mesh Quality Results : >(Aspect Ratio) Poor Element
Count : 0 ,Avg :1.41,
Min/Max: 1.01/5.1
Click Close

Even if the aspect ratio is greater

than 8, the analysis can also go
on, converge and give accurate
results. Nevertheless, if too many
mesh elements with an aspect
ratio too high (superior to 20)
are present, it can lead to
problems of accuracy and
convergence.

25

Results

Define CFD analysis case

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Click Steady

Title name input CFD

application tutorial2
Click >>

Click Analysis Control

In the All sets work tree on the left appear all the mesh
sets, CFD boundary conditions and contacts that have
been defined in the analysis model. By pressing the >>
button, all these mesh sets, BCs and contacts will be
assigned to the current analysis case and activated. The
active mesh sets appear in the Active Part Sets tree
menu and the active boundary conditions and contacts
appear in the CFD Analysis Settings Tree Menu. These
conditions and mesh sets can be activated or inactivated
by simple mouse drag and drop.

Drag and Drop

26

The Analysis Case

regroups all the
conditions of the
analysis defined
previously.
The Transient CFD
Analysis is used when
results in function of
time are required.
Steady State
Analysis is used when
only the last result at
the steady state is
important. Another
difference is that it is
required to define
the time increment
for the transient
analysis, whereas for
steady state analysis,
the increment input
can be automatically
changed by the
solver

Define CFD analysis case

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

In the Analysis Control Window are defined

all the general parameters of the analysis.

Time Increment : 1 sec

Number of Steps : 1000

Ex) Module used, Time information, Symmetry

conditions, Initial conditions, turbulence, etc.

Intermediate Output
Request : Interval : 10 Step

In the previous tutorial, the time increment was

important as it represented the real duration of a time
step in transient analysis. In Steady State analysis, it is
a bit different, as the time increment doesnt represent
the real time duration of a time step but simply a
parameter used by the solver to compute the final
steady state value. If the time increment is too large,
the solver will automatically decrease it. This value is
set here in case the user wants to set manually a time
step smaller than the time increment used by the
solver.

Click Field Definition...

Results will be output

every 10 steps by
defining this intermediate
output request.

It defines the number of times the

solution will be calculated using the
defined time increment.
Calculation time= time increment number of
time step
After entering a large enough number, the calculation
can be launched and depending on the convergence
status (see next page) the calculation can be stopped
to check the results. If there is no convergence after
the number of steps defined, number of steps can be
increased and calculation repeated.

27

Define Analysis Case Analysis Control: Field Definition

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Input Eddy Kinetic Energy :

0.00135 m2/sec2
In CFD Analysis, the result of the previous step is
used to calculate the next step. This is why the initial
value is very important. This initial value can be
defined in this field definition window.

Eddy Length Scale : 0.0034

Click OK

To calculate accurate values of the turbulence, the eddy

kinetic energy and eddy length scale need to be
defined according to the equation below:

Eddy Kinetic Energy = 1.5*(Velocity*Turbulence

Intensity Level)^2
<turbulence intensity level>
Planes,Cars, Submarine : 0.003 (Under 0.01)
Atmosphere : 0.3
Internal flow, Heat exchanger, Rotative machinery : 0.05~0.15
Pipe,exhast chimney, low reynolds (Simple model) : 0.01~0.05

Pipe eddy length scale= representative model length

0.07
External flow length scale =
10viscosity(density[eddy kinetic energy]1/2)

28

Define Analysis Case : Turburlence Model Definition

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Click Module Data

Turbulence Model select 2Equation k-e
Click OK

Click OK

NFX-CFD is optimized
for the 2-Equation k-
turbulence Model .

Under Analysis Case will

show CFD application
tutorial2 : Steady State CFD

29

Perform Calculation Define Monitoring nodes to assess the convergence

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Click Result Monitoring

Select Object(s) : Select the
node on box mesh model
total is 1 Object(s) (Inlet face)

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

The velocity is fixed

at 10 m/s at the inlet
so lets investigate
and monitor the
pressure instead

Pressure : On

Click OK

This monitoring options gives the possibility to check the value at

some specific node during the analysis. The purpose of this
monitoring is to verify that the 2 following conditions are verified:

1. Check the value at some specific node when the

convergence norm is greater than 0.001
2. Verify that there is no abrupt change in the area of interest
30

Results

Perform Calculation Define Monitoring nodes to assess the convergence

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Select Object(s) : Select the

node on box mesh model
total is 1 Object(s) (Outlet
face)

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

At the outlet, the

pressure is fixed at 0, so
the Total velocity can be
monitored instead.

Total Velocity : On
Pressure : Off
Click OK

Meshing

31

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

Perform calculation Save the file

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Click Save As...

File name input CFD
application tutorial2.nfx
Click Save

32

Solver

Results

Perform calculation Perform Analysis Case

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Analysis Case

Select CFD application

tutorial2 then click right
bottom of mouse to select
solve

If several Analysis are present,

keep [Ctrl] pressed while
selecting will allow to select
several subcases at the same
time.

33

Solver

Results

Calculated process to review and determine the convergence

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

We can observe the Pressure

and velocity norm curves
which tend towards a value
smaller than 0.001
(Convergence). The solver
will stop at the step number
1000.
We can observe the TOTAL
VELOCITY curve at the outlet
position which tends
towards a stable constant
value (Value is about 6.8
m/sec)
We can observe that the 3
curved reached a stable
status within 400 steps
(CONVERGENCE reached)

Contacts

The norm to evaluate that the analysis is converging and the results are
correct is:
1. When the norm graph is decreasing under the value 0.001 and stays
below this value (can be checked through the norm graph)
2. When the monitored value in the area of interest stays stable and
doesnt undergo very large variation (can be checked using monitoring
or by stopping the analysis and verifying the results)..

34

Meshing

Analysis Case

Solver

Results

CFD result : preview Pressure and Velocity contour plot

Analysis
Settings

Geometry

Materials/
Properties

Boundary
Conditions

Contacts

Meshing

Observe PRESSURE result of

last step

Observe Total Velocity result

of last step

35

Analysis Case

Solver

Results