ANSYS CFX

for Free Surface Flows

Technical Brief Accurate computational simulation of free-surface flows

requires CFD software that captures the sharp interface
between two phases in an efficient and precise manner.
ANSYS CFX-5 software provides users with these
Robust and essential requirements, and much more, by delivering
accurate simulation
unmatched performance for these challenging
of free surface
flows applications.

CFX-5s accuracy and Simulation of a petrol/gas tank

filling process using free surface
robustness offer significant
capabilities in CFX-5.
benefits in all free surface-
flow problems. Applications
include drag prediction
around ships and
submarines, water levels in
open-channel flows and
reservoirs, sloshing forces in
fuel tanks and ballasts,
automotive fuel tank filling
interruptions, performance of
Pelton turbines, and
optimizing mould filling
processes.
CFX-5 captures the hydraulic jump in
a canal flow with contraction, showing
the air/water interface shaded with
the height of the liquid.

CFX-5 simulation of the free surface

over a yacht traveling at 10 knots.

ANSYS, Inc. offers the most flexible The model

approach to solving free-surface flows.
Using its Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase
flow framework, CFX-5s efficient and
robust coupled multigrid solver
delivers technology that is far faster
The free-surface flow model is a
homogeneous extension of CFX-5s
powerful Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase
model, where both fluid phases share
common velocity, pressure, and, if

CFX for modeling free-surface flows than

anything previously available. When
combined with CFX-5s outstanding
parallel capabilities, the increase in
speed at which free-surface flows can
www.ansys.com
now be solved is outstanding.
applicable, turbulence fields. The
computational effort required to solve
free-surface flow problems is
consequently reduced considerably
compared to that of the full Eulerian-
Eulerian two-phase flow problem.

Technical Brief
CFX-5 simulation of a weir overflow,
combining the free surface model
with the full Eulerian-Eulerian
multiphase model to allow air and
water to separate into a sharp
interface.
Chart: Comparison of measured
and predicted wave profiles for
the Wigley experimental hull at
Fr=0.267. Top: free surface
along the hull.
CFX
www.ansys.com
for Free Surface Flows
Compressive discretization
CFX-5 uses a unique compressive
discretization scheme for the
calculation of phasic volume fractions.
The anti-diffusive characteristics of this
scheme provide the user with much
sharper, and hence more accurate,
interfaces than possible with
conventional bounded second order
schemes. The compressive scheme is
also applicable to time-dependent
problems.
For some instances, for example where
splashing is present, the homogeneous
multiphase model is not appropriate. In
such situations CFX-5s full Eulerian-
Eulerian multiphase model is required,
and it can also take advantage of the
compressive discretization to yield a
sharp interface in the appropriate area.
Stable solutions
In addition, CFX-5s global continuity
equation is cast in its volumetric form.
This formulation avoids the well-known
stability difficulties that can occur in
cases involving a large difference
between the densities of a liquid and a
gas.
Automated mesh adaption
CFX-5s adaptive mesh refinement can
also counteract numerical diffusion to
allow further sharpening of the free
surface interface. CFX-5 can adapt all
types of mesh elements, including tetra
and hexahedra, pyramids and prism.
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ANSYS CFX
Grids can be imported in a wide variety
of formats and adaption can be
immediately applied. In particular,
adaption can be performed on
hexahedral meshes imported from other
ANSYS software.
Sometimes the location of the free
surface interface changes as the
solution develops. As a result, a refined
mesh generated in an early stage of the
solution may not be necessary later. The
mesh refinement algorithm in CFX-5
automatically coarseness the grid in
these locations.
Applying the model
As models with large numbers of
computational cells (order of millions)
are becoming the norm, CFX-5s
excellent convergence characteristics,
linear scalability and superb parallel
performance provide a most efficient
modeling tool for free-surface flow
calculations.
ANSYS direct CAD access and
automatic meshing tools have extended
the accessibility of free-surface flow
simulations to even the most complex
geometries found in industry. From
fuel/ballast tanks in ships to submerged
entry nozzles in steel casters, automatic
meshing offers maximum flexibility and
high quality grids with the minimum of
user effort.
Publication subject to change without prior notice.
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