Scribd
Upload
23 views

Xample Ixing in A Rotating Frame of Reference: January 2017 11.1 Release 18.0

This example simulates mixing in a rotating tank by using a rotating reference frame. Centrifugal and Coriolis forces are added to the momentum equation. The simulation models the flow using an evolving fluid density parameter to account for inertia. Streamlines and velocity vectors at different evolution steps are shown, with the flow developing as density increases from 0.01 to 1.

Uploaded by

woongs73
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
23 views

Xample Ixing in A Rotating Frame of Reference: January 2017 11.1 Release 18.0

This example simulates mixing in a rotating tank by using a rotating reference frame. Centrifugal and Coriolis forces are added to the momentum equation. The simulation models the flow using an evolving fluid density parameter to account for inertia. Streamlines and velocity vectors at different evolution steps are shown, with the flow developing as density increases from 0.01 to 1.

Uploaded by

woongs73
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Example 11

EXAMPLE 11
MIXING IN A ROTATING FRAME OF REFERENCE

DESCRIPTION

This example describes the simulation of a mixer. Most of the time, the tank is axisymmetric
and one wishes to perform a 2 D 1/2 "swirling" simulation. However if the rotor is not
axisymmetric, it is impossible to simulate the flow in a rigid reference frame without going to
time-dependent simulations and complex remeshing procedures. A way to circumvent this
difficulty is to simulate the flow in a rotating reference frame, by adding or subtracting an
angular velocity . In this case, a zero velocity boundary condition will apply on the rotor. If
inertia is taken into account, one must then add the centrifugal and Coriolis forces as body
forces. This example describes how to proceed.

Let us consider a 2-D planar mixing flow process, as displayed in Fig. 1. A fluid is contained
into a (long) cylindrical vessel, and is set into motion by means of a propeller. The angular
-1
velocity of the propeller is - 2 s while the radius of the cylindrical vessel is 10 cm. This
description corresponds to what is seen from a fixed observer.

cylindrical vessel

rotating blade

Fig. 1. Mixing.

In a rotating frame of reference, the observer sees a fixed propeller, the wall of the vessel
being rotating in the opposite direction. Since inertia will be taken into account, centrifugal
and Coriolis forces will be added into the momentum equation.

We consider a Newtonian fluid, the material data of which are:


= 2.5 poise
= 1 g/cm3

January 2017 11.1 Release 18.0


Example 11

-1
The angular velocity at the wall will be -2 s . The corresponding tangential velocity
equals -R, where R is the radius of the vessel. In view of the relatively high Reynolds
number which is involved, we will apply an evolution strategy on the fluid density.

KEYWORDS

non-simply connected domain, moving frame of reference, rigid rotation (centrifugal and
Coriolis forces), evolution

FILENAMES

Directory: rigid

Prefix of data and result files: rigid

MESH GENERATION

In Fig. 2, we display the finite element mesh. This mesh contains one single sub domain: the
whole mesh. However it has two boundaries: the external boundary (BS 1), and the internal
boundary which coincides with the propeller (BS 2).

Fig. 2. Mixing process: finite element mesh.

POLYDATA SESSION

- Read a mesh file: rigid.msh


- Create a new task: F.E.M. task, Evolution, 2D planar geometry,
+ Rigid rotation: omegaz = -6.2831998E+00 see note 1

January 2017 11.2 Release 18.0


Example 11

- Create a sub-task: Generalized Newtonian isothermal flow problem


Title: Mixing process
Domain of the sub-task: whole mesh (S 1)
Material data:
Constant viscosity = 2.50E+00
Density: 1.0
with EVOL on density: f(S) = S see note 2
Inertia terms: will be taken into account
No gravity
Flow boundary conditions:
BS 1: (vn, vs) = (0.0, 62.832) see note 3
BS 2: (vn, vs) = (0.0, 0.0)
Numerical parameters
Evolution parameters
initial S = 0.0
final S = 1.0
initial S-interval = 0.01
max. S-interval = 0.25
- Outputs
- Default output : CFD-Post
- System of units for CFD-Post: metric_cm/g/s/A+Celsius
- Probes (optional):
1. prefix: probe_1, location: (0, 5)
2. prefix: probe_2, location: (-5, 5)
3. prefix: probe_3, location: (5, 5)
- Save & Exit
- Mesh file: rigid.msh
- Data file: rigid.dat
- Result file: res
- CFD-Post: cfx.res

Note 1: Rigid rotation

The task set-up is also set to "rigid rotation". This means that centrifugal and Coriolis forces
will be added for all sub-tasks. One additional parameter is the angular velocity of the
rotating reference frame (or the rotating observer) with respect to an inertial reference frame.

Note 2: Evolution on density

We select this option, since our flow involves inertia; moreover, we will apply an evolution
scheme on this material parameter. The fluid density will increase with the independent
evolution parameter S. The parameters for evolution (initial S, final S and S-interval can be
specified in the 'Numerical parameters' menu, but in this example the default values are
right).

January 2017 11.3 Release 18.0


Example 11

Note 3: (Vn, Vs) imposed along boundary 1

The problem is described with respect to a rotating reference frame. The observer (on the
blade) thus sees a rotating vessel. Here we must specify the tangential velocity of the
boundary of the vessel, with respect to the observer. This tangential velocity is of course
obtained as the product of the angular velocity by the radius of the vessel, say 20.

RUNNING POLYFLOW

The input files for POLYFLOW are RIGID.MSH (the mesh) and RIGID.DAT (the data file
generated by POLYDATA). RIGID.DAT is the standard input file for POLYFLOW. After
execution, a result file RES is generated by POLYFLOW for an eventual restart. Several files
for graphic post-processing cfx.res and cfx/j_full.trn are also generated, where j stands for the
corresponding S-step.

GRAPHIC POST-PROCESSING

In Figs. 3 and 4, we display the stream function and the velocity vectors obtained at steps 1, 5,
8 and 10. Those steps correspond to S = 0.01, 0.139, 0.49 and 1, respectively.

Fig. 3. Mixing process: stream lines for various S-steps


(in. val. = -100, incr. = 10, fin. val. = 20 ).

January 2017 11.4 Release 18.0


Example 11

Fig. 4. Mixing process: velocity vectors for various S-steps.

January 2017 11.5 Release 18.0

You might also like