Forte User's Guide

ANSYS, Inc. Release 2022 R1

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Table of Contents
1. Forte User's Guide Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1. Overview of the Workflow ................................................................................................................. 1
1.2. The Ansys Product Improvement Program ......................................................................................... 2
2. Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation ....................................................................................................... 7
2.1. Graphical User Interface .................................................................................................................... 7
2.2. Window, Ribbon, and Menus ............................................................................................................. 8
2.3. Toolbar Shortcuts ............................................................................................................................ 11
2.4. Workflow Tree ................................................................................................................................. 13
2.5. Editor Panels ................................................................................................................................... 14
2.5.1. Standard Buttons in Editor Panels ........................................................................................... 14
2.5.2. Expand/Collapse Button (+) .................................................................................................... 16
2.5.3. Entering Profile Data .............................................................................................................. 16
2.6. 3-D View Panel ................................................................................................................................ 16
2.6.1. Mouse Behavior ..................................................................................................................... 16
2.6.2. Setting Mesh Display Attributes .............................................................................................. 17
2.7. User Preferences ............................................................................................................................. 18
2.7.1. Display Settings Preferences ................................................................................................... 19
2.7.2. Preferred Applications Preferences ......................................................................................... 19
2.7.3. Units Preferences ................................................................................................................... 19
2.7.4. File Preferences ...................................................................................................................... 20
2.8. Data Entry and Management Tools .................................................................................................. 20
2.8.1. Profile Editor .......................................................................................................................... 20
2.8.2. Composition Calculator .......................................................................................................... 21
2.8.3. Mixture Editor ........................................................................................................................ 22
2.8.4. Initial Conditions Table Editor ................................................................................................. 25
2.8.5. Boundary Condition Table Editor ............................................................................................ 27
2.8.6. Flame-Speed Table Editor ....................................................................................................... 27
2.8.7. Creating Real Gas Property Tables ........................................................................................... 29
2.8.8. Point Cloud Editor .................................................................................................................. 30
2.8.9. Control Surface Editor ............................................................................................................ 31
2.8.10. Parameter Studies ................................................................................................................ 33
2.8.11. Reference Frames ................................................................................................................. 34
2.8.12. Time Frames ......................................................................................................................... 35
2.8.13. Clip Planes ........................................................................................................................... 35
2.8.14. Sub-Volumes ........................................................................................................................ 36
2.8.14.1. Specifying Sub-Volumes .............................................................................................. 36
2.8.15. Compression Ratio Calculator ............................................................................................... 36
2.8.16. Solid Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle Tracking ........................................ 37
2.8.17. Valve Lift Profile Utility .......................................................................................................... 38
3. Modeling Guide .................................................................................................................................... 41
3.1. Geometry Node .............................................................................................................................. 41
3.1.1. Sector Mesh Generator ........................................................................................................... 43
3.1.2. Import Geometry ................................................................................................................... 48
3.1.3. Export Geometry ................................................................................................................... 49
3.1.4. Merge Meshes Utility .............................................................................................................. 50
3.1.5. Join Meshes Utility ................................................................................................................. 50
3.1.6. Measure Geometry Utility ....................................................................................................... 51
3.2. Mesh Controls Node ....................................................................................................................... 51
3.2.1. Mesh Controls for Automatic Meshing .................................................................................... 51

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3.2.2. Mesh Controls for Body-Fitted (Including Sector) Meshes ........................................................ 55

3.3. Models Node .................................................................................................................................. 55
3.3.1. Chemistry/Materials ............................................................................................................... 56
3.3.1.1. Chemistry ...................................................................................................................... 56
3.3.1.2. Equation of State ........................................................................................................... 57
3.3.1.2.1. Use Real Gas Properties File .................................................................................. 58
3.3.1.3. Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simulations ...................................................... 59
3.3.1.4. Flame Model ................................................................................................................. 60
3.3.2. Transport ............................................................................................................................... 64
3.3.2.1. Turbulence .................................................................................................................... 64
3.3.3. Spray Model ........................................................................................................................... 65
3.3.3.1. Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, Slit, and VOF Injector Panels .................................................... 65
3.3.3.1.1. Injection Panel ...................................................................................................... 71
3.3.3.1.2. Nozzle Panel ......................................................................................................... 72
3.3.4. Spark Ignition ........................................................................................................................ 73
3.3.4.1. Spark Panel ................................................................................................................... 74
3.3.5. Crevice Model ........................................................................................................................ 74
3.3.6. Soot Model ............................................................................................................................ 75
3.3.7. Source ................................................................................................................................... 76
3.3.8. Radiation ............................................................................................................................... 80
3.4. Boundary Conditions Node ............................................................................................................. 81
3.4.1. Inlet Panel .............................................................................................................................. 82
3.4.2. Outlet Panel ........................................................................................................................... 84
3.4.3. Wall Boundary ........................................................................................................................ 86
3.4.3.1. Slider Crank Motion ....................................................................................................... 88
3.4.3.2. Offset Table Motion ....................................................................................................... 91
3.4.3.3. Rotation Motion ............................................................................................................ 92
3.4.3.4. Movement Type ............................................................................................................. 92
3.4.3.5. Valve-Seating Utility ....................................................................................................... 93
3.4.3.6. Valve Definitions (Body-fitted Mesh Only) ....................................................................... 94
3.4.4. Periodicity Boundary .............................................................................................................. 95
3.5. Initial Conditions Node ................................................................................................................... 97
3.5.1. Configuration of Initialization Regions for Body-fitted Mesh .................................................... 97
3.5.2. Configuration of Initialization Regions for Automatic-mesh Generation ................................... 97
3.5.2.1. Strategy 1: Let the Valves and/or Sliding Port Interfaces Separate Regions ....................... 98
3.5.2.2. Strategy 2: Let User-defined Volumes Separate Regions .................................................. 98
3.5.2.3. Assigning Region Types ................................................................................................. 99
3.5.3. Initialization Panel .................................................................................................................. 99
3.5.3.1. Using Swirl Ratio to Initialize Velocity ........................................................................... 100
3.6. Simulation Controls Node ............................................................................................................. 101
3.6.1. Simulation Limits Sub-panel ................................................................................................. 101
3.6.2. Time Step Panel .................................................................................................................... 103
3.6.3. Chemistry Solver Panel ......................................................................................................... 104
3.6.4. Transport Terms Panel .......................................................................................................... 107
3.6.5. Steady-State Simulation ....................................................................................................... 107
3.7. Output Controls Node ................................................................................................................... 109
3.7.1. Spatially Resolved Panel ....................................................................................................... 109
3.7.1.1. Configuring the Solution Files ...................................................................................... 110
3.7.1.2. Output User Routine Option ........................................................................................ 115
3.7.2. Spatially Averaged and Spray Panel ....................................................................................... 118
3.7.2.1. Summary Data Reported in Ansys Forte Log, for Engine Simulations ............................. 137

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3.7.2.2. Customized Spray Analysis ........................................................................................... 142

3.7.2.3. Port Flow Monitor ........................................................................................................ 144
3.7.3. Restart Data Panel ................................................................................................................ 145
3.7.4. Additional Output ................................................................................................................ 145
3.8. Monitor Probes Panel .................................................................................................................... 146
3.8.1. Probes for Instantaneous, Spatially Averaged Data ................................................................ 147
3.8.2. Probes for Time-Averaged and Spatially Resolved Data .......................................................... 151
3.8.3. Spray Patternators (Special Type of Monitor Probe) ................................................................ 158
3.9. Simulation Notes Node ................................................................................................................. 160
3.9.1. Simulation Notes Panel ......................................................................................................... 160
3.10. Preview Simulation Node ............................................................................................................ 160
3.10.1. Boundary Motion Panel ...................................................................................................... 160
3.10.2. Mesh Generation Panel ....................................................................................................... 160
3.10.2.1. Preview Settings Panel ............................................................................................... 161
3.10.2.2. Creating the Preview Mesh ......................................................................................... 161
4. Built-in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) ............................................................................................ 163
4.1. Rigid Body Translation Based on Spring Mass System With Damping .............................................. 163
4.2. Rigid Body Rotation Based on Spring Mass System With Damping .................................................. 164
4.3. Cantilever Deformation According to Euler's Beam Equations ........................................................ 164
4.4. Monitoring FSI Behavior During Simulations .................................................................................. 166
5. Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs ......................................................................................... 167
5.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 167
5.2. Prerequisites to Preparing Runs ..................................................................................................... 171
5.2.1. Run Settings Panel ............................................................................................................... 172
5.2.2. Run Options ......................................................................................................................... 172
5.2.3. Windows Settings Panel ....................................................................................................... 173
5.2.4. Linux Settings Panel ............................................................................................................. 174
5.3. Preparing Runs ............................................................................................................................. 174
5.3.1. Run Preparation Using the Forte User Interface ..................................................................... 174
5.3.1.1. Single Run Execution ................................................................................................... 175
5.3.2. Run Preparation Using the Command Line Interface ............................................................. 176
5.4. Resource Management ................................................................................................................. 177
5.4.1. Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile ........................................................................ 177
5.4.2. Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System ......................................................................... 178
5.4.2.1. UGE Cluster Example ................................................................................................... 178
5.4.2.2. Slurm Cluster Example ................................................................................................. 179
5.5. Executing Runs ............................................................................................................................. 179
5.5.1. Executing Runs Using the Forte User Interface ...................................................................... 179
5.5.1.1. Submitting a Single Run Using the Runs Table Button ................................................... 179
5.5.1.2. Parameter Study Execution .......................................................................................... 180
5.5.2. Executing Runs Using the Command Line Interface ............................................................... 180
5.5.2.1. Running On a Remote Server ....................................................................................... 181
5.6. Monitoring Runs ........................................................................................................................... 181
5.6.1. Log Files ............................................................................................................................... 181
5.6.2. Input Files ............................................................................................................................ 183
5.6.3. Run Control Files .................................................................................................................. 183
5.6.4. Job Results Files ................................................................................................................... 185
5.6.5. Interpreting Parallel Timing Results ....................................................................................... 185
5.7. Calculation of Knock and Phi-T ..................................................................................................... 185
5.7.1. Calculating Knock Intensity Index ......................................................................................... 186
5.7.2. Phi-T Plots and Other Contour Overlay Plots .......................................................................... 187

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5.8. Restarting Runs ............................................................................................................................. 188

5.8.1. Restart Files and Processing .................................................................................................. 189
5.8.1.1. Restarting from the Forte User Interface ....................................................................... 189
5.8.1.2. Restarting from the Forte Command Line Interface ...................................................... 192
5.9. User-defined Functions (UDF) ........................................................................................................ 193
6. Command-line Interface ..................................................................................................................... 195
6.1. Setting Up the Environment .......................................................................................................... 195
6.2. Command Line Interface ............................................................................................................... 195
6.2.1. Commands .......................................................................................................................... 196
6.2.1.1. Project-based Commands ............................................................................................ 196
6.2.1.2. Inputs for Geometry and Chemistry ............................................................................. 197
6.2.2. Text Representation of Project Data ...................................................................................... 198
6.2.3. Command-line Interface Examples ....................................................................................... 199
6.2.4. Modify Default Behavior in Project Preparation ..................................................................... 199
6.3. Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility .............................................................................................. 200
7. Commands for Replay Scripting ......................................................................................................... 203
7.1. Command Syntax ......................................................................................................................... 203
7.2. Command Context ........................................................................................................................ 203
7.3. Replay File Creation and Loading ................................................................................................... 204
7.4. Replay File Example ...................................................................................................................... 204
8. Forte Simulation in Workbench .......................................................................................................... 209
8.1. Working in Forte ........................................................................................................................... 209
8.1.1. Geometry ............................................................................................................................ 209
8.1.2. Set Up a Forte Component System ....................................................................................... 209
8.1.3. Solving the Case in the Forte Component System ................................................................. 210
9. System Coupling ................................................................................................................................. 211
9.1. Overview of System Coupling Analysis Using Forte ........................................................................ 211
9.1.1. Supported Capabilities and Limitations ................................................................................ 211
9.1.2. Variables Available for System Coupling ................................................................................ 212
9.1.3. System Coupling Related Settings ........................................................................................ 213
9.2. Setting Up a Coupled Simulation ................................................................................................... 213
9.2.1. Step 1: Set up Forte Project for System Coupling ................................................................... 214
9.2.2. Step 2: Set Up the Other Participants for System Coupling ..................................................... 216
9.2.3. Step 3: Set Up a Working Folder for the System Coupling Run ................................................ 216
9.2.4. Step 4a: Create a System Coupling Python Run Script ............................................................ 217
9.2.5. Step 4b: Use the System Coupling Graphical User Interface .................................................... 218
9.2.6. How To Run System Coupling ............................................................................................... 219
9.2.7. Workflow and File Structure of Forte Runs During System Coupling Runs ............................... 220
9.2.8. Monitoring Progress of System Coupling and Examining Final Results ................................... 221
9.2.9. Forte System Coupling Restart Runs ...................................................................................... 222
10. Getting Help and Support ................................................................................................................. 223
10.1. Tool Tips ..................................................................................................................................... 223
10.2. User Manuals .............................................................................................................................. 223
10.3. Technical Support ....................................................................................................................... 224
10.3.1. Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................. 224
10.3.2. Contacting Technical Support ............................................................................................. 224
A. Setting Up Environment, Launching ....................................................................................................... 225
A.1. Environment Setup Requirement for Linux Only ............................................................................ 225
A.2. Java Memory Settings ................................................................................................................... 226
A.3. Requirements for Ansys Forte User Interface on Linux ................................................................... 227
A.4. Launching Ansys Forte on Linux .................................................................................................... 227

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A.5. Launching Ansys Forte on Windows .............................................................................................. 228

B. Prerequisites for Parallel MPI Environment .............................................................................................. 229
B.1. Supported MPI Versions ................................................................................................................ 229
B.2. Updating the Environment ............................................................................................................ 229
C. Advanced Settings and Scripts ............................................................................................................... 231
C.1. Advanced Settings for Linux or Windows Systems ......................................................................... 231
C.2. Additional Scripts - Background Information ................................................................................. 231
D. Fuel Library ........................................................................................................................................... 233
D.1. Fuel Species ................................................................................................................................. 233
D.2. Species Information and Property Entries ...................................................................................... 235
D.3. Temperature-Dependent Properties .............................................................................................. 235
D.3.1. Liquid Density ..................................................................................................................... 236
D.3.2. Vapor Pressure ..................................................................................................................... 236
D.3.3. Liquid Specific Heat (Heat Capacity, Liquid) ........................................................................... 236
D.3.4. Liquid Viscosity .................................................................................................................... 236
D.3.5. Surface Tension .................................................................................................................... 237
D.3.6. Liquid Thermal Conductivity ................................................................................................ 237
D.3.7. Heat of Vaporization (Enthalpy of Vaporization) .................................................................... 237
E. Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte ....................................................................................... 239
E.1. Reduced Mechanisms for Diesel Engine Applications ..................................................................... 240
E.1.1. D.2.1. Semi-detailed n-Heptane Model for Simulation of Ignition in Conventional Diesel En-
gines ............................................................................................................................................ 241
E.1.2. n-Heptane-Methane Model for Simulations of Compression-Ignition Diesel and Natural-
Gas–Diesel Fueled Engines ............................................................................................................ 241
E.1.3. 2-Component Model, Focus on Soot Particle Tracking ............................................................ 242
E.1.4. 2-Component Model, with a Focus on Soot Using Pseudo-Gas Model .................................... 243
E.2. Reduced Mechanisms for Gasoline SI Engine Applications .............................................................. 244
E.2.1. 1-Component Fuel Model for Spark-Ignition Simulations Without Knocking .......................... 245
E.2.2.TRF-Ethanol Model for Spark-Ignition Simulations for Non-knocking Conditions, Focus on Soot
Particle Tracking ........................................................................................................................... 246
E.2.3.TRF-Ethanol Model for Spark-Ignition Gasoline for Knocking Conditions and Gasoline HCCI
Engine Simulations, with a Focus on Soot Using Pseudo-Gas Model ............................................... 247
E.3. Reduced Mechanisms for Natural Gas SI Engine Applications ......................................................... 248
E.3.1. Natural Gas 1-Component Surrogate (Methane) for SI Engine Emissions Predictions .............. 249
E.4. Air-Only Mechanism ...................................................................................................................... 249
E.4.1. 2-Species Mechanism for Flow Conditions ............................................................................. 249
E.5. Creating a Surrogate for a Specific Test Fuel ................................................................................... 249
F. Flame-Speed Tables Installed with Ansys Forte ........................................................................................ 253
F.1. Table Library Option ...................................................................................................................... 253
F.2. Table Lookup Option ..................................................................................................................... 256
F.3. Power Law Option ......................................................................................................................... 256
F.4. Reaction Mechanisms Used in the Table Generation ....................................................................... 256
G. CGNS Utilities ........................................................................................................................................ 259
G.1. cgns_util Subprograms ........................................................................................................... 259
G.1.1. convert Utility .................................................................................................................. 260
G.1.2. export Utility .................................................................................................................... 260
G.1.3. harvest Utility .................................................................................................................. 261
G.1.4. restartcopy Utility ......................................................................................................... 262
G.1.5. smg Utility ........................................................................................................................... 262
H. File Formats .......................................................................................................................................... 265
H.1. List of Summaries ......................................................................................................................... 265

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H.2. VOF Input File Format ................................................................................................................... 266

I. References .............................................................................................................................................. 269

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List of Figures
1.1. Ansys Forte Simulate: Workflow overview ................................................................................................ 2
2.1. Layout of the Ansys Forte Simulation window ......................................................................................... 8
2.2. Context-sensitive right-click menu for Chemistry node in Workflow tree ................................................ 13
2.3. Links for navigating Workflow tree in Editor panels ................................................................................ 14
2.4. Editor panel’s standard buttons ............................................................................................................. 15
2.5. Edit Defaults dialog for Models > Soot Model > Settings ........................................................................ 15
2.6. Context-sensitive right-click menu in Workflow tree for visibility of Piston boundary condition ............... 17
2.7. Edit Preferences dialog .......................................................................................................................... 19
2.8. Profile Editor selection dialog ................................................................................................................ 20
2.9. Profile Editor with data imported from a CSV file .................................................................................... 21
2.10. Composition Calculator utility ............................................................................................................. 22
2.11. Specifying species composition for an inlet ......................................................................................... 23
2.12. Specifying species composition for a fuel mixture ................................................................................ 24
2.13. Specifying species composition of a multiphase mixture ...................................................................... 25
2.14. Initial Condition Table Editor, populated with spatially resolved data .................................................... 26
2.15. Variable mapping panel, where Ansys Forte variables are mapped to solution variables in an input
file .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
2.16. Point Cloud Editor, populated with a set of 3-D coordinates .................................................................. 31
2.17. Control Surface Editor ......................................................................................................................... 32
2.18. Example of Control Surface and its meshing, as defined by the Control Surface Editor .......................... 33
2.19. Coordinate system relationships .......................................................................................................... 35
2.20. Specifying a sub-volume via Geometry, then selecting, then actual sub-volume displayed .................... 36
2.21. Surface Composition Editor, showing the composition of a selected surface ......................................... 37
2.22. Dispersed Phase Editor displaying particle properties .......................................................................... 38
2.23. Valve Lift Profile Utility ........................................................................................................................ 39
3.1. Nonwatertight surfaces that cause this mesh to leak, because the edges do not align ............................. 42
3.2. Sector Mesh Generator interface ........................................................................................................... 44
3.3. Example topology 1: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................. 45
3.4. Example topology 2: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................. 45
3.5. Example topology 3: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................. 45
3.6. Example topology 4: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................. 46
3.7. Example topology 5: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................. 46
3.8. Interface for automated Sector Mesh Generator .................................................................................... 46
3.9. Sector mesh bowl profile and topology control point description .......................................................... 48
3.10. Export utility’s Save dialog (for files associated with Quick Start lesson) ................................................ 49
3.11. (a) Red edges indicate a leak in the surfaces that define a watertight mesh. (b) Relaxing duplicate edge
tolerance in a mesh join often repairs this issue ........................................................................................... 50
3.12. Feature Refinement Depth diagram illustrating phi .............................................................................. 53
3.13. RGP table input file: Nitrogen .............................................................................................................. 59
3.14. Definition of mean cone angle and liquid jet thickness in a hollow-cone spray ..................................... 70
3.15. Definition of several injection and nozzle parameters for slit injectors (Left: front view; Right: side
view) .......................................................................................................................................................... 70
3.16. Excerpt of sample thermodynamic data file used in the mechanism, containing absorption coefficient
data for CO, CO2, CH4 .................................................................................................................................. 81
3.17. Imported set of spatially varying temperatures .................................................................................... 87
3.18. Piston-pin offset distance .................................................................................................................... 91
3.19. Intake valve geometry input parameter illustration .............................................................................. 94
3.20. Sector alignment for periodicity .......................................................................................................... 95
3.21. Sector alignment for periodicity .......................................................................................................... 96

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3.22. Sector alignment for periodicity .......................................................................................................... 97

3.23. Steady-state solution criteria ............................................................................................................. 109
3.24. Illustration of axial and radial penetrations (assuming the liquid mass threshold "cutoff" is 100%) ....... 143
3.25. Illustration of normal penetration (assuming the liquid mass threshold "cutoff" is 100%) .................... 144
3.26. Illustration of spray angle (assuming the liquid mass threshold "cutoff" is 100%) ................................ 144
3.27. An example of data output from a typical instantaneous and spatially averaged monitor probe .......... 150
3.28. An example of data output from a typical histogram analysis using droplet diameter (unit: micron) as
the response variable ................................................................................................................................ 151
3.29. Example of surface mesh on the piston (orange color) used for point cloud ........................................ 152
3.30. Example showing surface mesh on a full liner surface used for point cloud ......................................... 153
3.31. Example of the output file from a wall sampling probe, with 20 points in the point cloud .................... 156
3.32. Example of the output file from a wall sampling probe, with 20 points in the point cloud .................... 158
3.33. Schematic drawing of spray patternator configuration ....................................................................... 159
4.1. FSI iconbar in Built-in FSI Editor panel .................................................................................................. 163
4.2. Point load at end of beam ................................................................................................................... 165
4.3. Distributed load .................................................................................................................................. 165
4.4. Partially distributed load ..................................................................................................................... 165
5.1. Workflow choices for Prepare and Run steps ........................................................................................ 168
5.2. Workflow choices for Single machine and Distributed Parallel steps ..................................................... 170
5.3. Run Simulation Editor panel with and without parameter study ........................................................... 175
5.4. Submitting runs from the runs table of the Submit Runs panel ............................................................. 179
5.5. Submitting runs using the Submit Selected button of the Run Simulation panel ................................... 179
5.6. Run Simulation panel 's icon bar with Monitor Results icon .................................................................. 184
5.7. Launcher dialog with Monitor Results icon .......................................................................................... 184
5.8. Examples of computational times for CFD and detailed chemistry ........................................................ 185
5.9. Knock intensity as determined with the Butterworth high pass filter .................................................... 186
5.10. Phi-T map with both A4 and NO chosen as contours, with each cell representing a single point over-
laid ........................................................................................................................................................... 188
5.11. Run Simulation Panel with Use Restart checked and three additional columns for Restart ................... 189
5.12. Restart points at CA = -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ................................................................................ 191
5.13. Restart using Run_001_CA_p_0.04_42.ftrst (New files highlighted) ....................................... 192
5.14. Run Simulation panel showing Start/Save button in Save mode after run has started ........................ 192
9.1. Selecting a boundary condition and output variable ............................................................................ 215
9.2. Information on mapping the coupling interface written to standard output ......................................... 221
9.3. Status of a coupled iteration in standard output .................................................................................. 222
10.1. Tool tip help ...................................................................................................................................... 223
1. Edit Launcher Preferences dialog ........................................................................................................... 227
2. Launcher icon with Edit Launcher Preferences button ............................................................................ 228
1. Decision flowchart for selecting Forte diesel mechanisms ....................................................................... 241
2. Decision flowchart for selecting Forte gasoline mechanism. (*The MFL mechanism referred to in the figure
can be accessed if Model Fuels Library has been installed.) ........................................................................ 245
3. Example of Surrogate Blend Optimizer in Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench. Specification of test
fuel properties, called Targets, is shown. ..................................................................................................... 251
1. Format of exported simulation parameters file ....................................................................................... 261
1. VOF input data file components ............................................................................................................. 267

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List of Tables
2.1. File menu ............................................................................................................................................... 8
2.2. Edit menu ............................................................................................................................................... 9
2.3. View menu ........................................................................................................................................... 10
2.4. Utility menu .......................................................................................................................................... 10
2.5. Help menu ........................................................................................................................................... 11
2.6. Toolbar buttons in Ansys Forte Simulate ................................................................................................ 11
2.7. Default mouse modes ........................................................................................................................... 16
3.1. TDC and BDC conventions in Forte ........................................................................................................ 90
3.2. Description of time-step-limiting factors ............................................................................................. 104
3.3. Spatially resolved variables that are eligible output to the solution file ................................................. 111
3.4. Spatially resolved variables that are eligible output to the solution file when the Eulerian two-phase flow
simulation is performed ............................................................................................................................ 115
3.5. Spatially resolved variables that are output to the solution file when the Method of Moments soot
model is used ........................................................................................................................................... 115
3.6. Spatially averaged variables that are always output to the .csv files ...................................................... 118
3.7. Spatially averaged variables that are output to the .csv files when the Method of Moments soot model
is used ...................................................................................................................................................... 135
3.8. Summary Data reported in Ansys Forte log, for engine simulations ....................................................... 137
3.9. Spray penetration data available for reporting in custom_spray_penetration.csv .................. 142
3.10. Solution variables that can be monitored by probes ........................................................................... 148
5.1. Ansys Forte standard directory organization ........................................................................................ 172
5.2. Environment Variables corresponding to specific models on Windows systems .................................... 174
5.3. Run-control file names and purposes .................................................................................................. 183
7.1. Scripting contexts and command descriptions .................................................................................... 205
9.1. Forte variables available for System Coupling ...................................................................................... 212
1. Ansys Forte environment variables ......................................................................................................... 226
1. Fuel species ........................................................................................................................................... 233
2. Fuel library species identification properties ........................................................................................... 235
3. Fuel library species single-temperature properties ................................................................................. 235
1. Summary of the Ansys MFL-based pre-reduced reaction mechanisms included with Forte ...................... 240
1. Fuels for which prebuilt laminar flame speeds are available as part of the Table Library option ................ 253
2. Mixture conditions covered by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the Table Library op-
tion .......................................................................................................................................................... 255
3. Mixture conditions covered by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the Table Lookup op-
tion .......................................................................................................................................................... 256
1. CGNS Utility subprograms and descriptions ........................................................................................... 259

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Chapter 1: Forte User's Guide Introduction
Ansys Forte fluid-dynamics software specializes in the simulation of combustion processes in an internal
combustion engine, using a highly efficient coupling of detailed chemical kinetics, liquid fuel spray and
turbulent gas dynamics. An Ansys Forte simulation solves the full Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes
(RANS) equations with well established flow turbulence models. Differentiated from other CFD software,
however, the Ansys Forte CFD simulation package employs advanced spray models that dramatically
reduce grid-resolution requirements and time-step dependencies of simulations. Ansys Forte software
also introduces an innovative, advanced chemistry solver module. This capability enables the direct use
of reaction mechanisms containing hundreds of chemical species with simulation times usually associated
with mechanisms that are orders of magnitude smaller. Combining the advanced chemistry solver and
the multi-component fuel vaporization models opens the door to simulation of realistic fuel surrogates
in 3-D engine models. In using these advanced fluid models, you have the choice of employing auto-
matic, on-the-fly mesh generation or state-of-the-art mesh-moving algorithms with pre-generated body-
fitted meshes. A sector-mesh generator, included in Ansys Forte, facilitates simulation of symmetric
systems using the body-fitted mesh-movement approach. Finally, in addition to the modeling capabil-
ities, the Ansys Forte user interface provides a guided user experience for setup and simulation.

This manual provides an overview of the user interface and workflow, as well as a high-level view of
the model options. The Forte Quick Start Guide provides detailed instructions for a sample problem to
help you get started using Ansys Forte. To access a product's documentation and tutorials, visit the
Ansys Help site. The tutorial files give examples of a variety of problems, including spark, spray, and
diesel lessons, and links to third-party applications, such as GT-SUITE. More detail on the modeling ap-
proach is available in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual.

1.1. Overview of the Workflow

Ansys Forte is started either via the desktop icon or Start menu (Windows) (see Appendix A: Setting
Up Environment, Launching (p. 225) for Linux start-up). When Ansys Forte first starts, a launch panel
displays, giving you access to Ansys Forte’s two main components through use of the appropriate icon:

• Simulate - start here to set up and run the model, including selection of a mesh and chemistry data,
specification of engine and model parameters, job execution, and real-time monitoring of runs.

• Monitor - use this to launch a job progress monitor, which allows you to create plots either while
the job is running or after it has completed.

The Launch window also contains the Edit Launcher Preferences icon, which opens a panel
to modify the memory usage of the Ansys Forte Simulate or Monitor sessions. These memory settings

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Forte User's Guide Introduction

control only the user-interface memory usage, or the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) settings. The memory
usage of the actual Ansys Forte flow simulations are dynamically determined.

Note:

After modifying the memory preferences with the Edit Launcher Preferences icon controls,
those changes will not take effect until the next time the Simulate or Monitor interface is
opened.

Once launched, the Simulation window will display a Workflow tree in its left-hand panel. The nodes
in this tree take you through project set-up and job execution tasks, working from top to bottom. Fig-
ure 1.1: Ansys Forte Simulate: Workflow overview (p. 2) provides a high-level view of the Simulation
tasks. Once the job is complete, Ansys EnSight is a recommended tool for visualizing results.

Figure 1.1: Ansys Forte Simulate: Workflow overview

1.2. The Ansys Product Improvement Program

This product is covered by the Ansys Product Improvement Program, which enables Ansys, Inc., to collect
and analyze anonymous usage data reported by our software without affecting your work or product
performance. Analyzing product usage data helps us to understand customer usage trends and patterns,
interests, and quality or performance issues. The data enable us to develop or enhance product features
that better address your needs.

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 The Ansys Product Improvement Program

How to Participate
The program is voluntary. To participate, select Yes when the Product Improvement Program dialog
appears. Only then will collection of data for this product begin.

How the Program Works

After you agree to participate, the product collects anonymous usage data during each session. When
you end the session, the collected data is sent to a secure server accessible only to authorized Ansys
employees. After Ansys receives the data, various statistical measures such as distributions, counts,
means, medians, modes, etc., are used to understand and analyze the data.

Data We Collect
The data we collect under the Ansys Product Improvement Program are limited. The types and amounts
of collected data vary from product to product. Typically, the data fall into the categories listed here:

Hardware: Information about the hardware on which the product is running, such as the:

• brand and type of CPU

• number of processors available

• amount of memory available

• brand and type of graphics card

System: Configuration information about the system the product is running on, such as the:

• operating system and version

• country code

• time zone

• language used

• values of environment variables used by the product

Session: Characteristics of the session, such as the:

• interactive or batch setting

• time duration

• total CPU time used

• product license and license settings being used

• product version and build identifiers

• command line options used

• number of processors used

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Forte User's Guide Introduction

• amount of memory used

• errors and warnings issued

Session Actions: Counts of certain user actions during a session, such as the number of:

• project saves

• restarts

• meshing, solving, postprocessing, etc., actions

• times the Help system is used

• times wizards are used

• toolbar selections

Model: Statistics of the model used in the simulation, such as the:

• number and types of entities used, such as nodes, elements, cells, surfaces, primitives, etc.

• number of material types, loading types, boundary conditions, species, etc.

• number and types of coordinate systems used

• system of units used

• dimensionality (1-D, 2-D, 3-D)

Analysis: Characteristics of the analysis, such as the:

• physics types used

• linear and nonlinear behaviors

• time and frequency domains (static, steady-state, transient, modal, harmonic, etc.)

• analysis options used

Solution: Characteristics of the solution performed, including:

• the choice of solvers and solver options

• the solution controls used, such as convergence criteria, precision settings, and tuning options

• solver statistics such as the number of equations, number of load steps, number of design points,
etc.

Specialty: Special options or features used, such as:

• user-provided plug-ins and routines

• coupling of analyses with other Ansys products

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 The Ansys Product Improvement Program

Data We Do Not Collect

The Product Improvement Program does not collect any information that can identify you personally,
your company, or your intellectual property. This includes, but is not limited to:

• names, addresses, or usernames

• file names, part names, or other user-supplied labels

• geometry- or design-specific inputs, such as coordinate values or locations, thicknesses, or other

dimensional values

• actual values of material properties, loadings, or any other real-valued user-supplied data

In addition to collecting only anonymous data, we make no record of where we collect data from. We
therefore cannot associate collected data with any specific customer, company, or location.

Opting Out of the Program

You may stop your participation in the program any time you wish. To do so, select Ansys Product
Improvement Program from the Help menu. A dialog appears and asks if you want to continue parti-
cipating in the program. Select No and then click OK. Data will no longer be collected or sent.

The Ansys, Inc., Privacy Policy

All Ansys products are covered by the Ansys, Inc., Privacy Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Am I required to participate in this program?

No, your participation is voluntary. We encourage you to participate, however, as it helps us create
products that will better meet your future needs.

2. Am I automatically enrolled in this program?

No. You are not enrolled unless you explicitly agree to participate.

3. Does participating in this program put my intellectual property at risk of being collected or discovered
by Ansys?

No. We do not collect any project-specific, company-specific, or model-specific information.

4. Can I stop participating even after I agree to participate?

Yes, you can stop participating at any time. To do so, select Ansys Product Improvement Program
from the Help menu. A dialog appears and asks if you want to continue participating in the program.
Select No and then click OK. Data will no longer be collected or sent.

5. Will participation in the program slow the performance of the product?

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Forte User's Guide Introduction

No, the data collection does not affect the product performance in any significant way. The amount
of data collected is very small.

6. How frequently is data collected and sent to Ansys servers?

The data is collected during each use session of the product. The collected data is sent to a secure
server once per session, when you exit the product.

7. Is this program available in all Ansys products?

Not at this time, although we are adding it to more of our products at each release. The program
is available in a product only if this Ansys Product Improvement Program description appears in the
product documentation, as it does here for this product.

8. If I enroll in the program for this product, am I automatically enrolled in the program for the other Ansys
products I use on the same machine?

Yes. Your enrollment choice applies to all Ansys products you use on the same machine. Similarly,
if you end your enrollment in the program for one product, you end your enrollment for all Ansys
products on that machine.

9. How is enrollment in the Product Improvement Program determined if I use Ansys products in a cluster?

In a cluster configuration, the Product Improvement Program enrollment is determined by the host
machine setting.

10. Can I easily opt out of the Product Improvement Program for all clients in my network installation?

Yes. Perform the following steps on the file server:

a. Navigate to the installation directory: [Drive:]\v221\commonfiles\globalsettings

b. Open the file ANSYSProductImprovementProgram.txt.

c. Change the value from "on" to "off" and save the file.

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Chapter 2: Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation
The Ansys Forte Simulate window consists of sub-panels, a top-level menu bar, a ribbon, and a toolbar
containing button shortcuts to common tasks. Commands for general tasks are located in the menus
accessible from the menu bar across the top of the Ansys Forte window. Frequently used commands
are available through the ribbon's and toolbar’s button shortcuts. Figure 2.1: Layout of the Ansys Forte
Simulation window (p. 8) provides a map of the different areas within the Simulate window, which
provide quick access for different activities during project setup. Next we describe the main features
of the Ansys Forte Simulation window.

Setting up a simulation starts by defining the computational mesh that will represent the geometry of
the system. Ansys Forte provides several options for defining the computational mesh, which allows
much flexibility in creating a workflow that best suits the needs of your particular simulation. You can
load in just the definitions of the geometric surfaces that bound the system from an Ansys Fluent, CGNS,
or other mesh surface file, and then use the automatic mesh-generation option, or you can load in a
pre-defined, structured body-fitted mesh. For in-cylinder-only engine simulations, you also have the
option to use Ansys Forte's guided Sector Mesh Generator to generate a body-fitted sector mesh from
basic piston-bowl profile information.

2.1. Graphical User Interface

The Ansys Forte user interface organizes information in a helpful manner. You also have choices to
modify the presentation of the information by setting user preferences or rearranging interface com-
ponents. Figure 2.1: Layout of the Ansys Forte Simulation window (p. 8) shows the basic Ansys Forte
user interface. This consists of a menu bar, ribbon, Workflow tree, Editor panel, 3-D View, View toolbar,
a tool tips panel, and a tabbed panel for the log reporting and for replay control.

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

Figure 2.1: Layout of the Ansys Forte Simulation window

Note:

Due to an incompatibility issue with OpenGL, some AMD Radeon graphics cards (such as
AMD Radeon Pro WX5100) may cause application crashes or display issues when running
under Linux operating systems.

2.2. Window, Ribbon, and Menus

The menu bar includes the top-level menus: File, Edit, View, Utility and Help. These are each pull-
down menus that list several possible actions that will occur when selected. Table 2.1: File menu (p. 8)
through Table 2.5: Help menu (p. 11) provide descriptions of each of the tasks in the top-level menus
for the Ansys Forte windows.

The ribbon makes the menu commands available in a more accessible layout. Each icon on the ribbon
is associated with a command and the icons are labeled and grouped into related categories as shown
in Figure 2.1: Layout of the Ansys Forte Simulation window (p. 8).

Table 2.1: File menu

Icon Command Description

Open... Opens an existing Ansys Forte simulation file
(*.ftsim).
Save... Saves the currently opened Ansys Forte
simulation to a file (typically, *.ftsim). The
first time the simulation project is saved, you
will be prompted for a filename. Subsequently,
saving will overwrite previous settings in that
file.

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 Window, Ribbon, and Menus

Icon Command Description

Save As... Saves the current Ansys Forte simulation to a
new file with a user-supplied name. This is a
way to copy the simulation project.
Close... Closes the current project.

Exit Exits the current session and closes the

window.
Names of recently Opens the selected file from the list.
opened files

Table 2.2: Edit menu

Icon Command Description

Edit Preferences Launches an editor for setting various user
preferences. See User Preferences (p. 18) , for
more details on preferences.
Profiles... Launches the Profile Editor for creating profiles
or editing profiles saved to the project. See
Entering Profile Data (p. 16) and Profile
Editor (p. 20) , for more details on editing
profiles.
Mixtures... Launches the Mixture Editor for creating gas
or fuel mixtures or editing mixtures or
compositions saved to the project. See Mixture
Editor (p. 22) , for more details on editing
mixtures.
Dispersed Phases... Launches the Dispersed Phase Editor for
creating surface composition and dispersed
phase properties associated with particle
tracking, and saved to the project. See Solid
Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for
Particle Tracking (p. 37) , for more details on
editing solid phase properties.
Flame Tables... Launches the Flame Speed Table Editor for
creating or importing tables of laminar flame
speeds or editing flame speed tables saved to
the project. See Flame-Speed Table
Editor (p. 27) , for more details.
Initial Condition Launches the Initial Condition Table Editor for
Tables... creating or importing tables of initial conditions
or editing initial condition tables saved to the
project.
Solution Criteria... Opens the Solution Criteria dialog to specify
the steady-state conditions based on location
and solution variables. See Solid Phase Editor
and Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

Icon Command Description

Tracking (p. 37) , and Steady-State
Simulation (p. 107) , for more details.
Boundary Condition Launches the Boundary Condition Table Editor
Tables... for creating or importing tables of boundary
conditions or editing boundary condition tables
saved to the project.
Parameter Studies... Launches the Parameter Study Editor. See
Parameter Studies (p. 33) , for more details.

Table 2.3: View menu

Icon Command Description

XY Orients the view to an XY projection.

XZ Orients the view to an XZ projection.

YZ Orients the view to a YZ projection.

Refit Centers the visible items in the 3-D view

window and zooms in or out to encompass
the entire visible geometry.
Previous View Returns to the previous view orientation.

Next View Restores the last view orientation since a Pre-

vious View action was performed.
Alter Visibility Launches a dialog used to alter the visibility of
items by multi-selecting from a list or through
screen selection. See Setting Mesh Display
Attributes (p. 17) .

Table 2.4: Utility menu

Icon Command Description

Pre-Processing Displays a Pre-Processing panel that allows
definition and verification of a chemistry set.
Validate Project Checks for inconsistent setup options and
missing values.
Open File Browser Opens an operating-system file browser at the
user directory.
BDC =>TDC Transform Runs the BDC to TDC Transform utility to shift
the mesh to Top Dead Center by splitting the
liner, shifting the moving surface, and stitching
together open triangles. See also Geometry
Node (p. 41) .
Open Composition Opens the Composition Calculator for
Calculator specifying the initial (and boundary condition)

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 Toolbar Shortcuts

Icon Command Description

composition information in Ansys Forte for
in-cylinder, exhaust-port and inlet-port
initialization. See also Composition
Calculator (p. 21) .

Table 2.5: Help menu

Command Description
Ansys Forte Opens the entry page listing the Ansys Forte Help. The default location
Help is the Ansys Help site
Release Notes Opens to the current Forte Release Notes.
Best Practices Opens to a document providing guidance on best practices in a variety of
Forte simulations.
Forte Quick Opens the Forte Quick Start Guide, with introductory tutorial exercises
Start Guide to help you become acquainted with Forte.
Forte Theory Opens theAnsys Forte Theory Manual .
Manual
Forte Tutorials Opens the Forte Tutorials, which provide example cases and access
to the associated sample files.
Ansys Forte Opens this Ansys Forte User's Guide (p. 1).
User's Guide
Ansys Product Provides link to information about this Ansys quality program.
Improvement
Program
About FORTE Provides version number, patch details, and other information about
the installed software.

2.3. Toolbar Shortcuts

The toolbar contains buttons that, when clicked, serve as shortcuts to some of the menu tasks. A brief
description of each button is provided in Table 2.6: Toolbar buttons in Ansys Forte Simulate (p. 11) .
The buttons are listed in order of appearance in the toolbar.

Table 2.6: Toolbar buttons in Ansys Forte Simulate

Icon Menu Path to Name, Description

Command
File > Open Simulation Open simulation project file ( *.ftsim )

File > Save Save the project

File > Save as.. Save as..

View > XY Orient to X-Y view

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

Icon Menu Path to Name, Description

Command
View > XZ Orient to X-Z view

View > YZ Orient to Y-Z view

Orientation options in a drop-down list

View > Refit Refit view

View > Previous View Orient to previous view

View > Next View Orient to next view

Edit > Profile Editor Launches the Profile Editor for creating profiles
or editing profiles saved to the project. See
Entering Profile Data (p. 16) and Profile
Editor (p. 20) , for more details on editing
profiles.
Edit > Mixture Editor Launches the Mixture Editor for creating
mixtures, or editing mixtures or compositions
saved to the project. See Mixture Editor (p. 22)
, for more details on editing mixtures.
Edit > Dispersed Phases Launches the Dispersed Phases Editor for
Editor editing surface composition and dispersed
phase properties saved to the project. See Solid
Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for
Particle Tracking (p. 37) , for more details on
editing solid phase properties.
Edit > Flame Table Launches the Flame Speed Table Editor for
Editor creating tables of laminar flame speeds for use
in the flame-propagation model or editing
flame-speed tables saved to the project. See
Flame-Speed Table Editor (p. 27) , for more
details.
Edit > Edit Initial Edit initial-condition tables.
Condition Tables
Edit > Solution Criteria Edit solution criteria that determine a
steady-state condition based on location and
solution variables. See Solid Phase Editor and
Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle
Tracking (p. 37) , and Steady-State
Simulation (p. 107) , for more details.
Edit > Edit Boundary Edit boundary-condition tables.
Condition Tables
Edit > Edit Parameter Edit parameter studies.
Studies

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 Workflow Tree

Icon Menu Path to Name, Description

Command
View > Alter Visibility Alter visibility of elements in the 3-D View
pane.
Validate Project Validate project settings and consistency.

Utility > Open File Opens a system file browser.

Browser
Utility > BDC=>TDC Runs the BDC to TDC Transform utility to shift
Transform the mesh to Top Dead Center by splitting the
liner, shifting the moving surface, and stitching
together open triangles. See also Geometry
Node (p. 41) .
Utility > Open Opens the Composition Calculator for
Composition Calculator specifying the initial (and boundary condition)
composition information in Ansys Forte for
in-cylinder, exhaust-port and inlet-port
initialization. See also Composition
Calculator (p. 21) .

2.4. Workflow Tree

The Workflow tree is located in the left portion of the Ansys Forte window (see Figure 2.1: Layout of
the Ansys Forte Simulation window (p. 8) ). The nodes on the tree represent the steps required for
setting up and running a simulation or a parameter study involving multiple simulations. The Workflow
tree facilitates quick navigation to the various panels requiring input or selection of simulation parameters.
Selecting an item in the Workflow tree causes the corresponding Editor panel to display. The Workflow
tree is arranged in a recommended top-down workflow order, although any node can be selected and
configured at any time, as long as dependency is resolved. Additionally, some selections made during
configuration cause additional items to be added to the tree for further configuration.

Many actions are available within the Workflow tree by right-clicking and selecting from the context
menu commands (see Figure 2.2: Context-sensitive right-click menu for Chemistry node in Workflow
tree (p. 13) ). The current position in the Workflow tree is reflected by a list of links in the Editor panel
to allow rapid navigation among Simulate Interface elements, as shown in Figure 2.3: Links for navigating
Workflow tree in Editor panels (p. 14) .

Figure 2.2: Context-sensitive right-click menu for Chemistry node in Workflow tree

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

Figure 2.3: Links for navigating Workflow tree in Editor panels

2.5. Editor Panels

Settings in Ansys Forte are specified in Editor panels, which are accessed according to the selected item
in the Workflow tree. Each panel presents a group of related settings or options. The Editor panels allow
you to specify parameter values describing the physical system and operating conditions, and to select
appropriate model options. Availability of panels may depend on selections made in the Workflow tree.
For example, if the Spray Model option is turned ON (checkmarked) in the Workflow tree, the Spray
Model node becomes expandable and the Spray Model Editor panel itself displays several spray-injection
model options.

Note:

In Editor panels, you must use the Apply button at the bottom of the panel before any
changes to the inputs will take effect.

2.5.1. Standard Buttons in Editor Panels

Each Editor panel displays a standard set of buttons across the bottom of the panel, as shown in
Figure 2.4: Editor panel’s standard buttons (p. 15).

• : Edit Default parameter values for this panel. This button opens a dialog with a table allowing
you to enter user-specified defaults that override the system defaults for that particular panel. The
dialog also displays the tool tip for each parameter in the table. There is also a button to restore
the system defaults. See Figure 2.5: Edit Defaults dialog for Models > Soot Model > Settings (p. 15)
.

• Defaults: Set all the parameters to the user-specified default values.

• Apply: Apply the panel values to the inputs. Changes do not take effect until the Apply button is
clicked.

• Reset: Reset the parameters to the last "applied" settings.

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 Editor Panels

Figure 2.4: Editor panel’s standard buttons

Figure 2.5: Edit Defaults dialog for Models > Soot Model > Settings

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

2.5.2. Expand/Collapse Button (+)

Many Editor panels contain a feature in the upper-left corner of one or more sub-panels that allows
expanding or collapsing of the subpanels. This allows you to hide detail of subpanels when you are
not using them. The default state of the expand/collapse feature (that is, whether always expanded
or always collapsed) can be configured in User Preferences (see User Preferences (p. 18) ).

2.5.3. Entering Profile Data

Some model settings may require the use of tabular profile data. For example, you may specify a
valve-lift profile as a series of [angle, lift] data pairs. Ansys Forte provides the Profile Editor for creating,
modifying, importing, and visualizing profile data. For details on working with the Profile Editor, see
Profile Editor (p. 20) .

2.6. 3-D View Panel

The 3-D View panel is located in the center of the Simulation window and displays the geometry surfaces,
computational mesh, and/or boundary definitions, as well a spark and spray location information. As
described below, you can move or rotate the geometry and zoom in or out, using your mouse. The
Visibility tree on the right-hand side of the 3-D View panel, or right-clicking in the Workflow tree, allows
selection / de-selection of different items in the 3-D View.

2.6.1. Mouse Behavior

Use the mouse to rotate or zoom the model or pan the view in the 3-D View panel, using a standard
3-button mouse. The default behavior for the mouse buttons is described in Table 2.7: Default mouse
modes (p. 16) .

Table 2.7: Default mouse modes

Desired Effect Mouse Action..

Rotate model Left-click and drag
Zoom out Middle-click and drag to left, or use scroll wheel
Zoom in Middle-click and drag to left, or use scroll wheel
Pan Right-click and drag in desired direction

Entities within the 3-D View can be selected with a combination of keypress and left-mouse click.
Once an item or group of items have been selected, right-clicking displays a context menu. Selecting
an entity in the 3-D View area will also select the coresponding item on the Workflow tree.

To perform a:

• Single-entity selection, left-click the entity in the 3-D View while holding the space bar key.

• Multiple-entity selection, left click the entities in the 3-D View while holding the Ctrl key.

• "Lasso” rectangle selection, left click and drag a box in the 3-D View area while holding the Shift
key.

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2.6.2. Setting Mesh Display Attributes

The display attributes and visibility of objects in the 3-D View panel can be controlled via a Visibility
tree (use the User Preference to turn on the Visibility tree), or by right-clicking in the Workflow tree
(see Figure 2.6: Context-sensitive right-click menu in Workflow tree for visibility of Piston boundary
condition (p. 17)). To switch an item in the 3-D View between visible and invisible, turn it on/off by
clicking the light bulb for that item in the Visibility tree.

The Visibility tree also displays the current color of each item next to the item's name. To change the
color of an item, right-click the item, select Color in the context menu, and then select a new color
from the Color Selector (or double-click the color sample associated with the item in the Visibility
tree). In the Workflow tree, right-click the item.

Figure 2.6: Context-sensitive right-click menu in Workflow tree for visibility of Piston boundary
condition

To turn ON or OFF the visibility of items, use the Alter Visibility command from the toolbar or the
View menu. This launches a dialog that allows multi-selecting from a list or through screen selection.

Screen selection is enabled using the Select from screen button in the pop-up window and
then using Ctrl-click of the mouse to select items in the 3-D View panel. Once a selection is made,
use the Hide or Show button in the dialog to alter the visibility of the selected items.

To adjust other display attributes, such as visibility of the object’s wireframe, faces, or surface mesh
lines, right-click the item in the Workflow tree or Visibility tree and select the corresponding toggle
to switch between ON / OFF. Note that these changes can also be made globally for the whole category
of items using the parent node in the Visibility tree. The right-click context menu also offers controls
for the following:

• Opacity: Allows specifying opacity of Opaque, High, Medium, Low for the selected items in the
Visibility tree.

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• Instancing: Opens a dialog for specifying parameters for multiple instances of the selected items.
You can specify the number of new instances and translate and rotate their position relative to the
original. Note that this is for visibility purposes only; no new fundamental entities are created.

• Order: Allows specifying the relative drawing order of selected items to control which items appear
on top. Select Bring Forward or Send Backward to change the stacking order.

2.7. User Preferences

Many properties of the interface can be configured with user preferences. Use the Edit > Edit Prefer-
ences menu item to launch the Preferences Editor dialog. The preferences are organized into four cat-
egories, Display Settings, Preferred (3rd Party) Applications, Units Preferences, and File Preferences. A
sample screen print of the Units Preferences panel is shown in Figure 2.7: Edit Preferences dialog (p. 19).

User preferences information is stored in a file on a per-user basis. Deleting the file returns the user
preferences to as-installed default settings; the file can also be shared between users or different com-
puters to establish common working environments.

Note:

Default values of parameters can also be controlled by the user, through context-sensitive
dialogs available in each Editor panel, as discussed in Editor Panels (p. 14). This information
is stored globally for each user along with the User Preferences described here.

To specify preferences for memory usage of the Simulation sessions, use the Launcher Preferences Ed-
itor, available from the Ansys Forte Launcher, as described in Java Memory Settings (p. 226). Memory
usage of non-interface components is dynamically determined and automatically managed.

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Figure 2.7: Edit Preferences dialog

2.7.1. Display Settings Preferences

Items under Display Settings Preferences control the visibility and attributes of certain features in
the display window, such as the X-Y-Z orientation marker and the background color. If you want to
turn ON the right-side Visibility tree (OFF is the default), control its visibility here. The Visibility tree
allows selection and de-selection and visibility attributes of items in the 3-D View. The Show Inform-
ation Labels preference setting controls the visibility of labels. Turning it OFF prevents the display
of labels on points in a point cloud.

2.7.2. Preferred Applications Preferences

In the Preferred Application Preferences panel, you can specify which 3rd-party application you
want to launch when opening certain types of files from the Ansys Forte interface. For example, you
can browse to and select your preferred application for viewing PDF files. We recommend using the
default associated with your computer's operating system and only changing this setting if for some
reason this option does not work or you desire some features of an alternative application.

2.7.3. Units Preferences

The Units Preferences panel allows control of the default units for different types of physical data
as entered in the Editor panels of the Simulation interface.

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2.7.4. File Preferences

In the File Preferences panel, you can control the default working directory, which determines where
the file browser starts when first launched for different file-browse activities within the interface, as
well as file-selection histories. You can delete history entries if you do not want to see these in the
list of options during file selection actions.

2.8. Data Entry and Management Tools

Ansys Forte provides tools for importing, inputting, and managing data used in the simulations. These
tools are described in the following subsections.

2.8.1. Profile Editor

Whenever an item in an Editor panel requires or allows profile data, the Edit Profile button to
the right of the selection will open the Profile Editor. A general link to the Profile Editor is also provided
as the Profiles command on the Edit menu and the Profile Editor button on the toolbar. The Profile
Editor (Figure 2.9: Profile Editor with data imported from a CSV file (p. 21) ) allows you to manually
enter tabular data into columns and rows, or you can paste into the columns tabulated numbers that
have been cut from Microsoft ® Excel ® or a similar program. It also provides sine and square profiles
ready to use or modify by clicking the buttons in the 2D Profile list (Figure 2.9: Profile Editor with
data imported from a CSV file (p. 21)). Once you decide on the profile type you want, click the type
or Create new... and then the pencil button to open the Profile Editor interface.

Figure 2.8: Profile Editor selection dialog

To paste text from an external table, first set the proper units for the X and Y columns of the profile.
Then copy the table text you want to enter into Ansys Forte from the source program (such as Excel),
use the "select all" command (Ctrl-A) in the Ansys Forte table, and then Paste (Ctrl-V). Alternatively,
you can use the external program to save the data to a comma-separated values (CSV) text file, and
then use the Import from CSV option. Once the data is entered into the columns, a plot of the profile
should appear in the plot panel within the Profile Editor panel as shown in Figure 2.9: Profile Editor
with data imported from a CSV file (p. 21) . At the bottom left of the panel, you can change the name

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 Data Entry and Management Tools

of the profile and then use the buttons on the lower right to Save the results to the project. This will
return you to the Editor panel from which the Profile Editor was launched. Make sure that the newly
edited or created profile is now selected for the desired option in the Editor panel.

Figure 2.9: Profile Editor with data imported from a CSV file

2.8.2. Composition Calculator

The Composition Calculator can help you to specify the initial (and boundary condition) composition
information in Ansys Forte for in-cylinder, exhaust-port and inlet-port initialization. This utility is valid
for any CxHyOzNw liquid or gaseous fuel composition, for rich or lean conditions, with and without
EGR (internal and/or external EGR). In performing the calculations, complete combustion is assumed
for the fuel/air combustion in-cylinder. The composition that is calculated includes:

1. Intake port/inlet composition for engine cases with valves and ports.

2. Exhaust port initial composition for engines cases with valves and ports.

3. In-cylinder initial composition at IVC for engine cases that are in-cylinder only.

The Composition Calculator can be accessed from the Utility menu or the Composition Calculator
button on the toolbar. Once the fuel mass, fuel composition, air flow data, and EGR data are
provided in the dialog, the utility will calculate the initial (and boundary condition) composition
automatically and the results will be displayed in a table format, as illustrated in Figure 2.10: Compos-
ition Calculator utility (p. 22) . Click the Create Mixture button to save the different sets of results
as gas mixtures and use them when such composition input is required. To save the current IVC session,

click the Save button. A saved session as an .ftivc file can be loaded into the calculator using

the Open button.

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Figure 2.10: Composition Calculator utility

2.8.3. Mixture Editor

Open the Mixture Editor from the Edit menu or the Mixture Editor button on the toolbar, or
from a panel, such as Initialization, with a Composition parameter. Two types of mixtures can be
defined:

• Gas mixture used to specify working fluid compositions in:

– An initialization (see Initialization Panel (p. 99)).

– At an inlet (see 3.4.1 Inlet Panel (p. 82)).

• Fuel mixture, which refers to the liquid fuel used in all types of injectors in spray models (see
Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, Slit, and VOF Injector Panels (p. 65)).

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For a gas mixture, specify a species composition, by first selecting Mass Fraction or Mole Fraction,
and then use the Add Species button to select the chemical species that are present in the gas
mixture (see Figure 2.11: Specifying species composition for an inlet (p. 23) ). You can add any
chemical species that have been defined in the gas-phase kinetics file used by the project (see
Chemistry (p. 56). In the resulting table, specify the associated fractions (in the units selected) for
each species. Note that if you have table data with the same layout and species order, you can use
cut/paste to enter the data in this table. When all the species data are entered, you can optionally
use the Normalize button to assure that the resulting species composition sums to 1.0.

Note:

To paste values from Excel®: Place your cursor in the upper-left corner of the table and
paste table values from Excel (including case-sensitive species names). The table will be
populated with these values.

Figure 2.11: Specifying species composition for an inlet

For a fuel mixture, define mixture compositions in a similar way. Figure 2.12: Specifying species com-
position for a fuel mixture (p. 24) provides an example of a seven-component fuel mixture. Use the
Add Species button to select the chemical species of the fuel. Note that the chemical species must
be defined in the gas-phase kinetics file used by the project. Then select the Physical Properties for
the species from Ansys Forte’s built-in fuel data library. Then, specify the Mass Fraction of the species
in the mixture.

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

Figure 2.12: Specifying species composition for a fuel mixture

Note:

Generally, Species selected from the gas-phase kinetics file should be consistent with
Physical Properties. However, when using a simplified gas-phase mechanism, it is possible
that a certain desired fuel component is not in the mechanism. An acceptable modeling
approach is to use a chemically similar species to model such a fuel component. One ex-
ample is the use of n-heptane as a chemical species to simulate diesel combustion problems.

When simulating an Eulerian two-phase flow (see Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simula-
tions (p. 59)), you may define a multiphase mixture in either an initialization or at an inlet. The mul-
tiphase mixture consists of both a gas phase and a liquid phase, and you can specify mixture compos-
itions in each phase. In the gas phase mixture, use the Add Species button to select species from
the gas-phase kinetics file. In the liquid phase mixture, use the Add Species button to select species
from the surface kinetics file. For each species, specify its Mass Fraction or Mole Fraction in the
mixtures. You can optionally use the Normalize button to assure that the resulting species composition

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 Data Entry and Management Tools

sums to 1.0 in each mixture. Next, specify the mass fraction of the whole liquid phase with the Liquid
Phase Fraction option.

Note:

In the multiphase mixture setting, when Liquid Phase Fraction is 0, the mixture is a pure
gas mixture. When Liquid Phase Fraction is 1, the mixture is a pure liquid mixture.

Tip:

If a multiphase mixture is set up in either an initialization or an inlet, the type of simulation

will automatically become Eulerian two-phase flow simulation (see Gas-Phase and Eulerian
Two-Phase Flow Simulations (p. 59)).

Figure 2.13: Specifying species composition of a multiphase mixture (p. 25) gives an example of a
multiphase mixture. The gas phase (“Phase 1”) contains nitrogen and steam, and the liquid phase
(“Phase 2”) contains water. The liquid phase's mass fraction is 0.8.

Figure 2.13: Specifying species composition of a multiphase mixture

2.8.4. Initial Conditions Table Editor

Define spatially resolved initial conditions with the Initial Condition Table Editor, accessed from the

Initial Conditions panel or from the Edit menu or the button on the toolbar. Initial Condition
tables take the format of a .ftbl file (see Appendix H: File Formats (p. 265) ), a .cgns file (see Ap-

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

pendix G: CGNS Utilities (p. 259) and Appendix H: File Formats (p. 265)), or a generic columnar set of
.csv data. The Initial Conditions Table Editor displays the specified set of data, and provides the
option to import replacement data from a file source, as shown in Figure 2.14: Initial Condition Table
Editor, populated with spatially resolved data (p. 26) . Note that X,Y,Z coordinate data are required
content for initial conditions data.

Figure 2.14: Initial Condition Table Editor, populated with spatially resolved data

If you import a .cgns or .ftres file, then you have the option to select the spatially resolved data
from lists of solution sets ("bases") and their "zones". For example, the CGNS-formatted solution files
(.ftres) from an Ansys Forte simulation have each parameter study stored in a base, and each time
point stored in a zone. Specifying the base and zone effectively selects the desired solution point.
Next you map the corresponding Ansys Forte variables, as shown in Figure 2.15: Variable mapping
panel, where Ansys Forte variables are mapped to solution variables in an input file (p. 27) .

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 Data Entry and Management Tools

Figure 2.15: Variable mapping panel, where Ansys Forte variables are mapped to solution
variables in an input file

If, rather than a .cgns or .ftres file, a .csv, .dat, or .ftbl file is imported, the mapping panel’s
appearance is identical except that the base and zone options are absent.

2.8.5. Boundary Condition Table Editor

Use the Boundary Condition Editor to specify a spatially varying boundary condition. It has all the
same requirements and interactions as the Initial Condition Table Editor (Initial Conditions Table Ed-
itor (p. 25) ). The Boundary Condition Table Editor is accessed from the Boundary Conditions panel

or from the Edit menu or the button on the toolbar.

2.8.6. Flame-Speed Table Editor

A flame speed look-up table is one method for specifying laminar flame speeds, which are used as
input to the flame-propagation model in Aflame speed look-up table is one method for specifying
laminar flame speeds, which are used as input to the flame-propagation model in Ansys Forte.

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The look-up table is a file that contains a series of laminar flame-speed data points used to interpolate
to an appropriate, local flame speed (unstretched, ) during the simulation. A table can be created
or edited with the Flame-Speed Table Editor. Access the Flame-Speed Table Editor from the Edit

menu or the Flame-Speed Table button on the toolbar. The pre-installed flame-speed tables
provided with Ansys Forte are described in Appendix F: Flame-Speed Tables Installed with Ansys
Forte (p. 253). For details of the flame model, see Flame Model (p. 60).

The flame-speed table is of the following format (see Example 2.1: Excerpt from flame-speed table
file demonstrating .cktbl format (p. 28) ):

Line 1: Dimension of the manifold, which is 4.

Line 2: Names of the dimensions in the manifold. For a flame table, this consists of unburned_tem-
perature(K), pressure(Pa), equivalence_ratio(), and EGR_rate(). The look-up table uses these four
manifold dimensions to find the interpolated flame speed.

Line 3: Dimension of the scalar data points; in this case, 5.

Line 4: Names of the scalars; in this case, the names of the manifold plus the flame_speed(m/sec).

Line 5+: Each subsequent line contains a single scalar point of Temperature, Pressure, Equivalence
Ratio, Exhaust Gas Recirculation rate, and flame speed. The nature of the interpolation does not require
that these points be equidistant in the manifold dimensions.

Equivalence ratio is given as the atomic ratio of 2 carbons plus ½ hydrogens over oxygen. The EGR
rate is the fraction of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) flow rate relative to total intake flow rate, where
0.0 corresponds to no EGR and 1.0 corresponds to 100% EGR. It is defined as

where X EGR is the total intake mole fraction of the EGR species in the inlet gas mixture, X fuel is the
total mole fraction of the fuel species, and X air is the total mole fraction of air. The sum of all fractions
of EGR species should be 1.0.

In the data directory of the Ansys Forte installation are 5 sample flame-speed look-up table files
for the species methane, ethane, propane, heptane, and iso-octane.

Example 2.1: Excerpt from flame-speed table file demonstrating .cktbl format

4
unburned_temperature(K) pressure(Pa) equivalence_ratio() EGR_rate()
5
unburned_temperature(K) pressure(Pa) equivalence_ratio() EGR_rate() flame_speed(m/sec)
5.00E+02 1.00E+06 4.00E-01 0.00E+00 2.48E-02
6.00E+02 1.00E+06 4.00E-01 0.00E+00 5.54E-02
7.00E+02 1.00E+06 4.00E-01 0.00E+00 1.15E-01
8.00E+02 1.00E+06 4.00E-01 0.00E+00 2.20E-01
9.00E+02 1.00E+06 4.00E-01 0.00E+00 4.10E-01

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2.8.7. Creating Real Gas Property Tables

You can create your own Real Gas Property (RGP) file. For information about the RGP file contents
and the file format, refer to the following sections:

• Real Gas Property (RGP) File Contents in the CFX-Solver Modeling Guide

• Real Gas Property (RGP) File Format in the CFX-Solver Modeling Guide

Real Gas Property (RGP) files that have been used in Ansys CFX can also be used in Ansys Forte.

Note:

Using RGP files in Forte is discussed in Chemistry (p. 56)

You can create RGP table files from the NIST REFPROP material properties using the RGP Generator
command line tool. The RGP Generator produces RGP files for the liquid and vapor states of a pure
substance. The liquid and vapor phases can be saved either individually in separate files or in two
separate RGP data sections in the same single file. The generate tables include:

• Liquid superheat table

The superheat table points are spaced adaptively within the specified error tolerance. The liquid
properties as a function of temperature and pressure will be available in your simulation once you
read the liquid superheat tables into your session.

• Metastable gas states (incorporated in the superheat table section by default)

The metastable states are extrapolated as far as possible. Beyond that, the liquid tables are filled
with the vapor data, and vice versa.

Generation of the metastable gas states can be turned off.

• Saturation table information (within the specified error tolerance)

Two saturation table sections are included: one is discretized based on the liquid saturation data
and the other based on the vapor saturation data. Typically, the two discretization data are not the
same.

The commands can be executed in the System Coupling command console (Python), which is launched
by running the following command:

• Windows:

%AWP_ROOT211%\SystemCoupling\bin\systemcoupling.bat

• Linux:

$AWP_ROOT211/SystemCoupling/bin/systemcoupling

Below is a typical example of commands for generating an RGP file:

import pyExt.RefProp as arp
fluidsPath = arp.getFluidsPath()

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mat = arp.RefPropLib()

fluidList = ['fluids/water.fld']
mat.setup(fluidsPath, fluidList)

interpError = 1.0e-3
Tmin = 300.0
Tmax = 700.0
Pmin = 100000.0
Pmax = 25000000.0

# Generate both the liquid and vapor components, independent settings possible
h2ollow = arp.RGPLiquid("H2OL", Tmin, Tmax, Pmin, Pmax, interpError)
h2ovlow = arp.RGPVapor("H2OV", Tmin, Tmax, Pmin, Pmax, interpError)
arp.generateRGPfile("H2O-low.rgp", h2ollow, h2ovlow)

# Generate both the liquid and vapor components in the RGP file in one go
h2omed = arp.RGPSettings("H2O", Tmin, Tmax, Pmin, Pmax, 1.0e-4, arp.ADAPT_AUTO_TP)
arp.generateRGPfile("H2O-med.rgp", h2omed)

# Generate just the vapor component in the RGP file, for entire range
h2ovapor = arp.RGPVapor("H2OV", interpError)
arp.generateRGPfile("H2O-vapor.rgp", h2ovapor)

2.8.8. Point Cloud Editor

Point Clouds are often used to explicitly specify a series of locations where inquires to local CFD
solutions can be made. They are mainly used by Monitor Probes of the type Wall Sampling or General
Data Sampling (see Probes for Time-Averaged and Spatially Resolved Data (p. 151)). Use the Point
Cloud Editor to define spatially resolved coordinates. It is accessed from either a Monitor Probe’s
Point Cloud Selector or from the Libraries menu. Once the point coordinates are defined, the Point
Cloud Editor displays the selected coordinates in the table and displays the selected points in the 3-
D View.

To select points with the mouse in the 3-D View, click the mouse icon in the upper-right corner
of the Editor. Then, at each surface point to be selected, ctrl-click. Once a point is picked, it will be
marked in the 3-D View window and its coordinates will automatically show in the table.

Note:

In the case that the points are expected to be located on the desired wall surface, we re-
commend visualizing this surface only while making the other surfaces invisible during
the point-picking.

Alternatively, you can generate the points using another ANSYS application (for example, ICEM-CFD),
record their coordinates in a .csv file, and directly import them into the table mentioned above. To
do this, simply click the Load CSV button in the Point Cloud Editor, and select the .csv file.

Note:

In the case that the point cloud is used for Wall Sampling, the specified point locations
must be close enough to a wall surface so that the heat transfer variable output is valid.

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To export or import .csv-formatted data, click the corresponding buttons in the Editor’s lower right
corner. In the .csv file, the x-, y-, and z- coordinates are reported in centimeters (cm) in three columns,
respectively, with no heading.

Figure 2.16: Point Cloud Editor, populated with a set of 3-D coordinates

2.8.9. Control Surface Editor

While the Point Cloud Editor (Point Cloud Editor (p. 30)) is helpful in explicitly specifying the points’
coordinates, a more automated tool is helpful to quickly generate point cloud without much user
input. The Control Surface offers a convenient tool to automatically populate points on any clip plane
within the simulation domain. This is useful in creating a Monitor Probe of the General Data Sampling
type (see Probes for Time-Averaged and Spatially Resolved Data (p. 151)), which is designed to query
spatially-resolved solutions inside the simulation domain.

Use the Control Surface Editor (see Figure 2.17: Control Surface Editor (p. 32)) to define the control
surface as well as its meshing. It is accessed from either a Monitor Probe’s Point Cloud Selector or
from the Libraries menu. Use the Plane Origin and Plane Normal Direction to define the control
surface (that is, the clip plane). Both can be specified by using a specified Reference Frame. In the
example shown in Figure 2.17: Control Surface Editor (p. 32), the plane’s Normal Direction is set to
be the z-direction of the Global Origin Reference Frame. (For more information about how a Reference
Frame is specified, refer to Reference Frames (p. 34).) You can then select the Packing option to
specify whether the meshing is square or triangular type, and indicate a grid spacing for the mesh.
The resulting control surface and its meshing are displayed in the 3-D View window, as illustrated in
Figure 2.18: Example of Control Surface and its meshing, as defined by the Control Surface Editor (p. 33).

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Figure 2.17: Control Surface Editor

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Figure 2.18: Example of Control Surface and its meshing, as defined by the Control Surface
Editor

Once the control surface is defined, the auto-generated point cloud is assumed to be collocated on
the mesh nodes. You may save the control surface and access it when setting up a Monitor Probe of
General Data Sampling type.

2.8.10. Parameter Studies

An important feature of Ansys Forte is the ability to design parameter studies in which one or more
simulation parameters or model options vary over a series of runs. Almost all of the simulation para-
meters and model options within the Ansys Forte Setup interface may be varied in this way by using

the Parameter Study button next to a parameter whose value is to be varied. Clicking this
button launches a wizard that adds runs to the simulation using parameter values obtained from the
wizard. The parameter values may be further edited in the Parameter Study utility that can be launched
from the toolbar menu with the parameter-study button once a parameter variation has been defined.
On the Editor panel where the nominal value is defined, the parameterized variable's label will be
colored blue to indicate it is involved in a study.

The following examples illustrate some of the possible uses of the parameter study feature.

Varying a real number parameter:

To vary a parameter consisting of a numerical value (either dimensional or dimensionless), click the

Parameter Study button next to the parameter. A series of dialogs is displayed with which an
initial interval of values may be generated. Once the wizard is finished, the values appear in a Run
Table and may be edited further.

Varying a boolean parameter:

To vary a parameter consisting of a check box (boolean) click the Parameter Study button next
to that parameter. Select how the value will vary by using the pattern tool provided by the wizard.
Once the wizard is finished, the values appear in a Run Table and may be edited further.

Varying a list selection:

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Some parameters are provided as a drop-down list of two or more options. Vary these parameters

by clicking the Parameter Study button next to the selector and using the pattern tool provided
by the wizard.

Note:

When varying parameters with nested children parameters:

Some check-box and drop-down-list parameters conditionally enable or disable other, child
parameters. When varying such parameters, it is important to specify all required child
parameters accurately, even though the child parameters may only be used in a subset of
the defined runs. Ansys Forte automatically checks model settings for consistency but care
should still be taken to make sure that model parameters are entered correctly in these
situations, as the settings may be less visible to the user

2.8.11. Reference Frames

A Reference Frame can be defined as an entity under the Geometry node and can be accessed as
a subpanel in many geometry-related Editor panels. It provides the ability to set a reference point
and orientation, such as a plane aligned with a tilted intake valve. Once defined, this reference frame
can be used in place of the global x-y-z coordinate system when defining points, directions and velo-
cities in the various Simulate Editor panels. Cartesian, spherical or cylindrical coordinate systems can
be used when defining or referencing reference frames.

To create a reference frame, either specify the origin of the reference frame in the editor panel’s drop-
down list as Global Origin, or create a new origin for the reference frame. Another way to create a
new frame is to go to Geometry > Reference Frames on the Workflow tree and click the New Reference
Frame button. Enter a distinctive name for the reference frame. It is added to the items on the
Workflow tree. Specify the properties, including Origin, Coordinate System and coordinate values,
and optional rotation.

Locations, such as the New Origin, can be specified by selecting components in the 3-D window with

the Select from screen button, by clicking the magnifying glass button to select an existing
location from the list in the panel, or by listing coordinates. Click Apply.

Note:

The Z-axis always defines the primary axis for cylindrical and spherical coordinate point,
direction, and velocity specifications.

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Figure 2.19: Coordinate system relationships

2.8.12. Time Frames

A Time Frame appears as an entity under the Geometry node and can be accessed as a sub-panel in
many time-related Editor panels. It allows setting a reference time point, such as a 90-degree offset
from the global time frame used by a second piston. Once defined, this time-frame offset can then
be used in refinement controls, sprays, sparks, and movement controls.

Note:

Time-frame controls are hidden by default; to enable them, go to Edit > Preferences, and
add a check to the Enable Reference Time Frame Controls check box.

2.8.13. Clip Planes

The New Clip Plane button on the icon bar opens the Clip Editor panel, allowing you to specify
the clip plane coordinates. This creates a cutting plane to split the currently visible surfaces. Any
surface that is in front of a clip plane is culled from the display. This is useful for seeing features on
the inside of a closed watertight surface.

To specify a clipping plane, set the origin and the normal direction of the plane. This specifies a
clipping plane to the 3-D renderer, so that items in front of this clipping plane are not drawn in the
display. An example of the clipping plane in use is shown in Figure 2.20: Specifying a sub-volume via
Geometry, then selecting, then actual sub-volume displayed (p. 36). The coordinates can be specified

by selecting components in the 3-D window with the Select from screen button, by clicking

the magnifying glass button to select an existing location from the list in the panel, or by
manual coordinates for a reference frame. Click Apply.

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

2.8.14. Sub-Volumes

New Sub-Volume : Creates a sub-volume for specifying a uniform mesh size, including a mesh
size that is larger than the global mesh size. This mesh control may be useful in allowing certain regions
of the domain to remain coarse when refinement is not needed. For example, this control allows
keeping the port region coarse when valves are closed. Since the sub-volumes also identify distinct
regions of the domain, they can also be used as the basis for defining initial conditions. See Config-
uration of Initialization Regions for Automatic-mesh Generation (p. 97) for details.

2.8.14.1. Specifying Sub-Volumes

To create a sub-volume, select the surfaces in the mesh that surround the desired volume to isolate.
Since watertight geometry will contain continuous manifolds, there will inevitably be a boundary
at which the selected surfaces meet with unselected surfaces. At this boundary, a surface capping
technique will be applied to the geometry to complete the volume, as illustrated in Figure 2.20: Spe-
cifying a sub-volume via Geometry, then selecting, then actual sub-volume displayed (p. 36). The
top row illustrates the Geometry, then selection, then resulting sub-volume. The second row uses
a clipping plane to better illustrate the selection.

Figure 2.20: Specifying a sub-volume via Geometry, then selecting, then actual sub-volume
displayed

A sub-volume mesh control requires a material point. The material point defines the nature of the
control: if the material point is placed within the sub-volume, the control will act on the sub-volume.
If the material point is placed outside of the sub-volume (but still within the domain) the control
will act on the volume not enclosed by the sub-volume.

2.8.15. Compression Ratio Calculator

The Compression Ratio Calculator can help to determine how to shift the location of a piston in order
to achieve a given Compression Ratio, and can be used to confirm a given setup. This utility is valid
for a chamber that contains a crank-angle–based motion control assigned to the moving boundary
condition.

Use the menu command Utility > Compression Ratio Calculator to open the utility.

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The utility uses the No-Hydro CR Calculation method, which runs a single time step at two time
points α and β; these are the points when the crank angles are at TDC and BDC. This method uses
the solver mesh generation to get an accurate calculation of the in-cylinder volume at each time
point.

2.8.16. Solid Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle Tracking
The Solid Phase Editor is used for specifying particles when particle-size tracking is turned on via the
specification of a dispersed-phase material in the chemistry model. The Solid Phase Editor is only
needed when particles are introduced from the outside or prior to the simulation start, such as the
initial particles present, or the particles in an inlet. You can access the Solid Phase Editor from the
Edit menu or the Solid Phase Editor button on the toolbar, or from the Initial Conditions or Inlet
editor panels. Specifying the solid-phase surface fraction uses an editor similar to the one for gaseous
composition described in Mixture Editor (p. 22). First, select a surface phase, then add all available
surface species to the surface fraction composition. The surface species activity chart is displayed
after the data is saved, as shown in Figure 2.21: Surface Composition Editor, showing the composition
of a selected surface (p. 37).

Figure 2.21: Surface Composition Editor, showing the composition of a selected surface

Use the Edit > Dispersed Phase Editor menu command or the Dispersed Phase pull-down and
button on the Initialization and other composition-related panels to set up the description of a dis-

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Overview of Ansys Forte Simulation

persed solid phase. In the dialog, specify the number density, volume fraction or mass density, and
area, and give a name to the dispersed phase, as shown in Figure 2.22: Dispersed Phase Editor display-
ing particle properties (p. 38). This dispersed phase description (for example, "Dispersed1" in Fig-
ure 2.22: Dispersed Phase Editor displaying particle properties (p. 38)) can then be applied as an ini-
tialization or a boundary condition.

Figure 2.22: Dispersed Phase Editor displaying particle properties

2.8.17. Valve Lift Profile Utility

The Valve Lift Profile Utility modifies an offset profile to account for the valve motion threshold. The
profile is adjusted at the front and back to keep the same volume under the curve, but also will adjust
the opening and closing event to account for the threshold for movement.

To provide input to the utility, either select a valved boundary condition, or select a profile and activ-
ation threshold. An optional input is available for the case where the deactivation threshold is different
from the activation threshold.

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Figure 2.23: Valve Lift Profile Utility

A new profile is generated when the Save as New Profile button is clicked. If you select the Valved
Boundary Condition here, then the boundary conditions using the old profile are automatically updated
to use this new one.

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Chapter 3: Modeling Guide
Ansys Forte has been optimized extensively for modeling reciprocating internal combustion engines
with accurate geometry, spray physics and chemistry. The following modeling discussion follows the
Simulation Workflow tree and presents common modeling set-up tasks and best-practice guidelines
for combustion simulations. For a more detailed explanation of the underlying models, refer to the
Ansys Forte Theory Manual .

Note:

Before starting Ansys Forte, you may want to go through some preliminary tasks, such as
setting memory environment variables and establishing the parallel-computing environment.
See Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs (p. 167) .

3.1. Geometry Node

The first node on the Simulate user interface Workflow tree is Geometry. This provides options for
loading predefined mesh or geometry files, generating sector meshes and creating criteria for automatic
generation of meshes during the simulation. Items under the Geometry node represent the surfaces
bounding the system of interest. When an item under the Geometry node is selected, the Editor panel
below the Workflow tree displays information about the limiting coordinate values represented by that
surface. The icon bar in the Editor panel for a selected surface provides action icons that can be applied
to the surface, including Rename, Split Mesh, Transform Mesh, and Invert Normals. You can also
right-click a selected item in the Geometry tree to access the associated commands from a context-
sensitive menu. Transforming a mesh is accomplished in a reference frame and allows scaling, translation,
rotation, and leaving a copy at the current coordinates. Splitting a mesh has options to use a Feature
Angle or to Cut by Plane (with a reference frame). For Feature Angle, the default value of 25 Min.
Face Count for Split Regions means each region will have a minimum of 25 triangular mesh faces.

The icon bar for the Geometry node itself provides icons relating to mesh creation, including Launch
Sector Mesh Generator, Import Geometry, Export Geometry, and Merge Meshes, Join Meshes, and
Measure Geometry. These actions are described in the sub-sections below.

For more details on the following items in the Geometry tree, read these sections in Overview of Ansys
Forte Simulation (p. 7):

Reference Frames (p. 34)

Time Frames (p. 35)

Clip Planes (p. 35)

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Modeling Guide

Sub-Volumes (p. 36)

Note:

The Invert Normals command for surfaces is supported by the View Normals command,
which makes the Normals visible. View Normals is available as a right-click command in the
Visibility tree (which can be displayed on the right side of the Simulate panel, using the Edit
Preferences command). The displayed normals look like needles projecting from the exterior
face of the surfaces. If a surface does not have the needles pointing in the desired direction
from the exterior face, use the Invert Normals command. (The Forte Quick Start Guide
provides an example of inverting Normals.

Using the Automatic Mesh Generator has two additional requirements:

1. The mesh must be watertight.

2. The piston should be at Top Dead Center.

3. The valves must be in the closed position.

Note:

These two conditions are not required for body-fitted mesh cases.

The mesh must be watertight so that the automated meshing does not escape the confines of the
specified surface. If a mesh has a leak (is not watertight), then a series of red lines will appear at the
edges of a surface in the 3D View, indicating the problem area. There are typically 3 reasons for this
situation:

1. The edges do not match, as shown in Figure 3.1: Nonwatertight surfaces that cause this mesh to
leak, because the edges do not align (p. 42) .

2. The mesh has duplicated surfaces, leaving some surface edges unmatched to neighbor surfaces.

3. The mesh has poor resolution and requires a relaxed tolerance to generate a watertight mesh.

Figure 3.1: Nonwatertight surfaces that cause this mesh to leak, because the edges do not align

For a surface to be considered watertight, the following conditions must be met:

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 Geometry Node

1. Every edge in the surface mesh must join exactly two faces.

2. Surfaces may not intersect one another.

3. All surface normals must be oriented consistently such that face normals point away from the fluid
region.

When joining edges within a mesh, the default tolerance is 0.000001 cm. You can modify this with the
Merge Meshes Utility, as described in Join Meshes Utility (p. 50).

The Top Dead Center location of the piston is required for automatic meshing to prevent reversing the
directions of the normals for the wall faces in the compression stroke. The TDC position also reduces
the number of triangle faces in the initial mesh.

Engine projects that were created in versions of Ansys Forte that predate this requirement will automat-
ically be updated at the time of project launch. The updater cuts the wall surface at the stroke height,
shifts the moving surface all the way to top dead center, and joins the moving surface to the wall. If
there is any irregular surface, the automated mesh update attempts to stitch it together but will abort
if the original mesh is not watertight. The same functionality is available in the BDC-TDC Transform
utility in the Utility menu and as an icon on the toolbar.

3.1.1. Sector Mesh Generator

The Sector Mesh Generator icon launches the Sector Mesh Generator window, which has a
workflow and layout similar to Ansys Forte Simulate. Sector meshes are used to represent in-cylinder
combustion where there is symmetry that is periodic around, for example, the nozzle holes associated
with the fuel-spray injection in a diesel engine. A symmetric 8-hole layout, for example, may be well
represented with a 45-degree sector mesh. The Sector Mesh Generator will generate a Forte-compatible,
body-fitted sector mesh using a minimal number of user specifications that define the engine piston
motion and bowl shape. The Workflow tree of the Sector Mesh Generator has nodes for Engine
Parameters and Mesh Parameters, while the 3-D View window is used to preview the mesh and mesh-
control settings.

The Engine Parameters panel allows specification of the piston bowl profile, piston-motion character-
istics, sector angle or sector cyclic symmetry, as well as engine-cylinder dimensions, and crevice di-
mensions.

Note:

The crevice model cannot be used (see Crevice Model (p. 74) ) if the crevice block is in-
cluded in the mesh.

The Mesh Parameters panel allows control of the mesh density and topology as shown in Figure 3.2: Sec-
tor Mesh Generator interface (p. 44). Using the Sector Mesh Generator is described in Sector Mesh
Generator (p. 43).

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Modeling Guide

Figure 3.2: Sector Mesh Generator interface

For in-cylinder-only simulations, Ansys Forte includes a built-in mesh generator with five possible
topology configurations. The Sector Mesh Generator requires specification of basic engine parameters
as well as some control parameters for each mesh topology. From this basic information, the Sector
Mesh Generator automatically generates and loads a sector mesh with the selected topology. To use
the mesh generator, select the Generate Mesh tab and specify the required parameters in the panel.

When the parameters have been specified and applied, click the Generate Mesh icon to generate
and import the mesh.

The Sector Mesh Generator (SMG) constructs one of five mesh topologies as shown in Figure 3.3: Ex-
ample topology 1: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 45) to Figure 3.7: Example
topology 5: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 46) below. The input in the Editor
panel controls how the topology is mapped onto the actual engine-cylinder geometry (see Figure 3.8: In-
terface for automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 46) ). For the mesh the Z axis is always assumed to
be in the vertical direction, along the axis of the engine cylinder, pointing upward toward the cylinder
head. The (X,Y,Z) origin is assumed to align with the center of the cylinder, at the vertical height
corresponding to the top of the piston bowl.

Most of the topologies require control point locations along the bowl profile to aid in mapping the
topology to the actual geometry. The control point locations are entered as fractional lengths along
the bowl profile, that is, a control point fraction value of 0.1 would indicate the control point should
be placed 10% of the distance along the bowl profile curve, starting from the edge of the bowl profile
near the cylinder wall.

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 Geometry Node

Figure 3.3: Example topology 1: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator

Figure 3.4: Example topology 2: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator

Figure 3.5: Example topology 3: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator

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Modeling Guide

Figure 3.6: Example topology 4: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator

Figure 3.7: Example topology 5: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator

Figure 3.8: Interface for automated Sector Mesh Generator

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 Geometry Node

Parameters Cell Count K1, K2, K3, K4, and K5 indicate the number of mesh cell edges to include in
the vertical direction, within each vertical block indicated by the corresponding topology figure
(Figure 3.3: Example topology 1: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 45) to Fig-
ure 3.7: Example topology 5: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 46) ).

Parameters Cell Count I1, I2, I3, and I4 indicate the number of cell edges that will be included in the
radial direction, within each radial block as indicated in the corresponding topology figure (Figure 3.3: Ex-
ample topology 1: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 45) to Figure 3.7: Example
topology 5: Mesh built by automated Sector Mesh Generator (p. 46) ).

Parameter Circumferential Cell Count indicates the number of cell edges that will be included in
the circumferential direction of the sector. The larger the sector angle, the larger Circumferential
Cell Count should be.

Not all topologies require the same number of control points and cell edge numbers. Only the para-
meters applicable to the selected topology are shown in the input panels.

Note:

With respect to cell edge count specification, a good rule of thumb is to use cell sizes that
are about 1 mm in length in any direction. Coarser meshing may be OK farther from the
boundaries, depending on the degree of stratification expected in the engine simulation.

In addition to the cell counts, some basic engine size parameters (such as bore and squish height)
and a piston-bowl profile are required to complete the mesh definition. The piston-bowl profile can
be created by hand using the Ansys Forte Profile Manager, or can be imported from a comma-separ-
ated-values (CSV) file that might be created in Microsoft© Excel©, for example.

The piston-bowl shape must be provided in the form of a series of (X,Z) data pairs that have the fol-
lowing characteristics:

• The first profile point must have Z = 0. This is the location of the outer edge of the bowl.

• The remaining profile points must track the shape of the bowl towards the center of the cylinder,
or towards the z-axis. In other words, with decreasing X values.

• The final profile point must have X = 0. This is the center of the bowl and a point of symmetry for
the sector.

• The indices of three of the profile points will be used to control the mesh topology as shown in
the Figure 3.9: Sector mesh bowl profile and topology control point description (p. 48) .

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Modeling Guide

Figure 3.9: Sector mesh bowl profile and topology control point description

For each control point, you must enter the fractional distance along the profile curve that corresponds
to the location desired for that control point.

Once all of the parameters are specified, press the Apply button in the Mesh Generator dialog to
generate the mesh. The basic outline of the cylinder geometry will be displayed within the Ansys
Forte Sector Mesh Generator 3-D View area, including the bowl profile and locations of control points.

To create and load the mesh, click the Generate Mesh icon. This will involve several smoothing
steps as the Sector Mesh Generator attempts to provide an optimal mesh for the given inputs. The
number of smoothing steps is an optional parameter specified in the panel, but the default is usually
sufficient. The resulting mesh will be loaded automatically and displayed in the Ansys Forte 3-D View.
In this way, you can modify settings and then re-generate a new mesh quickly to interactively see
the effects of the input parameters. When you are finished, click the button marked Open in Forte
to update the content of the current Ansys Forte project. The settings there will be saved with the
Simulation file, to allow revisiting the mesh at a later time.

3.1.2. Import Geometry

The Import Geometry icon on the Geometry panel opens the Geometry Import dialog, offering
options to import geometric surfaces from various file formats, as well as pre-defined body-fitted
meshes. Geometry surface information may be imported from the following types of files, in addition
to previously created Ansys Forte project files (.ftsim or .cksim):

1. Ansys Fluent meshing faceted geometry file (.tgf) from Ansys Discovery SpaceClaim.

2. Surfaces from Fluent mesh file (.msh).

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 Geometry Node

3. Surfaces from STL file (.stl).

4. Body-fitted mesh from another Forte project (.ftsim).

5. Body-fitted mesh from KIVA-3V (itape17) format (.fmsh).

6. Surfaces from CGNS exported from another CFD program (.cgns).

For projects making use of Forte’s automatic meshing capability, the preferred geometry formats are
1 and 2 . The TGF format can be exported directly from Ansys Discovery SpaceClaim. This is also the
default transfer format used when defining an Ansys Workbench Forte cell connected to a Geometry
source.

STL is a less-preferred but common format available from many different CAD systems. The steps for
importing geometry information from an STL file for use with automatic mesh generation are described
in the Forte Quick Start Guide. That manual also describes the steps required for the option of reading
in a pre-defined body-fitted mesh.

If you select option 2 or 5 , you will next be presented with the choice of importing the entire mesh
for a body-fitted mesh simulation or extracting just the geometry surface information from the file
to use automatic mesh generation in the simulation. If you opt to use the body-fitted mesh directly,
then the mesh format must be block-structured hexahedron. Such file formats can be exported from
commercial mesh generators, such as Ansys ICEM CFD. These files include flags that indicate boundary
surfaces, which are required in specification of boundary conditions.

3.1.3. Export Geometry

The Export Geometry icon on the Geometry panel opens the Save dialog, Select a file location
and file name. An STL file will be created describing all surfaces currently contained in the Geometry
node.

Figure 3.10: Export utility’s Save dialog (for files associated with Quick Start lesson)

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Modeling Guide

3.1.4. Merge Meshes Utility

The Merge Meshes icon on the Geometry panel opens the Merge Meshes Utility, a convenient
dialog for selecting multiple mesh elements and then merging them into a single geometry surface
mesh, for use with the automatic-mesh generation option only. After surfaces are merged, you have
the option to delete the original elements. You can select items from a list or by using your mouse

in the 3D View, after selecting screen mode with the Select from screen icon. This option is
useful for managing geometry information imported from an STL file, where many small surfaces may
have been defined. The Duplicate edge tolerance option specifies the sensitivity to merging common
edges between the selected surfaces.

Note:

We recommend not changing the default value for Duplicate edge tolerance under most
circumstances.

3.1.5. Join Meshes Utility

The Join Meshes icon on the Geometry panel activates a utility to join the unmatched edges in
a set of surfaces that are topologically open. When surfaces remain open, usually after importing a
low-resolution surface mesh, this utility is used to repair the open edges. This leaky mesh problem
can be identified by red highlights on surface edges, as seen in Figure 3.11: (a) Red edges indicate a
leak in the surfaces that define a watertight mesh. (b) Relaxing duplicate edge tolerance in a mesh
join often repairs this issue (p. 50) , and can often be remedied by relaxing the duplicate edge toler-

ance. Click the Join Meshes icon to change this setting.

Figure 3.11: (a) Red edges indicate a leak in the surfaces that define a watertight mesh. (b)
Relaxing duplicate edge tolerance in a mesh join often repairs this issue

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 Mesh Controls Node

3.1.6. Measure Geometry Utility

Use the Measure Geometry Utility to measure distances, angles, and other properties of geometric
entities. This button opens a dialog with options to set 2- or 3-point metrics that allow you to select

using reference frames, screen selection , or by picking an existing location from the
Workflow tree.

3.2. Mesh Controls Node

The Mesh Controls node will display different options, depending on whether you selected to import
geometry only and use the automatic-mesh generation option, or opted to read in a pre-defined body-
fitted mesh. For the automatic-mesh generation, some mesh-size criteria and refinement controls must
be specified, as well as a material point within the computational domain. From these parameters and
from the boundary conditions specified later in the Workflow tree, the mesh-generation is performed
automatically during simulation. For the body-fitted mesh option, a built-in algorithm is used to adjust
the pre-defined mesh, when a moving-piston boundary is defined in that mesh.

3.2.1. Mesh Controls for Automatic Meshing

Automatic meshing in Ansys Forte uses on-the-fly Cartesian volume mesh generation combined with
immersed boundary method. Mesh update intervals are controlled by a combination of the following
input parameters and constraints:

Time Interval: Mesh will be updated if the elapsed time since the previous mesh update is exceeding
this user-specified time interval.

Rotation/Crank Angle Interval: The mesh update interval is controlled to be approximately equivalent
to this angle interval. This angle is with respect to the rotation motion of the highest RPM in the
simulation system, including both slider-crank motion (piston motion in IC engine cases), simple ro-
tation, and planetary motion (including both primary rotation and secondary rotation).

Flow Travel Distance: This distance threshold is used to limit the mesh update interval to be suffi-
ciently small such that the distance the flow with the largest velocity magnitude can travel between
two consecutive mesh updates will not exceed this threshold.

Spray Particle Travel Distance: This distance threshold is used to limit the mesh update interval to
be sufficiently small such that the distance the fastest-traveling spray particle can travel between two
consecutive mesh updates will not exceed this threshold.

Flame Propagation Distance: This distance threshold is used to limit the mesh update interval to
be sufficiently small such that the distance the fastest-traveling flame can propagate between two
consecutive mesh updates will not exceed this threshold.

When Automatic Meshing is indicated, the Mesh Controls tree contains two sub-nodes for required
input: Material Point and Global Mesh Size.

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Material Point: This is a point that is inside the cylinder throughout the cycle and that enables the
automatic mesh generation to stay within the boundaries. You must set this point appropriately before
the automatic meshing can work properly.

Note:

The Material Point must be located in a position that is always inside the geometry
during the entire cycle and is at least one unit cell length away from any boundaries.

Global Mesh Size: Affects meshing and refinement throughout the system.

• Mesh Size: A specified dimension of a cell side throughout the system to use as a standard for
specifying other mesh cell sizes, usually as a fraction of this value. Specifying a value too small will
lengthen solution time. Units are user-selectable.

• Small Feature Deactivation Factor: Determines the treatment for small-scale surface features. This
includes crevices or sharp corners whose size is smaller than the cell that contains the feature.
Range = 0 to 1; a higher value will tend to filter out more of the small features, increasing ease of
solution.

In addition to the controls described above, the Mesh Controls icon bar (as well as right-clicking the
Mesh Controls node on the Workflow tree) provides icons that can be used to create additional mesh-
size constraints.

Each of the mesh-size controls can be specified as static (Always active) or dynamic (active only
During specified time or crank-angle intervals) with a reference to a relative time frame (see Time
Frames (p. 35) ). For example, refinement in the squish region near a moving piston boundary may
only be necessary when the piston is near top-dead-center (TDC) position. For simulation of a full
cycle, this may mean setting two controls for the two intervals (for example, 350 to 370 CA, 710 to
730 CA) during the cycle of a 4-stroke engine while the squish region is most active. However, near
the valve seat, mesh refinement must Always be set to 1/4 or finer.

If the mesh-size controls are active During Crank Angle Interval, you can select the Crank Angle
Option as Cyclic or Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying controls that are repetitive in
a multi-engine-cycle simulation. In this case, the user-supplied crank angle values will be converted
to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The ac-
tivation interval will then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or
360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a
global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition, beyond which mesh-size controls are not active. If
the Crank Angle Option is Global, no cyclic conversion is applied to the user-supplied crank angle
values.

• Point Refinement Depth : A Point Refinement is a sphere of mesh-size influence, where you
specify the minimum size for a cell edge within that sphere, relative to the Global Mesh Size, the
location of the point at the center of the sphere, and the radius of the sphere in absolute physical
units. These parameters are entered in the Point Refinement Editor panel after a new control is
created. Since you can have multiple points of refinement, you can name each control for reference
purposes and it will appear with that name in the Mesh Controls list.

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• Surface Refinement Depth : Surface refinement allows you to specify a mesh-size constraint
at any surface defined in the geometry, such as an inlet or valve surface. The Editor panel includes
specification of the minimum size relative to the Global Mesh Size, as well as selection of one or
more boundaries at which the size constraint will apply.

• Feature Refinement Depth : Feature refinement allows you to specify a mesh-size constraint
to be applied along edges whose feature angle is greater than a specified feature-angle threshold
value. The Editor panel includes specification of the feature angle and a distance away from the
feature angle to apply the refinement. Feature angle (φ) is defined as the angle between the two
adjacent faces along an edge (see Figure 3.12: Feature Refinement Depth diagram
illustrating phi (p. 53) ).

Figure 3.12: Feature Refinement Depth diagram illustrating phi

• Line Refinement Depth : Line refinement allows you to specify a mesh-size constraint along
any line in the geometry. The Editor panel includes specification of the minimum size relative to
the Global Mesh Size, as well as selection of one or more boundaries at which the size constraint
will apply.

• Gap Feature Refinement Control and Gap Resistance Model : Gap feature refinement allows
you to specify a mesh-size constraint along a small gap formed by two surfaces. The Surface
Proximity is a distance criterion for identifying the gap zone. A fluid region will be identified as
gap if the distance between the two nearby surfaces is smaller than the Surface Proximity value.
Fluid cells residing in the gap region will be marked as gap cells and each given a gap size value
based on the closest gap distance.

If the gap sizes in the geometry are larger than the physical values, you can turn on the Gap Res-
istance Model to model the higher resistance caused by the smaller physical gap sizes. The gap
resistance model is formulated based on the analytical solution of a shear flow between two parallel
plates. The gap resistance factor is defined as the ratio of decelerated velocity and the original ve-
locity:

(3.1)

in which is the gap size, is the kinematic viscosity, and is the CFD time step. Gap sizes are
measured based on the surface proximity in the geometry. The Gap Size Scale Factor can be used
to scale the measured gap sizes to match their physical values.

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• Small Feature Avoidance Control : Creates a feature with the Small Feature Deactivation
Factor applied. This is typically crevices, sharp corners, etc., whose size is smaller than the cell that
contains the feature. Define a Location, Small Feature Deactivation Factor, and determine
whether the feature is static or dynamic (see the next paragraph). Range = 0 to 1; a higher value
will tend to filter out more of the small features, increasing ease of solution.

• Secondary Volume : Creates a Secondary Volume item in the Workflow tree for specifying a
multiplier to the mesh size to a selected sub-volume. The multiplier can cause a mesh size that is
larger than the Global Mesh Size.

• Solution Adaptive Meshing : Solution adaptive meshing allows refining the mesh based on
a solution field (or gradient) at the current time step. Both a solution field and selection criteria
must be specified. Cells meeting the selected criteria will be refined one level per mesh update,
up to the maximum depth specified in the control. Previously refined cells that no longer meet the
criteria will be coarsened one level per mesh update, up to the default cell depth, unless influenced
by another control. Three types of criteria are available:

1. Statistical

This will target cells whose field value lies beyond a user-specified statistical significance of the
bulk fluid value, given as a multiple of the standard deviation of the field or gradient average:

low_threshold = field_average + sigma_threshold * sigma

high_threshold = infinity

Cells whose field or gradient value is greater than low_threshold and less than high_threshold
will be targeted for refinement. This approach is especially useful when applied to gradients.
A sigma value between 0.5 and 1.0 is recommended. A lower value lowers the threshold used
to target cells and therefore leads to more refinement, while a higher value raises the threshold
and results in less refinement.

2. Percentage of current solution bounds

This will target cells whose field value lies within the user-specified range, where the range is
defined as described in this table:

criterion user-specified range

field_min minimum value of the selected field or gradient at the current time
step
field_max maximum value of the selected field or gradient at the current
time-step
lower_bound user input (as percentage, for example, 50.0 for 50%)
upper_bound user input (as percentage, for example, 50.0 for 50%)
low_threshold field_min + (lower_bound / 100.0) * (field_max - field_min)
high_threshold field_min + (upper_bound / 100.0) * (field_max - field_min)

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Cells whose field or gradient value is greater than low_threshold and less than high_threshold
will be targeted for refinement. Note this criterion is currently unavailable when a species field
or gradient is selected.

3. Absolute value

This allows expressing the range of values used to target cells directly. Cells whose field or
gradient value is greater than the given lower bound and less than the given upper bound will
be targeted for refinement.

3.2.2. Mesh Controls for Body-Fitted (Including Sector) Meshes

For a pre-defined body-fitted mesh (including meshes created using the Sector Mesh Generator),
Remeshing Controls are available under the Mesh Controls node. These are used to control the mesh
movement for internal combustion engine simulations in particular. For static meshes, such as for a
spray-bomb simulation, no mesh controls are necessary.

During piston motion in an IC Engine simulation, the mesh is compressed and the boundary region
associated with the piston moves according to the engine crank rotation. To make sure that the mesh
retains good grid quality and an accurate solution results, an algorithm within Ansys Forte automat-
ically and dynamically controls the mesh movement and rearrangement during the simulation. The
algorithms employed during mesh movement modify both the mesh boundary and interior at a given
time step. Specifically for in-cylinder simulations with piston motion, there are several parameters
that control the mesh-motion behavior. While default values of these parameters are usually sufficient,
they may be modified to achieve better cell quality for a given geometry. The control parameters for
IC Engine simulations are listed below with a brief description of each parameter.

Min. Cell Height: Threshold for minimum cell height during mesh rezoning and smoothing.

Min. Cell Layers in Squish Region: Effectively sets the number of cell layers in the squish layer at
top dead center.

Cell Expansion Ratio from Piston: Ratio by which cell heights expand from the piston. A larger
number will decrease cell heights closer to the piston.

Cell Expansion Ratio from Head: Ratio by which cell heights expand from the head. A larger number
will decrease cell heights closer to the head.

Max. Bowl Excursion: Maximum fraction of the squish region that bowl vertices are allowed to occupy
in a smoothing iteration.

3.3. Models Node

The Models node allows you to configure your simulation by specifying which physical models to apply
and to define options related to those models. Once a model is selected from this tree (that is, using
the check boxes), further configuration options are available to specify any necessary model parameters.
For example, when Spray Model is selected, icons become available for configuring injectors, and under
injectors are nozzles and injection events. Items under the Models node include Chemistry (p. 56),
Transport (p. 64), Spray Model (p. 65), Spark Ignition (p. 73), Crevice Model (p. 74), and Soot Mod-
el (p. 75).

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3.3.1. Chemistry/Materials
The Chemistry/Materials node is used to specify the working fluid's compositions, thermodynamics
data, and chemical reactions, using the industry-standard Ansys Chemkin-Pro format. It also provides
settings for the thermodynamic Equation of State, and phase change, if applicable. Click Models >
Chemistry/Materials to open its panel.

In Ansys Forte 2022 R1, "Materials" was added to the "Chemistry" model node of the Workflow tree,
and new nodes have been added below this node.

This node of the Workflow tree is described in the following sections.

3.3.1.1. Chemistry
3.3.1.2. Equation of State
3.3.1.3. Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simulations
3.3.1.4. Flame Model

3.3.1.1. Chemistry
Ansys Forte simulation needs a Chemkin-Pro chemistry set file (.cks) to determine which chemical
species or molecules are available in the simulation, their thermodynamic data, and the available

chemical reactions. On the Chemistry/Materials panel, the View Chemistry icon in the icon
bar lets you view the chemistry set that has been loaded into your Forte project. If there is no
chemistry set in the project, as is the case in any new project, you have three options to provide
it:

(1) Click the New Import Chemistry icon to import a pre-defined chemistry set file. This opens
a file browser to select and load the chemistry set file (.cks). You can navigate to the data directory
of your Ansys Forte installation location and find a number of chemistry set files that come with
the installation, which are created for different types of simulation problems. Alternatively, you can
load a self-made chemistry set file at any other location.

(2) Use the Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility to create a chemistry set file. The Utility menu
(on the main toolbar) provides the Pre-Processing Utility to create such a chemistry set file from
more fundamental Chemkin-Pro input files, including the reaction-mechanism input and the ther-
modynamic data file. This utility is described in Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility (p. 200) . After

the chemistry set file is created and saved, click the New Import Chemistry icon to import it
from the chemistry set from its saved location.

Tip:

These two options are commonly used to set up a gas phase flow simulation with
combustion processes. Inclusion of chemical reactions in the chemistry set is necessary
for reacting flow simulations.

After a chemistry set is imported, a Chemkin Chemistry Set node appears under Chemistry/Ma-

terials. There are three icons on its panel. The Import Chemistry icon allows you to import a

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chemistry set file to override the existing one. The View Chemistry icon opens a panel dis-
playing details associated with the imported chemistry set. The information shown in the Gas Phase
Output tab is particularly helpful as it lists the chemical species and reactions specified. Reload

Chemistry is similar to Import Chemistry , but it starts the import process using the ex-
isting chemistry set file if it exists in the project.

(3) The third option to add a chemistry set is to click the New Liquid & Vapor Pair and/or the New
Gas Species icons on the Chemistry/Materials panel. This option is used to automatically generate
a chemistry set file in the Forte project based on user-selected fluid species. Use New Liquid &
Vapor Pair to add both liquid and vapor of a certain chemical species. Use New Gas Species to
add a certain gas species. You can add multiple liquid and vapor pairs and/or gas species, and the
chemistry set is generated by incorporating all the species. However, the chemistry set does not
include any chemical reaction. So, use of this option is suitable for non-reacting flow simulation.

When you View Chemistry, the added gas species are listed in the Gas Phase Output, and the added
liquid species are listed in the Surface Output. Presence of liquid species is necessary if the simulation
is Eulerian two-phase (described next), which requires specifying a multiphase mixture (see
Mixture Editor (p. 22) ) as the working fluid.

By default, the property data of the liquid species come from an internal library of Ansys Forte. You
may choose to override the liquid's density and viscosity from the library using your own data. To
do so for a specific liquid, click to select the liquid and vapor pair, select User Defined Values for
Liquid Properties, check Override Database Liquid Density/Viscosity with Constant Value, and
fill in the desired data.

3.3.1.2. Equation of State

On the Chemistry/Materials panel, you can select the Equation of State options under Global Gas
Phase Settings. These options allow specifying a thermodynamic Equation of State for the gas
phase working fluid, which is used together with conservation laws as governing equations for the
fluid flow. The three available options are: Ideal Gas, Real Gas, and Use RGP File (Real Gas Property
table file). By default, the Ideal Gas law is applied because it is the simplest and most-used relation.

You may select the Real Gas model, if the imported chemistry set contains real-gas-related property
data for the defined working fluid. To check if the real gas data are contained in the chemistry set,

click View Chemistry , and look for Real Gas Information in the Gas Phase Output tab. If it is
present, the species with real gas data available are listed in the lower area of the tab.

Tip:

Most chemistry sets in the data directory of your Ansys Forte installation location contain
real gas data. If your chemistry set does not contain real gas data, they need to be added
in the gas phase kinetics input file (chem.inp). For more details on the required data
format, refer to Real Gas Data in the Chemkin-Pro Input Manual . After the input file is
ready, use the Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility to create a new chemistry set file,

import it into the Forte project, and View Chemistry to verify that the real gas data
are successfully added.

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3.3.1.2.1. Use Real Gas Properties File

If the Use RGP File option is selected, the thermodynamic relations are obtained from the Real
Gas Property (RGP) Table rather than modeling equations. An RGP file name must be provided
when the corresponding option is chosen. This file would contain the Real Gas Property table.
For details on creating RGP files, see Creating Real Gas Property Tables (p. 29).

General notes on using an RGP file:

• The location (folder) of the RGP file can be specified using an environment variable
FORTE_RGPTABLE_PATH. Both absolute paths and relative paths are supported. Note, however,
that there is no default value for an environment variable. If FORTE_RGPTABLE_PATH is un-
defined, Ansys Forte will try to find the input file on the local path, that is, within the Run
folder. However, if the input file does not exist (not found), then Ansys Forte will report an error
and stop the calculation.

Tip:

To specify environment variables on a Windows system, go to Run Settings >

Windows Settings. On a Linux system, go to Run Settings > Linux Settings.
For more details on setting environment variables, see Windows Settings Pan-
el (p. 173) and Linux Settings Panel (p. 174) .

• It is recommended that the minimum bounds for pressure and temperature used in the tabu-
lation is non-zero. This can avoid non-physical numerical undershoots and overshoots. If a zero-
bound is found then Ansys Forte will write a warning message in the monitor file after echoing
the table bounds.

• If a rough estimate of the range of P and T is that could happen during the simulation is known
a priori then generating tables with higher resolution within those bounds would, in principle,
result in better accuracy,

• In this release, RGP can only be selected for single-phase simulations. The chemistry set used
in the simulation should contain only the species for which the RGP file is provided.

• The RGP table input file may contain more than one "material;" typically, this would be two
phases (liquid and vapor) of a pure substance. One of the RGP material names (phase for which
the simulation is to be done) should be specified in the corresponding text box. Note that the
character string for the RGP material name specified as the $$$materialName field in the
file. An RGP file also contains a separate NAME field (for each phase); however, this is not
used/interpreted as the RGP material name by Ansys Forte. Figure 3.13: RGP table input file:
Nitrogen (p. 59) shows a screenshot of an RGP table input file for nitrogen. The RGP material
names corresponding to liquid and vapor phases of nitrogen are NITROGENL and NITROGENV,
respectively. Put the other way, the character string "nitrogen liquid" (without quotes) is not
a valid input for the RGP-material-name in Forte.

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Figure 3.13: RGP table input file: Nitrogen

3.3.1.3. Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simulations

Ansys Forte can simulate flow problems using either gas-phase or two-phase fluid, where "two-
phase" refers to liquid and gas. By default, the working fluid is assumed to be in the gas phase.
Here, the working fluid is referred to the continuous fluid filling the computational domain.

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There are two types of simulations in which you can include liquid in the working fluid:

1. In the first type, while the working fluid as a continuum is in gas phase, you can set up Spray
Model (see Spray Model (p. 65) ) to simulate liquid droplets. Spray droplets are modeled as
discrete particles, not as continuous fluid, and they interact with the gas phase as governed by
several sub-models in the Spray Model settings. Even with the presence of sprays, we refer to
this type of flow simulation as "gas-phase" since the continuous fluid is solely gas.

2. In the second type of simulation, the working fluid as a continuum can be liquid, or gas, or a
mixture of both. It is referred to as Eulerian two-phase flow simulation. To use this approach,
the liquid species must have been defined in the chemistry set. You can compile such a chemistry
set using the Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility, and make sure that liquid species are
defined in the surface kinetics input. Alternatively, you can use New Liquid & Vapor Pair (see
Chemistry (p. 56) ) to add the desired liquid species and let Ansys Forte automatically generate
a chemistry set. Then, define a multiphase mixture (see Mixture Editor (p. 22) ) as the working
fluid, which can be used to specify the initial fluid compositions (see also Initialization Pan-
el (p. 99) ) and fluid compositions in certain boundary conditions (see also Inlet Panel (p. 82)
). Once a multiphase mixture is used in an initialization and/or inlet, Forte automatically uses
Eulerian two-phase flow simulation.

Note that in an Eulerian two-phase flow simulation, the gas phase is assumed to be an ideal gas,
and a simple relation that considers compressibility effects is assumed for the liquid phase. The
Real Gas and Use RGP File options in Equation of State are not effective.

Note:

The Eulerian two-phase flow simulation should not be used together with certain sub-
models. In this type of simulation:

• Activate Chemistry under Simulation Controls > Chemistry Solver should be Always
Off.

• Spray Model should be unchecked.

• Spark Ignition should be unchecked.

• Soot Model should be unchecked.

• Radiation Model should be unchecked.

• For inlet boundary conditions, the Inlet option should not be Total Pressure or Total
Pressure, Time Varying, or Assume Isentropic. The Temperature option should not
be Total Temperature or Total Temperature, Time Varying.

• For outlet boundary conditions, the Outlet option should not be Total Pressure or
Total Pressure, Time Varying.

3.3.1.4. Flame Model

Ansys Forte can model flame propagation processes in a gas-phase and reacting flow simulation.
After a chemistry set is imported, you will see Flame Speed Model under Chemkin Chemistry Set

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in the Workflow tree. Forte has several options for specifying the flame speed that can be accessed
on the Flame Speed Model panel. The laminar flame speed can be calculated either by using for-
mulations of the power law, or by using pre-calculated flame-speed tables. Turbulent flame speed
is determined from a correlation, which takes the calculated laminar flame speed as well as several
turbulence parameters as inputs. These concepts are described in Turbulent Flame Propagation
Model of the Ansys Forte Theory Manual.

The recommended option for specifying flame speed is the Table Library option. These contain
precalculated laminar flame-speed tables for 44 surrogate fuels. The fuels covered in the Table
Library option represent several classes: families of n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cyclo-alkanes, alkenes,
cyclo-alkene, iso-alkene, aromatics, ethers, cyclo-ethers, alcohols and methyl esters. The fuels are
listed in Table 1: Fuels for which prebuilt laminar flame speeds are available as part of the Table
Library option (p. 253). Using pure-fuel flame speeds and local fuel composition in the CFD simulation,
multi-component-fuel flame speeds are calculated on-the-fly using non-linear blending of the single-
component values. This Table Library option provides (a) simplicity in the user input required for
the CFD simulation (only fuel composition is required); (b) a high degree of accuracy afforded by
the Ansys Chemkin-Pro-generated flame-speed library for an extensive range of fuel components;
and (c) the automation of the blending without compute performance penalty.

The second option for specifying laminar flame speed is the flame-speed look-up table. The look-
up table is a file that contains a series of flame table data points used to interpolate to the correct
flame speed and can be edited with the Profile Editor. For details on working with the flame-speed
table, see Flame-Speed Table Editor (p. 27). Lookup tables for five surrogate fuels are provided with
Ansys Forte, and these can be used as templates when you want to build your own laminar flame-
speed tables.

The third option is the power-law option, for which further options are provided when selecting
the Flame Model and its Speed at Reference State, Temperature and Pressure Dependency,
and Diluent Effect.

The model inputs for the Turbulent Flame Speed correlation are also listed in this Flame Model
panel. Their meanings are explained in the tool tips. More details are described in Ansys Forte
Theory Manual.

Laminar and turbulent flame speed correlations can also be defined through User Defined Functions
(UDFs). This option is provided as the last item on the Laminar Flame Speed and Turbulent Flame
Speed drop-down lists. For detailed information about how to use Ansys Forte UDFs, see the
README.txt file in the user_defined_functions directory in your Ansys Forte installation.
Template UDF source code for the flame speed models is provided in the combustion subdirectory.
The interface parameters for the UDFs are described in the template code. For the language used
in writing the UDFs, we support both Fortran and C/C++. The UDFs in the combustion subdirectory
will be compiled into a dynamic link library, libForteUDF_combustion.dll, on Windows, or
a shared object, libForteUDF_combustion.so, on Linux systems.

Note:

Do not change the names for the .dll or .so files because this naming convention is
used by the Forte executable.

The input and output parameters for the flame-speed UDFs are listed below.

1. UDF_Combustion_LaminarFlameSpeed

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Inputs

pressure – pressure of the unburned gas mixture, unit is [dynes/cm2]

temperature – temperature of the unburned gas mixture, unit is [K]

nSpecies – number of gas-phase species in the chemistry mechanism

nElement – number of elements in the chemistry mechanism

kO2 – species index of O2 (1-based, that is, the index of the first species is 1. The value is 0 if this
species does not exist in the mechanism.)

kCO2 - species index of CO2 (1-based)

kH2O – species index of H2O (1-based)

kN2 – species index of N2 (1-based)

keleH - element index of H (1-based)

keleC - element index of C (1-based)

keleO - element index of O (1-based)

keleN - element index of N (1-based)

eleNum - elemental composition of gas species. The dimension is (nElement, nSpecies) in Fortran
and [nSpecies] [nElement] in C/C++. It returns the number of element i in species j.

molecularWeight - molecular weights of all gas species, unit is [g/mol]

massFraction – species mass fractions of the unburned gas mixture

Outputs

laminarFlameSpeed -- laminar flame speed, unit is [cm/s]

iError -- 0 if there is no error, other value if there is error

2. UDF_Combustion_TurbulentFlameSpeed

Inputs

pressure - pressure of the unburned mixture, unit is [dynes/cm2]

unburnedTemperature - temperature of the unburned mixture, unit is [K]

equilTemperature - equilibrium temperature of the flame following a constant pressure, constant

enthalpy process, unit is [K]

laminarFlameSpeed - laminar flame speed, unit is [cm/s]

laminarFlameThickness - laminar flame thickness, unit is [cm]

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turbulentKineticEnergy - turbulent kinetic energy, unit is [cm2/s2]

dissipationRate - dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy, unit is [cm2/s3]

integralLengthScale - turbulence integral length scale, unit is [cm]

timeElapse - time elapsed since spark timing, unit is [s]

Outputs:

turbulentFlameSpeed - turbulent flame speed, unit is [cm/s]

iError - 0 if there is no error, other value if there is error

Use Legacy G-Convection Formulation: This check box provides backwards compatibility to a
previous (prior to the R18.1 release) model for determining the mean flow convection term in the
G transport equation. The default G convection formulation is recommended for flame propagation
cases involving especially large mean flow velocities; for example, under high-swirl engine operating
conditions. This affects how the flame surface (represented by the G=0 iso-surface) is transported,
considering both the flame propagation speed and the mean flow velocity.

If the legacy option is selected, the mean flow velocity used in the formulation will be the value
on the flame-front surface and the expansion effect is accounted for in the flame-speed term.

If the legacy option is not selected, that is, the default formation is used, the mean flow velocity
will be the value on the unburned side of the flame front and the expansion effect is accounted
for by the mean flow velocity term. Since the mean flow convection effect is ignored during the
ignition kernel stage when using the legacy formulation, the default formulation is the preferred
option. Using the default formulation requires a higher value for the turbulent-flame-speed ratio
(b1) value in the turbulent-flame-speed correlation, typically 2x the value used with the legacy
formulation.

Unburned Calculation Method: Three different options are provided for picking unburned conditions
in the flame propagation models. The Find Nearest Unburned Cell without Volume Search option
takes the unburned condition picked in the immediate neighborhood of the flame front. The Volume
Search with Fixed Radius option picks the unburned condition a fixed distance away from the
flame front, which prevents the unburned condition from being influenced by the hot burned gas
inadvertently. The Volume Search with Variable Radius option also uses a volume search, similar
to the second option. But instead of using a fixed search radius, it uses a variable search radius that
scales with the local cell size. The latter two options make the laminar flame speed calculation less
sensitive to mesh resolution. To obtain equivalent burn rate results, the latter two options require
a larger flame development coefficient (up to 2x) compared to the option without volume search,
especially for slow-burning cases.

Use Legacy Method For Flame Front and High-Temperature Front Synchronization: In release
2020 R1, a new default method is used to overcome a modeling difficulty in the G-equation flame
propagation model that may occur under certain operating conditions. When the unburned tem-
perature is high and flame speed is low, strong thermal diffusion can cause the high-temperature
front to propagate faster than the flame front surface marked by the G=0 iso-surface and cause
these two surfaces to become out of sync. The new default method is devised to keep these two
surfaces in sync should they show a tendency to separate. It is recommended that the default option
be used for all new Forte projects. The legacy option, enabled using this check box, is provided
only to maintain backward compatibility. Clear this check box to use the improved treatment.

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Disable Flame Propagation Model: These options allow the flame propagation model to be turned
off by a user specification to avoid solving the flame propagation model equations unnecessarily
during certain time or crank angle range of a calculation. These options are especially useful in
engine simulations. If When an Engine Cylinder is Not a Closed System is selected, the flame
propagation model will be disabled as soon as any port or valve is open in a cylinder region. This
is the default and recommended option. If After User-Specified Crank Angle or Time is selected,
the flame propagation model will be disabled after the specified timing. The model will be reactivated
at spark timing of the next engine cycle in engine cases. If Never is selected, the flame propagation
model will keep being solved until the flame quenches by itself.

3.3.2. Transport
Next in the workflow is the definition of the fluid transport models using the Transport workflow
item. The Editor panels for the two items under the Transport node, Turbulence and Fluid Properties,
are described below. The Transport Editor panel provides settings for Fluid Properties. The parameters
on this panel are reference properties used to calculate the turbulent fluid properties, as indicated
in the tool tips. The Body Acceleration terms in the fluid transport model can be used to specify ac-
celeration due to gravity. The equations that use these properties are defined in the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual .

Note:

We recommend accepting the defaults under Fluid Properties for most engine cases.

3.3.2.1. Turbulence
Use the Turbulence Editor panel to select among choices for the Turbulence Model: RANS
(Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) or LES (Large-Eddy Simulation) models. For the RANS models,
options of RNG k-epsilon or k-epsilon are offered. For LES models, the options of Smagorinsky
or Dynamic Structure model are available. Select no model for a laminar flow simulation.

For a simulation with the RANS approach, the default choice of RNG (Re-Normalization Group) k-
epsilon is recommended, although a standard k-epsilon model may also be selected.

Note:

Ansys recommends using the RNG-k-epsilon model for engine cases and for spray-
chamber cases. The spray models have many years of calibration to this model and are
unlikely to work as well with the k-epsilon model. The RNG-k-epsilon model should also
be a better model for engine combustion. The standard model is included for research
purposes or for use with problems such as pure air flow, for example, where it might be
more appropriate.

For a simulation with the LES approach, the Dynamic Structure model is recommended. The
Smagorinsky model is included due to its simplicity and historical importance. However, it is con-
sidered as over-dissipative and less accurate compared to the Dynamic Structure model.

For the turbulence model selected, there are a number of model parameters displayed. However,
the default values are recommended. Details on how the turbulence equations use these parameters
are included in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual .

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3.3.3. Spray Model

Check the box next to the Spray Model node to enable sprays in your simulation. Sprays are composed
of a large amount of liquid droplets. In internal combustion engines, they are typically formed during
the liquid fuel injection processes. Ansys Forte uses Lagrangian spray models to track the formation
and evolution of spray droplets. During the simulation, the concept of "parcel" represents a group of
droplets with similar attributes in order to save the computational cost of tracking droplets.

Simulating sprays requires properly initializing the spray formation by specifying the type and para-
meters of the fuel injector and nozzle(s), or providing the necessary data at the nozzle exit. Selecting
the proper spray models is also required. Both can be done on the Spray Model node.

First, selecting this node activates some general spray-model options, including Droplet Collision
Model, Injectors, Nozzles, and Injections. For the Droplet Collision Model option, select Disabled,
Radius of Influence Model or Collision Mesh Model, or Adaptive Collision Mesh Model and specify
the associated options. Use Vaporization Model indicates that the injected liquid is allowed to va-
porize (the default). For liquid-fueled engine cases this option is required.

Second, the Spray Model icon bar offers the following 4 icons that enable the definition of injectors,
which can be solid-cone, hollow-cone, slit, or VOF injectors. Once the injector is created, you can
specify the nozzle geometry and injection events, as described in Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, Slit, and
VOF Injector Panels (p. 65) , as well as the additional spray-model settings specific to each of these
injector types.

• New Hollow Cone Injector : Creates a new hollow-cone injector and opens the Injector panel
with Hollow Cone options.

• New Solid Cone Injector : Creates a new solid-cone injector and opens the Injector panel with
Solid Cone options.

• New Slit Injector : Creates a new slit injector and opens the Injector panel with Slit options.

• New VOF Injector : Creates a new VOF injector and opens the Injector panel with VOF options.
A VOF (volume of fluid) injector represents one-way coupling between a VOF simulation of internal
nozzle flow and Ansys Forte’s Lagrangian spray simulation for solid cone injections, in which user-
supplied VOF input data are used to initialize the injected Lagrangian spray parcels.

3.3.3.1. Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, Slit, and VOF Injector Panels

To create a spray injector, select the appropriate icon on the Spray Model icon bar (see Spray
Model (p. 65) ). The spray-model settings appropriate for that type of injector will then be displayed
in the main injector Editor panel. In addition, the Injector icon bar offers the following icons that
are used to define the nozzle holes and injection events associated with the injector:

• Rename : Renames selected nozzle.

• Manage Injections : Provides worksheet for specifying injection properties.

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• New Nozzle : Adds a nozzle associated with the injector and opens the Nozzle panel for
configuring the new nozzle.

• New Injection : Adds an Injection event associated with the injector (and nozzles) and opens
the Injection panel for configuring the injection in terms of timing and fuel amount.

• Copy : Copies the injector along with any nozzles or injections associated with the injector.

• Paste : Pastes the copied injector along with its defined nozzles and injection events.

• Delete : Deletes the injector.

The spray-model settings are controlled in the Injector's main Editor panel. Use this panel to define
the injector options, which control the fuel composition, temperature, and the ways that the spray
parcels are initialized to simulate the fuel injection. The options for atomization and spray breakup
models are also specified in this panel. There are several components to the spray breakup models
that are described in more detail in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . Default values are provided
where appropriate. In the following, we briefly review both the general options and options specific
to each type of injector.

Note:

We recommend keeping default settings for the spray model as a starting point.

The general settings that can be controlled here are as follows:

• Composition: This controls the Fuel Composition. (See Mixture Editor (p. 22) for details of using
the Mixture Editor.)

• Time Frame: Set the timing offset for all associated injections.

• Injection Type: Select whether the parcel count applies to a pulsed injection or a continuous
one. Hollow Injectors are used only with pulsed injection.

• Parcel Specification: Specify the number of injected parcels for either a pulsed injection or a
continuous injection. For a pulsed injection, specify either the injected parcel count or the droplet
number density in an injected parcel. When the injected parcel count is specified, this count is
for the first nozzle of this injector. If the injector contains more than one nozzle, the injected
parcel count through the other nozzles will be scaled based on the nozzle exit area ratio. When
the droplet number density is specified, this number density will be converted into injected
parcel count based on the total injected mass and the mass of an injected droplet. For continuous
injection, only Droplet Density can be specified in an injected parcel.

Note:

The Injected Parcel Count is the total number of spray parcels to be injected
through one injector nozzle. If there are multiple nozzles in the injector, the value

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specified is for the first nozzle. Suggested values are: 2000–5000 for each solid
cone spray plume, 10000 for a hollow cone spray, and 30000 for a fan spray).

• Inflow Droplet Temperature: The initial temperature of injected droplets is typically near the
coolant temperature in an engine environment. The value of 350 K is usually reasonable if an
experimentally determined value is not known.

• Droplet Size Distribution: Specify droplet size distribution to initialize spray injection.

For a Solid-Cone Injector, the specified droplet size distribution is applied at the nozzle exit. If
the injector has a straight cylindrical nozzle passage, such as is commonly used for diesel fuel
injection, the Uniform Size is recommended. In this case, an intact liquid core is assumed to
exist at the nozzle exit, which is modeled by continuously injected large "blobs" of liquid droplets,
and the initial droplet size is calculated based on the nozzle exit area and discharge coefficient.
If the injector has a step-hole nozzle, such as is commonly used in gasoline direct-injection (GDI)
engines, atomization is assumed to occur inside the nozzle. In this case, we recommend a Rosin-
Rammler or Log-normal statistical droplet size distribution to account for the effects of atomiz-
ation.

The Rosin-Rammler probability density function has the general form:

(3.2)

where is the droplet diameter, is the shape parameter with typical range 2.0–5.0 for sprays
in engines, and is a characteristic mean drop size that is related to the Sauter mean diameter
through a gamma function:
(3.3)

The Sauter mean diameter is defined by: .

To use the Rosin-Rammler distribution for a Solid-Cone Injector, the expected input parameters
are the shape parameter ( ) and the Sauter Mean Diameter of the droplet ( ).

The Log-normal probability density function has the general form:

(3.4)

where parameters and denote the mean and standard deviation of the normal distribution
followed by . They are related to the arithmetic mean ( ) and standard deviation ( ) of the
log-normal distribution:

(3.5)

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To use the Log-normal distribution for a Solid-Cone Injector, the expected input parameters
are the arithmetic mean droplet diameter ( ) and the ratio of the standard deviation over mean
diameter ( ).

Note:

There are two types of probability density function (PDF) for droplet size distribution:
the number-based PDF and mass-based PDF. In Ansys Forte, fuel is injected with a
number of "parcels," and each parcel contains one or multiple droplets. Whether the
droplet size distribution function should be a number-based or mass-based PDF depends
on the parcel specification. If the injected parcel count (or number of parcels) is specified,
each parcel will contain an identical amount of mass (which is, the total fuel mass divided
by the number of parcels injected), and is regarded as a fixed incremental of fuel mass.
When specifying droplet size distribution for the parcels, it is better to use a mass-based
PDF. If the droplet number density is specified, each parcel will contain the same number
of droplets but likely different mass if a droplet size distribution is assumed. In this case,
when specifying droplet size distribution for the parcels, it is better to use a number-
based PDF.

For the Hollow-Cone Injector and Slit Injector, the specified droplet size distribution is applied
when droplets are formed from the liquid sheet breakup process. The detailed description of the
physics and modeling of the hollow cone spray formation process is provided in Forte Theory
Manual, Linearized Instability Sheet Atomization (LISA) Model . The process of fan spray formation
from a slit injector is described in Fan Spray Models in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . If the Uniform
Size option is used, initial droplet size will be calculated by Forte Theory Manual, Equation 6.64 . If
Rosin-Rammler Distribution is used, input of the shape parameter ( ) is required and input of the
Sauter Mean Diameter ( ) is optional. If is not provided, it will be calculated by Equation 6.64
in the Forte Theory Manual. If it is provided, it will override the prediction from the liquid sheet
breakup model. We recommend use of Rosin-Rammler Distribution without specifying .
Similarly, if Log-normal Distribution is used, input of the ratio of the standard deviation over the
mean diameter ( ) is required and input of the mean droplet diameter ( ) is optional. If is
not provided, it will be calculated by Equation 6.64 in the Forte Theory Manual.

For the Solid-cone Injector, there are several settings options that are specific to this type of in-
jector. Several spray-model parameters control the initial injection velocity and droplet breakup
behavior. In general, default settings are recommended as a good starting point. Options include:

• Spray Initialization: The spray can be initialized using an empirically derived Discharge Coeffi-
cient, or using a more detailed Nozzle-flow Model. When the default discharge coefficient ini-
tialization model is selected, only a value for the discharge coefficient is required. For the nozzle-
flow model, two relative length scales are required, which are described in the Ansys Forte Theory
Manual . Note that when the nozzle-flow model is selected, the spray cone angle will also be
calculated along with the effective discharge coefficient.

• On the Editor panel, the Cone Angle is specified for the injector. Note that this input is not used
for the case when the nozzle-flow model option is selected with a solid-cone injector. In all other
cases it is required input. The cone angle can be specified in two ways: as a user-specified constant
value, or by using a correlation. The correlation is created based on validation data over a wide
range of conditions, especially flash-boiling conditions. Since the flash-boiling injection condition
is typically associated with a wildly expanding cone angle, the cone angle correlation option is

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 Models Node

recommended for simulating flash-boiling conditions. Details of the cone angle correlation are
described in the Empirical Nozzle Discharge Coefficient and Spray Angle in the Ansys Forte Theory
Manual.

• KH Model Constants: These parameters are used in the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) droplet-breakup
model, which is mainly applied in the near-nozzle liquid core region in solid-cone sprays. Note
that this breakup model generates new child parcels to account for the small droplets shed from
the liquid core. Impose SMR Conservation in KH Breakup is an option used in the child parcel
generation process, and is turned OFF by default.

• RT Model Constants: These parameters are used in the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) droplet-breakup
model. This breakup model is applied in the region beyond the "breakup length," which is a
certain distance measured from the nozzle exit within which a liquid core is considered to exist
in solid-cone sprays. Beyond the breakup length, the RT model applies to spray parcels and is
expected to significantly reduce the averaged droplet size.

• Use Gas Jet Model: This option helps to reduce mesh-size and time-step dependency in the
spray penetration and droplet size prediction. It is ON by default.

The Hollow-Cone Injector and Slit Injector also have several settings options that are specific to
defining the spray behavior for hollow-cone injections. As with the solid-cone spray settings, default
settings are recommended as a starting point. Options include:

• LISA Spray Model Options: Parameters are provided for the LISA spray model. The Breakup
Length Model Constant controls the breakup length of the liquid sheet during the spray form-
ation processes.

• Injection Pressure: This should be the injection pressure in the sac volume of the injector. It is
used to calculate the discharge coefficient.

• Mean Cone Angle: For Hollow-Cone sprays only. This parameter controls the opening angle of
the hollow-cone spray shape. Figure 3.14: Definition of mean cone angle and liquid jet thickness
in a hollow-cone spray (p. 70) .

• Liquid Jet Thickness: For Hollow-Cone sprays only. This prescribes the spreading angle of the
spray layer. Figure 3.14: Definition of mean cone angle and liquid jet thickness in a hollow-cone
spray (p. 70) .

• Model Slug Flow: Select this option to account for the slug flow (the flow of residual fuel left in
the injector from the previous injection). The slug flow is modeled as a small solid-cone spray. It
is typically a very small portion of the total fuel flow and usually is not modeled.

• Slit Angle: For fan sprays only. This is the opening angle of the Slit Injector nozzle, and it also
defines the initial fan angle of the spray. See Figure 3.15: Definition of several injection and nozzle
parameters for slit injectors (Left: front view; Right: side view) (p. 70) (Left).

• Side Spreading Angle: For fan sprays only. This parameter determines the dispersion angle of
sprays with respect to the fan plane. See Figure 3.15: Definition of several injection and nozzle
parameters for slit injectors (Left: front view; Right: side view) (p. 70) (Right).

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Figure 3.14: Definition of mean cone angle and liquid jet thickness in a hollow-cone spray

Figure 3.15: Definition of several injection and nozzle parameters for slit injectors (Left: front
view; Right: side view)

The VOF Injector requires additional input information about the VOF input data and the mapping
of location and velocity parameters between the VOF simulation and the Lagrangian spray simulation:

• VOF Input File is used to specify the name of the VOF input data file. The location of the
VOF input file is specified using an environment variable FORTE_VOF_PATH. Ansys Forte
provides a default value for this path. You can either copy the VOF input file to the default
location or modify FORTE_VOF_PATH to point to the VOF input file. Both absolute path
and relative path are supported. If FORTE_VOF_PATH is undefined, Forte will try to find
the input file on the local path, that is, within the Run folder. However, if FORTE_VOF_PATH
is defined and points to a location where the input file does not exist, Forte will not attempt
to search the local path. Instead, it will report an error and stop the calculation. The format
of the VOF input file is explained in VOF Input File Format (p. 266) .

• VOF Start Time specifies when to begin to pull data from the VOF input file. This input
parameter refers to the time values contained in the VOF input file that are used to mark
each VOF data set.

• Injector Reference Frame in VOF specifies a coordinate system for marking the injector’s
location and orientation in the VOF simulation framework. This reference frame combined

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with the Injector Reference Frame in Lagrangian Spray are used to map location and
orientation parameters from the VOF framework to Forte’s Lagrangian spray simulation
framework. The location and orientation of the injector and all its nozzles in these two refer-
ence frames are required to be consistent with respect to their own simulation framework.
Ideally, the origins of the reference frames should anchor the same point on the injector’s
axis, and one of the coordinate axes should be aligned with the injector axis.

• Injection Timing of Lagrangian Spray: Since only one VOF input file can be specified for
a VOF injector, the Start of Injection (SOI) timing is exposed on the Injector setup panel,
and there is no need to add Injection panels as used in other types of injectors. Duration
of Injection (DOI) is calculated based on the VOF Start Time and the time value of the last
data set in the VOF data file. The total injected liquid mass and injection profile are both
derived from the VOF input data.

• Each VOF Injector can have multiple Nozzles. For each nozzle, in addition to the nozzle
exit’s Location, Spray Direction, and Nozzle Size, there are several Spray Parcel Initializ-
ation Controls:

– Liquid Volume Fraction Threshold: If the liquid volume fraction in an VOF CFD cell
exceeds this threshold value, Lagrangian spray parcels will be initialized from this
cell. A smaller value will result in more injected parcels.

– Max Injected Parcel Mass: Controls the maximum mass of an injected parcel. For
each VOF CFD cell that will emit spray parcels, at least one parcel will be formed. If
the total liquid mass from this cell exceeds this maximum parcel mass control, the
total mass will be split into multiple parcels. A smaller value of this control will result
in more injected parcels.

– Min Injected Parcel Mass: Controls the minimum mass of an injected parcel. A VOF
CFD cell will not emit spray parcels if the total liquid mass coming out of this cell is
less than the min injected parcel mass. A smaller value will result in more injected
parcels.

– TKE Scaling Factor: The TKE scaling factor is used to modify the turbulent kinetic
energy in a local VOF cell (in the VOF input data). The scaled TKE is then converted
into turbulence velocity, which in turn is used to perturb the initial velocities of the
injected spray parcels associated with this VOF cell.

3.3.3.1.1. Injection Panel

An Injector requires one or more Injection events. To create an injection, use the New Injection

icon on the appropriate (Solid Cone, Hollow Cone, or Slit) Injector icon bar. (See Solid-Cone,
Hollow-Cone, Slit, and VOF Injector Panels (p. 65) .) On the Injection Editor panel using a Pulsed
injection, the Timing Option allows you to specify the injection's Start and Duration in terms
of Time (relative to the start of simulation) or Crank Angle (assuming a slider-crank boundary
motion is defined in the project). For a CA-based start-of-injection timing used in engine cases,
you can select the Crank Angle Option as Cyclic or Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in spe-
cifying injection that is repetitive in a multi-engine-cycle simulation. In this case, the user-supplied
Start crank angle value will be converted to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines)
or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The injection timing will then be treated as cyclic and re-
peated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose
to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition,

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beyond which the injection is not active. If the Crank Angle Option is Global, no cyclic conversion
is made on the user-supplied start crank angle value.

The panel also provides options to edit or create a Velocity Profile (by clicking the Edit
icon and specifying the Total Injected Mass. The Velocity Profile option opens the Profile Editor
(see Profile Editor (p. 20) ) where you can define the profile manually or import data describing
the injection shape.

The Injection Type parameter specifies the injection type as either Pulsed or Continuous. For
Pulsed injection, also specify the injection Timing Option (start and duration), Total Injected
Mass, as well as an injection Velocity Profile. For Continuous injection, specify the Mass Flow
Rate.

Note:

1. In cases that contain periodic or symmetric boundaries, the nozzles added in the
user interface are for the meshed sector (or meshed domain) only, but these nozzles
are assumed to be duplicated on all the unmeshed sectors in the full 360-degree
domain. For a solid-cone injector, the Total Injected Mass specified in the user
interface is for all the nozzles in the 360-degree domain (in both meshed and un-
meshed sectors). For a hollow-cone injector or a slit injector, the Total Injected
Mass specified is for the nozzle(s) in the meshed sector only. For a VOF injector,
total injected mass is specified through the VOF input file, and the mass is also for
the nozzle(s) in the meshed sector only.

2. Avoid allowing the starting time or starting crank angle of the simulation to fall in
the injection duration of any spray. When this happens to a spray, the injection
will be ignored and no liquid will be injected for this spray.

3.3.3.1.2. Nozzle Panel

An Injector must be associated with not only an Injection event but also one or more nozzles.
To create a nozzle, use the Injector icon bar. (See Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, Slit, and VOF Injector
Panels (p. 65).) Use the Nozzles panel to describe the nozzle characteristics in terms of location

and geometry. The Nozzles icon bar also offers 4 icons: Rename , Copy , Paste , and

Delete . These allow you, for example, to create a new nozzle by copying and pasting an
existing one and then editing just the parameter that needs to change, such as Spray Direction.

Use the Reference Frame sub-panel to provide Location and Spray Direction of each nozzle
hole. (See Reference Frames (p. 34) for more details on Reference Frames.)

Note:

For converting nozzle orientations from KIVA: The Ansys Forte θ "theta" value is 180°
- (KIVA's X-Z tilt). If X-Z=76, θ=180-76=104°. The φ "phi" value is: (the value of the sector
wedge angle) - (X-Y tilt).

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For Solid-Cone and Hollow-Cone injectors, the remaining geometric parameter for the nozzle
is the Nozzle Area, which is the exit flow area. In Solid-Cone sprays, this is used to determine
the initial Sauter Mean Diameter of the liquid droplets exiting the nozzle. For Hollow-Cone sprays,
the nozzle area is an important parameter in determining the liquid sheet thickness and the spray
formation as a result of sheet breakup. In both cases, you can also set Nozzle Diameter instead
of Nozzle Area.

For Slit injectors, the Slit Height and Aspect Ratio are necessary inputs to specify the dimensions
of a nozzle. The Aspect Ratio is defined as Slit Width divided by Slit Height. The nozzle area is
associated to the Slit Height, Slit Width, and Slit Angle, as described in Fan Spray Models in
the Ansys Forte Theory Manual. Considering the planar shape of a fan spray, a Nozzle Orientation
Angle is needed to define the angle between the fan plane with respect to the direction of injec-
tion.

Note:

For Hollow-Cone injectors, only one nozzle is allowed for each injector. For Solid-Cone
and Slit injectors, multiple nozzles are allowed for each injector, and the amount of
mass injected through each nozzle is split from the Total Injected Mass based on the
area of each nozzle with respect to the total nozzle area. When creating multiple
nozzles, it is often efficient to configure the first one and then use Copy and Paste

to duplicate it, then modify the original configuration to correctly specify the
new nozzles.

3.3.4. Spark Ignition

Use the Spark Ignition panel to create and configure spark ignition: Specify the Spark ignition settings,
configure the number of sparks, and for each, the Spark Location, Timing, and Energy.

The Spark Ignition Editor panel provides settings that apply to all spark events in the simulation:

• Kernel Flame to G-equation Switch Constant: Enter a value for the transition from ignition kernel
model to G-equation model. This transition happens when the kernel radius grows larger than this
coefficient times the turbulence integral length scale. Suggested range: 1.5-2.5.

• Min. Kernel Radius for Kernel to G-equation Switch: The spark ignition flame kernel radius must
grow larger than this minimum radius before it can switch to the G-equation model. Suggested
value: 0.1 cm.

• Flame Development Coefficient: This coefficient controls the exponentially increasing effect of
turbulence on flame propagation speed as the flame grows from laminar to fully developed turbulent
flame. A larger value speeds this transition. Suggested range: 0.5-2.5.

• Number of Flame Particles for each Spark Plug: Number of particles used to track the flame front
location of a spark ignition kernel flame. This value is applied to all spark plugs. Suggested value:
3000.

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The default settings are usually a good place to start. Next, from the Spark Ignition icon bar, use the
New Spark icon. A new, named Spark node is added to the Workflow tree and its associated Ed-
itor panel opens, as described below.

3.3.4.1. Spark Panel

The Spark icon bar offers 4 icons: Rename , Copy , Paste , and Delete , which are
used to manage the sparks. You can create a new spark by copying and pasting an existing one or
by using the New Spark icon on the Spark Ignition icon bar.

Use the Location sub-panel (see Reference Frames (p. 34) ) to provide the location of each nozzle
hole.

Other required settings in the Spark Editor panel include:

• Timing: Start and duration of the spark event can be set in terms of crank angle or simulation
time with the option to specify a relative time frame (see Time Frames (p. 35) ). For CA-based
spark timing used in engine cases, you can select the Crank Angle Option as Cyclic or Global.
The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying spark event that is repetitive in a multi-engine-cycle
simulation. In this case, the user-supplied crank angle value will be converted to fit in the range
of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The spark timing will
then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree
schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank
angle range for the cyclic repetition, beyond which the spark event is not active. If the Crank
Angle Option is Global, no cyclic conversion is made on the user-supplied starting crank angle
value.

• Spark Energy:

– Energy Release Rate: Specify the rate of energy release for the spark event.

– Energy Transfer Efficiency: Enter the efficiency of energy transfer from the spark discharge
to the gas mixture.

• Initial Kernel Radius: Enter the initial radius of the spark-ignition kernel.

3.3.5. Crevice Model

Use Models > Crevice Model to turn on the Crevice model if you want the crevice to be modeled
during the simulation. The Editor panel allows configuration of the Crevice Model parameters, which
are included only when the Crevice Model is turned on. Details on the meaning of these parameters
are in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . Some guidance is available in the tool tips for the individual
options in the Editor panel.

Note:

When using the Crevice model, you cannot also include the crevice block in the Sector
Mesh Generator (see Sector Mesh Generator (p. 43) ).

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3.3.6. Soot Model

Ansys Forte provides three methods for predicting soot/particulate properties:

• Two-step semi-empirical model

• Method of Moments

• Pseudo-gas model

Use Models > Soot Model to turn on the Soot model and access its options.

Note:

The pseudo-gas model is automatically selected when a pseudo-gas mechanism is loaded

at the Chemistry model step (Chemistry (p. 56) ). The mechanism would include the soot
as a pseudo-gas species, and the gas-phase mechanism would contain all the relevant soot
nucleation, growth and oxidation pathways. As a result, Models > Soot Models check box
can be unchecked when the pseudo-gas model is used. Soot particles cannot be tracked
when this model is used; only the overall soot mass can be simulated with this method.
Under the Ansys Forte data directory, one chemistry set each is provided for gasoline and
diesel that uses the pseudo-gas approach.

Two-step Semi-Empirical Model

Although detailed kinetics can be used to predict soot precursors in the gas phase, it is often expedient
to use a semi-empirical model to get a qualitative but direct measure of the particulate matter gen-
erated under the simulation conditions of interest. For this reason, Ansys Forte includes a popular 2-
step semi-empirical soot model with acetylene as the soot precursor that approximates the mass and
the particle size of soot formed, based on local species concentrations throughout the simulation.
However, for the soot model to be used, it is also necessary to have a species named "soot" appended
to the species list with thermodynamic property entries in the chemistry input files within the
chemistry set that is imported to Ansys Forte. All of the installed Ansys Forte chemistry sets in the
system data directory include this species. If this model is chosen, no surface chemistry is required.
Soot particles cannot be tracked when this model is used; only the overall soot mass can be simulated
with this method.

The Soot Model Settings panel allows modification of the particle formation equations in the model
by controlling key parameters in those equations. Options include:

• Soot Particle Density

• Soot Particle Diameter

• Activation Energy of Soot Formation

• Pre-exponential Factor of Soot Formation

Details regarding the semi-empirical soot model and these parameters are provided in the Ansys
Forte Theory Manual . Some guidance is available in the tool tips for the individual options in the
Editor panel.

Method of Moments Model

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The Method of Moments model (see Method of Moments , in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual ) allows
tracking of particle size and number density, in addition to soot mass and volume fraction, throughout
the simulation. It requires more detailed kinetics in the gas-phase fuel combustion model as well as
a surface kinetics description of reactions that occur on the particle surface to initiate the formation
of dispersed-phase particles. The Method of Moments option requires that a chemistry set be populated
with a dispersed-phase particle-inception reaction, where gas-phase precursors react to form a dispersed
particulate bulk phase along with some proportion of occupied and unoccupied surface sites. From
a Moment-equation representation of the particle size distribution, the particle number density, mass
density, and volume fraction are derived, as well as a mean particle size. These variables are determined
as a function of location and time throughout the simulation.

The Soot Model Settings panel has options for changing the number of moments, changing the
scaling factors used in the calculation, the option to include particle coagulation, and particle coagu-
lation efficiency.

3.3.7. Source
Four types of user-defined source models are provided in Ansys Forte, including

• Species Source

• Momentum Source

• Porous Media

• Energy Source

To use source models, check the box next to the Source node in the Workflow tree. Click the icons
in the action bar at the top of the Source Editor panel to add the desired types of new sources. In
Forte, sink models are treated as sources with negative production rates.

1. Species Source:

For a Species Source, you can specify its composition, production rate, source location, and activ-
ation duration.

a. Species Composition:The composition of a species source can be specified by defining a gas

phase mixture. If the source involves only one species, create a single-component mixture and
set the species mass fraction to 1. Only gas phase species contained in the chemistry mechanism
can be used in species source. The production rate of a source mixture at a given time will be
distributed among its components based on the mass fractions.

b. Production Rate: Four options are provided to specify the production rate of the species
source mixture:

• Per Unit Volume, Constant

• Per Unit Volume, Time Varying

• Entire Source Domain, Constant

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 Models Node

• Entire Source Domain, Time Varying

If the Per Unit Volume option is selected, the same rate will be used to modify the mass
density of all fluid cells involved in the species source. If Entire Source Domain is selected,
the production rate will first be converted to a Per-Unit-Volume value based on the total
volume of fluid cells involved in the species source, and then the same Per-Unit-Volume rate
is applied to all cells.

When the Time Varying option is selected, you should supply a Rate Profile and its Time
Frame. For reciprocating engine cases, the first column of the Rate Profile must use crank
angle, and the range is expected to be [0°, 360°] for two-stroke engine and [0°, 720°] for four-
stroke engine. The profile will be treated as cyclic in engine simulations. For non-engine cases,
the first column of the profile should use time. For the second column of the profile, select
MassFlowRate for the Per Unit Volume option, and select MassROP for the Entire Source
Domain option. The Time Frame is used to define the time/crank angle delay relative to the
global time/crank angle, which is useful in multi-cylinder engine simulation. For example, by
defining an appropriate time-frame value for each cylinder based on the firing order, the same
Rate Profile can be used for all cylinders.

c. Source Location: This input is used to populate all the fluid cells involved in a species source
at any given time. The following options are available:

• Bounding Sphere

• Bounding Box

• Bounding Cylinder

• Initialization Region

• General Data Sampling

Bounding Sphere uses a Source Center and a Source Radius to define a spherical volume.
Fluid cells whose cell centers reside inside this volume are included in the source domain.

Bounding Box uses a Local Coordinate System to define the center and orientation of the
box. The origin of the Local Coordinate System serves as the center of the box. The side
lengths of the box are specified by Side Length X, Y, Z. In the Local Coordinate System, the
lower-left and upper-right corners of the box correspond to (-X/2, -Y/2, -Z/2) and (X/2, Y/2,
Z/2), respectively.

Bounding Cylinder also uses a Local Coordinate System to define its center and orientation.
The origin of the Local Coordinate System serves as the center of the cylinder. The Z-axis of
the Local Coordinate System will be aligned with the axis of the cylinder. Source Height and
Source Radius define the height and radius of the cylinder, respectively.

Initialization Region allows you to associate the source to a region. At a given time, all fluid
cells in the selected region are included in the source domain.

General Data Sampling can be used to identify fluid cells associated with the source indirectly
through a point cloud. In the point cloud, you can specify a group of points in terms of their
X, Y, Z coordinates. Fluid cells containing any of these points will be included in the source
domain.

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d. Active: This input is used to specify when the species source will be activated and deactivated.
Four options are provided:

• Always

• During Time Interval

• During Crank Angle Interval

• Never

The During Crank Angle Interval option can only be used in reciprocating engine cases. You
can select the Crank Angle Option as Cyclic or Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying
source activation that is repetitive in a multi-engine-cycle simulation. In this case, both the
Start angle and End angle will be converted to a value within the range of [0°, 360°) or [0°,
720°) for two-stroke or four-stroke engines, respectively. The CA-interval-based activation
control will be treated as cyclic in engine simulations. The source activation time will then be
treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-
stroke). User may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle
range for the cyclic repetition, beyond which the source is not active. If the Crank Angle Option
is Global, no cyclic conversion is made on the user-supplied start and end crank angle value.

2. Momentum Source:

For a Momentum Source, you can specify its direction, production rate, source location, and activ-
ation duration.

a. Momentum Direction: Specify the direction vector for the momentum source. The user-supplied
X, Y, Z components will be normalized as a unit vector.

b. Production Rate: The options are similar as those for Species Source. Refer to the Species
Source section for the list of options and general information. For momentum source, the
production rate will be applied to momentum cells instead of regular fluid cells. Note that in
Forte’s staggered discretization scheme, a momentum cell’s center is a vertex and a momentum
cell consists of fractions of all fluid cells surrounding this vertex.

When Entire-Source-Domain is selected, the rate value will first be converted to a Per-Unit-
Volume value based on the total volume of momentum cells involved in the momentum
source, and then the same Per-Unit-Volume rate is applied to all momentum cells.

When the Time-Varying option is selected, user should supply a Rate Profile. The first column
of the Rate Profile (time or crank angle) should follow the same requirement described in
Species Source. For the second column of the Rate Profile, select VolumetricMomentum
for the Per-Unit-Volume option, and select Force for the Entire Source Domain option.

c. Source Location: This source location options for momentum source are the same as those
for Species Source. Note that instead of collecting regular fluid cells, momentum source collects
momentum cells, which center at vertices.

For the General Data Sampling option, the point cloud is first used to mark all fluid cells
containing any sample point, and then all the eight vertices of the marked cells will be included
in the momentum source domain.

d. Active: The activation control for momentum source is the same as that for Species Source.

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3. Porous Media

In Forte, porous media is modeled as a special type of momentum resistance using Darcy’s Law.
The momentum loss through a porous medium is given as

in which is permeability, is dynamic viscosity, is density, is the superficial velocity. The

first term on the right-hand side is the viscous resistance term and the second is the inertial res-
istance term. Two resistance coefficients are exposed as user inputs:

a. : viscous resistance coefficient (inverse absolute permeability);

b. : inertial resistance coefficient.

For each porous media source, you can specify the media type, resistance coefficients, source
location, and activation control.

a. Media Type: The porous media can be modeled as either Isotropic or Directional. For the
Isotropic type, only one set of resistance coefficients is needed. For the Directional type, you
can specify one streamwise direction and two transverse directions and assign different resist-
ance coefficients for each direction. Since these three direction vectors are required to be
mutually orthogonal, a convenient way to specify these vectors is to create a coordinate system.
The Z axis of this coordinate system should be oriented to align with the streamwise direction
of the porous medium. The X and Y axes of the coordinate system will be treated as transverse-
1 and transverse-2 directions, respectively.

b. Source Location: The source domain/location specification for porous media is similar to those
for Species Source and Momentum Source.

c. Active:The activation control for porous media source is the same as that for Species Source.

4. Energy Source

Energy source allows internal energy to be added or deducted from fluid cells. You can specify
its production rate, source location, and activation control.

a. Production Rate: The production rate options for energy source are similar to those for Species
Source. Refer to the Species Source section for general information.

When the Time Varying option is selected, the first column of the Rate Profile (time or crank
angle) should follow the same requirement described in Species Source. For the second
column of the Rate Profile, select HeatProductionRate for the Per-Unit-Volume option, and
select Power for the Entire Source Domain option.

Energy Source also allows its production rate to be derived from a pressure curve. This is the
last option on the drop-down list. When this option is used, the Source Location of the energy

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source must use the Initialization Region option and the region selected must be a cylinder
or primary region. The energy release rate is calculated as

in which, may also be in engine cases. is the total volume of the selected cylin-
der/primary region, and is the averaged specific heat ratio in the region.

b. Source Location: The source location options for Energy Source are the same as those for
Species Source.

c. Active: The activation control for Energy Source is the same as that for other sources, such
as Species Source.

3.3.8. Radiation
Activate the Radiation model option if radiation heat transfer is considered in the simulation. Ansys
Forte can calculate radiative heat transfer between high-temperature gas and solid walls, if the gas
contains radiative gaseous species, soot particles, or both.

Select Include Soot Particle Contribution if you would like to consider soot particles in the radiation
model. Note that, in order to consider soot particles’ effect on radiation, you must have used one of
the soot models described in Soot Model (p. 75).

In the Radiation Species list, you can select which radiative species are considered in the radiation
model. The radiative species are automatically determined when a gas-phase mechanism is loaded
during the Chemistry model step (see Chemistry (p. 56)). Species are considered as radiative species
if they have an absorption coefficient correlation in the thermodynamic data file. The absorption
coefficient correlation can be identified in the thermodynamic data file by the AbsorptionCoeffi-
cients keyword. So, it is important for the user to check the thermodynamic data file used in the
gas-phase mechanism and see which species have the absorption coefficient, before using the radiation
heat transfer model. Figure 3.16: Excerpt of sample thermodynamic data file used in the mechanism,
containing absorption coefficient data for CO, CO2, CH4 (p. 81) shows an example of the thermody-
namic data file which includes several radiative species. For more information about the absorption
coefficient data format in this file, refer to Gas Species Radiation Absorption Coefficients in the
Chemkin-Pro Input Manual.

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 Boundary Conditions Node

Figure 3.16: Excerpt of sample thermodynamic data file used in the mechanism, containing
absorption coefficient data for CO, CO2, CH4

3.4. Boundary Conditions Node

The options available for the Boundary Conditions node depend on whether the project is set up for
automatic mesh generation or for use of a body-fitted mesh (body-fitted could be either a mesh created
with the built-in Sector Mesh Generator or an imported mesh). The following paragraphs describe the
setup for body-fitted meshes and automatic mesh generation.

Body-fitted Mesh

For body-fitted meshes, the boundary conditions must be specified as flags associated with the
boundaries in the mesh itself, following the KIVA-3V export convention. In this case, after importing the
mesh, the boundaries will already appear in the Boundary Conditions list and the mapping between
the boundary and the geometry surface is already defined. For these boundaries, you need only set the
parameter values and options associated with the boundary condition, since the boundary/surface
mapping is handled by the imported mesh flags.

Automatic Mesh Generation

For automatic mesh generation, the Boundary Conditions icon bar is used to create new boundaries

and has the following options: New Inlet , New Outlet , and New Wall . Use these icons
to open an Editor panel, which will allow you to associate boundary conditions with geometry surfaces
and then specify the boundary conditions.

Once you have created a new boundary entity, the boundary (Inlet, Wall, Outlet, etc.) node allows you
to associate the Geometry surface in the Location selection sub-panel. To see the surface highlighted

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in the 3-D View or to use the mouse to select, use the Select from screen icon to enable interactive
screen selection. Click the Screen icon again to toggle the screen-selection mode OFF.

Note:

It is usually possible to associate a boundary condition with more than one Geometry surface,
using multi-select (Ctrl + mouse click) in the Location list. However, for moving wall
boundaries, such as a valve, it may be necessary to merge surfaces using the Geometry Merge
option, so that only one surface is moved as an ensemble. This constraint is described in
more detail below in Wall Boundary (p. 86).

After the boundary-surface mapping is done for a given boundary, the input of boundary-condition
information on the Boundary Editor panels is generally the same for both body-fitted mesh and auto-
matic mesh generation. These panels are described in Inlet Panel (p. 82) through Wall Boundary (p. 86).

3.4.1. Inlet Panel

When Inlet boundaries are present, use the Inlet Editor panel to define the conditions of the gas at
the inlet. For automatic meshing cases, the Inlet icon bar offers 4 icons for managing inlets: Rename

, Copy , Paste , and Delete . You can create a new inlet by copying and pasting an

existing one or by using the New Inlet icon on the Boundary Conditions icon bar. However, for
body-fitted cases the presence of the inlet(s) is determined by the mesh flags upon import of the
mesh, such that you cannot create new ones within the Simulation interface. For body-fitted mesh
projects, then, only the Rename option is available here.

Options on the Inlet Editor panel include:

Note:

If you have a DISPERSED material defined in your chemistry set, and you have selected
Moment Method for the Soot model option, and you want to define the presence of
particles in the inlet, you will need the options on the Surface Composition and the Dis-
persed Phase Editor panels. Otherwise they usually are not present.

• Composition: Use the Mixture Editor to specify the details of the composition. See Mixture
Editor (p. 22) for details. Select whether to specify the inlet’s species composition in Mass Fraction
or Mole Fraction, and then use the Add Species button to select species that are present in the
inlet fluid mixture (see Figure 2.11: Specifying species composition for an inlet (p. 23)). In the res-
ulting table, specify the associated fractions (in the units selected) for each species. Note that if
you have table data with the same layout and species order, you can use cut/paste to enter the
data in this table. When all the species data are entered, you can optionally use the Normalize
button to assure that the resulting species composition sums to 1.0.

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 Boundary Conditions Node

• Location: Select the location of the inlet in the location list.

Note:

By default, surfaces included in the same open boundary condition are required to be
contiguous, but including non-contiguous surfaces in the same open boundary is sup-
ported as long as these surfaces are connected to the same region. To disable the con-
tiguity check, go to Edit Preferences > General Settings > Validation Settings and
check the box Skip Open Surface Contiguity Check.

• Inlet Options: Select from the list of inlet types: Static Pressure, Total Pressure, Velocity, or Mass
Flow Rate, and any of these can also be Time Varying. Time Varying options can include a time-
frame offset (see Time Frames (p. 35) ).

– If Pressure Inlet is selected, a constant value of the pressure or a pressure profile (as a function
of time or crank angle) must be provided for Time Varying cases. In the Time Varying case, if
the pressure profile is based on crank angle, you can select the Adjust Profile to Cyclic
Boundaries option to shift the crank angle in the profile to fit within 0-360 (for 2-stroke) or 0-
720 (for 4-stroke) degrees. The adjusted pressure profile will then be treated as cyclic and repeated
on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use
Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition of the
pressure profile. If the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option is not selected, then the crank
angle provided in the pressure profile will not be converted to cyclic.

– If Velocity Inlet is selected, the velocity magnitude and direction must be provided and there
are options for specifying Inflow Mixture Density. For low-speed flows, you can use the default
Assume Zero Pressure Gradient. This option assumes the pressure of the inflow mixture is
equal to the pressure in the nearest fluid cell inside the domain, and that the inflow pressure is
used to compute inflow mixture density. For high-speed (supersonic) flows, the zero-pressure-
gradient assumption is no longer suitable, and you can either specify the inflow density directly
or specify an inflow pressure, which in turn is used to compute the inflow density. Both the
density and pressure can be specified as either static or total.

– If Mass Flow Rate Inlet is selected, the user-provided mass flow rate will be used to derive the
inlet velocity magnitude using the following formula:

in which is the velocity magnitude normal to the inlet boundary, is the mass flow rate,
is the density of the inflow mixture, and is the total area of the inlet. The inflow density is de-
termined based on the interior fluid cells adjacent to the inlet boundary. The direction of inflow
velocity can be specified either as Normal to Boundary or From Vector.

• Turbulence: Select from the list a method for indicating inlet turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and
TKE dissipation rate; using the pull-down list, and then specify the corresponding parameter values
and units where appropriate. Specification options include:

– Turbulence Intensity and Length Scale

– Turbulence Kinetic Energy and Dissipation Rate

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– Turbulence Intensity and Dissipation Rate

– Turbulent Kinetic Energy and Length Scale

The above options allow you to specify absolute values for the TKE and TKE Dissipation rates or to
use the relative values of Turbulent Intensity and Turbulent Length Scale. Turbulence Intensity is
a dimensionless measure of the turbulent kinetic energy and is defined such that:

– Turbulent Kinetic Energy = ,

where U is the local mean velocity magnitude and I is the turbulence intensity fraction specified.

– Turbulent Length Scale: Defines the boundary value of epsilon in the k-epsilon turbulence
model, through the relationship:

• Temperature Option: Specify the temperature behavior as one of Assume Isentropic, a specified
Static value, or Total Temperature, either of which can also be Time Varying. Time Varying options
can include a time-frame offset (see Time Frames (p. 35) ). If the Assume Isentropic option is se-
lected, a reference state (density, pressure, specific heat ratio) will be picked at the beginning of
the calculation based on the state in the neighboring region. During the calculation, the actual inflow
temperature is calculated by assuming the mixture has gone through an isentropic compression/ex-
pansion process starting from the reference state.

If you have a DISPERSED material defined in your chemistry set, and you have selected Moment
Method for the Soot model option, and you want to define the presence of particles in the inlet, the
following options are of interest:

• Surface Composition: Use the Solid Phase Editor to specify the details of the surface com-
position. If no solid phase exists in the mechanism, this property can remain unspecified. If the
surface composition is not specified, then the dispersed-phase composition at the inlet is assumed
to be zero. See Solid Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle Tracking (p. 37) for details.
Use the Add Species button to select species that are present in the inlet dispersed surface phase.

• Dispersed Phase: Use the Solid Phase Editor to specify the details of the dispersed phase.
See Solid Phase Editor and Dispersed Phase Editor for Particle Tracking (p. 37) for details. If no
solid phase exists in the mechanism, then this property can remain unspecified. If the dispersed
phase is left unset, then the dispersed phase composition at the inlet is assumed to be zero.

3.4.2. Outlet Panel

When Outlets are present, use the Outlet Editor panel to define the conditions of the gas at the outlet
boundary. For automatic meshing cases, the Outlet icon bar offers 4 icons for managing outlets: Re-

name , Copy , Paste , and Delete . You can create a new outlet by copying and

pasting an existing one or by using the New Outlet icon on the Boundary Condition icon bar.
However, for body-fitted cases the presence of the outlet(s) is determined by the mesh flags upon

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import of the mesh, such that you cannot create new ones within the Simulation interface. For body-
fitted mesh projects, then, only the Rename option is available here.

Options on the Outlet Editor panel include:

• Location: Select the location of the outlet in the location list.

Note:

By default, surfaces included in the same open boundary condition are required to be
contiguous, but including non-contiguous surfaces in the same open boundary is sup-
ported as long as these surfaces are connected to the same region. To disable the con-
tiguity check, go to Edit Preferences > General Settings > Validation Settings and
check the box Skip Open Surface Contiguity Check.

• Outlet Options: Select from the list of outlet types:Static Pressure, Total Pressure, and either of
these can also be Time Varying, or Continuative Outlet. Time Varying options can include a
time-frame offset (see Time Frames (p. 35)). If a Pressure Outlet is selected, an option is provided
for Offset Distance to Apply Pressure. This is the offset distance between the boundary and the
location of the specified fixed (ambient) pressure, which enables the boundary to absorb acoustic
waves and reduce any tendency the waves may have to be reflected back in. You must enter a
constant pressure value or a pressure profile that varies as a function of time (or crank angle) for
Pressure Outlets (see profile data in Entering Profile Data (p. 16)).

• Turbulence: This parameter set is necessary for the possibility of reverse flow at the outlet. To use
it, select from the list a method for indicating outlet turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and TKE dissip-
ation rate; using the pull-down list, and then specify the corresponding parameter values and units
where appropriate. Specification options include:

– Turbulence Intensity and Length Scale

– Turbulence Kinetic Energy and Dissipation Rate

– Turbulence Intensity and Dissipation Rate

– Turbulent Kinetic Energy and Length Scale

The above options allow you to specify absolute values for the TKE and TKE Dissipation rates or to
use the relative values of Turbulent Intensity and Turbulent Length Scale. Turbulence Intensity is
a dimensionless measure of the turbulent kinetic energy and is defined such that:

Turbulent Kinetic Energy: = ( UI ) 2 /2,

where U is the local mean velocity magnitude and I is the turbulence intensity fraction specified.

Turbulent Length Scale: Defines the boundary value of epsilon in the k-epsilon turbulence model,
through the relationship:

3/2
Ε= C mu k /L

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3.4.3. Wall Boundary

In a CFD simulation, the simulation domain is very commonly bound by solid wall boundaries. This
section describes how to set up boundary conditions on the wall boundaries. For each wall boundary,
the Wall Editor panel allows specification of the wall-boundary-layer model treatment options, the
wall heat-transfer options, wall roughness parameters, and wall motion.

The available options for the wall-boundary-layer model are Free Slip, No Slip, or Law of the Wall.
To simulate turbulent flows in internal combustion engines, the Law of the Wall is the recommended
approach to accurately capture wall boundary layer's effects, especially when the mesh size is coarser
than the boundary layer thickness. It is available with both the RANS and LES turbulence models (See
Turbulence (p. 64)). The No Slip model works well with a laminar flow simulation. The Free Slip
model can work in special circumstances, such as when the wall boundary is at a far distance and
does not affect the flows at all. More information about these options is available in Wall Conditions
for the Momentum Equation in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual.

Two parameters for specifying wall roughness are available, the Roughness Height and Roughness
Constant. Typical Roughness Height values vary from 0.1 micron (for very smooth surfaces, such as
glass surfaces) to 5 micron (for rough surfaces, such as metal surfaces). If Roughness Height is set
to zero, the wall will be modeled as ideally smooth wall and all roughness effects will be ignored for
this wall. The default value of Roughness Height is set to 1.0 micron in the Forte User Interface. Wall
roughness affects the outcomes of spray-wall interactions. If the Law of the Wall model option is
used, it also affects the prediction of wall shear stress. To consider these effects, set a proper, averaged
physical roughness height. Presumably the roughness height is smaller than the mesh size used on
the wall. Otherwise, the roughness is considered too large and the wall surface geometry should be
modified to account for it. The roughness constant depends on the type of roughness. Its default
value (0.5) corresponds to tightly packed, uniform sand-grain roughness. Details of how the roughness
affects wall boundary conditions and spray-wall interactions can be found in Wall Conditions for the
Momentum Equation and Wall Impingement Model in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual , respectively.

For the options of modeling wall heat transfer, if Heat Transfer is turned off, the wall is assumed to
be adiabatic. If Heat Transfer is turned on, heat transfer model will be used to calculate heat transfer
from or to the wall. The sign convention used in Forte is that a positive value of heat transfer rate or
heat flux indicates heat being lost from the fluid to the wall. Five Thermal Boundary Condition options
are provided: constant wall temperature, spatially varying wall temperature, time varying wall temper-
ature, heat flux, and external convection.

• Wall Temperature, Constant: use this option to specify a wall temperature. The wall temperature
which applies uniformly to the specified wall and remains constant throughout the simulation.

• Wall Temperature, Spatially Varying: This option allows a wall boundary to have spatially varying
temperatures. The actual temperature at a specific location on the wall is obtained through table
lookup. Note that the table does not vary with time. You can use the Profile Editor to create or
specify the Temperature Table. The Boundary Condition Table of spatially varying temperature, like
the one shown in Figure 3.17: Imported set of spatially varying temperatures (p. 87) , can be imported
from CGNS, .ftres, .csv, and .ftbl formatted files. The form of the .ftbl files is described
in Appendix H: File Formats (p. 265). Note that the coordinate values X,Y,Z are always required.

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 Boundary Conditions Node

Figure 3.17: Imported set of spatially varying temperatures

• Wall Temperature, Time Varying: This option allows a wall to have time-varying boundary tem-
peratures. The temperature is assumed to be uniform on the wall at any given time. You can use
the Profile Editor to create the temperature profile as a function of crank angle or time. A Time
Frame can be used to specify a crank angle or a time offset relative to the global time frame. A
crank angle-based profile can be treated as cyclic and repeated for each cycle. In addition, the Use
Global Crank Angle Limits option allows the profile to be treated as cyclic only within a global
crank angle range.

• Heat Flux: In this option, a constant heat flux is specified as input, Forte will calculate the wall
temperature using this input. The correlation between heat flux and wall temperature is governed
by the heat transfer model.

• External Convection: In this option, both the heat flux across the wall boundary and wall temper-
ature are unknowns. Instead, you specify an external heat transfer coefficient and a free stream
temperature. The external convection equation can be written as:

(3.6)

in which and are the heat flux and wall temperature, respectively, is the external
heat transfer coefficient, and is the external freestream temperature. Heat flux and wall
temperature are solved by combining the external convection equation and the internal heat
transfer model equation.

With the wall temperature specified, the wall heat transfer model in Ansys Forte will calculate the
wall heat transfer rate based on the difference between gas and wall temperatures, among other
factors. Three Heat Transfer Model options are available:

• Han-Reitz model
• Amsden model
• User-defined location

The details of the model are described in the Wall Conditions for the Energy Equation in the Ansys
Forte Theory Manual. When the Han-Reitz model is selected, you can turn on the optional Pressure
Effects to consider the effect of near-wall pressure fluctuation on the heat transfer rate. By default,

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this option is not selected because the pressure fluctuation’s effect is secondary to that of the tem-
perature difference. For the user-defined function option, you can find the sample code in the
user_defined_function\wall folder in your Ansys Forte installation. The corresponding UDF
is UDF_Wall_HeatTransfer. This UDF is designed to calculate the heat flux for a local condition.
Among the input parameters, wallID can be used to identify a wall boundary, and hence it is possible
to apply different wall function formulations to different wall boundaries. wallID is the wall
boundary index following the order wall boundaries are listed in the setup tree.

The Heat Transfer Multiplier allows you to tune the heat transfer rate based on the heat transfer
model’s prediction. The default multiplier is unity, which indicates applying the heat transfer model’s
prediction without any modification. If the multiplier is not unity, the number will be multiplied by
the predicted heat transfer rate.

The wall shear stress applied from the fluid onto the wall can be calculated using two options, one
is Ansys Forte’s default wall function, the other is user defined function. When the default wall function
is selected, you can turn on the optional Roughness Effects option to consider the wall roughness
effect on shear stress. More details are described in Wall Conditions for the Momentum Equation in
the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . For the user-defined function option, you can find the sample code
in the user_defined_function\wall folder in your Forte installation. The corresponding UDF
is UDF_Wall_ShearStress. This UDF is designed to calculate the shear stress for a local condition.
Among the input parameters, wallID can be used to identify a wall boundary, and hence it is possible
to apply different shear model formulations to different wall boundaries. wallID is the wall boundary
index following the order wall boundaries are listed in the setup tree.

Tip:

More information about using User-defined functions (UDFs) is available in Output User
Routine Option (p. 115) .

In a typical engine flow simulation there should be several wall boundaries defined for the engine
combustion chamber, intake and exhaust ports, and valves. Certain wall boundaries (engine cylinder
head, intake and exhaust ports) are static; while other boundaries (piston and valves) are moving.

For automatic-meshing projects, each wall boundary surface can be defined independently. The Wall

icon bar offers 4 icons: Rename , Copy , Paste , and Delete , which are used to
manage the walls. You can create a new wall by copying and pasting an existing one or by using the

New Wall icon on the Boundary Conditions icon bar. For body-fitted mesh cases, however, the
wall boundaries are predetermined upon import of the mesh, and made corresponding to each part
of the engine wall boundaries as Head, Liner, Intake Port, Exhaust Port, and the Valves. In this case,
only the Rename option is available.

If the wall represents a moving boundary, select from Slider Crank or Offset Table as the Motion
Type and provide the related settings, which are described in the following sections.

3.4.3.1. Slider Crank Motion

For this type of moving boundary, you must specify the engine characteristics that control piston
movement. These include:

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• Stroke: This is the swept vertical distance of the piston from bottom-dead center to top-dead
center.

• Connecting Rod Length: This is the length of the connecting rod that connects the crank arm
and the piston pin.

• Piston Offset: When the piston pin is not aligned vertically with the crankshaft, the offset is
defined as the distance between the vertical axis through the pin and the vertical axis through
the crankshaft. In Figure 3.18: Piston-pin offset distance (p. 91) , the distance x is the piston offset.

– a - arbitrary piston position

– b - position at its true TDC

– c - position at its true BDC

• The piston pin offset distance is defined as the distance between the two vertical dashed lines
(distance x in Figure 3.18: Piston-pin offset distance (p. 91)). Both lines are parallel to the piston’s
direction of motion. The left-side dashed line goes through the piston pin and the right-side line
goes through the crank-shaft rotating center.

• Sign Conventions: In Ansys Forte, the piston pin offset distance is defined as positive if the offset
is toward the thrust side relative to the crank centerline. The positive offset is illustrated in Fig-
ure 3.18: Piston-pin offset distance (p. 91), in which the crank shaft rotates in a clockwise direction
and the piston pin is on the left side of the crank shaft center.

• True Stroke: When piston-pin offset exists, the piston's actual traveling distance from its true
TDC to its true BDC is longer than two times the crank radius. In Ansys Forte, stroke is two times
the crank radius. The piston travel range from its true TDC to its true BDC will be referred to as
True Stroke.

• Crank Angle = 0: There are two ways of defining the crank angle = 0° position: use piston TDC
or crank TDC. Ansys Forte's convention is to define Piston TDC as crank angle = 0°. If needed,
the offset angle between the piston TDC convention and crank TDC convention can be easily
calculated. Time Frames can be used to shift the timing of a moving wall (see Time Frames (p. 35)).

In addition to the engine parameters, the following options are needed for any moving boundary:

• Vertices to Transform: You can select All, or only Interior or only Exterior. For the piston motion,
the All option is usually appropriate, which means that all of the vertices (front and back of the
surface) will move together with the prescribed motion.

• Direction: Select the coordinate system that is most convenient for the motion and then define
a unit vector in the direction of the desired motion. For a piston that is initially defined at BDC
position, for example, where the center of the cylinder is the Z-axis, the direction of motion would
be in the +z direction, so you would enter 0,0,1.0 in the X,Y, Z coordinates using the Cartesian
coordinate system. In this case the magnitude and units of the vector are not important.

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• Table 3.1: TDC and BDC conventions in Forte

Piston Position when the piston is at its true TDC.

TDC
Crank Position when the crank shaft is pointing upward vertically; crank pin reaches
TDC its uppermost position.
Piston Position when the piston is at its true BDC.
BDC
Crank Position when the crank shaft is pointing downward vertically; piston is above
BDC its true BDC.

• AMG Piston Requirement: In automatic mesh generation (AMG) cases, the piston in the initial
geometry is assumed to be at its true TDC position, which corresponds to crank angle = 0°. This
convention will prevent the initial surface mesh from being compressed. Such a compression
may cause the triangles on the surface mesh to be highly distorted or inverted.

• Body-fitted Piston Requirement: For body-fitted (BF) cases, the piston in the initial mesh will
be assumed to be at its true BDC position. Note that with piston pin offset, the true BDC position
does NOT correspond to the crank angle = 180° position. This convention will prevent the volume
mesh cells from being stretched beyond the piston's lowest position in the initial mesh.

• Mathematical Relations for Piston-Pin Offset

– The offset angle at Piston TDC is defined as the angle between the crank shaft and the ver-
tical line at Piston TDC, shown as angle α in Equation 3.7 (p. 90). The sign of α is consistent
with the sign of the pin offset distance x.
(3.7)

– The offset angle at Piston BDC is defined as the angle between the crank shaft and the ver-
tical line at Piston BDC, shown as angle β in Equation 3.8 (p. 90). The sign of β is consistent
with the sign of the pin offset distance x.
(3.8)

– True Stroke (Piston Travel Range): The distance between the piston's true TDC and true BDC
is calculated as:
(3.9)

In addition to the engine parameters, the following options are needed for any moving boundary:

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Figure 3.18: Piston-pin offset distance

3.4.3.2. Offset Table Motion

For the automatic meshing option, you can specify an arbitrary offset table for any surface to define
a moving boundary in the system. This general option is not available for body-fitted meshes; for
body-fitted meshes, valves are defined as a special boundary type as described in Valve Definitions
(Body-fitted Mesh Only) (p. 94). For the general Offset Table motion-type option, you must specify
the following:

• Vertices to Transform: You can select All, or only Interior or only Exterior. In most cases, the
All option is appropriate. However, when defining valve (not piston) motion, it is often necessary
to allow only the Interior vertices to move. This is required when the original valve-stem surface,
as defined by the imported CAD file, does not extend to a sufficient length to allow the valve to
open without opening up a "hole" in the valve-stem/port-wall boundary. In such cases, we want
the valve stem to elongate with the valve motion, which can be accomplished by keeping the
exterior vertices fixed while allowing only the Interior vertices to move as the valve pushes into
the interior. Here Interior vertices refer to those in contact with the fluid region when that region
is first activated and Exterior means those pointing outward, such as the outer face of the valve
stem end. It’s possible that a surface mesh contains zero or more external edges (a completely
closed shape would have no external edges).

• Time Frame: The time offset applied to this wall.

• Direction: Select the coordinate system that is most convenient for the motion and then define
a unit vector in the direction of the desired motion. In this case the units of the vector are not
important, as long as the relative values within the selected coordinate system are consistent.

• Lift Profile: Specification of the lift profile, as a function of crank angle or time, is required to
control the boundary motion during the simulation. Select or create a profile using the pull-down
menu. (See Entering Profile Data (p. 16), for details). If the lift profile is based on crank angle,
you can select the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option to shift the crank angle in the

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profile to fit within 0–360 (for 2-stroke) or 0–720 (for 4-stroke) degrees. The adjusted lift profile
will then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree
schedule (2-stroke).

You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range for
the cyclic repetition of the lift profile. If the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option is not
selected, then the crank angle provided in the lift profile will not be converted to cyclic.

Note:

For engine simulations, it is recommended that the lift profile always cover one entire
cycle, using values between 0 and 720 degrees.

• Critical Motion Limit: Factor that determines when a boundary is considered separated from its
neighbor (for example, when a valve is open). A space is considered to be an opening through
which fluid can flow when its largest dimension becomes greater than the Critical Motion Limit
multiplied by the local mesh-size control.

3.4.3.3. Rotation Motion

A rotation motion requires two user inputs: Angular Velocity and Rotation Axis. The rotation axis
should be specified through a reference frame such that the rotation axis aligns with the Z-axis of
this reference frame. Once the rotation axis is defined, the sign of the angular velocity follows the
right-hand rule. If a geometry includes multiple engaging rotors, the "gear ratio" and rotating dir-
ection must be set correctly to avoid surface intersection in the geometry.

3.4.3.4. Movement Type

When a moving boundary condition results in ports or regions of the fluid opening or closing, ad-
ditional inputs are required. Two types of boundary motion may be defined: Valve motion and
Sliding Interface motion.

1. Select Valve motion for valve-type boundary conditions, which open or close a port.

2. Select Sliding Interface motion in 2-stroke engine cases for a piston boundary condition that
opens a port by sliding past an opening in the liner.

3. Select Moving Surface for all other types of movement.

After selecting one of the Movement Types, additional required inputs are displayed in the Editor
panel. Additional inputs for Valve motion include:

• Stationary Valve Seating Surface: Select the stationary valve seating surface or surfaces. This
is the region that the top surface of the valve would seat against at zero lift.

• Valve Motion Activation Threshold: Enter the minimum lift required to trigger valve motion.
For lift values less than this limit, the valve will be held at zero lift and treated as a stationary
surface.

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 Boundary Conditions Node

• Approximate Cells in Gap At Min. Lift: Enter the minimum number of cells required in the gap
upon valve lift (suggested range = 1.5 to 3 cells). A lower value will reduce the cell count around
the valve crevice, a higher value will increase the cell count.

Note:

For automatic mesh cases, it is important that the valve geometry is in a seated position.
Read the instructions in Valve-Seating Utility (p. 93) to achieve a seated valve.

Sliding Interface motion additional inputs:

• Select Stationary Sliding Surface: Select the stationary surface the piston slides against (that
is, select the surface that represents the liner).

3.4.3.5. Valve-Seating Utility

A valve correctly in the seated position should be as close as possible to the stationary seating
surface without intersecting it, that is, there should be some small gap (less than 1.0e-3 mm)
between the top of the valve and the stationary seat.

When Valve Motion is selected, a utility is available to move the valve to the seated location if it
is not already. To run the utility, click the Seat the Valve button visible in the Boundary Condition's
Editor panel. A prompt will ask for a target distance. This is the closest distance between the vertices
of the valve surface to be seated and their closest points on the valve seat. This number is used by
the utility to take the following actions to seat the valve:

Note:

If you cancel the procedure while it is seeking the seating for the valve, it reverts to the
pre-seating location.

1. The points on the valve seating surface (the stationary surface) closest to the vertices of the
valve moving surface are identified.

2. The utility translates the valve to minimize the distance between the moving vertices and their
corresponding fixed-surface closest points.

3. The valve's interior vertices (those vertices which are not shared by an adjacent stationary
boundary) are transformed according to the transformation just described.

4. The geometry is updated in the 3-D View with the changes, and you are prompted to accept
or cancel the changes.

The result of this process can be one of two things:

• The target distance is achieved. Achieving a target distance is the desired case and causes the
"accept or cancel" prompt to appear.

• The solver finds a minimum distance larger than the desired tolerance. A message describing
the current state is displayed, and causes the "accept or cancel" prompt to appear.

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3.4.3.6. Valve Definitions (Body-fitted Mesh Only)

For body-fitted meshes, valve motion is treated a special case of a wall, since the mesh motion
around the valve seat involves a complex algorithm for cell compression and removal or addition,
as valves close or open. The Valve Editor panel includes the following options, in addition to those
described above for a general Wall boundary:

• Valve Type: Specify whether the valve is an intake or exhaust valve.

Figure 3.19: Intake valve geometry input parameter illustration

• Minimum valve clearance from the valve seat: This is used to determine the point of valve
closure and opening during valve motion. The minimum valve clearance specified by the user
should correspond to the value in the profile when the valves are considered closed.

• Valve Thickness: The separation distance between the valve's top and bottom surfaces. This in-
formation is used in the control algorithm for adjusting the mesh during valve motion.

Note:

Note that the valve thickness must match the actual dimension in the mesh.

• XZ Tilt: The tilt angle of the valve axis relative to the X-Z plane.

• Lift Profile: Specification of the valve-lift profile, as a function of crank angle or time, is required
to control the valve motion during the simulation. Select or create a profile using the pull-down
menu. (See Entering Profile Data (p. 16), for details.) For engine simulations, the crank-angle
profile should always cover one entire cycle, using values between 0 and 720 degrees. During
the simulation, Ansys Forte will use the periodicity of the cycle to determine the values at crank
angles outside of this range.

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• Snapping Table: The number of entries in the snapping table equals the number of mesh
snapping events between the valve and its surrounding squish region as the valve travels from
the closed location to the fully lifted location. This number of entries should be close to the
number of squish cell layers that the valve passes during its travel. The values in the table are
the fractions of the valve's total lift distance.

3.4.4. Periodicity Boundary

For body-fitted sector-mesh cases, a periodicity boundary will be present and should be associated
with the two vertical faces of the sector. The sector periodicity information will be determined auto-
matically and is displayed in the Editor panel for reference.

General requirements for the body-fitted sector geometry include:

1. The piston is assumed to be at its BDC (bottom dead center) position in the surface mesh.

2. The sector/cylinder axis must be aligned precisely with the z-axis.

3. The front periodic surface should be precisely in the X-Y plane.

Requirements 2 and 3 are automatically satisfied in a mesh generated by Ansys Forte’s Sector Mesh
Generator.

For AMG (Automatic Mesh Generation) sector-mesh cases, a periodicity boundary condition should
be added and associated with the two vertical faces of the sector. For sector geometries other than
90° or 180°, the sector angle is automatically calculated based on the surface geometry. General re-
quirements for the AMG sector geometry include:

1. The piston is assumed to be at its TDC (top dead center) position in the surface mesh.

2. The sector/cylinder periodic axis must be aligned precisely with the z-axis.

3. The sector must be symmetric about the positive X-Z plane, that is, the central plane of the sector
must be aligned with the X-Z plane as in Figure 3.20: Sector alignment for periodicity (p. 95).

Figure 3.20: Sector alignment for periodicity

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90° and 180° Periodicity

Due to the nature of Forte’s underlying Cartesian mesh, there are two special cases that can exploit
the Cartesian alignment for 90° or 180° sectors. These special cases require a different alignment.

1. For 90°sector geometry, the geometry should be aligned so that the periodic surfaces occupy the
X-Z and Y-Z planes, as shown in Figure 3.21: Sector alignment for periodicity (p. 96).

2. For 180° sector geometry, the geometry should be aligned so that the periodic surface is aligned
with the X-Z plane and is centered about the Y-Z plane, as shown in Figure 3.22: Sector alignment
for periodicity (p. 97).

Figure 3.21: Sector alignment for periodicity

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 Initial Conditions Node

Figure 3.22: Sector alignment for periodicity

Projects making use of Forte’s automatic meshing capability (AMG) can also define a symmetry
boundary condition. The geometry should be aligned so that the symmetry plane is aligned with the
X-Z plane and is centered about the Y-Z plane. This is similar to the 180° alignment shown in Fig-
ure 3.22: Sector alignment for periodicity (p. 97).

3.5. Initial Conditions Node

Transient simulations in Ansys Forte require specification of initial conditions for all of the system vari-
ables, for each region defined in the geometry.

Note:

As with Boundary Conditions, the handling of region initialization is different between projects
involving imported body-fitted meshes and projects set up for automatic mesh generation.

3.5.1. Configuration of Initialization Regions for Body-fitted Mesh

For body-fitted meshes, the region definitions must be specified as flags associated with the mesh
itself, following the KIVA-3V export convention. In this case, after importing the mesh, the regions
will already appear in the Initial Conditions list, a Region ID is automatically assigned, and there is
no need to map the regions to any geometry surface. For these regions, you need only set the initial
variable values, as described for the Initialization panel in Initialization Panel (p. 99).

3.5.2. Configuration of Initialization Regions for Automatic-mesh Generation

For automatic mesh generation, a Default Initialization node is automatically created in the Initial
Conditions tree. This is used to describe all regions not otherwise specified in separate region initial-
izations.

There are two strategies for defining initial conditions in cases using automatic-mesh generation:

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1. Let the valves and/or sliding port interfaces separate regions to receive different initial conditions.

2. Let user-defined volumes separate regions to receive different initial conditions.

3.5.2.1. Strategy 1: Let the Valves and/or Sliding Port Interfaces Separate Regions

The Initial Conditions icon bar offers the option: Secondary Region from Material Point , which
can be used to define a new region that will be initialized differently from the default initialization.
The new region can be a cylinder, an engine manifold, or an engine port. Creating a new Initialization
will add an item to the Initial Conditions tree and open an Editor panel to configure the initial
conditions of that region. For a Secondary Region Initialization, the location of the region is defined
by the location of a region material point. (See Mesh Controls for Automatic Meshing (p. 51).) The
material point sits inside the watertight surface, and touches a cell inside the secondary region.
Once a secondary region is created, then the Initialization order must be correctly set.

Initialization order indicates which region should be used in the assigning of properties in newly
created cells. The order should generally follow the direction of the flow. For example, when new
cells are created by the movement of an intake valve, those cells should be initialized from the intake
port, and not from the cylinder, such that the initialization order of the intake port should be lower
than the Initialization order of the cylinder. Similarly, the Initialization order of the cylinder should
be lower than the Initialization order of the exhaust port.

Initialization order for a four-stroke engine:

1. Intake port

2. Cylinder

3. Exhaust port

Initialization order for two-stroke engine with side ports that are uncovered by the piston motion:

1. Cylinder

2. Intake port

3. Exhaust port

In the unusual case that no stationary location exists that stays inside the watertight surface
throughout the entire simulation, the material point location can be set to translate along with a
moving boundary surface. Use the Translate Material Point with Boundary Motion option on the
Initial Conditions panel to specify the boundary that should have paired movement with the mater-
ial point.

3.5.2.2. Strategy 2: Let User-defined Volumes Separate Regions

The Initial Conditions icon bar offers the option: Secondary Region from Subvolume , which
can be used to define a new region that will be initialized differently from the default initialization.
This strategy allows selection of one or more user-defined subvolumes to initialize to the same
state. It is typically used to define a subchamber or prechamber attached to an engine cylinder.

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 Initial Conditions Node

Using this strategy requires the creation of user-defined subvolumes under the Mesh Controls node.
See Mesh Controls for Automatic Meshing (p. 51) for an overview of Mesh Controls.

Note:

Strategy 2, Let User-defined Volumes Separate Regions, should not be used to define
engine port or manifold regions, as it can lead to incorrect region IDs for cells near the
port/cylinder interface. These errors are difficult to notice and cause problems in the
calculations.

3.5.2.3. Assigning Region Types

As with other initialization strategies, any cells not explicitly identified by the region definition will
receive the default initial conditions. Region IDs are valid in either Strategy 1 or Strategy 2 for de-
fining initial conditions

When you create a subvolume, the "regions" are defined through the initialization items, that is,
the first initialization item listed on the Workflow tree receives region ID = 1, the second initialization
item is given region ID = 2, and so on.

You can accept the default RegionType or assign another type to the subvolume:

• Cylinder / Primary: Cylinder corresponds to reciprocating engine cases and Primary corresponds
to non-engine cases. Note that a cylinder region is expected to be adjacent to at least one slider-
crank moving boundary. From the modeling perspective, chemistry (both gas-phase and particle
chemistry), spark ignition, and flame propagation are calculated in this type of region; from the
output-reporting perspective, parameters reported in most of the CSV files are averaged over a
cylinder/primary region. These files include thermo.csv, dynamic.csv, species-
mass.csv, molefraction.csv, massfraction.csv, chemsolver.csv,
flame.csv, particle.csv, particle_size_distribution.csv.

• Other: In this type of region, chemistry, spark ignition, and flame propagation are not modeled,
from the modeling perspective. From the output-reporting perspective, parameters reported in
the CSV files (listed above) do not consider these regions.

• Subchamber: A subchamber region is typically created based on a subvolume. This type of region
is a compromise between the first two region types. From the modeling point of view, chemistry,
spark ignition, and flame propagation are allowed to happen in this type of region. From the
output-reporting perspective, parameters reported in the aforementioned CSV files do not consider
these regions. For example, when a subvolume connected to a cylinder is defined as a
subchamber, the volume of this subchamber will not be included in the in-cylinder volume re-
ported in thermo.csv for this cylinder. This subchamber region type is useful when you want
to give different initial conditions to a subchamber and the cylinder connected to it. To monitor
spatially averaged parameters in a subchamber, consider using a subvolume-based monitor
probe.

3.5.3. Initialization Panel

Each region Initialization, whether the Default, Cylinder, Port, or a Subvolume region, requires specific-
ation of temperature, pressure and species composition. In addition, turbulence kinetic energy, and
velocity components, if non-zero, may be specified. The same Turbulence specification options are

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available as described for the Outlet Boundary specification in Outlet Panel (p. 84). The velocity can
be specified in absolute values as coordinate components, or using a swirl-flow correlation. The swirl-
flow may be defined as general or "engine swirl" and these are provided as two options: engine swirl
and general swirl. The engine swirl-flow correlation requires association of a moving wall boundary
that has slider-crank motion, since the swirl-flow is scaled with the angular velocity of the crank rotation.
For body-fitted cases, this association is done automatically, but for automatic mesh generation, you
must select the appropriate boundary (for example, the piston boundary) and make this association
explicitly. The general-swirl correlation does not require a slider-crank motion to provide the reference
angular velocity. Instead, you can specify the angular velocity explicitly. The general swirl option is
useful for applications in which a slider-crank motion boundary does not exist. Optional initialization
for surface composition and dispersed phase properties for particle tracking can be specified as de-
scribed below. For details of setting the swirl-flow parameters, see Using Swirl Ratio to Initialize Velo-
city (p. 100).

• Composition: Use the Mixture Editor to specify the details of the composition. Select whether
the Region’s species composition is Constant or Spatially Varying. For a constant composition,
the Mixture Editor is launched (see Mixture Editor (p. 22) for details). For a spatially varying com-

position, click the Pencil icon next to Create new... and the Initial Condition Table Editor
launches. Name this new time-varying condition and use the buttons at the bottom of the window
to import data from a structured data file or map variables from a CGNS-formatted file. very occa-
sionally you may need to manipulate CGNS project or solution files and a utility to do this is de-
scribed in <new appendix>

Offset and Scaling Factors for the Spatially Varying Option: If the spatially varying option is
selected for pressure, temperature, turbulence parameters, or the three velocity components, you
can specify an offset value and a scaling factor (scalar) for each of these parameters. The modified
value will be calculated as: scalar times (original value + offset value).

• Surface Composition and Dispersed Phase: Use the Solid Phase Editor to specify the details
of the surface composition and dispersed phase properties (see Solid Phase Editor and Dispersed
Phase Editor for Particle Tracking (p. 37) for details). This is only required if particles are assumed
to be already present at the start of the simulation.

Note:

If you decide to create an IC table by importing an Ansys Forte solution (ftres)

file, then after you have loaded the ftres file, choose a CellSolution data set
contained in the ftres file to set up IC tables for pressure, temperature, turbulence
parameters, and species mass fractions, and choose a VertexSolution data set for
velocity. This is necessary because different parameters are stored in different nodes
in the ftres file. In both cases, the Run Auto-Map button should be able to map all
parameters available in the ftres file automatically.

3.5.3.1. Using Swirl Ratio to Initialize Velocity

As described in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual, a swirl pattern is often induced within the engine
cylinder for the initial gas mixture. To specify swirl conditions, you must first select Engine Swirl
or General Swirl in the pull-down list next to Velocity on the Initialization Editor panel (Initial

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 Simulation Controls Node

Conditions > Initialization). For automatic-mesh generation projects, select the Geometry entity
that corresponds to the Boundary condition where a slider-crank wall motion is imposed, such as
the piston surface, in the Slider Crank Boundary list if more than one region exists in the mesh.

For the Engine Swirl option, specify the following parameters:

• Initial Swirl Ratio: This is the initial ratio of the swirl flow's angular momentum relative to the
crankshaft rotation speed (both in revolutions per minute). When viewed from the positive Z
direction, a positive value of swirl indicates counterclockwise motion in keeping with the right-
hand rule. The rotation is assumed to be about the Z-axis. A default value is provided that is
typical for many engines.

• Initial Swirl Profile Factor: This factor, referred to as α in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual, is a
dimensionless constant that defines the initial azimuthal velocity profile. It should have a value
that lies between 0.0 (the wheel flow limit) and 3.83 (corresponding to zero velocity at the wall).
The recommended and default value is 3.11.

• Initialize Velocity Components Normal to Piston: If checked, the axial velocity component will
be set to vary linearly from the piston surface to the top of the region (axial velocity = piston
velocity at the piston surface, axial velocity = 0 at top of cylinder) for an engine cylinder.

For General Swirl, specify the Reference Frame (see Reference Frames (p. 34)) and the following
parameters:

• Radius: The radius defining the outermost swirling velocity location with respect to the Z-axis
of the reference frame.

• Axial Velocity: The initial axial velocity to be applied uniformly within the region defined by this
initialization.

• Reference Angular Velocity: The angular velocity defining the swirl velocity.

• Initial Swirl Profile Factor: The initial swirl profile factor, α, is a dimensionless constant that
defines the initial azimuthal velocity profile and lies between 0.0 (the wheel flow limit) and 3.83
(zero velocity at the wall). The recommended value is 3.11.

3.6. Simulation Controls Node

The last major controls to set for the simulation are the simulation time (or crank-angle) limits, as well
as solver controls that may affect the accuracy and convergence behavior of the simulation. The Simu-
lation Controls Editor panel shows the Simulation Limits settings. In addition, sub-nodes under Simulation
Controls include: Time Step, Chemistry Solver, Transport Terms, Detect Steady State, and GT-Suite
panels. The GT-Suite is a third-party link that is described in the Forte Tutorials. The others are described
below.

3.6.1. Simulation Limits Sub-panel

For Simulation Limits, enter the start and end of the simulation. The extent of the simulation can be
specified in terms of time or crank angle (for engine cases). You can also choose to restrict the overall
number of time steps for special cases when this may be desired. In addition to transient simulations,
there is an option to detect a Steady State simulation.

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Time Based End Points: Specify the maximum simulation time.

Crank Angle Based End Points: Specify the initial and end points for simulation. Crank angles are
assumed to be specified relative to the top-dead-center (TDC) location of the piston, such that TDC
occurs at 0 crank angle degrees and increments of 360 degrees (that is, at 0, 360, 720,...). However,
when the piston pin is offset relative to the crank shaft, crank angle of 0 and piston TDC do not coin-
cide.

• Initial Crank Angle: ATDC, initial crank angle for the simulation.

• Final Simulation Crank Angle: Final crank angle, defining the extent of the simulation.

• RPM: Engine Speed of the crankshaft rotation.

• Cycle Type: You can specify a 4-stroke or 2-stroke engine.

• Engine Bore: (Automatic Mesh Generation only) Choose whether the engine bore should be calcu-
lated automatically or be user-specified. The Calculate Automatically option computes the bore
value based on the dimensions of the surface(s) used to define the piston boundary. However, if
the piston is split into multiple moving boundaries, the automatically calculated value is unreliable.
In this case, specify the bore explicitly. This engine bore option only applies to cases using auto-
matic mesh generation. This input is not used for cases using body-fitted meshes.

Tip:

If you need to modify the simulation end points without loading the Forte project
into the user interface, you can do so using command line options. For time-based
simulation, use -tfinal time_value, where time_value is a real number
with unit second, for example, -tfinal 0.1. For crank angle-based simulation,
use -cafinal ca_value, where ca_value is a real number with unit degree,
for example, -cafinal 180.0. The command-line input values will override the
end-point values specified on the user interface panel.

Note:

In a multicycle simulation, the global crank angle value will increase monotonically
starting from the initial crank angle until it reaches the final crank angle. However,
crank-angle-based timing parameters, such as spark timing, injection timing, and
output controls, will be converted to fit in the range of [0, 720) °ATDC (for four-
stroke) or [0, 360) °ATDC (for two-stroke) and treated as cyclic automatically.

• Solution Constraints can be used to apply an upper bound to local flow velocity or Mach number.
If the velocity limiter or Mach number limiter is enabled, local velocity magnitude will be bounded
based on these user-specified limits everywhere inside the fluid domain. These limiters essentially
behave as momentum sink. They allow larger CFD time steps to be reachable by sacrificing the
accuracy of the local flow solution at certain high-velocity spots. They are useful in cases where
the accuracy at these high-velocity spots is unimportant and it is desirable not to let these high
velocities overly constrain CFD time step size.

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3.6.2. Time Step Panel

Ansys Forte simulations use advanced adaptive time-step control to allow the most efficient solution
while maintaining accuracy during dynamic simulations where sharp gradients in solution variables
may occur. Often, default time-step controls are acceptable, but in some cases modifying the time-
step controls may aid in convergence or allow faster simulation times. There are three major ways in
which the time-step is controlled: the initial time step, the maximum time step, and the algorithm
by which the time-step is increased under different conditions. These controls are described below:

• Initial Simulation Time Step: The starting value of the time step. The time step will be determined
adaptively starting from the specified time-step value, based on rate of change of solution gradients.
Generally, the adaptive time-step algorithm will gradually increase the step size until a limit is en-
countered or solution gradients become too large.

• Restrict Time Step by Crank Angle: This determines an overall maximum time-step size for engine
cases and is set to 1.1 by default.

• Maximum Time Step Option: The actual transport time step in Ansys Forte is adaptively determined,
but the maximum time step constrains time-step increase, which can help convergence during
times of rapid change. Such rapid changes can occur, for example, when droplet breakup and fuel
vaporization occur or during valve opening or closing. The maximum time step may be defined as
a constant value or as Time Varying, that is, a profile that is a function of crank angle or time. The
latter option allows you to specify a large time step for parts of a simulation where you don’t expect
sharp gradients and restrict it to a smaller value during critical simulation periods, such as fuel in-
jection.

If the maximum time step ("dtmax") profile is a function of crank angle, the Adjust Profile to
Cyclic Boundaries option shifts the profile to fit within 0-–360 (for 2-stroke) or 0–720 (for 4-stroke)
crank angles. The adjusted dtmax profile will then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree
schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle
Limits to impose a global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition of the dtmax profile. If the
Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option is not selected, then the crank angle provided in the
dtmax profile will not be converted to cyclic.

• Specify Minimum Time Step: You can specify the minimum simulation time step explicitly by
checking this box. If not specified, the minimum time step will be set to the Initial Simulation
Time Step multiplied by 1.E-7. The simulation will be terminated when the adaptively controlled
actual CFD time step drops below the minimum time step value.

• Advanced Time Step Control Options: The adaptive time-stepping algorithm within Ansys Forte
adjusts the time-step size to optimize solution efficiency and accuracy. In most cases, the default
parameters that control this algorithm should be retained. However, if convergence issues are en-
countered it may be advantageous to reduce the values on some of these controls. The tool tips
provide a handy reference for each parameter, describing the recommended range and the anticip-
ated effect of adjusting the parameter away from its default values.

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In Ansys Forte calculations, the CFD time step is limited by the user-specified maximum value
(dtmax) or several other factors, whichever is smaller. The current limiting factor is reported in the
log file and refers to the following:

Table 3.2: Description of time-step-limiting factors

Name Description
Pressure Limits the number of pressure iterations in the SIMPLE (Semi-Implicit Method
Iteration for Pressure-Linked Equations) algorithm. This type of iteration is referred to
as big iteration. The max number of pressure iterations is controlled to be
less than 50. If this limit is exceeded within a time step, this time step will be
recycled with a reduced time step (reduced by a half ). If the number of
iterations is larger than 3 in the previous time step, the current time step will
be reduced by a half also.
Fluid Limiting factor based on fluid acceleration.
Acceleration
Rate of Limiting factor based on the rate of strain of fluid. It limits the amount of cell
Strain distortion that can occur due to mesh movement in the Lagrangian stage.
Fluxing Limits the magnitude of fluxing volume in any coordinate direction to a value
volume less than the cell volume.
Chem Time-step growth limiting factor when time-step is limited by rate of change
heat of internal energy due to chemical heat release. This factor is a limit of the
release rate of change of energy in each cell over a time step. A larger value makes
time-steps less constrained by rate of change of energy, but may affect the
accuracy of the overall solution
Vaporization Similar to Chemistry, this factor limits the internal energy change due to
vaporization to be smaller than a percentage of the cell's current internal
energy.
Valve This limit is applied when a valve is first opening. When a valve is opening,
opening the flow velocity across the valve tends to be large, thus a smaller value is
or applied.
Region
changing
Injection Used for precise control of injection timing. If the current time step is so large
timing that the next time point will pass an injection timing, then the time step will
be reduced to make the next time point match the timing precisely.
Spark Similar to Injection, used for precise control of spark ignition timings.
ignition

3.6.3. Chemistry Solver Panel

Note:

We strongly recommend keeping the default options for the chemistry solver, as these
have been tested to provide the best accuracy and speed.

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 Simulation Controls Node

Use this panel to define chemistry-solver options. These include solution tolerances, as well as options
that provide maximum efficiency in terms of computational speed. The options are described briefly
below:

• Absolute Tolerance for Chemistry Solver: This option sets the absolute tolerance for the species
mass fractions as they are solved with detailed kinetics. The default of 1.E-12 will assure that all
major and minor species that can contribute to a variety of engine phenomena are considered
throughout the simulation.

• Relative Tolerance for Chemistry Solver: This option sets the relative tolerance for the species
mass fractions as they are solved with detailed kinetics. The default of 1.E-5 roughly says that the
error in the converged solution will be around the fifth significant digit of the value reported. This
assures that major species are resolved sufficiently to predict their impact on minor or trace species.

• Use Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry: This option turns on a dynamic adaptive chemistry option,
which uses on-the-fly skeletalization of the detailed reaction-kinetics mechanism, based on the
Directed Relation Graph with Error Propagation (DRG-EP) method, as described in the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual. This option is off by default, but can be turned on when very large reaction
mechanisms (that is, with greater than 100 species) are used. It can potentially reduce the compu-
tational time significantly. It assures that only the relevant chemistry terms are being calculated at
any given time and at each location in the computational grid, based on local conditions.

– Search Tolerance: Controls the level of accuracy. The default value of 0.0001 has been tested
and shown to provide good accuracy for a wide variety of problems. A larger tolerance would
tend to lower the accuracy but might speed up the computation.

– Size Threshold for Activating DAC: This is a trigger for activating DAC. It represents the ratio
of species in the reduced mechanism to the number of species in the full mechanism. DAC will
be enabled when this ratio is smaller than the threshold set here. A value of 0.6 is recommended.
A value of 1.0 means DAC is always enabled.

– DAC Initial Species List: Select the initial species to be tracked by the DAC algorithm. We recom-
mend selecting all (premixed or injected) fuel species, plus CO and HO2. You may also want to
include emission-related species, such as NO, NO2 and C2H2 to improve accuracy for emissions
calculations. If you select the DAC option, you must select the initial species.

– Premixed Fuel Composition: Define the premixed fuel composition. (See Mixture Editor (p. 22)
for details.)

• Use Dynamic Cell Clustering: This is another option that can greatly speed the computation, by
assuring that chemistry computations are not unnecessarily repeated in cells that have the same
thermochemical state. The determination of thermochemical state similarity is based on 2 features,
by default, and these are fuel-air equivalence ratio within the cell and cell temperature. The default
tolerances for these variables are recommended.

• Use Autoignition-Induced Flame Propagation Model: Enables initialization and propagation of

flames induced by a cluster of autoignited computational cells. Once such a flame is initialized, the
heat release and species conversion rate in the flame-containing cells will be calculated either by
flame propagation or by the perfectly-stirred-reactor assumption.

• Use Turbulence Kinetics Interaction Model: Turns on the Turbulence Kinetics Interaction model,
including an option for the Mixing Time Coefficient, which controls the turbulent mixing time
scale. A larger value increases the effect of turbulent mixing on reaction rates.

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• Use Species Lumping When Chemistry is Deactivated : Species lumping can be used to lump
the mass of a group of trace species whose mass fractions are below a threshold into one or more
absorbing species when chemistry is deactivated. After the lumping, the mass of those trace species
become zero and they will no longer participate in flow transport. Note that species coming into
the computational domain through sprays or open boundaries and species involved in GT-Power
co-simulation are always kept and transported. The purpose of species lumping is for reducing the
computational cost associated with transporting large number of species. When species lumping
is applied, the list of species kept in flow transport will be printed in FORTE.log. The number of
transported species is also reported in chemsolver.csv.

– Mass Fraction Threshold For Marking Trace Species: A species will be marked as trace species
if its mass fraction in the whole computational domain is smaller than this threshold value. The
mass of identified trace species will be lumped into the absorbing species in each computational
cell.

– Absorbing Species: The absorbing species are used to absorb the total mass of all identified
trace species in each computational cell during species lumping. The total mass of the trace
species is allocated among the absorbing species proportionally based on the mass fractions of
the absorbing species. If this user-specified absorbing species list is empty, the species that has
the largest mass fraction in the domain will be used as the absorbing species.

– Core Species Set: The core species set contains species that will not be marked as trace species,
even though their mass fractions inside the whole domain may be lower than the mass fraction
threshold. Recommended core species include: N2, O2, CO2, H2O, CO, NO, NO2, OH, H, H2, C2H2,
C6H6, soot. Note that species coming into the computational domain through sprays or open
boundaries and species involved in GT-Power co-simulation are always kept as core species by
default, even if they are not specified on this list.

• Activate Chemistry: In some cases, there is no need to solve all the chemistry-related equations
during certain portions of the simulation, because we know a priori that very little or no chemistry
will take place. For example, prior to fuel injection or before the temperature reaches 600-700 K,
we would expect little to be happening. You can select to have chemistry Always On, Always Off,
or activated Conditionally. If you choose Conditionally, you can activate chemistry when a certain
temperature is reached, at a certain crank-angle interval time interval, at a certain time, or after full
injection or the first spark event. When you choose Conditionally, you can select which criteria
must be satisfied before chemistry will be activated. You can choose to place criteria on a threshold
temperature, at a certain crank angle interval, at a certain time interval, after fuel injection or after
the first spark event. For a CA-interval based activation control used in engine cases, the user-sup-
plied starting and ending crank angle values will be converted to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA
(for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The activation interval will then be
treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-
stroke). Note that all of the specified criteria must be satisfied before the chemistry will be activated
for a given cell.

Note:

The chemistry activation controls using spark timing or injection timing will be ignored
after the first engine cycle. Because of this, we recommend using controls based on
crank-angle intervals for multicycle simulations.

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 Simulation Controls Node

• Disable Chemistry in the Unburned Region During Flame Propagation: Selecting this option
causes chemistry calculation to be disabled in the unburned region when flame propagation is
used (initiated by spark-ignition), where the unburned region is identified as the region ahead of
and outside of the propagating flame front (represented by the G=0 iso-surface). This option is
typically useful in diagnosing autoignition during flame propagation.

3.6.4. Transport Terms Panel

Note:

We recommend keeping the default options for Transport Tolerances.

The tolerances specified on the Transport Terms panel help determine convergence for transport
variables indicated. The tolerance values specified provide the maximum relative error in the implicit
solution of the variable indicated. The maximum numbers of iterations specified on this panel are
used to control the accuracy of the transport solutions. If the specified limit is reached, the calculation
will be repeated using a reduced time step. You can consider using a larger limit for certain variables
if recycling is frequently requested by the implicit iteration of this variable.

3.6.5. Steady-State Simulation

After selecting the Detect Steady State option, the simulation will determine a steady-state condition
based on a set of Solution Criteria . Multiple Solution Criteria can be created under the Detect
Steady State option. The simulation reaches a steady state if ALL specified criteria are satisfied
within a monitoring time interval.

A solution criterion can be specified at three types of locations: Entire Domain, Probe, or Open
Boundary.

Entire Domain: A set of user-specified solution variables are monitored in fluid cells or vertices
within the entire domain. The solution variables are selected and assigned both an absolute and a
relative tolerance, as well as a calculation option. Available calculation options are Maximum Value
and Mass Averaging.

Probe: This option is similar to the Entire Domain option, but the solution variables are monitored
within a spherical probe, which can be specified using a Point (center) and a Radius.

Open Boundary: When a system reaches a steady state, the net mass flow rate across all the open
boundaries should approach zero. In this option, a normalized net mass flow rate is monitored for
steady state detection. The flow throughput of the system is used as the normalization factor to make
the normalized net flow rate dimensionless. The normalized net mass flow rate is defined as:

where and are the mass flow rates summed over all inlets and all outlets, respectively. For
all these mass flow rate terms, the sign is positive if the flow goes into the computational domain,
and vice versa. This option also requires absolute and relative tolerances for the convergence check.

For each monitored solution variable, S, the absolute and relative solution differences are calculated
for each time step using a direct variable differencing method. To avoid detecting fake steady states,

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the convergence check uses solution differences averaged over a time interval (the default and re-
commended value is 0.1 ms) instead of the instantaneous values. The convergence check criteria can
be written as:

where is the total number of time steps accumulated within 0.1 ms before the current time.

To claim a steady state, BOTH absolute and relative criteria need to be satisfied. The Open-Boundary-
based criterion requires an additional check. The normalized net mass flow rate needs to satisfy the
absolute tolerance as well, that is,

The instantaneous solution values, absolute differences, and relative differences are printed in .csv
files named solution_vector_(criterion name).csv, solution_absdiff_(criterion
name), solution_reldiff_(criterion name), respectively. The limiting convergence con-
straint together with its absolute and relative solution differences are also printed in FORTE.log
and MONITOR for each time step. You should remember that the printed solution differences are in-
stantaneous values, while the values used for the convergence check are based on multiple instant-
aneous values accumulated within a time interval.

Steady-state simulations are restricted such that they do not allow the specification of moving
boundaries, transient temperature or pressure inlets, transient pressure outlets, or transient wall
temperatures. Spray injections are allowed, but only if the mass flow and parcel count options are
continuous, not pulsed.

Steady-state simulations are restricted such that they do not allow the specification of moving
boundaries, transient temperature or pressure inlets, transient pressure outlets, or transient wall
temperatures. Spray injections are allowed, but only if the mass flow and parcel count options are
continuous, not pulsed.

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 Output Controls Node

Figure 3.23: Steady-state solution criteria

3.7. Output Controls Node

Ansys Forte produces output in two primary formats: Spatially Resolved and Spatially Averaged. You
can set options to control the amount and the frequency of output for each type of data.
Table 3.8: Summary Data reported in Ansys Forte log, for engine simulations (p. 137) lists the summary
data you can find in the log for engine simulations. Note that the engine summary data are calculated
based on spatially averaged output parameters at the end of the calculation and therefore the data are
reported at the end of the FORTE.log file. To get meaningful values for the engine summary data,
the simulation should cover the whole in-cylinder (closed cycle) process.

3.7.1. Spatially Resolved Panel

Use this panel to specify spatially resolved species of the model. Check the Spatially Resolved Output
Control box to activate the options. The major options are to output based on Time Steps, based
on Crank Angles (for engine simulations), or based on Temporal (time) values (for other types of
simulations). Once this is determined, the following options are available under the selected sub-
panel:

• Crank Angle Output Control

– Interval Based Outputs. Output Every: This allows specification of the frequency for saving
spatially resolved solution data in terms of selected units.

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– User Defined Crank Angle Output: In addition to the above or instead of regular intervals, you
can enter a series of discrete points at which spatially resolved data will be saved, using the
Profile Manager. You can select the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option to convert the
CA values in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines),
and they will be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree
schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank
angle range for the cyclic repetition of these CA values. If the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries
option is not selected, then the CA values will not be converted to cyclic. Note that in a multi-
cylinder engine simulation, the user-defined CA values will be checked in all cylinders' local time
frames to determine when to output solutions.

• Temporal Output Control

– Interval Based Outputs. Output Every: This allows specification of the frequency for saving
spatially resolved solution data in terms of selected time-related units.

– User Defined Output (Time): In addition to the above or instead of regular time intervals, you
can enter a series of discrete times at which spatially resolved data will be saved, using the Profile
Manager. For these "profiles" the first column is simply the index of the entry.

Note:

A Forte .ftind index file is created during the Forte run and is an ASCII file that is a list
of all the spatially resolved solutions generated throughout the run. This file is used to
post-process these solutions. See Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs (p. 167) for in-
formation about the .ftind file and how it is used.

3.7.1.1. Configuring the Solution Files

In addition to controlling the timing of the output, you can also control the content, specifically
for selecting which chemical species will be reported in the saved solution and how many files are
written for the output. Use the File Size Control to determine whether 1 solution (the default) or
more solutions are written per file, all solutions are written to a single file, or file size is the para-
meter controlling the number of solution files. Select among Mass Fractions, Mole Fractions, and
Species Densities for the values of solution data.

You can specify files designed for use with user routines by selecting FORTE Output User Routine.

Note:

Once you have built the shared object, you must use the PATH environment variable
on Windows systems and both the PATH environment variable and the LD_LIB-
RARY_PATH environment variable on Linux systems to provide the location of the shared
object/dll "library" to the Ansys Forte executable for all operations relating to user-defined
routines. These environment variables are described in the Table 1: Ansys Forte environ-
ment variables (p. 226) .

• Root Name of Library: This is the name of the library containing the methods that write out a
user-defined output. A root name does not include the extension (dll or so).

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 Output Controls Node

• Language: Standard language format used to write the methods in the User Defined library.

In the Spatially Resolved Species sub-panel, select which species data will be saved in the solution
file. Move species from the Choices list to the Selection list to include them as a Spatially Resolved
Species. You can type into the Filter box to limit the species presented in the Choices list. If the
Method of Moments soot model is selected (under Models on the Workflow tree, see Soot Mod-
el (p. 75)), additional variables are output to the solution file, as listed in Table 3.5: Spatially resolved
variables that are output to the solution file when the Method of Moments soot model is used (p. 115)
for spatially resolved variables and Table 3.7: Spatially averaged variables that are output to the .csv
files when the Method of Moments soot model is used (p. 135) for spatially averaged variables. If
the simulation type is Eulerian two-phase flow (Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simula-
tions (p. 59) ), all the liquid species data will be saved in the solution file.

You can also control how many files are used to store the spatially resolved results using the File
Size Control option. By default, 1 solution is written per .ftres file, but you can have all solutions
written to a single large .ftres file or distribute them across several files if you prefer dealing
with smaller files, using the following options:

• One File: All solutions are written to a single large .ftres file.

• File Size: Set the target file size in megabytes of each .ftres file. If the current .ftres file
size exceeds this value, then a new .ftres is created.

• Solution Count: Use to control how many solutions are stored in each .ftres file. Set to n to
store n solutions per .ftres file. This is the default, with n=1.

• By Crank Angles: Use to store solutions in separate .ftres files that cover ranges of crank

angles. Select Create new from the list and click the Pencil icon to define a list of crank angle
values for which a new .ftres file must be used. For example, if -50, 0, 50 is used, then four
.ftres files will be created – one for solutions up to CA -50, one for solutions between -50 and
0, one for solutions between 0 and +50, and a fourth .ftres for all solutions from 50 CA onwards.

• By Time Points: Define how the results are split into separate .ftres files for ranges of time
points. Similar to crank angles, but for time points.

In addition to any selected output species, Ansys Forte allows selective output of spatially resolved
data from the variables listed in Table 3.3: Spatially resolved variables that are eligible output to
the solution file (p. 111). Ansys Forte always outputs the spatially averaged variables listed in
Table 3.6: Spatially averaged variables that are always output to the .csv files (p. 118). Spatially resolved
variables that are used with the Method of Moments soot model are listed in Table 3.5: Spatially
resolved variables that are output to the solution file when the Method of Moments soot model is
used (p. 115).

Table 3.3: Spatially resolved variables that are eligible output to the solution file

Variable Description
Variables defined at cell center
Pressure Static pressure of gas-phase mixture. Unit:
dyne/cm2.
Temperature Temperature of gas-phase mixture. Unit: K.

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Variable Description
Density Density of gas-phase mixture. Unit: g/cm3.
Viscosity Effective dynamic viscosity of gas-phase
mixture. Unit: g/cm-s.
CellVolume Volume of the computational cells. Unit: cm3.
InternalEnergy Specific internal energy of gas-phase mixture.
Unit: erg/g.
Enthalpy Specific enthalpy of gas-phase mixture. Unit:
erg/g.
ThermalConductivity Effective heat conductivity of gas-phase
mixture. Unit: erg/cm-s-K.
TurbulentKineticEnergy Turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass, defined
as where u' is turbulence velocity. Unit:
cm2/s2.
TKEDissipationRate Dissipation rate of the turbulent kinetic energy
per unit mass. Unit: cm2/s3.
TurbulenceVelocity
Turbulence velocity, defined as
where TKE is turbulent kinetic energy. Unit:
cm/s.
IntegralLengthScale Largest length scale of the turbulent flow
which possesses most of the turbulent kinetic
energy, computed as: , where is
a turbulent constant, k is turbulent kinetic
energy and ε is the dissipation rate of the
turbulent kinetic energy.
TurbulentViscosity Turbulent dynamic viscosity of gas-phase
mixture. Unit: g/cm-s.
HeatCapacityConstV Heat capacity of gas-phase mixture at constant
volume. Unit: erg/g-K.
HeatCapacityConstP Heat capacity of gas-phase mixture at constant
pressure. Unit: erg/g-K.
FuelVaporMassFraction Sum of mass fractions of gas-phase fuel
species.
EquivalenceRatio The ratio of oxygen needed to convert carbon
and hydrogen to CO2 and H2O to the oxygen
available in the mixture. Where [C], [H], and
[O] are the sum concentrations of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the mixture,
respectively:

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Variable Description
This definition of equivalence ratio is essentially
an element ratio that considers all the species
in the mixture. It measures the equivalence
ratio of a mixture in its unburned state. Using
this definition, a mixture’s equivalence ratio
remains constant as it changes from unburned
to completely combusted in the combustion
process.
ProgressEquivalenceRatio The progress equivalence ratio is calculated as:

where [C], [H], and [O] are the sum

concentrations of carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen atoms in species excluding CO2, H2O,
and O2, and [O] from O2 is the concentration
of oxygen atoms from O2. Using this variation
definition, the φ value varies as a combustible
mixture changes from its unburned state to
completely burned state in the combustion
process.

Note: When Equivalence Ratio is selected from

the Spatially Resolved setup panel, both
Equivalence Ratio and Progress Equivalence
Ratio will be written in the solution.
MeanMolecularWeight Mean molecular weight of the gas-phase
mixture. Unit: g/mol.
ChemHeatReleaseRate Rate of heat released per unit mass in the gas
phase due to chemical reaction. Unit: cm2/s3
or erg/s-g.
PartitionIndex Integer flags used to mark the indices of
domain partitions for a parallel simulation.
SprayApparentDensity Cell-based parameter useful for tracking the spatial
distribution of liquid spray parcels. It is calculated
as the total mass of liquid parcels contained in a
CFD cell divided by the cell volume. Unit: g/cm3.
Variables defined at vertex when body-fitted and at cell center when
auto-mesh
HeatTransferCoefficient Convective heat transfer coefficient on the wall.
Unit: erg/(cm2-K).
HeatFlux Convective heat transfer flux on the wall. Unit:
erg/(s-cm2).
WallShearStress Wall shear stress. Unit: dynes/cm2.

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Variable Description
YPlus y+ value, which is a dimensionless distance
used in the law-of-the-wall model. At each
location along a wall, y+ is defined as

where c μ is a turbulence model constant, k is

turbulent kinetic energy, y is the distance from
the first off-wall grid point to the wall, ν is the
kinematic viscosity of the local fluid. Unit:
dimensionless.
WallFilmThickness Thickness of the oil film deposit on the wall
surface as a result of spray-wall impingement.
Unit: cm.
Variables defined at vertex
VelocityX The x-component of gas velocity. Unit: cm/s.
VelocityY The y-component of gas velocity. Unit: cm/s.
VelocityZ The z-component of gas velocity. Unit: cm/s.
VelocityMagnitude

Root-mean-square of the x-,y-, and

z-components of gas velocity. Unit: cm/s.
VertexFlag Integer flags used to mark different types of
vertices following KIVA-3V's convention.
RegionFlag Integer flags used to mark the indices of
initialization regions. Initialization regions are
used to define initial condition (see Initial
Conditions Node (p. 97) ).
G Non-reactive scalar used in the chemistry solver
flame propagation model for tracking the mean
flame front surface. The G value at a vertex is
defined as the signed normal distance from
the vertex to the mean flame front surface.
Unit: cm.
LaminarFlameSpeed Laminar flame speed defined by Equation 7.8
in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . Unit: cm/s.
TurbulentFlameSpeed Flame defined by Equation 7.17 in the Ansys
Forte Theory Manual . Unit: cm/s.
FlameStretchFactor Flame stretch factor due to curvature and
turbulence effect, defined by Equation 7.3 in
the Ansys Forte Theory Manual . Unit:
dimensionless.

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Description
FlameBrushThickness Turbulent flame brush thickness, defined by
Equation 7.25 in the Ansys Forte Theory Manual
. Unit: cm.

Table 3.4: Spatially resolved variables that are eligible output to the solution file when the
Eulerian two-phase flow simulation is performed

Variable Description
Variables defined at cell center
LiquidVolumeFraction Volume fraction of the liquid phase in the Eulerian two-phase fluid mixture.
VaporVolumeFraction Volume fraction of the gas phase in the Eulerian two-phase fluid mixture.

Table 3.5: Spatially resolved variables that are output to the solution file when the Method
of Moments soot model is used

Variable Description
Variables defined at cell center

PM AreaDensity Surface area of soot particles per volume of gas. Unit:

cm2/cm3.
PM Avg Diameter Average soot particle diameter. Unit: nm.
PMMassDensity Mass of soot particles per volume of gas. Unit: g/cm3.
PMVolumeFraction Volume of soot particles per volume of gas. Unit:
cm3/cm3.
SiteFraction In the soot surface mechanism, one or more sites are
specified where surface reactions can occur. This variable
provides the fraction of overall sites occupied by each
of the sites.
psdf_number_density_0th_moment, The values of the particle-size distribution function (psdf )
psdf_number_density_1st_moment, that are solved for. The number of moments is
psdf_number_density_2nd_moment, user-defined, and can vary from 3-6, with 3 moments
... up to a maximum of typically being sufficient. Unit: #/cm3.
psdf_number_density_5th_moment
The zero-th moment
(psdf_number_density_0th_moment) provides the total
particle number density.

3.7.1.2. Output User Routine Option

An option for an output user defined function is available on the Spatially Resolved Editor panel.
Check the Use User Defined Functions for Output box to activate this option. The timing of the
output user defined function option is the same as the timing of the Ansys Forte CGNS output. The
output UDFs will be compiled into a dynamic link library, libForteUDF_output.dll, on Win-
dows, or a shared object, libForteUDF_output.so, on Linux. Do not change the names for

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the .dll or .so files because this naming convention is used by the Forte executable. For the
language used in writing the UDFs, we support both Fortran and C/C++.

See the Ansys Forte installation’s user_defined_functions directory for assistance with cre-
ating and configuring user defined functions:

• The README.txt file repeats these instructions on how to build the shared object and set the
necessary path to use it in Ansys Forte simulations.

• Refer to the template files in the output subdirectory as examples for the output user defined
functions. The template user defined functions demonstrate how to write heat-transfer solution
data on both hexahedral grid and surface grid to .csv files in comma-delimited format.

• There are detailed in-line comments inside the template files for both C/C++ user routines and
Fortran user defined functions. Read the comments for descriptions of how each UDF can be
used.

• Make files (described below).

You can use the make files provided in the user_defined_functions directory to build the
output user defined functions’ shared objects after you have set up the necessary Intel compiler
environment. For compiler support, see the Intel Composer XE 2019 Compiler Summary in the
Chemkin-Pro Application Programming Interface Manual Although the Intel compiler is recommended,
other compilers may work as well, such as the compiler included in Microsoft Visual Studio. The
template make files are customized for Intel compilers. Therefore, if you use a different compiler,
adjust the compiler and linker names (FOR, CPP, CXX) accordingly. You may also need to remove
the libraries specified in macro F77_SYSTEM_LIBS because some of them are specific to Intel
compilers.

Tip:

No matter what compiler you use, make sure to choose the 64-bit (x64) version. Shared
objects built using a 32-bit (x86) compiler are incompatible with the Forte executable
and cannot be loaded correctly.

To build the shared objects, select the appropriate command for your environment from this list.

• C user-defined functions DLL on Windows systems:

%nmake MODULE=output COMP=c -f user_defined_functions_win64.mak all

• C++ user-defined functions DLL on Windows systems:

%nmake MODULE=output COMP=cpp -f user_defined_functions_win64.mak

all

• Fortran user-defined functions DLL on Windows systems:

%nmake MODULE=output COMP=for -f user_defined_functions_win64.mak

all

• C user-defined functions shared object on Linux systems:

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 Output Controls Node

%make MODULE=output COMP=c -f user_defined_functions_linuxx8664.mak

all

• C++ user-defined functions shared object on Linux systems:

%make MODULE=output COMP=cpp -f user_defined_functions_linuxx8664.mak

all

• Fortran user-defined functions shared object on Linux systems:

%make MODULE=output COMP=for -f user_defined_functions_linuxx8664.mak

all

If you plan to use your own make file or build script or if you plan to change the provided make
files, follow these naming conventions for the final shared object:

libForteUDF_output.dll on Windows systems

llibForteUDF_output.so on Linux systems

Such naming conventions are used inside the Ansys Forte executable to load the shared object.

Once the shared object is created, it will be copied to the \user_defined_functions\bin

directory automatically. There are two approaches to providing the location of the shared object
to the Ansys Forte executable for dynamic loading during run time. The first approach is recommen-
ded.

1. Define an Ansys Forte specific environment variable FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH and let it

point to the location where the .dll or .so files are stored. When a Forte project is set up in the
Forte UI, the UI will define this environment variable automatically and display it on the "Run
Settings" > "Windows Settings" or "Linux Settings" panels. The default values of
FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH are:

Windows: FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH=%REAC-
TION_DIR%\forte.win64\user_defined_functions\bin

Linux: FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH=${REAC-
TION_DIR}/forte.linuxx8664/user_defined_functions/bin

REACTION_DIR is the path of the reaction folder under the Ansys installation. If you need
to put the UDF .dll or .so files at a different location, modify FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH
to point to that location. At run time, the path specified by FORTE_UDF_LIBRARY_PATH will
be temporarily appended to the system PATH (Windows) or LD_LIBRARY_PATH (Linux) for
dynamic loading of the UDF libraries. The system PATH or LD_LIBRARY_PATH will not be
altered outside the Ansys Forte application.

2. Manually modify the system environment variables PATH on Windows or LD_LIBRARY_PATH

on Linux systems to append the location of the UDF libraries (.dll or .so files) to the system

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path. This operation is done outside the Ansys Forte application, and these system environment
variables will be modified permanently.

Note:

If you choose to modify the system PATH or LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variables

manually but are not sure how to do so, contact your system administrator. These envir-
onment variables are vital to the proper functioning of many programs, so be very
careful when updating them.

3.7.2. Spatially Averaged and Spray Panel

Use this panel to control the output of spatially averaged solutions and spray data from the simulation
model. Check the Spatially Averaged and Spray box to activate the options. The options are the
same as those described for Spatially Resolved data in the previous section, except for the user-defined
frequency. The spatially averaged solutions are written as comma-separated-value (.csv) files. Since
the spatially averaged data takes up much less space in the solution file, it is not necessary to limit
the frequency to the extent that is necessary for the spatially resolved data.

Note:

The parameters reported in dynamic.csv, flame.csv, flow_into_cylinder.csv,

flow_into_primary_region.csv, mass/molefraction.csv, particle.csv,
particle_size_distribution.csv, speciesmass.csv, thermo.csv and
two_phase.csv are only for the in-cylinder region (or a primary region, for non-engine
cases).

In the Spatially Averaged Species sub-panel, select which gas species data will be saved in the
output files. Move species from the Choices list to the Selection list to include them as a Spatially
Averaged Species. You can type into the Filter box to limit the species presented in the Choices
list. Three .csv files dedicated to species data output. Speciesmass.csv, massfraction.csv,
and molefraction.csv include the data of species mass, mass fraction and mole fraction, respect-
ively. If the simulation type is Eulerian two-phase flow (Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow
Simulations (p. 59) ), all the liquid species' data will be saved in these solution files.

As for the spatially averaged solution variables and spray variables, summarizes the variables’ names,
their output files, and their descriptions.

Table 3.6: Spatially averaged variables that are always output to the .csv files

Variable Output Description

File[a]
Center of Mass-x D The x coordinate of the center of mass in the

cylinder. where is the fluid

mass contained in a momentum control

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]

volume surrounding vertex are the

coordinates of vertex . Unit: cm.
Center of Mass-y D The y coordinate of the center of mass in the
cylinder.

Unit: cm.
Center of Mass-z D The z coordinate of the center of mass in the
cylinder.

Unit: cm.
Total angular momentum-x D Total angular momentum of the in-cylinder
flow in the x direction, relative to the
instantaneous mass center in the cylinder.

where is the fluid mass contained in a

momentum control volume surrounding vertex
are the coordinates of vertex
are the velocities of vertex , and
are the coordinates of the
instantaneous charge mass center of the
cylinder region.

Unit: g-cm2/s.
Total angular momentum-y D Similar to Total angular momentum-x, but for
the angular momentum in the y direction.

Unit: g-cm2/s.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Total angular momentum-z D Similar to Total angular momentum-x, but for
the angular momentum in the z direction.

Unit: g-cm2/s.
Total angular momentum D Root mean square of the x-, y-, z-angular
momentum. Unit: g-cm 2 /s.
Tumble ratio-x D The ratio of the angular velocity of the
in-cylinder flow about the x axis to engine
rotating velocity. where is the
angular momentum of the in-cylinder mass
about the x-axis, is the angular velocity of
engine crank, and is the corresponding
moment of inertia, defined as:

where is the

index of the CFD vertices contained in the

in-cylinder domain, is the fluid mass
contained in a momentum control volume
surrounding vertex are the

coordinates of vertex , and are the

coordinates of the instantaneous charge mass
center of the in-cylinder region. Unit:
dimensionless.
Tumble ratio-y D Similar to Tumble ratio-x, but for the angular

velocity in the y direction. where

L y is the angular momentum of the
in-cylinder mass about the x-axis, is the
angular velocity of engine crank, and I y is
the corresponding moment of inertia, defined
as: where is

the index of the CFD vertices contained in the

d domain, is the fluid mass contained in a
momentum control volume surrounding vertex
are the coordinates of vertex ,

are the coordinates of the

instantaneous charge mass center of the
in-cylinder region. Unit: dimensionless.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Swirl ratio D Similar to Tumble ratio-x, but for the angular

velocity in the z direction. where is the

angular momentum of the in-cylinder mass about
the z-axis, is the angular velocity of engine crank,
and is the corresponding moment of inertia,

defined as:

Note that this swirl ratio definition assumes

that the axis of the cylinder aligns with the
z-axis.

Unit: dimensionless.
Total kinetic energy D Total kinetic energy of the in-cylinder gas. Unit:
g-cm 2 /s 2.
Turbulent kinetic energy D Mass-averaged turbulent kinetic energy. Unit:
cm 2 /s 2.
Dissipation rate of TKE D Mass-averaged dissipation rate of turbulent
kinetic energy. Unit: cm 2 /s 3.
Turbulence velocity D Mass averaged turbulent velocity, defined as
Where TKE is turbulent kinetic
energy. Unit: cm/s.
Integral length scale D Mass-averaged turbulence integral length
scale. Unit: cm.
Turbulence viscosity D Mass-averaged turbulence viscosity. Unit: cm
2
/s.
EffectiveThermal Conductivity D Mass-averaged effective (laminar + turbulent)
thermal conductivity of the gas phase. Unit:
erg/cm-s-K.
ThermalConductivity D Effective heat conductivity of gas-phase
mixture. Unit: erg/cm-s-K.
Pressure T Volume-averaged static pressure. Unit: MPa
Temperature T Mass-averaged temperature. Unit: K.
Max Temperature T Maximum temperature in the cylinder. Unit:
K.
Chemical heat release rate T Pure chemical heat release rate in the cylinder
or in region 1, calculated directly based on
chemical heat release in the cells. Unit: J/deg
for engine cases, J/s for non-engine cases.
Accumulated chemical heat release T Accumulated chemical heat release rate in the
cylinder or in region 1. Unit: J.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Wall heat transfer rate T Rate of wall heat transfer through the wall of
cylinder or region 1. The heat transfer includes
both convective and radiative heat transfer, if
applicable. Unit: J/deg for engine cases, J/s for
non-engine cases.
Accumulated wall heat transfer T Accumulated wall heat transfer loss through
the wall of cylinder or region 1. The heat loss
includes both convective and radiative heat
loss, if applicable. Unit: J.
Apparent heat release rate T The difference between chemical heat release
rate and wall heat transfer loss rate. Unit: J/deg
for engine cases, J/s for non-engine cases. [b]
Accumulated apparent heat release T Accumulated apparent heat release rate. Unit:
J.
Apparent heat release from T This heat release rate is based on the
PV-ConGamma in-cylinder averaged pressure and volume
time/crank angle profiles, assuming a constant
gamma (1.35), and is calculated as follows,
where dt may also be dCA in engine cases ( t
is time, CA is crank angle):

Numerically, the gradient terms at time n are

calculated using values at time n and n -1,
for example,

. Unit: J/deg for engine cases and J/s for

non-engine cases.
Accumulated apparent heat release T Accumulated apparent heat release amount
from PV-ConGamma derived from the in-cylinder pressure-volume
curve, assuming a constant gamma (1.35). Unit:
J.
Apparent heat release from T This heat release rate is based on the
PV-VarGamma in-cylinder averaged pressure and volume
time/crank angle profiles, using variable
gamma values, where gamma is the specific
heat ratio ( ) of the in-cylinder mixture.
The heat-release rate is calculated as:

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]
...where may also be in engine cases
( is time, is crank angle). Unit: J/deg for
engine cases and J/s for non-engine cases.
Accumulated apparent heat release T Accumulated apparent heat release amount
from PV-VarGamma derived from the in-cylinder pressure-volume
curve, using variable gamma values. Unit: J.
HeatCapacityConstV T Heat capacity of gas-phase mixture at constant
volume. Unit: J/Kg-K.
HeatCapacityConstP T Heat capacity of gas-phase mixture at constant
pressure. Unit: J/Kg-K.
Enthalpy T Specific enthalpy of gas-phase mixture. Unit:
J/Kg.
In-cylinder mass T Total mass of the gas in the cylinder. Unit: g.
In-cylinder volume T Total volume of the gas in the cylinder. Unit:
cm 3.
Region mass T Total mass of the gas in a primary region (for
non-engine cases). Unit: g.
Region volume T Total volume of the gas in a primary region
(for non-engine cases). Unit: cm3.
Total volume T Total volume of the gas in the whole
computational domain. Unit: cm 3.
In-cylinder (or Region) averaged T Equivalence ratio calculated using the
equivalence ratio averaged species mass fractions in a cylinder
or primary region, defined as the ratio of
oxygen needed to convert carbon and
hydrogen to CO2 and H2O to the oxygen
available in the mixture. Where [C], [H], and
[O] are the sum concentrations of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the mixture,
respectively:

This definition of equivalence ratio is

essentially an element ratio that considers all
the species in the mixture. It measures the
equivalence ratio of a mixture in its unburned
state. Using this definition, a mixture’s
equivalence ratio remains invariant as it
changes from unburned to completely
combusted in the combustion process.
In-cylinder (or Region) averaged T The averaged residual fraction is the mass
residual fraction fraction of the residual mixture in a cylinder
or primary region. The residual fraction is

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
estimated by using the equivalence ratio
calculated in the row above and the spatially
averaged mixture composition as inputs. It
also assumes that the fuel is completely
converted to combustion product. Specifically,
the residual gas includes CO2, H2O as well as
N2 needed to generate CO2 and H2O through
complete combustion. For lean mixtures, the
residual also includes excess O2, subject to its
availability in the mixture.
In-cylinder (or Region) averaged T The progress equivalence ratio is calculated
progress equivalence ratio as:

where [C], [H], and [O] are the sum

concentrations of carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen atoms in species excluding CO2, H2O,
and O2, and [O] from O2 is the concentration
of oxygen atoms from O2. Using this variation
definition, the φ value varies as a combustible
mixture changes from its unburned state to
completely burned state in the combustion
process.
In-cylinder (or Region) averaged T The "progress" residual fraction is calculated
progress residual fraction using the same assumption as the regular
residual fraction described above, but it uses
the "progress" equivalence ratio when
estimating the N2 needed to generate the
combustion product and the excess O2 for lean
mixtures.
CO T Total mass of CO normalized by total fuel mass
in the cylinder (for engine cases) or region 1
(for non-engine cases). Unit: g/kg-fuel.
NO T Total mass of NO normalized by total fuel mass
in the cylinder (for engine cases) or region 1
(for non-engine cases). Unit: g/kg fuel.
NO2 T Total mass of NO2 normalized by total fuel
mass in the cylinder (for engine cases) or
region 1 (for non-engine cases). Unit: g/kg fuel.
EINOx T Emission index (EI) of NO x species. In this NOx
definition, NO is first converted to NO 2 and
then the mass of the converted NO 2 is
summed up with the actual NO 2. This

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
parameter is normalized by the total mass of
fuel. Unit: g/kg-fuel.
Soot T Total mass of soot species normalized by total
fuel mass in the cylinder (for engine cases) or
region 1 (for non-engine cases). Unit: g/kg fuel.
Unburnt Hydrocarbon T Total mass of unburned hydrocarbon (UHC)
species normalized by total fuel mass in the
cylinder (for engine cases) or region 1 (for
non-engine cases). The hydrocarbon species
include species that contain both C and H
atoms, and no other atoms. Unit: g/kg-fuel.
C1 Unburnt Hydrocarbon T ppm of unburned hydrocarbon converted to
C1 level. Unit: ppm.
Volatile Organic Compound T The volatile organic compound species include
species that contain both C and H atoms, and
the species may contain other atoms, such as
oxygen (O) or nitrogen (N).
C1 Volatile Organic Compound T ppm of volatile organic compound converted
to C1 level. Unit: ppm.
Average molecular weight T Average molecular weight of the gas mixture
in the cylinder (for engine cases) or region 1
(for non-engine cases).
Compressibility factor T In-cylinder averaged compressibility factor,
calculated by , where is static
pressure, is density, is the gas constant,
and is temperature. For an ideal gas, the
compressibility factor is unity.
Number of chemically active cells C Number of computational cells in which
detailed chemistry is being solved.
Number of clusters in DCC C Number of clusters created by the Dynamic
Cell Clustering method.
Average number of active species C Averaged number of active species obtained
in DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method.
Min numbers of active species in C Minimum number of active species obtained
DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method
among all the cells.
Max number of active species in C Maximum number of active species obtained
DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method
among all the cells.
Average number of active reactions C Averaged number of active reactions obtained
in DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Min numbers of active reactions in C Minimum number of active reactions obtained
DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method
among all the cells.
Max number of active reactions in C Maximum number of active reactions obtained
DAC from the Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry method
among all the cells.
Number of convergence failures C Number of convergence failures encountered
when solving chemistry in CFD cells or DCC
clusters.
Number of transported species C Number of species being solved in flow
transport. When chemistry is inactive and
species lumping has been applied, only a
subset of species participates in flow transport.
Only activated with the Spark Ignition model
Burnt Density F Density of the burnt gas mixture when the
flame propagates. Unit: g/cm3.
Unburnt Density F Density of the unburnt gas mixture when the
flame propagates. Unit: g/cm3.
S_plasma F Averaged plasma velocity of the particles used
to track spark-ignition kernel flames. Unit:
cm/s.
S_laminar F Averaged laminar flame speed of all the cells
containing the flame front surface. Unit: cm/s.
S_turb F Averaged turbulent flame speed of all the cells
containing the flame front surface. Unit: cm/s.
F_stretch F Averaged flame stretch factor of all the cells
containing the flame front surface. The stretch
factor is part of the turbulent flame speed
correlation and it accounts for the stretching
effect of curvature and turbulence on flame
propagation speed. Unit: dimensionless.
R_kernel F Radius of the spark ignition kernel flame. Unit:
cm.
Number_of_flame_cells F Number of cells that contain the flame front
surface.
Chem_heat_release_rate_end_gas F Chemical heat release rate in the end gas zone.
Unit: J/deg for crank-angle-based simulation
and J/s for time-based simulation.
Chem_heat_release_rate_flame_front F Chemical heat release rate in the end gas zone.
Unit: J/deg for crank-angle-based simulation
and J/s for time-based simulation.

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]
Chem_heat_release_rate_post_flame F Chemical heat release rate in the post flame
zone. Unit: J/deg for crank-angle-based
simulation and J/s for time-based simulation.
Accum_chem_heat_release_rate_end_gas F Accumulated chemical heat release in the end
gas zone. Unit: J.
Accum_chem_heat_release_flame_front F Accumulated chemical heat release in the
flame front zone. Unit: J.
Accum_chem_heat_release_post_flame F Accumulated chemical heat release in the post
flame zone. Unit: J.
Only activated with the Spray model
Injected mass by injector N S Accumulated injected fuel mass at specific
time or crank angle from injector N. Unit: g.
Total injected mass S Accumulated injected fuel mass at specific
time or crank angle from all injectors. Unit: g.
Total droplet mass S Total mass of off-wall liquid droplets at specific
time or crank angle. Unit: g.
Total film area S Total wall boundary area covered by wall film
for the whole domain. Unit: cm2.
Total film mass S Total mass of wall film in the entire domain.
Unit: g.
Average film thickness S Averaged wall film thickness for the whole
domain, calculated as the total liquid film
volume divided by the total wall film area.
Unit: cm.
Film mass from (injector name, S Mass of wall film originated from each
nozzle name) individual nozzle hole. Unit: g.
Total impinged mass S Total mass of injected liquid parcels that have ever
impinged on wall boundaries. It is an accumulated
quantity. The impinged liquid parcels could have
been converted to wall film or remain as airborne
droplets after being rebounded from the wall. Unit:
g.
Impinged mass from (injector name, S Accumulated impinged mass of liquid parcels from
nozzle name) a specific nozzle hole. Unit: g.
Total vapor mass S Total mass of fuel vapor in the cylinder (for
engine cases) or region 1 (for non-engine
cases) at specific time or crank angle. Unit: g.
Number of parcels S Number of spray parcels in the computational
domain.
Average Sauter mean diameter S Averaged Sauter Mean Diameter of all the
airborne spray droplets in the computational
domain. Airborne refers to droplets that are

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
traveling in the gas phase and are not part of
the wall film. Unit: micron.
Average number of droplets in a S Average number of droplets in a parcel.
parcel
Number averaged droplet velocity S Number-averaged spray droplet velocity. Unit:
m/s.
Mass averaged droplet velocity S Mass-averaged spray droplet velocity. Unit:
m/s.
Max Weber number S Maximum Weber number of all spray droplets
in the computational domain.
Liquid penetration length of S For the calculation, all spray parcels are
(injector name, nozzle name) projected onto the axis of a nozzle and then
the mass of these liquid parcels is accumulated
starting at nozzle exit. The liquid penetration
length is defined as the distance between the
nozzle exit and the location where
accumulated liquid mass reaches 95% of the
total liquid mass. Unit: mm.
Vapor penetration length of S For the calculation, all computational cells
(injector name, nozzle name) containing fuel vapor are projected onto the
axis of a nozzle and then the mass of the fuel
vapor in these cells is accumulated starting at
nozzle exit. The vapor penetration length is
defined as the distance between the nozzle
exit and the location where accumulated fuel
vapor mass reaches 99.9% of the total liquid
mass. Unit: mm.
Breakup length of (injector name, S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
nozzle name) injector(s). Breakup length is the distance from
the nozzle exit within which a liquid core is
assumed to exist. Beyond the breakup length,
the Rayleigh-Taylor model is applied, and the
liquid core breaks up into spray droplets. See
Figure 6.2: KH/RT breakup model for solid-cone
sprays and Equation 6.35 of the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual for more details. Unit: mm.
Blob diameter of (injector name, S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
nozzle name) injector(s). Ansys Forte uses the concept of
"blob" to simulate the liquid phase injected
out of the nozzle. A blob is similar to a droplet
in the mathematical sense that they are both
discrete, while blobs injected continuously
from the nozzle simulate the liquid core within
the breakup length. If the internal flows are
not cavitating near the nozzle exit, blob
diameter is the same as the nozzle diameter.

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]
If the internal flows are cavitating, blob
diameter is smaller than the nozzle diameter.
See Effective Injection Velocity and Effective
Flow Exit Area of the Ansys Forte Theory
Manual for more details. Blob diameter is
denoted as "initial diameter" in Figure 6.1: Flow
through nozzle passage of Forte Theory
Manual. Unit: micron.
Discharge coefficient of (injector S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
name, nozzle name) injector(s). Discharge coefficient is calculated
as the actual mass flow rate divided by the
theoretical mass flow rate. This parameter is
specified as input if the user chooses to use
an empirical discharge coefficient. If not, Ansys
Forte, uses a nozzle flow model to calculate
it. See Discharge coefficient of the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual for more details.
Blob injection velocity of (injector S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
name, nozzle name) injector(s). Blob injection velocity is the
injection speed of the blobs exiting the nozzle.
Also known as "effective injection velocity", as
discussed in Effective Injection Velocity and
Effective Flow Exit Area of the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual for more details. Unit: m/s.
Estimated sac volume pressure of S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
(injector name, nozzle name) injector(s). This is an estimated pressure in the
sac volume of the injector. It is also known as
the "inlet pressure" because it is estimated
upstream of the nozzle entrance. It refers to
the location at point 1 and is denoted as p1
in Nozzle Flow Model of the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual for more details. Unit: MPa.
Injection cone angle of (injector S Output for the nozzle(s) of solid cone
name, nozzle name) injector(s). This is the cone angle of liquid
phase injection near the nozzle exit. This
parameter is specified as input if the user
chooses to use an empirical cone angle. If not,
Ansys Forte uses a nozzle flow model to
calculate it. See Spray Angle of the Ansys Forte
Theory Manual for more details. Unit: degree.
Only activated when solid wall boundary is set
Convective heat trans coef of (wall W Convective heat transfer coefficient averaged
name) over each wall boundary. Unit: W/m 2 -K.
Heat flux of (wall name) W Convective heat transfer flux averaged over
each wall boundary. Unit: W/m 2.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Convective heat trans rate of (wall W Convective heat transfer rate summed over
name) each wall boundary. Unit: W.
Radiative heat flux of (wall name) W Radiative heat flux on a wall boundary. In the
calculation for this output, the amount of
radiation heat transfer in a region is shared
proportionally by its bounding walls based on
wall surface areas. Unit: W/m2.
Radiative heat trans rate of (wall W Radiative heat transfer rate allocated on a wall
name) boundary. In the calculation for this output,
the amount of radiation heat transfer in a
region is shared proportionally by its bounding
walls based on wall surface areas. Unit: W.
Avg yplus of (wall name) W y+ value averaged over each wall boundary.
y+ is a dimensionless distance used in
law-of-the-wall model. At each location along
the wall, y+ is defined as where C μ is a
turbulence model constant, k is turbulent
kinetic energy, y is the distance from the first
off-wall grid point to the wall, v is the
kinematic viscosity of the local fluid. Unit:
dimensionless.
Shear stress of (wall name) W Shear stress averaged over each wall boundary.
Unit: N/m 2 .
Film mass of (wall name) W Mass of wall film droplets summed over each
wall boundary. Unit: g.
Film area of (wall name) W Wall boundary area covered by wall film for a
specific wall boundary. Unit: cm2.
Avg film thickness of (wall name) W Averaged wall film thickness for a specific wall
boundary, calculated as the liquid film volume
divided by the wall film area on a specific wall
boundary. Unit: cm.
Impinged mass of (wall name) W Accumulated mass of injected liquid parcels that
have ever impinged on a specific wall boundary.
Unit: g.
Only activated with inflow or outflow boundary
Accum Net Mass Flow O Accumulated net mass flowing across all open
boundaries. Unit: g.
Accum Mass Flow of All Inlets O Total accumulated mass flowing across all inlet
boundaries into the simulation domain. Unit:
g.
Accum Mass Flow of All Outlets O Total accumulated mass flowing across all
outlet boundaries out of the simulation
domain. Unit: g.

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]
Net Mass Flow Rate O Instantaneous mass flow rate across all open
boundaries. Unit: g/s.
Mass Flow Rate of All Inlets O Instantaneous mass flow rate across all inlet
boundaries. Unit: g/s.
Mass Flow Rate of All Outlets O Instantaneous mass flow rate across all outlet
boundaries. Unit: g/s.
Mass Flux of All Inlets O Instantaneous mass flux across all inlet
boundaries. Unit: g/cm2-s. (Flux is defined as
flow rate divided by area.)
Mass Flux of All Outlets O Instantaneous mass flux across all outlet
boundaries. Unit: g/cm2-s.
Accum Net Vol Flow O Accumulated net volume flow across all open
boundaries. Unit: cm3.
Accum Vol Flow of All Inlets O Accumulated net volume flow across all inlet
boundaries. Unit: cm3.
Accum Vol Flow of All Outlets O Total accumulated volume flow across all
outlet boundaries. Unit: cm3.
Net Vol Flow Rate O Instantaneous volumetric flow rate across all
open boundaries. Unit: cm3/s.
Vol Flow Rate of All Inlets O Instantaneous volumetric flow rate across all
inlet boundaries. Unit: cm3/s.
Vol Flow Rate of All Outlets O Instantaneous volumetric flow rate across all
outlet boundaries. Unit: cm3/s.
Vol Flux of All Inlets O Instantaneous volumetric flux across all inlet
boundaries. Unit: cm/s. (Volumetric flux is the
same as averaged normal velocity across the
boundary.)
Vol Flux of All Outlets O Instantaneous volumetric flux across all outlet
boundaries. Unit: cm/s.
Accum Mass Flow of (open O Accumulated mass flowing across a specific
boundary name) open boundary. Unit: g.
Mass Flow Rate of (open boundary O Instantaneous mass flow rate across a specific
name) open boundary. Unit: g/s.
Mass Flux of (open boundary name) O Instantaneous mass flux across a specific open
boundary. Unit: g/cm2-s.
Accum Vol Flow of (open boundary O Accumulated volume flow across a specific
name) open boundary. Unit: cm3.
Vol Flow Rate of (open boundary O Instantaneous volumetric flow rate across a
name) specific open boundary. Unit: cm3/s.

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
Vol Flux of (open boundary name) O Instantaneous volumetric flux across a specific
open boundary. Unit: cm/s.
Mass_flow_rate_from_region_n FC Mass flow rate from non-cylinder/non-primary
region n into the cylinder/primary region due
to convective transport. "Cylinder" corresponds
to engine cases and "primary" corresponds to
non-engine cases. In engine cases, if a cylinder
has a sub-chamber region connected to it, the
sub-chamber region is considered as part of
the cylinder in this calculation. Unit: g/deg for
engine cases, g/s for non-engine cases.
Accum_mass_flow_from_region_n FC Accumulated mass flow from
non-cylinder/non-primary region n into the
cylinder/primary region due to convective
transport. Unit: g.
Only activated with rotation wall boundary
Torque of (rotation boundary name) RO Torque applied by the rotation wall boundary on
the fluid with respect to the rotation axis. Unit:
N-m. Calculated as:

Where T is the torque projected on the

rotation axis, S is a surface triangle on the
triangulated rotor surface, is the distance
vector from the rotation axis to the surface
element, is local shear stress, p is local
pressure, is the normal vector of the surface
element, pointing to the inside of the fluid
domain, dS is the surface element area, and
is the unit vector of the rotation axis. Note that
follows the right-hand rule of the rotation,
which means that if the user-specified rotation
RPM is negative, the sign of will be opposite
to the user-specified rotation axis vector.
Power of (rotation boundary name) RO Power applied by the rotation wall boundary on
the fluid. Calculated as the torque times the angular
velocity of the rotation. Unit: W.
Force-axial of (rotation boundary name) RO Force applied by the rotation wall boundary
on the fluid along the axial direction of the
rotation. Unit: N. Calculated as:

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]

Where S is a surface triangle on the

triangulated rotor surface, is local shear
stress, p is local pressure, is the normal
vector of the surface element, pointing to the
inside of the fluid domain, dS is the surface
element area, and is the unit vector of the
rotation axis. Note that follows the
right-hand rule of the rotation, which means
that if the user-specified rotation RPM is
negative, the sign of will be opposite to the
user-specified rotation axis vector.
Force-radial of (rotation boundary name) RO Magnitude of force applied by the rotation wall
boundary on the fluid along the radial direction of
the rotation. Unit: N.
Force-x of (rotation boundary name) RO The x-component of force applied by the rotation
wall boundary on the fluid in Cartesian coordinate.
Unit: N.
Force-y of (rotation boundary name) RO The y-component of force applied by the rotation
wall boundary on the fluid in Cartesian coordinate.
Unit: N.
Force-z of (rotation boundary name) RO The z-component of force applied by the rotation
wall boundary on the fluid in Cartesian coordinate.
Unit: N.
Only activated with planetary motion wall boundary
Torque of (planetary motion boundary PL Torque applied by the planetary-motion wall
name) boundary on the fluid with respect to the primary
axis. Calculated as the cross product of the
eccentric radius vector and the force applied by
this wall boundary. Unit: N-m. Calculated as:

Where T is the torque projected on the primary

rotation axis, is the eccentric radius vector
pointing from the primary rotation axis to the
secondary rotation axis, S is a surface triangle
on the triangulated rotor surface, is local
shear stress, p is local pressure, is the normal

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Variable Output Description

File[a]
vector of the surface element, pointing to the
inside of the fluid domain, dS is the surface
element area, and is the unit vector of the
rotation axis. Note that follows the
right-hand rule of the rotation, which means
that if the user-specified rotation RPM is
negative, the sign of will be opposite to the
user-specified rotation axis vector.
Power of (planetary motion boundary PL Power applied on the planetary-motion wall
name) boundary on the fluid. Calculated as the torque
times the angular velocity of the primary rotation.
Unit: W.
Force-axial of (planetary motion PL Force applied by the planetary-motion wall
boundary name) boundary on the fluid along the axial direction
of the rotation. Unit: N. Calculated as:

where S is a surface triangle on the

triangulated rotor surface, is local shear
stress, p is local pressure, is the normal
vector of the surface element, pointing to the
inside of the fluid domain, dS is the surface
element area, and is the unit vector of the
rotation axis. Note that follows the
right-hand rule of the rotation, which means
that if the user-specified rotation RPM is
negative, the sign of will be opposite to the
user-specified rotation axis vector.
Force-radial of (planetary motion PL Magnitude of force applied by the planetary-motion
boundary name) wall boundary on the fluid along the radial
direction of the rotation. Unit: N.
Force-x of (planetary motion boundary PL The x-component of force applied by the
name) planetary-motion wall boundary on the fluid in
Cartesian coordinate. Unit: N.
Force-y of (planetary motion boundary PL The y-component of force applied by the
name) planetary-motion wall boundary on the fluid in
Cartesian coordinate. Unit: N.
Force-z of (planetary motion boundary PL The z-component of force applied by the
name) planetary-motion wall boundary on the fluid in
Cartesian coordinate. Unit: N.
Only activated by Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simulation

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 Output Controls Node

Variable Output Description

File[a]
Averaged liquid volume fraction TPh Averaged volume fraction of the liquid phase
in Eulerian two-phase fluid mixture, in the
cylinder (for engine cases) or region 1 (for
non-engine cases).
[a] D: dynamic.csv; T: thermo.csv; H: Whole_domain_parameters.csv; C: chem-
solver.csv; F: flame.csv; S: spray.csv; W: wall_boundary_parameters.csv
; O: open_boundary_flow.csv; FC: flow_into_cylinder.csv or flow_in-
to_primary_region.csv; RO: rotation _boundary_parameters.csv; PL:
planetary_boundary_parameters.csv TPh: two_phase.csv
[b] HRR (heat release rate) reported in the HRRfromPV.csv file is based on the in-cylinder
averaged pressure and volume time/crank angle profiles, assuming a constant gamma, and
is calculated as follows, where dt may also be dCA in engine cases (t is time, CA is crank

angle):

Table 3.7: Spatially averaged variables that are output to the .csv files when the Method of
Moments soot model is used

Variable Description
Variables defined at cell center

PM AreaDensity Surface area of soot particles per volume of gas. Unit: cm 2

/cm 3.
Mean PM Avg Diameter Average soot particle diameter. The "Avg" refers to the
average within each computational cell. The "Mean" refers to
the average of the cell-averaged diameter over the whole
computational domain. Unit: nm.
Max PM Avg Diameter Maximum value of the cell-averaged particle diameter in the
computational domain. Unit: nm.
Min PM Avg Diameter Minimum value of the cell-averaged particle diameter in the
computational domain. Unit: nm.
PN below 1.00nm, PN 1.00nm Particle number count inside a cylinder region (engine cases)
to 1.26nm, ..., PN 812.75nm to or a primary region (non-engine cases) for different size
1024.00nm, PN above (diameter) ranges. 2n/3 nanometer is used as the diameter
1024.00nm scale, where n = 1, 2, ...30. For example, "PN 1.00nm to
1.26nm" is the total number of particles inside the region
whose diameters are larger than 1 nanometer and equal or
smaller than 1.26 nanometers. These parameters represent a
histogram of particle size distribution. They are reported in
particle_size_distribution.csv.
PMVolumeFraction Volume of soot particles per volume of gas. Unit: cm 3 /cm 3
.
PM Total Mass Total mass of all soot particles. Unit: gm.
PM Total Volume Total volume of all soot particles. Unit: cm 3 .

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Variable Description
Soot Emission Total mass of soot species normalized by total fuel mass in
an in-cylinder region (or a primary region, for non-engine
cases). Unit: g/kg-fuel.
SiteFraction In the soot surface mechanism, one or more sites are specified
where surface reactions can occur. This variable provides the
fraction of overall sites occupied by each of the sites.
psdf_number_density_0th_moment, The values of the of the particle-size distribution function
psdf_number_density_1st_moment, (psdf ) that are solved for. The number of moments is
psdf_number_density_2nd_moment user-defined, and can vary from 3-6, with 3 moments typically
up to a maximum of being sufficient. Unit: #/cm 3. The zero-th moment
psdf_number_density_5th_moment (psdf_number_density_0th_moment) provides the total
particle number density.

Itemized Wall Film Mass and Impinged Mass: If this box is checked, detailed itemized wall film
mass and impinged mass will be reported in two new output files: itemized_wallfilm_mass.csv
and itemized_impinged_mass.csv. These two files report the wall film/impinged mass from
every individual nozzle onto every individual wall boundary. The total number of output variables
equals the number of nozzles times the number of wall boundaries. The variable names are: Film
mass from (injector name) (nozzle name) on (wall name) and Imp mass from
(injector name) (nozzle name) on (wall name). Unit is g.

Enable Pocket Tracking: When enabled, Forte will track contiguous pockets of fluid in the domain.
Gap cells created using Gap Feature Controls are used to define the boundaries for the pockets.
Minimum Pocket Volume Fraction sets a volume fraction threshold, in which volume fraction is
defined as the volume of a pocket divided by the volume of the whole computational domain. A
pocket will be tracked only if its volume fraction exceeds this threshold value. Maximum Number
of Tracked Pockets sets the maximum number of pockets that can be tracked at a specific time. If
more pockets exist, Forte will track the largest pockets up to this count. Pockets are tracked dynam-
ically in the simulation. The x, y, z coordinates of pocket centroid, total volume, and averaged pressure
of all the pockets are reported in pocket_tracking.csv.

Equivalence Ratio Histogram: When this option is turned on, you can save equivalence ratio distri-
bution results in histogram format for each cylinder region (for engine cases) or primary region (for
non-engine cases). To use the uniform bin option, specify the total number of bins and the uniform
bin width. The other option is to specify the bin boundaries through a tabulated profile. For each
cylinder region or primary region, four output files are written:

• phi_histogram_mass.csv: reports the total mass contained in each bin.

• phi_histogram_massfrac.csv: reports the mass fraction of each bin, which equals the
mass in this bin divided by the total mass of the cylinder/primary region.

• phi_histogram_avgphi.csv: reports mass averaged equivalence ratio for each bin based
on its cell population.

• phi_cumulative_distribution.csv: reports the cumulative mass fraction for the

mixture whose equivalence ratio is larger than or equal to a bin boundary value.

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 Output Controls Node

3.7.2.1. Summary Data Reported in Ansys Forte Log, for Engine Simulations
The parameters reported in the FORTE.log file are described in Table 3.8: Summary Data reported
in Ansys Forte log, for engine simulations (p. 137), including the name of the parameter, its units,
and a description of what it represents or how it is calculated.

Table 3.8: Summary Data reported in Ansys Forte log, for engine simulations

Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations
Geometric []
Compression Ratio Engine compression ratio, estimated as follows: where
, is the combustion chamber volume at firing TDC and
is the displacement. Note that the estimated compression ratio
may be inaccurate if the volume profile does not cover the firing
TDC.
Gross [kW] Gross indicated engine power based on the integration of
Indicated in-cylinder pressure-volume (P-V) profiles. For a generic engine
Power (non-sector-mesh) case, the integration covers the compression
Release and expansion strokes. Where 1 represents the first data point
of the compression stroke, and N is the final data point of the
expansion stroke, the indicated work is calculated

as: For an engine

calculation using a sector mesh, the work will be calculated

for the compression stroke and the expansion stroke (-180°
ATDC to 180° ATDC). In such a case, the calculation is typically
carried out from intake valve closure (IVC) to exhaust valve
opening (EVO). The P-V curve between IVC and EVO is
integrated directly using the above equation. Since the P-V
data are not available from -180° ATDC to IVC and from EVO
to 180° ATDC, the work terms are estimated as
follows:

in which
and are the pressures at IVC and EVO, respectively;
, , and are the in-cylinder volumes at IVC, EVO
and BDC (bottom dead center), respectively. Thus the total
work of a sector mesh case is
Indicated
power is in which is engine
speed (revolution/min), is number of revolutions per
engine cycle ( for four-stroke engines), and the 60 is 60
sec/min.

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Modeling Guide

Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations
IMEP [MPa] Indicated mean effective pressure. IMEP is based on the gross
indicated work, that is, the work estimated over the
compression and expansion strokes. The definition is consistent
with indicated work and indicated power. IMEP is calculated
as: in which is indicated work, is the
displacement volume, calculated as .
Fuel Mass [g/cyc] Total mass of in-cylinder direct injected fuel and premixed fuel
within an engine cycle. The premixed fuel is calculated based
on all hydrocarbon species and/or hydrogen contained in the
intake charge at intake valve closure (IVC).
Gross ISFC [g/kW-h] Gross indicated specific fuel consumption, estimated based
on fuel mass and power. Gross ISFC is calculated as:

in which is fuel mass per engine

cycle (g), RPM is engine speed (revolution/min), the 60 is 60
min/hour, is number of revolutions per engine cycle, and
is gross indicated power (kW).
ISFC(IVC->EVO) [g/kW-h] Indicated specific fuel consumption, based only on the period
between Intake Valve Closure and Exhaust Valve Opening. This
parameter is calculated only for body-fitted cases, in which
IVC and EVO are explicitly specified.
Combustion [] Combustion efficiency of the engine, calculated as:
Efficiency
in which is accumulated chemical heat
release, is the total mass of fuel, is the averaged
lower heating value of the fuel mixture.
Thermal [] Thermal efficiency of the engine, calculated as:
Efficiency
in which is indicated work, is the total mass of fuel,
is the averaged lower heating value of the fuel
mixture.
Max Pressure [MPa] Maximum pressure achieved in the engine during the
simulation.
Max [K] Maximum temperature reached in the engine during the
Temperature simulation.
Max Pressure [MPa/deg] Maximum pressure rise rate reached in the engine during the
Rise Rate simulation.
Total [J] Total heat release from chemical reaction over the compression
Chemical and expansion strokes. The value is obtained from the last
Heat Release data point of parameter "Accumulated chemical heat release"
reported in thermo.csv and calculated as the difference

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 Output Controls Node

Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations
between the values at the beginning of the compression stroke
and at the end of the expansion stroke.
Total Wall Heat [J] Total wall heat transfer loss from the beginning of the compression
Transfer Loss stroke to the end of the expansion stroke. The value is obtained
based on the parameter "Accumulated wall heat transfer" reported
in thermo.csv.
Cooling Loss Ratio [] The ratio of Total Chemical Heat Release and Total Wall Heat
Transfer Loss, represented by symbol .
Total Apparent [J] Accumulated apparent heat release, calculated as the difference
Heat Release between Total Chemical Heat Release and Total Wall Heat Transfer
(Chemical - Heat Loss.
Loss)
Total Apparent [J] Accumulated apparent heat release, based on the P, V, and gamma
Heat Release time profiles from the beginning of the compression stroke to the
(From PV, Variable end of the expansion stroke, using variable gamma (specific heat
Gamma) ratio) values. It is calculated based on the parameter "Accumulated
apparent heat release from PV-VarGamma" reported in thermo.csv.
Total Apparent [J] Accumulated apparent heat release, based on the pressure and
Heat Release volume time profiles from the beginning of the compression stroke
(From PV, to the end of the expansion stroke, using a constant gamma (1.35).
Constant Gamma) It is calculated based on the parameter "Accumulated apparent
heat release from PV-ConGamma" reported in thermo.csv.
Degree of [] Degree of Constant Volume (DCV) based on apparent heat release
Constant Volume rate ( ) is a measure of engine's thermal efficiency compared to
(Apparent)
the theoretical thermal efficiency of the Otto cycle ( ). This
parameter is mainly relevant to spark ignition engines. The indicated
thermal efficiency ( ) of a spark-ignition engine can be written
as:

where is the Combustion Efficiency and is the Cooling Loss

Ratio. The Apparent DCV is defined as:

in which is total apparent heat release, is the combustion

chamber volume as function of crank angle , and are

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Modeling Guide

Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations

the TDC volume and displacement volume, respectively,

is the apparent heat release rate. The theoretical thermal efficiency
of the Otto cycle can be written in terms of the compression ratio
( ) as:

The Burning DCV ( ) and Cooling DCV ( ) to be defined

below are related to the Apparent DCV ( ) through:

where and are total burning/chemical heat release and

wall heat transfer cooling loss, respectively.
Degree of [] Similar to the Apparent DCV, the Burning DCV is defined as:
Constant Volume
(Burning)

where is the total burning/chemical heat release and

is the chemical heat release rate.
Degree of [] Similar to the Apparent DCV, the Cooling DCV is defined as:
Constant Volume
(Cooling)

where is the total wall heat transfer loss and is the wall
heat transfer rate.
CA @ 2% [deg Time at which 2% of the accumulated heat release is reached,
Heat Release ATDC] in crank angle degrees.
CA @ 10% [deg Time at which 10% of the accumulated heat release is reached,
Heat Release ATDC] in crank angle degrees.
CA @ 30% [deg Time at which 30% of the accumulated heat release is reached,
Heat Release ATDC] in crank angle degrees.
CA @ 50% [deg Time at which 50% of the accumulated heat release is reached,
Heat Release ATDC] in crank angle degrees.

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 Output Controls Node

Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations
CA @ 90% [deg Time at which 90% of the accumulated heat release is reached,
Heat Release ATDC] in crank angle degrees.
10%-90% [deg] Combustion duration, as measured by the time between 10%
Heat Release and 90% heat release, in crank angle degrees.
Duration
Soot @ EVO [g/kg-f ] Emissions index for soot at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilogram of fuel.
[g/kW-h] Emissions index for soot at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilowatt-hour.
EINOx @ EVO [g/kg-f ] Emissions index for NOx at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilogram of fuel.
[g/kW-h] Emissions index for NOx at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilowatt-hour.
CO @ EVO [g/kg-f ] Emissions index for CO at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilogram of fuel.
[g/kW-h] Emissions index for CO at exhaust-valve opening, in units of
grams per kilowatt-hour.
UHC @ EVO [g/kg-f ] Emissions index for unburned hydrocarbons at exhaust-valve
opening, in units of grams per kilogram of fuel. Hydrocarbons
in this accounting include all species that have non-zero
composition for both H and C atoms, including those that
contain oxygen.
[g/kW-h] Emissions index for unburned hydrocarbons at exhaust-valve
opening, in units of grams per kilowatt-hour. Hydrocarbons in
this accounting include all species that have non-zero
composition for both H and C atoms, including those that
contain oxygen.
C1-UHC @ [ppm] Concentration of unburned hydrocarbons at exhaust-valve
EVO opening, in units of ppm. In this calculation, the concentrations
of hydrocarbon species are converted to C1 level.
VOC @ EVO [g/kg-f ] Emissions index for volatile organic compounds at
exhaust-valve opening, in units of grams per kilogram of fuel.
VOC species include species containing both H and C atoms,
and the species may also contain other atoms, such as oxygen
(O) or nitrogen (N).
[g/kW-h] Emissions index for volatile organic compounds at
exhaust-valve opening, in units of grams per kilowatt-hour.
VOC species include species containing both H and C atoms,
and the species may also contain other atoms, such as oxygen
(O) or nitrogen (N).

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Summary Units Description

Data in the
Ansys Forte
Log, for
engine
simulations
C1-VOC @ [ppm] Concentration of volatile organic compounds at exhaust-valve
EVO opening, in units of ppm. In this calculation, the concentrations
of VOC species are converted to C1 level.

3.7.2.2. Customized Spray Analysis

The Output Controls node on the Workflow tree offers Spatially Averaged and Spray Analysis.
Select this option if you want to investigate spray data in a customized way. With the Penetration
Analysis Editor panel, you can select any defined nozzles or injectors to study (see Spray Model (p. 65)
for defining nozzles under Spray Models).

For nozzle-based analysis, the following four variables, which are described in Table 3.9: Spray
penetration data available for reporting in custom_spray_penetration.csv (p. 142), may be
selected for output: Axial penetration, radial penetration, normal penetration, and spray angle. For
injector-based analysis, you need to specify the origin and direction of the axis for the whole injector.
The liquid and vapor penetration length thresholds can be customized as well.

The resulting output will be written in a file named custom_spray_penetration.csv, which

will be located in the working directory together with other spatially averaged data files. This .csv
file contains both nozzle-based and injector-based analysis results. The output variable names start
with a(num)_, where (num) is the index of the customized analysis following its order on the
setup tree.

Table 3.9: Spray penetration data available for reporting in custom_spray_penetra-

tion.csv

Spray Analysis Data in Units Description

custom_spray_penetration.csv,
depending on options
Axial Penetration [mm] For the calculation, all spray parcels are projected
onto the axis of the nozzle that injects them, and
then the mass of these liquid parcels is accumulated
starting at nozzle exit. The axial penetration is defined
as the distance between the nozzle exit and the
location where the accumulated liquid mass reaches
a threshold fraction of the total liquid mass specified
by the cutoff parameter. Note: The definition of this
parameter is essentially the same as that of "Liquid
penetration length" shown in Table 3.6: Spatially
averaged variables that are always output to the .csv
files (p. 118), except that the threshold fraction of the
liquid mass is adjustable by "cutoff" instead of fixed
as 95%.

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 Output Controls Node

Spray Analysis Data in Units Description

custom_spray_penetration.csv,
depending on options
Radial Penetration [mm] For the calculation, the mass of the spray parcels is
accumulated starting at nozzle exit. The radial
penetration length is defined as the absolute distance
between the nozzle exit and the spray parcel location
where the accumulated liquid mass reaches a
threshold fraction of the total liquid mass specified
by the "cutoff" parameter.
Normal Penetration [mm] For the calculation, all spray parcels are projected
onto the axis of the nozzle that injects them, and
then the mass of these liquid parcels is accumulated
starting at the axis of the nozzle. The normal
penetration is defined as the normal distance between
the nozzle axis and the location where the
accumulated liquid mass reaches a threshold fraction
of the total liquid mass specified by the "cutoff"
parameter. It is a measure of spray diffusion away
from the axis of injection.
Spray Angle [degree] For the calculation, all spray parcels are projected
onto the axis of the nozzle that injects them, and
then the mass of these liquid parcels is accumulated
starting at the axis of the nozzle. For each spray
parcel, a spreading angle can be defined by
evaluating the ratio of its normal distance to the
nozzle axis to its axial distance from the nozzle exit.
A half-spray-cone angle is then defined where the
accumulated liquid mass reaches a threshold fraction
of the total liquid mass specified by the "cutoff"
parameter. The spray angle reported doubles the
half-spray-cone angle.

Figure 3.24: Illustration of axial and radial penetrations (assuming the liquid mass threshold
"cutoff" is 100%)

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Figure 3.25: Illustration of normal penetration (assuming the liquid mass threshold "cutoff"
is 100%)

Figure 3.26: Illustration of spray angle (assuming the liquid mass threshold "cutoff" is 100%)

3.7.2.3. Port Flow Monitor

In an engine system, it is often desirable to monitor the mass flow rate and accumulated mass flow
through valves or ports between an engine cylinder and regions connected to it. The standard
spatially averaged output flow_into_cylinder.csv reports these quantities, but it only reports
the total mass flow through all the valves or ports that connect a cylinder region and a neighboring
non-cylinder region. In practice, there may be more than one valve or port connecting the cylinder
and the non-cylinder region. Port Flow Monitor can be used to monitor the mass flow through
each individual valve/port or a selected group of valves/ports.

For each port flow monitor, you can select which valve(s)/port(s) to monitor by drawing either a
bounding box or a bounding sphere that completely encompasses them. If the bounding box option
is selected, a reference frame can be used to define the orientation of the box. The length, width,
and height of the box are assumed to be aligned with the x, y, z-axes of the local reference frame.
The specified location marks the center of the box. If the bounding sphere option is selected, the
specified location marks the center of the sphere.

In a multicylinder simulation, if port flow monitors are used, an output file called
port_flow_monitor_n.csv will be created for each cylinder, in which n corresponds to the
cylinder index. Within each port_flow_monitor_n.csv, mass flow rate and accumulated mass
flow through all the monitored valves/ports will be reported. The reported values follow the same
sign convention as the one used by flow_into_cylinder.csv: positive if flow goes into the
cylinder; negative if flow goes out of the cylinder.

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 Output Controls Node

3.7.3. Restart Data Panel

Use this panel to specify restart data. Restart data allows the solution to be restarted from the point
saved to the file, in a subsequent simulation. For more information on the mechanics of restarting a
simulation, see Restart Files and Processing (p. 189). Check the Restart Data box to activate the options.

• Write Restart File at Last Simulation Step: Always write a restart file at the last simulation step.
The restart file will be written when the final simulation time is reached or if the simulation is
stopped by the user through the Run Simulation interface.

• Interval Based Restart: Write a restart file at specified intervals, based on crank angle, time, or the
number of fluid time steps that have been taken.

• User Defined Restart Points: Specific discrete crank angles (for engine simulations) or times for
writing restart files. For CA-based restart controls used in engine cases, you can select the Adjust
Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option to convert the CA values to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for
4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines), and they will be treated as cyclic and repeated
on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use
Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition of these
CA values. If the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option is not selected, then the CA values
will not be converted to cyclic. Note that in a multi-cylinder engine simulation, the user-defined
CA values will be checked in all cylinders' local time frames to determine when to write restart
points.

3.7.4. Additional Output

In addition to Forte's standard spatially resolved outputs, additional outputs are available under the
Additional Outputs workflow tree item. Currently, EnSight DVS (Dynamic Visualization Store) is offered
as an additional output format.

The advantages of this format over Forte standard output formats are:

• Optimized loading in EnSight (reduced time to load and reduced time stepping through transient
solution points).
• Smaller file sizes.
• Better performance during solution writing, especially for cluster runs with large numbers of pro-
cesses.

To utilize the EnSight DVS format, add one or more instances of a DVS output available on the Addi-
tional Output editor panel's icon bar.

The output settings follow the same structure as Forte’s native spatially resolved outputs.

Note:

DVS output can be enabled independently from Forte’s spatially resolved output. It
therefore often makes sense to disable Forte’s spatially resolved output when using DVS.

The DVS results will be contained in a subfolder of the run directory, named according to the user-
supplied name of the DVS output added to the workflow tree. To load the results in EnSight, within
an EnSight session choose File > Open and select the .dvs file from this directory, or use the EnSight

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launcher shortcut on Forte’s Run panel, which will search for and provide a list of available .dvs files
in the analysis directory that can be preselected and passed to the newly launched EnSight instance.

3.8. Monitor Probes Panel

In addition to the standard spatially averaged and spatially resolved output, Ansys Forte offers a variety
of monitor probes designed for more customized flow solution inquiries. Certain monitor probes can
be applied to several types of user-specified regions, and can monitor spatially averaged and instantan-
eous solution data within the regions. Other monitor probes can be applied in a spatially resolved
manner and to specified locations, in order to calculate time-averaging and other useful statistical in-
formation from the local solution data.

This section reviews the options available for setting up the various types of monitor probes. To create
a probe, click the New Monitor Probe icon on this panel. A probe can be set up to monitor instant-
aneous, spatially averaged data within specified regions. In this case, the probe can monitor:

• a geometric region, whose shape can be spherical, annulus, or bounding box.

• a boundary-condition-based region.

• an initialization region.

• an injection source.

• an injection source intercepted by a plane.

Alternatively, a probe can be set up as a point cloud to monitor time-averaged, spatially resolved data.
In this case, the probe can be either:

• Wall sampling, in which the point clouds are distributed on a wall boundary to monitor wall heat
transfer, or

• General data sampling, in which the point clouds are distributed in the fluid domain to monitor gas-
phase solutions in general.

Monitored solutions are inquired at a fixed and user-specified frequency, based on either time or crank
angle, or a set of user-specified discrete times or crank angles. The Inquiry Frequency need to be set
on this panel (Monitor Probes Panel) and applied to all the probes. For probes for instantaneous and
spatially averaged data, the inquiry frequency is also the data output frequency. For probes for time-
averaged and spatially resolved data, the inquiry frequency is the frequency to inquire solutions and
perform time-averaging numerically. In this case, more frequent inquires would make time-averaging
more accurate.

To set a fixed, interval-based inquiry frequency, you may choose the Frequency Option as either Time
or Crank Angle, and set the Output Every interval. Select User Defined Monitor Inquiry Points to
set specific discrete crank angles (for engine simulations) or times by using a profile. If the user-defined
frequency is based on crank angle, you may select the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries option to
convert the CA values to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke
engines), and they will be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-
degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global
crank angle range for the cyclic repetition of these CA values. If the Adjust Profile to Cyclic Boundaries
option is not selected, then the CA values will not be converted to cyclic.

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 Monitor Probes Panel

The following sections describe each type of monitor probe in more detail.

3.8.1. Probes for Instantaneous, Spatially Averaged Data

With these types of monitor probes, you can inquire flow solutions within certain types of regions
and apply spatial averaging on the solutions. There are several types of regions available:

(I) If the probe Monitor Type is set as Geometric: the probe region is defined by an enclosed geo-
metric shape, which could take the form of sphere, annulus and box. In this case, the probe can be
used to monitor instantaneous, spatially averaged solutions of both the gas phase and of spray
droplets within the region.

• When the Geometric Shape is Spherical, you may specify the Locations of the sphere center
and the sphere Radius. When the sphere radius is larger than 0, all the inquired solutions will
be averaged over the cells, vertices, or spray droplets within the specified spherical region. If
the sphere radius is 0, the spherical region reduces to its center. In this limiting case, the gas
phase solutions closest to the center will be reported, and spray-related solutions will be aver-
aged over the spray droplets within the region centering at this location and with a default
radius of 1 mm.

• When the Geometric Shape is Annulus, you may set the Outer Radius, Inner Radius, and Height
of the annulus region. If the inner radius is zero, the annulus region becomes a cylinder. Use
the Local Coordinate System to define the location and orientation of the annulus region.
Refer to Reference Frames (p. 34) for how to set up a local coordinate system. Note that the
Z-axis defines the axial direction of the annulus region. The location of the annulus region is
defined at the center of the ring and half height. The annulus region is reduced to this location
if the outer radius or the height is zero. The treatment of this limiting case is similar to that
of the spherical region.

• When the Geometric Shape is Bounding Box, you may set the Side Length X, Y and Z of the
box. Also, use the Local Coordinate System (refer to Reference Frames (p. 34) ) to define the
location and orientation of the bounding box region. The location is defined as the center of
the bounding box. In the limiting case of any side length becoming zero, the box region reduces
to the center. The treatment of this limiting case is similar to that of the spherical region.

Note: You can visualize the geometric region in the 3-D View Panel by activating the bulb icon
ahead of the monitor probe created in the Workflow Tree.

(II) If the probe Monitor Type is set as a Boundary Condition, the probe region is defined as the
gas phase region in the closest proximity of the boundary. In this case, only the gas phase solution
variables are to be monitored. You must select one specific boundary from the Boundary Conditions
list (as described in Boundary Conditions Node (p. 81)). In this case, the inquired solution variables
are averaged over the CFD cells adjacent to the boundary and/or the vertices on the boundary.

(III) If the probe Monitor Type is set as an Initialization Region, the probe region is defined to be
equivalent as the initialization region. Both the gas phase and the sprays' solution variables within
the region could be monitored. You must specify one specific initialization region from the Initial
Conditions list, as introduced in Initial Conditions Node (p. 97).

(IV) If the probe Monitor Type is set as an Injection Source, the probe region is defined as the liquid
sprays coming out of the injection source. Therefore, only sprays’ solution variables will be monitored.
"Injection source" refers to injectors and nozzles that are defined on the Spray Model Workflow tree

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item, as introduced in Spray Model (p. 65). An injection source may contain one or multiple nozzles,
and you must select the nozzle(s) of interest from a list based on the defined nozzles listed on the
Nozzles Editor panel. Droplets that come from any of the selected nozzles will be included in this
particular analysis, and all the other droplets will be excluded from the analysis.

(V) If the probe Monitor Type is set as a Plane and Injection Source, the probe region is defined
as the spray droplets coming out of the injection source and passing through certain plane. Only
sprays' solution variables will be monitored. The plane is set as infinitely large and can be defined by
any point on it and its normal direction. The normal direction can be set in a variety of ways using
the reference frames introduced in Reference Frames (p. 34). When the probe makes the requested
inquiry, all the spray droplets passing through the plane within that particular time step will be
monitored. In addition, you may specify that the injection source should include or exclude the
droplets from any nozzle.

As mentioned, with these types of probes, you can monitor a number of solution variables for the
gas phase and the spray droplets (see Table 3.10: Solution variables that can be monitored by
probes (p. 148)), and they can be selected from the Solution Variables list. You can also monitor any
species data for the gas phase, selected from the Species list. For each selected species, its species
density, mole fraction, and mass fraction are monitored.

Table 3.10: Solution variables that can be monitored by probes

Variable Units Description

Variables defined for the gas phase

Pressure [Mpa] Volume-averaged static pressure.

Temperature [K] Mass-averaged temperature.
Density [g/cm3 Mass-averaged density.
]
Viscosity [g/cm-s] Mass-averaged effective (molecular
+ turbulent) dynamic viscosity.
Equivalence ratio -- Mass-averaged equivalence ratio.
As in Table 3.3: Spatially resolved
variables that are eligible output to
the solution file (p. 111), equivalence
ratio is the (oxygen needed to
convert carbon and hydrogen to
CO2 and H2O) to (the oxygen
available).
Fuel vapor mass fraction -- Sum of mass fractions of gas-phase
fuel species.
Internal energy [J/g] Mass-averaged specific internal
energy of gas-phase mixture.
Turbulent kinetic energy [J/g] Mass-averaged turbulent kinetic
energy per mass.

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 Monitor Probes Panel

Variable Units Description

TKE dissipation rate [J/g-s] Mass-averaged dissipation rate of
the turbulent kinetic energy per
unit mass.
Turbulent velocity [m/s] Mass-averaged turbulent velocity.
As in Table 3.3: Spatially resolved
variables that are eligible output to
the solution file (p. 111), turbulent
velocity is defined as
where TKE is turbulent kinetic
energy.
Velocity-X [m/s] X component of the mass-averaged
gas velocity.
Velocity-Y [m/s] Y component of the mass-averaged
gas velocity.
Velocity-Z [m/s] Z component of the mass-averaged
gas velocity.
Velocity magnitude [m/s] Magnitude of the mass-averaged
gas velocity.
Variables defined for the gas phase near the wall boundary and used only in
wall sampling probes

Heat Transfer Flux [J/(m2-s)] Convective heat transfer rate per

unit area.
Heat Transfer Coefficient [J/(m2-K-s)] Convective heat Transfer Flux
divided by the temperature
gradient near the wall.
Near wall Temperature [K] Gas temperature close to the wall.
Variables defined for the spray droplets

For each of the selected spray parameters, both instantaneous and accumulated
values will be reported. The instantaneous value is calculated based on the parcels
crossing the monitor plane during the current time step, while the accumulated
value considers all the parcels that have ever crossed the monitor plane.

Averaged Sauter mean [micron] Averaged Sauter mean diameter of

diameter the monitored spray droplets.
Mass-averaged mean [m/s] Magnitude of the mass-averaged
droplet velocity velocity of the monitored spray
droplets.

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Variable Units Description

Number-averaged mean [m/s] Magnitude of the number-averaged
droplet velocity velocity of the monitored spray
droplets.
Mass-averaged mean [cm] X coordinate of the mass-averaged
droplet location - X location of the monitored spray
droplets.
Mass-averaged mean [cm] Y coordinate of the mass-averaged
droplet location - Y location of the monitored spray
droplets.
Mass-averaged mean [cm] Z coordinate of the mass-averaged
droplet location - Z location of the monitored spray
droplets.

The output from the monitor probe is stored in <probe_name>.csv, where <probe_name> is the
probe’s name. Figure 3.27: An example of data output from a typical instantaneous and spatially av-
eraged monitor probe (p. 150) shows an example of the output file. The columns of data include
"Crank Angle" and "Time", and a number of monitored solution variables. In this example, the solution
variables include gas phase temperature ("T"), density ("Rho"), spray droplets’ Sauter-Mean-Diameter
("SMD"), and the species density and mole and mass fractions of n-tetradecane ("nc14h30") in the gas
phase. Each row of data corresponds to these solutions at a particular crank angle and time inquired
by the probe. As simulation progresses, this output file is updated with more rows of data added,
based on the Inquiry Frequency in the Monitor Probes Panel.

Figure 3.27: An example of data output from a typical instantaneous and spatially averaged
monitor probe

For certain types of monitor probes, in addition to the monitoring of spatially averaged spray droplet
data, you can set up a histogram analysis. A histogram reports the probability distribution of spray
droplets with respect to a spray-related response variable. This provides additional useful information
for the spray droplets within the probe region. Check (turn ON) the Particle Histogram option, and
choose a Particle Response Variable. The available options are droplet diameter and velocity. Create
a table for the histogram bins to specify the monitored data range and the lower and upper bounds
for each bin. Use the Averaging Weight option to specify whether the distribution is based on droplet
mass or number.

The output from the histogram analysis is stored in <probe_name>_Histogram_<response_vari-

able>.csv, in which <probe_name> is the probe’s name, and <response_variable> indicates the

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 Monitor Probes Panel

type of the particle-responsible variable ("diam" for diameter and "vel" for velocity) and its unit. Fig-
ure 3.28: An example of data output from a typical histogram analysis using droplet diameter (unit:
micron) as the response variable (p. 151) shows an example of the output file using droplet diameter
(unit: micron) as the response variable. The columns of data include "Crank Angle" and "Time", and
a number of bins for the response variable. In this example, the range of the response variable is
from 0 to 50 microns, and is divided equally into 10 bins. The lower bound of each bin is shown in
the header of each column. Since the bins are consecutive, the upper bound of bin i is the lower
bound of bin i+1. The data shown in each bin’s column are the portions of droplets that fall into this
bin with respect to the whole collection of droplets in the probe region. Each row of data corresponds
to the droplet distribution at a particular crank angle and time inquired by the probe, and can be
used to plot a probability density distribution function at that moment. As the simulation progresses,
this output file is updated with added rows of data, based on the Inquiry Frequency in the Monitor
Probes Panel.

Figure 3.28: An example of data output from a typical histogram analysis using droplet diameter
(unit: micron) as the response variable

Note:

For each probe Monitor Type, you can specify the probe to be always active during the
simulation, or active only within a user-specified time or crank angle interval. For the CA-
interval-based activation option, you can select the Crank Angle Option as Cyclic or
Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying probe activation that is repetitive in a
multi-engine-cycle simulation. In this case, the user-supplied start and end CA values will
be converted to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for
2-stroke engines). The CA interval will then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-
degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use
Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range for the cyclic repetition,
beyond which the probe is not active. If the Crank Angle Option is Global, no cyclic
conversion is made on the user-supplied crank angle values.

3.8.2. Probes for Time-Averaged and Spatially Resolved Data

Probes for time-averaged and spatially resolved data allow you to inquire flow solutions in a spatially
resolved manner. They employ a number of points (point cloud) at specified locations to inquire
solution data over time in a simulation. Time-averaging is performed at the local solutions in order
to derive useful statistical information out of a transient simulation. The Inquiry Frequency specified

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in the Monitor Probe Panel is the frequency of data inquiry, which also defines the discrete time
interval used for time-averaging.

There are two types of probes under this category:

(I) Wall Sampling

This feature is designed to collect the spatially varying and time-averaged heat transfer data on the
walls. Such data can be useful in a number of ways. For example, in engine simulations, the time-av-
eraged and spatially resolved heat transfer data can be used in a Conjugate Heat Transfer analysis,
coupling Forte’s in-cylinder flow and combustion simulation with an external thermal analysis of the
engine's solid parts. To use this type of probe, set Monitor Type as Wall Sampling. Then set up a
point cloud on any wall boundary for monitoring heat transfer between wall and fluid at these loca-
tions. To accurately capture the spatially varying heat transfer effects, Ansys Forte provides the following
two options for Point Cloud Specification on a wall.

Option (A) Specify the point cloud directly from the surface mesh: select the Generate From Surface
option. The points will be automatically generated from any surface-mesh clip plane, the same clip
planes that are defined under the Geometry node of the Workflow tree (see Geometry Node (p. 41)).
In this case, the points are always collocated on the surface mesh nodes during the simulation and
follow the motion of the surface mesh if a moving wall boundary condition is defined. Note that this
option is only available for the simulations that use automatic mesh generation.

In general, if the surface mesh has a reasonably good resolution, the mesh nodes (therefore points
cloud) will be sufficient in number and well distributed on the surface. Figure 3.29: Example of surface
mesh on the piston (orange color) used for point cloud (p. 152) shows an example of surface mesh
on the piston (orange color), which has good resolution. Here, the piston is at its Top Dead Center
(TDC) location, while the cylinder liner wall surface in touch with the in-cylinder gas is displayed as
purple.

Figure 3.29: Example of surface mesh on the piston (orange color) used for point cloud

Caution is needed when generating point clouds from the surface mesh of the engine cylinder liner,
which is usually defined at the piston's Top Dead Center (TDC) location. (See the liner surface colored
purple in Figure 3.29: Example of surface mesh on the piston (orange color) used for point cloud (p. 152)).
During the simulation, the liner surface can be extended as the piston moves between its TDC and
Bottom Dead Center (BDC) locations. If the point clouds are expected to cover the full liner surface,
including the piston's swept area between its TDC and BDC locations, you must select the Extend
along a moving edge option and select the moving boundary condition of the piston from the list

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 Monitor Probes Panel

of Boundary Conditions. In such cases, Ansys Forte will predict the full liner surface based on the
stroke and the piston's direction of motion, and automatically add points to the point cloud and
distribute them on the full liner surface. Figure 3.30: Example showing surface mesh on a full liner
surface used for point cloud (p. 153) shows the outcome of the point cloud extension. The liner surface
has been extended to account for the piston’s limiting location at BDC. While using the surface mesh
nodes as the point cloud, certain points (such as Point (1)) are always in contact with the in-cylinder
gas regardless of the piston’s location, other points (such as Point (n)) are in contact with the in-cyl-
inder gas only during part of the engine cycle. The point cloud on the full liner surface is assumed
to be static.

Figure 3.30: Example showing surface mesh on a full liner surface used for point cloud

Option (B) Alternatively, use the Specify Points option to set up the points by explicitly describing
their coordinates. To specify the point locations, create a table with the Point Cloud Editor, and
input x-, y-, and z- Cartesian coordinates (in cm) in columns 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Several input
methods are available: Picking with the mouse, inputting coordinates in the point cloud table, or
importing a .csv file of coordinates (see Point Cloud Editor (p. 30)). By default, user-specified points
are static. However, when using automatic mesh generation, you may choose to make the points
follow the motion of a wall by activating Attach to Moving Wall and attaching them to the selected
moving wall boundary condition from the Boundary Condition list.

In either of the above cases, a Surface Tolerance is allowed in case the points are not exactly, but
reasonably, specified on the wall surface. If the points are too far away from the wall, they are con-
sidered inactive (see the next several paragraphs).

Note:

A good practice is to set the Surface Tolerance to a value greater than half of the CFD
mesh size near the wall so that effective monitoring is possible.

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Modeling Guide

The wall sampling monitor probe can monitor three heat-transfer-related variables, as listed in
Table 3.10: Solution variables that can be monitored by probes (p. 148):

• heat transfer flux

• heat transfer coefficient

• near-wall temperature

As in any type of monitor probe's setting, you can set the wall sampling probe to be always active
during the simulation or active only within a user-specified time period or crank angle duration. Note
that for the CA-interval-based activation option, you can select the Crank Angle Option as Cyclic or
Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying probe activation that is repetitive in a multi-engine-
cycle simulation. In this case, the user-specified start and end CA values will be converted to fit in the
range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The CA interval will
then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree schedule
(2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank angle range
for the cyclic repetition, beyond which the probe is not active. If the Crank Angle Option is Global,
no cyclic conversion is made on the user-supplied crank angle values.

For a wall sampling probe, an additional activation control affects each individual local probe point
in the point cloud. Specifically, a probe point is considered active when the local wall surface is exposed
to the simulated fluid. The point becomes inactive if the local wall surface is not exposed to the sim-
ulated fluid. This happens when valves seal with the ports, or when the cylinder liner touches the
piston wall or the crank case gas not simulated by Forte. The point may also be considered inactive
when it is too far away from any wall. To account for this activation control, Forte defines an activation
function, , such that:

The accumulated active time of a point is defined as "effective inquiry time" ( ):

in which is the elapsed time of the simulation. The time-averaged heat transfer flux , heat
transfer coefficient , and near-wall gas temperature are defined as:

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 Monitor Probes Panel

in which and are the instantaneous heat transfer flux and coefficient, respectively, and is
the wall temperature. The near-wall gas temperature is defined such that . The
time integration is calculated in its discrete form, and the time step is determined by the Inquiry
Frequency specified in the Monitor Probe Editor panel.

Output file creation varies with the method of point cloud creation:

• If the points are generated from a surface-mesh clip plane, each wall-sampling probe provides two
separate output data files, both containing the same x-, y-, z- Cartesian coordinates (in cm) of the
points and the same monitored time-averaged heat transfer variables (in SI units). The difference
is that one data file also contains the point connectivity information, which facilitates its import
into a post-processing software such as CFD-Post for visualization of the monitored solutions on
the wall surface, while the other data file does not contain this additional point connectivity inform-
ation. These two output files are named as wall_sampling_<probe_name>_at_sur-
face_<surface_name>_w_connectivity.csv and
wall_sampling_<probe_name>_at_surface_<surface_name>_w_o_connectiv-
ity.csv, respectively, where <probe_name> is the probe’s name and <surface_name> is the
name of the surface mesh used to generate the point cloud.

• If the points are generated by user-specified coordinates, one data file that contains the x-, y-, z-
Cartesian coordinates of the points and the time-averaged heat transfer variables without the point
connectivity information is created. The output file is named as:
wall_sampling_<probe_name>.csv, where <probe_name> is the probe’s name.

Figure 3.31: Example of the output file from a wall sampling probe, with 20 points in the point
cloud (p. 156) provides an example of output from a wall sampling probe. The probe’s name is
wall_sampling_moving and the name of the surface used for point cloud specification is Moving_0.
This output file keeps being updated during the simulation as time-averaging is performed simultan-
eously. The time when this file was last updated is shown in the second row of the file as t=0.25E-2
(sec), which is the elapsed time of simulation (t). In the following rows, the X-, Y- and Z-coordinates
of the points and their effective inquiry time ( ) and time-averaged heat transfer flux ("HTFlux")
and near-wall temperature ("nearWallT") are shown. It is noted that if , it means that the local
probe point has always been active during the simulation. If , it means that the local probe
point was not always active, and the active time duration is .

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Figure 3.31: Example of the output file from a wall sampling probe, with 20 points in the point
cloud

(II) General Data Sampling

This feature is designed to monitor local flow solutions over time and calculate meaningful statistical
information if the flow solutions fluctuate. It is particularly helpful in analysis of turbulent flow field
simulated by Large-eddy Simulation. Unlike Wall Sampling, which queries solutions on the wall
boundaries, the General Data Sampling is designed to query solutions in the interior of the simulation
domain. It also offers more types of statistical data for calculation other than time-averaged, such as
the root-mean-square (RMS) and co-variance.

To use this type of monitor probe, set the probe Monitor Type as General Data Sampling. You can
use a point cloud to monitor data within any locations in the flow domain. There are two ways of
specifying the point cloud. The first way is to edit the Point Cloud option to explicitly describe the
points' x-, y-, z-coordinates. Several input methods are available: Picking with the mouse, inputting
coordinates in the point cloud table, or importing a .csv file of coordinates (see Point Cloud Edit-
or (p. 30)). The second way is to choose the Control Surface option, and automatically populate a
point cloud on any clip plane inside the simulation domain. You can choose to use an existing control
surface, or create a new one using the Control Surface Editor (see Control Surface Editor (p. 31)). The
mesh nodes on the control surface will be used as a point cloud. Note that in both options, the points
are always static during the simulation, despite that the local CFD mesh might change.

As in any type of monitor probe's setting, you can set the general data sampling probe to be always
active during the simulation or active only within a user-specified time period or crank angle duration.
Note that for the CA-interval-based activation option, you can select the Crank Angle Option as
Cyclic or Global. The Cyclic option is helpful in specifying probe activation that is repetitive in a

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 Monitor Probes Panel

multi-engine-cycle simulation. In this case, the user-specified start and end CA values will be converted
to fit in the range of [0, 720) °CA (for 4-stroke engines) or [0, 360) °CA (for 2-stroke engines). The CA
interval will then be treated as cyclic and repeated on a 720-degree schedule (4-stroke) or 360-degree
schedule (2-stroke). You may choose to Use Global Crank Angle Limits to impose a global crank
angle range for the cyclic repetition, beyond which the probe is not active. If the Crank Angle Option
is Global, no cyclic conversion is made on the user-supplied crank angle values.

Similarly to the wall sampling probe behavior, an additional activation control affects each individual
local probe point in the point cloud. A probe point is considered active when it is within the flow
domain. The point becomes inactive if it is outside the flow domain. the activation function is
used to define a probe point’s activation status, and the effective inquiry time ( ) is the accumulated
active time of the point. Time-averaging of a certain solution variable is denoted as and defined
as:

Using the general data sampling probe, you can monitor any gas-phase solution variables that are
listed in Table 3.10: Solution variables that can be monitored by probes (p. 148). In addition to the in-
stantaneous data and time-averaging data, the general data sampling probe can output two additional
types of statistical data:

• root-mean-square (RMS), defined as , or equivalently,

• co-variance of any two gas-phase solution variables and , defined as ,

or equivalently,

The naming of an output file of a general data sampling probe follows the pattern gener-
al_data_sampling_<probe_name>.csv, in which <probe_name> is the probe’s name. This
file is created in the working directory at the beginning of the simulation, and is updated as simulation
time progresses until the end of the simulation.

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Modeling Guide

Figure 3.32: Example of the output file from a wall sampling probe, with 20 points in the point
cloud

3.8.3. Spray Patternators (Special Type of Monitor Probe)

A spray patternator is used to track how much liquid mass from certain nozzles has crossed a monitor
plane and where the liquid crosses the monitor plane. For each spray patternator, you can choose
which nozzle(s) to monitor (Injection Source) and specify the location, orientation, size, and resolution
of the monitor plane. The monitor plane is a discretized two-dimensional rectangular plane. The fol-
lowing parameters are needed to define the plane (see Figure 3.33: Schematic drawing of spray pat-
ternator configuration (p. 159)):

• Plane Origin: The center of the rectangular plane.

• Plane Normal Direction: The normal vector of the plane.

• Plane Tangential Direction: The tangential vector is used to define the "width" direction of the
rectangular plane. Since this tangential vector is parallel to the plane (or within the plane), it must
be orthogonal to the normal vector of the plane. If their mutual orthogonality is not satisfied, the
Forte run will report this error and stop.

• Width and Height of the plane: By convention, the width direction is aligned with the tangential
vector.

• Number of grid points along the Width and Height directions: Used to specify the resolution of
the discretized 2-D plane.

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 Monitor Probes Panel

Figure 3.33: Schematic drawing of spray patternator configuration

Spray patternation results can typically be saved at a lower output frequency compared to other
types of monitor probes, so Forte allows a customized output timing control to be specified for each
patternator. If the Custom Output Timing box is checked, the output schedule of this patternator
will follow the custom timing instead of the top-level monitor probe output timing.

The Activation options are used to control when a spray patternator becomes active. The patternator
will stop accumulating the spray parcels crossing the monitor plane when becoming inactive.

The patternator output files will be saved in a sub-directory called spray_patternator under the
Run directory. Results are reported in Ansys EnSight gold casefile format. At each result-writing step,
one set of output files is created for each patternator, including a .case file, a .geo file, and N+1
.var* files, where N is the number of nozzles monitored in this patternator. The base-name of these
output files follows the same convention as the one used by .ftres files. An example is T_1.00E-
03_100_Patt_1.case, in which 1.00E-3 is time and 100 is time step. The .case file serves as
an index file, which contains references to the .geo and .var* files. The first N .var* files contain
the areal mass densities (g/cm2) of accumulated liquid mass crossing each 2D cell from each individual
monitored nozzle, and the last .var* file contains the total areal mass densities (g/cm2) from all
monitored nozzles.

To visualize the patternation results in EnSight, open the .case file in EnSight, and a part called
Patternator Plane will be created. By default, the Patternator Plane is shown as a point field. To
change the view to a plane, right click the Patternator Plane part, select Edit, and on the Editor
panel, change the Mesh option under Creation from Original dataset mesh to Height surface,
projecting points onto XY plane. Then you can render the plane using the areal mass density vari-
ables.

If needed, you can overlay additional .case files or the .ftind file in the same EnSight viewport.
To do so, choose Keep current loaded data when you open the additional .case or .ftind files.

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Modeling Guide

3.9. Simulation Notes Node

• After reading the RGP file during the course of the simulation, Ansys Forte will echo (to the monitor
file) the RGP table bounds for each of the property. This could be useful to cross-check that the desired
data has been read.

3.9.1. Simulation Notes Panel

Use this panel for two purposes:

• Set Test Index.

• Enter notes for the runs or simulation conditions.

These are annotation options for you to record any information that may help you remember specifics

about the case you are running. The Simulation Notes icon bar has 1 icon: New Note . Click the
icon to create and then name the new note. In the Editor panel you can use the icons to copy, paste,
or delete the note, or record items about the simulation or set a test index.

3.10. Preview Simulation Node

3.10.1. Boundary Motion Panel

Use this panel to preview the specified boundary motion in the 3-D View before actually running the
simulation. Before attempting to preview the boundary motion, we recommend that you make invisible
the Geometry surfaces and make visible selected boundary surfaces, especially those that have moving-
wall boundary conditions, and set the opacity of those boundaries appropriately. The icons on the

Boundary Motion icon bar are: Play , Loop , Stop , and Reset . You can specify the
duration of the animation and a point at which to preview, by entering a crank angle or picking a
point in a plot of the cycle.

This option displays the "background" Cartesian mesh in the Setup interface, during the Setup workflow.
This mesh display can look rough-edged, or untrimmed. The actual computation is based on the to-
pology of this Cartesian mesh but takes into account the actual trimmed nature of the cells in various
ways.

In addition to the boundary motion preview in the 3-D View window, the Boundary Motion Editor
panel contains an optional display under Simulation Preview that provides a rough plot of various
events and motions that have been set up in the project, including simulation start and stop, piston
motion, valve motion, sparks, injection, and areas of dynamic mesh refinement (for automatic meshing).
This option is only available for engine simulations, where a slider-crank motion has been defined
for at least one boundary surface. By entering a crank angle in the Simulation Preview text box, a
dashed line will be drawn indicating that location in the displayed cycle for reference purposes.

3.10.2. Mesh Generation Panel

The Mesh Generation panel only appears for projects where automatic-mesh generation was selected
when you first imported your geometry. Starting in 2020 R2, Ansys Forte provides a new mechanism

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 Preview Simulation Node

for previewing automatic mesh generation that takes advantage of EnSight’s Dynamic Data capability,
allowing Forte to send a preview mesh directly for processing in EnSight, without saving to disk, and
with some added features such as the ability to preview only surface mesh motion and to detect in-
tersections in the geometry.

3.10.2.1. Preview Settings Panel

Time Option: The mesh can be previewed at a particular time, crank angle, or throughout a time
or crank angle interval.

Data Options: Data Set Name provides a user-editable name for the data set, such as "IVC-to-EVO".

The Save Output to Disk option will cause the mesh preview to be written to disk instead of being
sent directly to a new EnSight instance. The data set will persist in a folder named "Preview" in the
simulations analysis directory and may be loaded manually in EnSight.

The Check for Surface Intersections option will cause additional checks to be performed on the
surface mesh that will detect surface intersections and will create point parts in the EnSight data
set where they are detected.

The Include Volume Mesh option tells the mesh preview generator that a full surface and volume
mesh are to be created. If not selected, the mesh preview generator will only produce surface mesh
motion. Unlike the quick Boundary Motion animation, this surface motion will include any deform-
ations to the surface mesh that may occur during the requested range, and can run efficiently on
a single MPI process. We recommend starting with a surface-only preview to verify that motion is
set correctly, and then including volume mesh to verify refinement settings. The volume mesh
creation employs MPI parallelism, and all available or desirable processes should be used.

3.10.2.2. Creating the Preview Mesh

Clicking the Generate Mesh button from the toolbar panel will start the mesh creation process.
If Save Output to Disk is not selected (the default), then a dialog will be launched, prompting you
to select a data set to load into Ansys EnSight. Select the named data set to start EnSight and begin
post-processing the preview mesh, similar to post-processing a complete solution in EnSight.

If Save Output to Disk is selected, then the mesh preview process will begin and write the mesh

directly to disk. Launch EnSight from the Mesh Preview toolbar or other method to load the
data set.

Note:

Processing mesh preview data in EnSight when using direct data transfer

When creating a range of preview mesh data with the Save Output to Disk option OFF,
Forte will continuously update the EnSight instance with new meshes as they are available.
You may find it useful to have EnSight jump to the new mesh data as soon as it becomes

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Modeling Guide

available. To do this, configure the time set options in EnSight to jump to end (or other
options as desired).

Caution:

If Preview Mesh is canceled while EnSight is running, you must use the operating system's
option to terminate the EnSight instance.

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Chapter 4: Built-in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)
Beginning in release 2021 R1, Ansys Forte provides a capability to allow pressure loads from the fluid
simulation to interact with boundaries causing them to translate or deform.

The capabilities are:

• Rigid body translation based on spring mass system with damping

• Rigid body rotation based on spring mass system with damping

• Cantilever deformation according to Euler's beam equations for 3 loading scenarios

To enable Built-in Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) in Forte, enable the component in the Workflow tree
under Simulation Controls. Then add one or more FSI components available from the toolbar, such as
springs and beams.

Figure 4.1: FSI iconbar in Built-in FSI Editor panel

4.1. Rigid Body Translation Based on Spring Mass System With Damping
This type of FSI component can be used to model a check valve. The pressure load is integrated over
the selected boundary to provide a force acting on the body. An additional resistive force is applied
proportional to the velocity of the body, with a user-supplied proportionality constant.

Which gives the body's acceleration:

The body's new position is then marched in time explicitly.

A threshold and maximum displacement may be specified, and an option may be set to limit the spring
motion to travel in only the positive direction. The mass of the body, damping coefficient, spring constant,
and direction must be provided.

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Built-in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)

4.2. Rigid Body Rotation Based on Spring Mass System With Damping
This type of FSI component can be used to model a rigid reed valve or other torsionally activated
moving body. The pressure load is integrated over the selected boundary to provide a torque value
about the specified axis with which an angular version of Hooke's Law (T = k ) will be used to compute
an angular applied torque. A resistive torque proportional to the angular velocity of the body is also
applied, with a user-supplied proportionality constant.

Which gives the body’s angular acceleration:

The body’s new angular position is then marched in time explicitly.

A threshold and maximum displacement may be specified, and an option may be set to limit the spring
motion to travel in only the positive direction with respect to the specified axis of rotation. The mass
moment of inertia of the body about the rotating axis, damping coefficient, spring constant, and rotation
axis must be provided.

4.3. Cantilever Deformation According to Euler's Beam Equations

This type of FSI component can be used to model a deforming reed valve. The beam deflection dynamics
equation is approximated by using an analogy to rigid body torsional rotation. The deflection angle
is solved by integrating the following equation over time:

where is the net torque applied on the beam with respect to the anchoring axis, is the
restorative torque caused by the beam's stiffness, is the torque from external pressure applied
on the beam surface, is a damping coefficient, and is the mass moment of inertia of the beam.

This equation is integrated in time explicitly:

In the actual bending beam, the deflection angle varies at different locations along the beam. In the
present model, the deflection angle is defined as an averaged quantity. The change of is related to
the change of the tip deflection through the following equation:

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 Cantilever Deformation According to Euler's Beam Equations

The restorative torque is correlated with the deflection distance of the tip of the beam based on the
statics analysis using Euler's beam equations. This correlation is derived for three different load models:
point load, distributed load, and partially distributed load.

Figure 4.2: Point load at end of beam

In the point load model, the static deflection distribution along the beam is given by:
(4.1)

where is the point force, is Young's modulus, is the area moment of inertia of the beam, is the
distance from the deflecting point being calculated to the anchoring end of the beam.

The restorative torque is correlated with the tip deflection through the following equation:

Figure 4.3: Distributed load

In the distributed load model, the static deflection at location along the beam is given by
(4.2)

where is external force per unit length.

The restorative torque is correlated with the beam tip deflection through the following equation:

Figure 4.4: Partially distributed load

In the partially-distributed load model, the static deflection at the location along the beam is given
by:

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Built-in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)

(4.3)

where:

The restorative torque is correlated with the beam tip deflection through the following equation:

4.4. Monitoring FSI Behavior During Simulations

When FSI is present in a simulation, additional outputs are available for monitoring loads and displace-
ments. These outputs are available in Forte Monitor and as CSV files in the run directory, named according
to the FSI boundary selected for each FSI component.

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Chapter 5:Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs
Ansys Forte supports job preparing and running from either:

• the Forte User Interface (GUI)

• the Forte Command Line Interface (CLI)

This chapter describes preparing and running jobs using a variety of workflows and how to monitor
jobs once they are running.
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Prerequisites to Preparing Runs
5.3. Preparing Runs
5.4. Resource Management
5.5. Executing Runs
5.6. Monitoring Runs
5.7. Calculation of Knock and Phi-T
5.8. Restarting Runs
5.9. User-defined Functions (UDF)

5.1. Introduction
The steps to execute a Forte job are:

1. Prepare the job.

2. Run the job.

Prepare the job using either:

• The Forte User Interface (GUI)

• The Forte Command Line Interface (CLI)

Run the job using either:

• The Forte User Interface (GUI)

• The Forte Command Line Interface (CLI)

Forte supports the workflows illustrated in Figure 5.1: Workflow choices for Prepare and Run steps (p. 168)
for these two steps.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

Figure 5.1: Workflow choices for Prepare and Run steps

where each workflow choice is further described in these sections:

1. Run Preparation Using the Forte User Interface (p. 174)

2. Run Preparation Using the Command Line Interface (p. 176)

3. Executing Runs (p. 179)

4. Executing Runs Using the Command Line Interface (p. 180)

Note:

You cannot prepare the job using the Forte Command Line Interface and then run from the
Forte User Interface.

Deciding which of these workflows to follow may depend on the compute resources you have available
to prepare and run your job.

Forte supports the following computing architectures:

Single machine in parallel: A single Windows or a single Linux machine, where MPI uses shared memory
message passing locally on that machine.

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 Introduction

Distributed parallel: A Linux distributed cluster, where MPI uses distributed message passing[1] between
nodes in the cluster and shared memory between the MPI processes on each node in the cluster.

Distributed parallel computing is:

• Not supported on Windows systems

• Supported on Linux systems

The flowchart in Figure 5.2: Workflow choices for Single machine and Distributed Parallel steps (p. 170)
illustrates the possible workflows for running your job, including links to the sections that describe each
approach.

[1] A distributed cluster should have a fast interconnect, such as Infiniband, between all nodes
in the cluster to ensure the best performance.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

Figure 5.2: Workflow choices for Single machine and Distributed Parallel steps

For detailed descriptions, see the following sections:

• See Executing Runs Using the Forte User Interface (p. 179) and Executing Runs Using the Command
Line Interface (p. 180)

• Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile (p. 177)

• Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System (p. 178)

• UGE Cluster Example (p. 178)

• Slurm Cluster Example (p. 179)

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 Prerequisites to Preparing Runs

• Restarting Runs (p. 188)

For distributed parallel runs on the Linux platform, you have the option to either specify the resources
within the cluster by defining the hosts directly (see Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile (p. 177))
or to use a job queuing system (such as SLURM or UGE) which itself manages and assigns the hosts
(see Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System (p. 178).)

This chapter describes the following Forte workflows for specific run types:

• Single run (see Single Run Execution (p. 175)

• Restart run (see Restart Files and Processing (p. 189))

• Parameter study (see Parameter Study Execution (p. 180))

This chapter describes only the three run types in the list above: single run, restart run, or parameter
study. Parameter studies are most easily prepared using the Forte User Interface and that workflow is
explicitly described in this chapter. It is also possible to use the Command Line Interface to prepare
and run parameter study runs, although we recommend only using the Command Line Interface to
perform the execution of the runs and do the preparation using the User Interface

Other specialized Forte workflows are also available. These are described in the linked sections in the
associated chapters, as listed below:

• From Ansys Workbench – see Forte Simulation in Workbench (p. 209)

• Forte as a participant within a System Coupling run – see System Coupling (p. 211)

• Using a replay file – see Commands for Replay Scripting (p. 203)

The next section describes how to set the appropriate Run Settings prior to preparing and submitting
the job.

In Appendix B: Prerequisites for Parallel MPI Environment (p. 229) we describe the prerequisites for running
Forte in parallel.

5.2. Prerequisites to Preparing Runs

Before preparing a project using the Forte User Interface or the Command Line Interface, use the Run
Settings node in the Ansys Forte Workflow tree to specify script preparation options, set MPI options,
define names for the directories associated with the job, and set environment variables and advanced
options. The Run Settings node provides options to control job options in either Windows or Linux
environments. When running the job using the Forte User Interface, these settings populate the Run
Simulation panel, which you use to manage, start, stop, restart, monitor, save, and clean-up the runs.
These options are also populated to the scripts used when you run the job from the Forte Command
Line Interface.

The Forte User Interface's prepare step creates some scripts which are described in Run Preparation
Using the Command Line Interface (p. 176) and also in Additional Scripts - Background Information (p. 231).

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Ansys Forte uses a directory structure to organize scripts and data files for the run. The descriptive
names for these directories are Working directory, Analysis directory, and Run directory.

Table 5.1: Ansys Forte standard directory organization

Directory Level Description

role
Working Top Place where new directories and files are created during runs.
Output of simulations is located 2 levels lower (nominal or
parameter study).

Default location of project file (.ftsim)

Analysis Second Directory below Working directory containing job scripts to
launch a parameter study and containing the Run directories
for the individual simulation jobs that are executed.

May contain the .ftres file produced by harvesting the

results files in the Run directories after a parameter study has
been performed.
Run Third Directory below Analysis directory containing the job scripts,
input (.ftsim), restart, and output files of a single simulation
run.

5.2.1. Run Settings Panel

Forte Computation Options: Use these options to control output options. Select from three Logging
Level options to change the output in the log file: Silent, Normal, or Verbose. Verbose is usually
helpful for troubleshooting.

• No-hydro Mode: When selected, this option forces the simulation to run in mesh-movement-only
mode. In this mode, there will be no solution of the governing equations for flow or chemistry,
which is useful in verifying the engine settings and in diagnosing mesh-motion problems.

5.2.2. Run Options

Job Script Options: Use this subpanel to fine-tune the way job scripts are generated and executed.

The Default Run Type option defines the default value used for the Serial/Parallel buttons in the
Run Simulation panel. You can update this as a global preference for all new projects by setting your
preference. The actual run type of the scripts generated depends on the Serial/Parallel setting in
the Run Simulation panel. (See Run Preparation Using the Forte User Interface (p. 174).)

The Submit Action option allows you to operate in interactive or preparation-only mode. The default
interactive mode means that the job will be submitted immediately on the machine where the Ansys
Forte user interface is running. Prepare Batch Scripts Only allows preparation of files for batch
processing on a remote compute server, or for processing at a later time. See Executing Runs Using
the Forte User Interface (p. 179) for more on preparing scripts for delayed or remote submission.

The Number of Parameter Study Queues value governs how many parameter study jobs are run
in parallel. The number being run in parallel multiplied by the number of cores being used per job
(an MPI argument you specify when submitting the jobs) should not exceed the number of cores

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 Prerequisites to Preparing Runs

available on your computing system (host or cluster if using multiple machines in MPI cluster). And,
of course, you are also limited by the number of Ansys Forte and FORTE_MPI licenses you have
available. For example, if you have a quad-core machine, you may want to submit 4 jobs at once. If
you want to run each job in parallel using 2 processors each, then you may want to submit 2 jobs at
once. If the Batch number is less than the total number of runs listed, then just the number of runs
specified will be submitted at a time. As soon as a job is complete, the next job will be submitted.

The Default MPI Arguments string is used in populating the Run Simulation panel. By default, the
value is 2. This value is ultimately used when generating the job script files, but the meaning of the
argument(s) depends on the MPI execution command, as explained in the Windows and Linux Settings
panels below.

On a Windows system, you can use the DOS Windows parameter to specify how many DOS windows
are created while your jobs are running. We suggest One Window per Job Queue, but you can ex-
periment with the other options.

Analysis and Run Directory Names: Use these options to change the name of the analysis directory
created to contain the run directories. The default is project-name.analysis. Use the Run Name
Prefix option to control naming the parameter study run directories. The default prefix is "Run" and
the parameter studies are numbered.

Note:

In addition to the Windows and Linux settings described in the next sections, Advanced
Settings are described in Advanced Settings for Linux or Windows Systems (p. 231).
These settings can be used to further customize the scripts used when your job runs,
which is rarely needed. The default scripts are set up to run on most typical Windows
or Linux parallel architectures.

5.2.3. Windows Settings Panel

This subpanel allows customization and override of how the job scripts on Windows (.bat files)
are created. The default values are a good starting point, but you may choose to alter and extend
these to meet your needs.

Parallel Execution (MPI) Settings: This text string provides the command syntax for the MPI mpirun,
mpiexec command. The default value for the Parallel Execution command is
mpiexec -n @1 -localonly @FORTE

The @1 value is the 1st token (tokens are separated by spaces; spaces can be included in the token
value if the string is enclosed in double quotes) in the MPI Arguments string provided in the Run
Simulation panel when you submit your job. You can use up to 9 tokens @1..@9. The mpiexec -
n <arg> syntax means use N parallel processes to run the job. The -localonly argument restricts
mpiexec to only run processes on the local computer. The @FORTE argument fills in the Forte-spe-
cific command syntax that is ultimately executed by mpiexec. The exact syntax the @FORTE token
generates depends on whether you are submitting Ansys Forte from the beginning of the run or using
a restart option to pick up from a specific crank angle or time.

Environment Variables: This is a table of environment variables defined for the Windows environment.
By default, we define MKL_NUM_THREADS to the value of 1. This restricts some of our numeric al-

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

gorithms to only use 1 core per process. Since you are using MPI to control how many processes are
being used, this prevents competition for core compute cycles from multiple processes. We strongly
encourage you to leave this value as defined. The following environment variables are needed if the
corresponding models are activated.

Table 5.2: Environment Variables corresponding to specific models on Windows systems

Environment Used by Purpose Values

Variable
FORTE_RGPT Use RGP File in the Equation of Set the location Absolute or relative
ABLE_PATH State Setting (Use Real Gas (folder) of the RGP file path of the RGP file
Properties File (p. 58))
FORTE_VOF_PATH VOF Injector in the Spray Set the location Absolute or relative
Model (Solid-Cone, Hollow-Cone, (folder) of the VOF path of the VOF input
Slit, and VOF Injector input file file
Panels (p. 65))

5.2.4. Linux Settings Panel

This subpanel offers the same capabilities and overrides as described in the previous section on
Windows Settings Panel (p. 173). We recommend that you accept the default environment and mpirun
command-line settings unless there is a specific need to do otherwise.

5.3. Preparing Runs

This section discusses the following topics:
5.3.1. Run Preparation Using the Forte User Interface
5.3.2. Run Preparation Using the Command Line Interface

5.3.1. Run Preparation Using the Forte User Interface

This section describes how to prepare your run using the Ansys Forte User Interface.

Select the Run Simulation node after you have finished editing the setup panels on the Workflow
tree to define the project, including defining any parameter-study variations desired. The Run Simu-
lation items can be used to submit, monitor, and manage the run jobs.

The Run Simulation Editor panel is shown in Figure 5.3: Run Simulation Editor panel with and without
parameter study (p. 175), with a parameter study of two runs in the top example and a single run in
the second panel. If a parameter study has been set up for a simulation, as described in Parameter
Studies (p. 33), single or multiple jobs from that study can be run from here. In Figure 5.3: Run Simu-
lation Editor panel with and without parameter study (p. 175), the top panel shows a parameter study
with two runs.

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 Preparing Runs

Figure 5.3: Run Simulation Editor panel with and without parameter study

5.3.1.1. Single Run Execution

When no parameter study is defined, only a single row is shown in the Run Simulation job table.
A status column within the table indicates job status. If you have chosen (in Run Options > Job
Script Options) to both create the batch scripts and run the job, then you will see Start and Stop
buttons in the table row and Submit Selected, Stop Selected, and Clean Selected buttons at the
bottom.

To prepare a run in the Forte User Interface, choose a Run Submit Action of Prepare-only, then
you will see Prepare and Clean (delete) buttons in the table row. Similarly, you will see Prepare
Selected and Clean Selected buttons at the bottom.

To run from the Forte User Interface, choose Prepare Build Scripts and run, then you will see
Start and Stop buttons in the table row. Similarly, you will see Submit Selected and Stop Selected,
and Clean Selected buttons at the bottom. Continuing with runs in the Forte User Interface is de-
scribed in Executing Runs (p. 179).

With Prepared job scripts, you can copy or move the prepared files (the entire project.analysis
directory and subdirectories) to another location and run in batch mode (see Executing Runs Using
the Command Line Interface (p. 180) for command-line batch-job instructions.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

For a non-parameter study job, the only difference between using the table row buttons and the
buttons below the table is an internal difference in how the script files that run the job are created.
Using the table-row buttons creates the job scripts only in the run directory (named Nominal).
Using the panel-bottom buttons creates master job scripts in the analysis directory that then invoke
run scripts in the run directories. This overhead makes sense for parameter studies but is not required
when only a single job is being run.

5.3.2. Run Preparation Using the Command Line Interface

In addition to preparing jobs in the Forte User Interface, jobs in Ansys Forte may be prepared from
a command-line prompt using the Command Line Interface (which is fully documented in Command
Line Interface (p. 195)).

Assuming that you have made all required changes to settings (see Prerequisites to Preparing
Runs (p. 171)) and have saved your project in the Forte User Interface and are you are ready to prepare
your job from your MyProject.ftsim, use the following Command Line Interface command to
prepare the run directory:

Windows
run_forte.bat CLI -project MyProject.ftsim --prepare -mpi_args number_of_MPIprocesses

Linux
sh forte.sh CLI -project MyProject.ftsim --prepare -mpi_args number_of_MPIprocesses

where /path/to/dir is the path to your run directory. If this option is omitted, then the default
of MyProject.analysis/Nominal (see Table 5.1: Ansys Forte standard directory organiza-
tion (p. 172) is used.

Tip:

Use –mpi_args none when you are preparing a job for a queuing system that will de-
termine the number of MPI processes from the job submission script. For more details, see
Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System (p. 178).

Use --prep_force to delete previous results in the specified folder

Regardless of whether the job is being prepared using the Forte User Interface or using the Command
Line Interface, the following files are created in the run directory:

• run_mpi.bat and run_mpi.sh

which are used to run the job which call the additional scripts

• run_env.bat and run_env.sh

respectively, on the Windows or Linux platform, which set the Ansys Forte runtime environment and
additional environment variables specified in the Run Settings panel, and also define the Intel MPI
runtime environment that is part of the Ansys installation.

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 Resource Management

5.4. Resource Management

This section discusses the following topics:
5.4.1. Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile
5.4.2. Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System

5.4.1. Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile

Forte supports all the methods to control process placement as supported and documented by Intel
for MPI 2018. Below are examples of each process control method for a Linux cluster. For full details
of the options that Intel MPI provides to control process placement, see: https://software.intel.com/
en-us/mpi-developer-guide-linux-controlling-process-placement.

Each of these methods requires you to add additional arguments to the mpirun command in the
run_env.sh file. There are two ways to do this:

A. Modify the Linux run settings options in the Forte User Interface before preparing the project.
(see Windows Settings Panel (p. 173) and Linux Settings Panel (p. 174)).

B. Modifying via the Forte Command Line Interface prepare command to include the hostfile as fol-
lows:

Create a Forte Command Line Interface settings file, for example run_settings.txt. with the
following content:
mpi_command_l = <modified mpirun line as described in section (1), (2) or (3) below>

For example:
mpi_command_l = "mpirun -machine $HOME/machines.txt @FORTE"
END

Then include this settings file as part of the Forte Command Line Interface prepare step:
sh forte.sh CLI -project <MyProject.ftsim> --prepare -mpi_args <number of MPI processes> \
-import run_settings.txt

We recommend you use one of these supported approaches instead of manually editing the run_mpi
script directly yourself.

The following are examples of how you can modify the mpirun command to define your distributed
parallel host resources:

(1) Specifying Hosts

Running 2 processes each on nodeA and nodeB:
mpirun -n 4 -ppn 2 -hosts nodeA,nodeB @FORTE

(2) Using a Machine File

Using a machine file to place on Linux:

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

• 2 processes on node NodeA and

• 4 processes on NodeB

mpirun -machine $HOME/machines.txt @FORTE

where the contents of $HOME/machines.txt is:

nodeA:2
nodeB:4

(3) Using Argument Sets

Running 3 processes on nodeA, 4 on nodeB, and 3 on nodeC, edit the Run Settings > Linux Settings
> Parallel Execution Command as follows:
mpirun -host nodeA -n 3 @FORTE : -host nodeB -n 4 @FORTE : -host nodeC -n 3 @FORTE

5.4.2. Distributed Parallel Using a Queuing System

To use a queuing system to run your job is very straightforward since all you need to do is call
run_mpi.sh within your job submission file or command. Ansys Forte supports both the Univa Grid
Engine (UGE) and the Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management (SLURM) https://slurm.sched-
md.com/documentation.html. queueing systems.

Below are examples of Forte job scripts for both of these systems. These examples should be sufficient
to get you started on such systems, though you may need to contact your IT department to find out
which resources (parallel environments or partitions, etc.) are available to you.

Note:

It may be possible to run Forte using other queueing systems, such as, for example, PBS,
but we have not tested them and therefore do not support other systems.

5.4.2.1. UGE Cluster Example

Below is an example of a job submission script to submit a Forte job to a Linux UGE (Univa Grid
Engine) cluster using 28 cores on the "pe_mpi" parallel environment.
#!/bin/bash
#$ -N MyForteRun
#$ -pe pe_mpi 28
#$ -q ugequeue
#$ -o $HOME/SGE_Logs/$JOB_ID
#$ -V
#$ -j y
#$ -m abes
# CD To RUN DIRECTORY (assumes you submit job from this directory)
cd $SGE_O_WORKDIR
# Call the Forte script to run Forte in parallel
/bin/sh ./run_mpi.sh

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 Executing Runs

5.4.2.2. Slurm Cluster Example

Below is an example of a job submission script to submit a Forte job to a Slurm cluster, specifying
112 cores on "partition01" where each node uses 28 cores.
#!/bin/bash
#SBATCH -J
MyForte Run
#SBATCH -p partition01
#SBATCH --wait-all-nodes=1
#SBATCH --mail-user="[email protected]"
#SBATCH --mail-type=all
#SBATCH --exclusive
#SBATCH -n 112
#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node 28

cd $SLURM_SUBMIT_DIR
/bin/sh ./run_mpi.sh

5.5. Executing Runs

This section discusses the following topics:
5.5.1. Executing Runs Using the Forte User Interface
5.5.2. Executing Runs Using the Command Line Interface

5.5.1. Executing Runs Using the Forte User Interface

This section discusses the following topics:
5.5.1.1. Submitting a Single Run Using the Runs Table Button
5.5.1.2. Parameter Study Execution

5.5.1.1. Submitting a Single Run Using the Runs Table Button

Submit your job for a single run using the Submit button within the runs table, as shown with
yellow highlighting in Figure 5.4: Submitting runs from the runs table of the Submit Runs pan-
el (p. 179). The job runs in the Nominal run directory, as indicated in the first column.

Figure 5.4: Submitting runs from the runs table of the Submit Runs panel

You can alternatively submit a selected run using the Submit Selected button at the bottom of
the Run Simulation panel.

Figure 5.5: Submitting runs using the Submit Selected button of the Run Simulation panel

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

5.5.1.2. Parameter Study Execution

When a parameter study has been set up (see Parameter Studies (p. 33)), all of its runs are listed
in rows. In addition to the columns present in the single-run table, the parameter values for each
run are displayed in columns to the right of these controls.

To submit multiple jobs, check the box next to each job and press the Submit Selected button.
Use the right-mouse button on this check-box column to activate a context menu offering Select
All or Deselect All or Toggle Selected. If you are running in MPI mode, the default value set in
Run Options is filled in to the MPI Args column. You can change this value in each row or right-
click to obtain the context menu offering Fill Down or Clear Down to speed entering the same
value in each row. Each job runs in its own directory. Therefore, within the Analysis folder alongside
the Nominal folder, there will also be the Run_00x folders.

The next 3 columns allow you to restart the job from a previous full or partial solution. These
columns are described above for the single-run case. In addition, right-mouse clicking will activate
a context menu in the Restart File and Previous Results File columns allowing you to more quickly
populate values that are the same for multiple runs.

Note:

These job rows contain individual controls for starting and stopping (or preparing and
cleaning) each run that can be used to run jobs not selected even while the overall
parameter study is also running. But, using these buttons for jobs also selected in the
parameter study may interfere with the parameter study runs if you use them in a row
that was selected for the parameter study.

5.5.2. Executing Runs Using the Command Line Interface

This section describes how to run a prepared job (whether that job was prepared from the Forte User
Interface or Command Line Interface) from the command line

If you want to run the job on a different compute resource to the one on which you prepared the
job by the Forte User Interface or Command Line Interface, see section Running On a Remote Serv-
er (p. 181).

Once you are ready to run the job, cd to the run directory and run the job using

Windows
call run_mpi.bat

Linux
sh run_mpi.sh

and then monitor the progress of your run (see Monitoring Runs (p. 181) for details). These scripts will
exit when the run finishes.

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 Monitoring Runs

5.5.2.1. Running On a Remote Server

Sometimes you may wish to run the job on a different server or location than where you prepared
the job, for example:

• Prepare the job using the Forte User Interface and then run on a different compute resource.

• Prepare the job using the Forte Command Line Interface and then run on a different compute
resource.

• Prepare the job using the Forte User Interface or Forte Command Line Interface on one disk and
then run on a different disk.

Since Ansys Forte generates both Windows and Linux job scripts, it is very easy to prepare your
jobs on your local computer and then transfer them to a remote computer for execution. The line
endings for the scripts are generated correctly for their target platforms; but individually FTP’ing
those files could result in undesired line-ending conversions, so some care transferring files is
needed to ensure that line endings are preserved appropriately.

Tip:

We recommend that you compress the entire run directories into a single zip or tarball
and then transfer that to the remote system.

You should transfer the entire prepared run folder and its files to the remote machine.

The following two sections (Distributed Parallel on Linux Using a Hostfile (p. 177) and Distributed
Parallel Using a Queuing System (p. 178) ) describe how to run your job on a Linux distributed par-
allel cluster (for this case, you may need to transfer the run folder from the machine it was prepared
on to a machine on the distributed cluster).

5.6. Monitoring Runs

This section describes how you can monitor the progress of your run.

This section discusses the following topics:

5.6.1. Log Files
5.6.2. Input Files
5.6.3. Run Control Files
5.6.4. Job Results Files
5.6.5. Interpreting Parallel Timing Results

5.6.1. Log Files

• Forte.log: Text file with output of the Ansys Forte solver.

The Forte.log file reports many data items. The following symbols in the Forte.log file rep-
resent the number of various iterations. The solver control parameters listed under Simulation
Controls > Transport Terms corresponds to the terms listed below, except for the nflux for fluxing.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

The fluxing control is exposed under time step control, listed as Max. Convection Subcycles.
Hovering the mouse over the labels in the User Interface displays tool tips that provide more detailed
information about these parameters.

– y: mass diffusion

– v: momentum diffusion (due to viscous stress)

– t: heat diffusion

– p: pressure iteration (solving the pressure gradient term)

– k: diffusion of turbulent kinetic energy in k-epsilon model or RNG k-epsilon model

– e: diffusion of dissipation rate (epsilon) in k-epsilon model or RNG k-epsilon model

– big: the outer/big iteration of the SIMPLE algorithm

– nflux: number of subcycling steps in fluxing calculation, including fluxing of cell centered
quantities and momentum

• MONITOR: Text file, displayed in user interface monitor tab, with "stdout" and "stderr" of the Ansys
Forte executable. Similar contents to FORTE.log. If the job was submitted with "Verbose" (or
greater) level of output, then the stdout and stderr of sourcing the run_env script is also captured.

Script Operational Logs:

• Copy_restart.log: Results of the copying of restart files performed by the Forte User Interface.
This would show any invalid file paths or other runtime issues with copying the restart (and previous
results) files into the Run directories. For the single run, this file is in the Run directory. For Submit
Selected, this file is in the Analysis directory.

• Queue_runner_N.log (where N is 1, 2, ...): Results of the queue script processing by the Forte
User Interface. Look here if some runs were unexpectedly skipped or not all selected runs were
processed. This file is only produced when the Submit Selected option is used. (No queue runner
is used if only one job is being submitted.)

Output Files: During an Ansys Forte simulation, several output files are created.

• .ftind: Ansys Forte results index file that contains a list of the names of the .ftres solution
file(s) together associated with each crank angle/time point. This file is an ASCII file written by Forte
during the run and can be used to view the spatially resolved solutions in post processors such as
Ansys EnSight or Ansys CFD-Post. For both of these, open the .ftind file to view all the results
indexed in this file. The file is also modified during a restart run to index (using relative paths) the
existing solutions before the restart point and the new ones generated after the restart point.

• .ftres: Ansys Forte solution files containing spatially resolved solutions for one or more crank
angles/time points. Controlled using the File Size Control option (see Spatially Resolved Panel (p. 109)).

• .csv: Comma-separated values files containing groups of related spatially average solutions for
the entire simulation, for example, thermo.csv and dynamic.csv (see Spatially Averaged and
Spray Panel (p. 118) for details).

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 Monitoring Runs

• .ftrsp: Ansys Forte restart project file—temporary file used to store project information written
into Ansys Forte restart files. Do not modify or delete during a simulation.

• .ftrst: Ansys Forte restart file that can be used to restart a simulation from a specific crank angle
or time - see Restart Data Panel (p. 145) for details.

5.6.2. Input Files

A copy of the project file (.ftsim) is put in the Analysis directory when running the job using the
Forte User Interface, but is not used. This serves as a reference if you later want to view the project
settings as they existed when the runs were generated. A copy of the project file is also put into each
Run directory. The project file in the Nominal directory will be the same as in the Analysis directory;
but the project file in the parameter study Run directories will be modified differently in each Run
directory to reflect the parameters to be used in each Run.

In addition to the project file, the chemistry mechanism files and fuel library file are extracted from
the project and pre-processed so the Ansys Forte executable is completely ready to start. You will
see chem.* (or the gas chemistry file you have named in your mechanism) and fuel_lib_* file
and also xml.out and therm.dat (or the name of the thermodynamics file in the mechanism you
are using).

If a restart file has been specified in the Forte User Interface, that file will have been copied to the
Run directory and named selected.ftrst. If corresponding results files (.ftres files, .ftind
index file) have also been specified, they are copied to the Run directory and also named selected.*.
These files are copied to avoid any file contention issues if you are running parallel jobs. These copies
are deleted from the Run directory once the job has completed.

Finally, you will see some job-control and status files. For a single run, you will see a file named
PREPARED. For a parameter study, you will see PREPARED and SELECTED. These files are removed
as the job runs and are replaced by other job-status files. The batch scripts look for these files to exist
when determining whether to run Ansys Forte simulation in that Run directory. This allows multiple
queues to work in parallel without re-running the same jobs.

5.6.3. Run Control Files

In addition to the PREPARED and SELECTED files that indicate that the job scripts are in a Run dir-
ectory with a prepared set of simulation files that are ready to be run, there are several other run-
control files that are used by the batch scripts. Most of these files are empty (zero-length) files that
serve as controls purely by their presence or absence. A complete list of these files is in Table 5.3: Run-
control file names and purposes (p. 183).

Table 5.3: Run-control file names and purposes

File name Purpose

PREPARED Simulation files are prepared and ready to run.
SELECTED Run is selected (check box was checked) to be run.
RUNNING Run is currently processing.
ERROR Run has finished, but with an error condition. The ERROR file contains an error messag
or exit status code. Check the FORTE.log and the MONITOR file for specific error
messages.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

File name Purpose

COMPLETE Run has finished successfully.
SAVE_RESTART Create a restart file after the current time step has been processed.
SAVE_SOLUTION Create a solution file after the current time step has been processed.
STOP User has signaled for the Run to stop (if running) or not be run if not yet running.
STOPPED User performed the STOP command; Run has stopped.
MONITOR Contains the program output ("stdout") and program error output ("stderr") from the
and the sourcing of the environment setup file prior to the run. This is the file whose
contents is displayed in the Monitor tab pane. The content of this file is similar to the
FORTE.log file, but not identical.

While the simulation jobs are running, they are writing results into the solution file (.ftind and
.ftres) and also writing to several .csv files that can be used for plotting intermediate results.
You can display partial results, such as a pressure trace, using the Monitor panel, launched by pressing
the Monitor Runs icon, on the left end of the Run Simulation panel in Figure 5.6: Run Simulation
panel 's icon bar with Monitor Results icon (p. 184), and on the Launcher dialog illustrated in Fig-
ure 5.7: Launcher dialog with Monitor Results icon (p. 184).

Figure 5.6: Run Simulation panel 's icon bar with Monitor Results icon

For jobs that are running, several comma-separated value (CSV) files are being updated with results
that can be plotted. The job's output is also displayed in the tab shown below the plot area. One tab
is shown for each running or completed job in the Analysis directory. When the Monitor is run from
the Launcher, select the location of the .ftsim project file that has generated some output to
monitor.

Figure 5.7: Launcher dialog with Monitor Results icon

Plots can be generated by expanding the twistie for one or more of the .csv files shown as folders
on the left panel and clicking on the check-box for any plot desired. The plots can be resized or re-
positioned. To remove a plot, clear the same check box that triggered it to be displayed. If you have
several plots, you can reformat the overall display to put them in either horizontal tiles or a stacked
display using the two buttons that control views .

To modify which runs in a parameter study are plotted, click the Select Runs to Plot icon. By
default, the plots in the monitor window are automatically updated every 5-10 seconds. This updating

may be turned ON or OFF by selecting the or icons. By default, the X axis of each plot is set

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 Calculation of Knock and Phi-T

to be the first variable listed in the CSV data. To use a different value for the X axis, right-click the
desired variable in the tree and select the Set x Axis option.

5.6.4. Job Results Files

When performing a parameter study, each run creates a results file within its running directory. Each
result can be viewed one at a time.

Once the desired runs have completed, view available parameter study solution files by clicking the

Open in EnSight button on the Run Simulation icon bar. This program comes packaged in the
Ansys installation.

Note:

When using Ansys EnSight's SOS option (Server of Servers) to exploit parallel loading of
Forte results, only temporal parallelism should be used, otherwise results may contain
visual artifacts.

5.6.5. Interpreting Parallel Timing Results

The Ansys Forte log file contains a summary of computational times. Both CPU times and wall clock
times are reported. The overall solution time and the time for chemistry calculations are each printed.
The CPU time is the time spent by the CPU for a given process. The wall clock is the time from the
start to finish of an activity (the elapsed time), including any waiting times.

The example in Figure 5.8: Examples of computational times for CFD and detailed chemistry (p. 185)
is from a simulation run with 8 MPI processes. The total amount of computing time spent on the
simulation is 1 h, 2 m, with 11 m spent on chemistry calculations.

When running Ansys Forte in parallel, the total CPU time will be greater than the wall-clock (elapsed)
time. The ratio of is the same as the wall clock
time when the work load is evenly distributed on each MPI process and no wait is involved for I/O
or other resources. For this example, the ratio is 1h 2m, which is equal to the Total wall-clock time,
showing the run is evenly distributed.

Figure 5.8: Examples of computational times for CFD and detailed chemistry

================================================================================
Summary of computational times:

Total wall-clock time 3725.3 seconds ( 1 h, 2 min, 5.3 sec)

Wall-clock time in chemistry 672.5 seconds (11 min, 12.5 sec)

Total CPU time 29802.2 seconds ( 8 h, 16 min, 42.2 sec)

CPU time in chemistry 5057.1 seconds ( 1 h, 24 min, 17.1 sec)
================================================================================

5.7. Calculation of Knock and Phi-T

Similar to the job monitoring features, Forte offers methods for calculating:

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• Knock index, based on data sampled at a point probe.

• Phi-T plot, a contour overlay plot that is used typically to plot soot or soot-precursor and NO x
contours as a function of equivalence ratio (phi or φ) and temperature (T).

5.7.1. Calculating Knock Intensity Index

You can calculate the Knock index using data sampled at a specified point probe that has been
sampled at a higher frequency than the sampling of averaged data.

To do this, create a line plot using sampled data, such as probed data.

The probed data can then be run through a selection of Infinite Impulse Response filters, which are
set up to isolate the knocking behavior sampled at a probe point. In Figure 5.9: Knock intensity as
determined with the Butterworth high pass filter (p. 186) , the Butterworth high pass filter is applied
to the probed pressure data to determine the knock intensity.

The Knock Intensity Index is calculated from a Butterworth high pass filter applied to a pressure trace.
It is the maximum peak-to-peak signal in the resulting signal.
(5.1)

where P(BWHP) is the Butterworth filtered pressure and the delta represents the maximum peak to
valley value.

Figure 5.9: Knock intensity as determined with the Butterworth high pass filter

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 Calculation of Knock and Phi-T

5.7.2. Phi-T Plots and Other Contour Overlay Plots

The Contour Overlay option allows easy creation of Phi-T plots. A Phi-T plot is a contour overlay plot
that is used typically to plot soot or soot-precursor and NO x contours as a function of equivalence
ratio (phi or φ) and temperature (T). The presentation in the Ansys Forte Visualizer, however, is gen-
eral-purpose, so it can be used to map Ansys Forte results against other information that is presented
in a contour-plot map.

To create the underlying map (for example, the Phi-T contour overlay for soot and NO x), you first
must import a CSV data file that contains data that is a function of two independent variables (for
example, equivalence ratio and temperature), which is required for the Contour Overlay. A sample
CSV file, diesel_phi_T_contour.ckcsv, is provided in the Ansys Forte data/phi_T_maps
directory. Once the source file is opened and the data has been read in, you can then create a Contour
Overlay plot. In the Phi-T Plot Editor panel, you may specify one or more Z variables for the displayed
contours in the Background Contour sub-panel. For example, with the sample Phi-T plot, we would
select A4 (pyrene) to represent soot and NO to represent NO x, as a function of equivalence ratio on
the X axis and Temperature on the Y axis. Since these contours will be overlaid on the same plot, it
is helpful to use a different color for the contours of each variable. Right-clicking on any entry in the
Z variable list will allow you to select the contour color. Once the Background Contours have been
established, you can then select the Ansys Forte solution points to plot on this map. For the Phi-T
example, you can plot scatter points for all cells in the Ansys Forte solution, based on the equivalence
ratio and temperature of each cell. How these cells intersect with the "islands" representing soot or
NO x from a detailed kinetics simulation, for example, will give some indication of where and when
soot is formed. In the Scattered Points tab, you can select one, a range of, or all solution time points
in the solution to plot on the Contour Overlay. An example of a compound Phi-T plot is shown in
Figure 5.10: Phi-T map with both A4 and NO chosen as contours, with each cell representing a single
point overlaid (p. 188) .

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

Figure 5.10: Phi-T map with both A4 and NO chosen as contours, with each cell representing a
single point overlaid

Source of Sample Phi-T Plot

The sample CSV file, diesel_phi_T_contour.ckcsv, was generated with an Ansys Chemkin-Pro
homogeneous batch reactor model, using the conditions of 6 MPa pressure and 2 msec residence
time, to match those used by Kaario et al. 16 .

A mechanism of 3806 species, and 15718 reactions developed for the Model Fuels Consortium 17 in
2009 was used to generate this input file. The surrogate fuel used in this instance was developed by
Naik et al. 25 which contains a mixture of heptamethylnonane, n-hexadecane, methyl cyclohexane,
decalin, n-propyl benzene, hexene, and methyl naphthalene.

The content of the file uses reactor initial conditions of Temperature and Equivalence Ratio ranging
from 500–2500 K, and 0.2–3.0, respectively. Typical representatives of NO x and soot are NO and
pyrene; these are the defaults chosen by the Phi-T Plot wizard utility.

5.8. Restarting Runs

This section discusses the following topics:
5.8.1. Restart Files and Processing

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 Restarting Runs

5.8.1. Restart Files and Processing

The restart capability allows you to specify intervals at which restart files are written. Each time a restart
write point is reached, a restart file (.ftrst) is created containing the information needed to perform
a restart from that point. When the run is successfully completed, the Ansys Forte results index file
(.ftind) contains indices to solution files as well as all the other crank angles or time steps. By se-
lecting a restart file and associated results index file, the simulation will begin from that restart point
after first initializing the results index file with the solution values for crank angles or time steps that
occurred prior to the restart point. In this way, the results index file for a job using a restart file will
contain a complete set of results, not just those results from the restart point to the end point.

Note that when you select a previous results index (.ftind) in the restart run, the previous .ftres
files will be indexed in the file using relative paths to the location of those .ftres files from your
previous restart run(s). It is also possible to edit the results index file manually if you want to combine
results files from different runs in different folders.

You can run with specific result files using the Forte User Interface or Command Line Interface. Both
workflows are described in the next two sections (Restarting from the Forte User Interface (p. 189)
and Restarting from the Forte Command Line Interface (p. 192)).

5.8.1.1. Restarting from the Forte User Interface

If you want to specify a restart file so the simulation starts with a previously saved state, you can
use the Browse button to select the restart (.ftrst) file and the associated results (.ftind)index
file. The new results file will have the results from the previous run (up to the restart point) copied
into it and will then be appended with the new results as each crank angle (or time) is simulated.
The Browse function will attempt to automatically match a results file when you select a restart file
(by matching the file names). You can also directly type or paste into these table cells.

The Run Simulation section of the set-up allows you to specify one of these saved restart files
(.ftrst) when the Use Restart check box is selected. The Browse button will open a file browser
to help specify the Restart File column. To set up a restart file, first make sure that the Use Restart
item is checked in the Run Simulation panel shown in Figure 5.11: Run Simulation Panel with Use
Restart checked and three additional columns for Restart (p. 189). This action adds three columns
to the run table: Restart File, Browse, and Previous Results File.

Figure 5.11: Run Simulation Panel with Use Restart checked and three additional columns for
Restart

Clicking Browse opens a file browser for locating a .ftrst restart file. Once that is selected, the
"Previous Results File" column is populated by the associated .ftind results index file in that same

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

directory. If no such results file exists in that directory, then this column remains blank. A blank
entry for the "Previous Results File" does not cause any errors, but the results will only contain
solutions after the restart point. A "Previous Results File" provides an option to include solution
data written before the restart point.

Providing this existing results file to prepend to the new results is optional. If you do not need the
results prepended, you can still use the restart file and omit the prior results file.

Since you may want to run a variety of simulations from an existing restart point, Ansys Forte
generates the job scripts to specify uniquely named files for each run— by looking at the existing
restart and results files in the Run directory. Distinct file names are generated by using a different
root name that includes a sequential number, allowing the subsequent runs to be identified and
grouped. Of course, if those files are on a remote node and you are generating the scripts for pur-
poses of transferring the files to a compute cluster, then the Forte User Interface will not know of
any existing runs. (Forte examines the directory; this information is not saved in the project file itself.)
You can modify the run name root in the Run Settings panel to avoid any conflicts, or you can edit
the generated scripts using the information provided below.

Within the run*.bat/sh file in the Run directory, the forte executable is invoked with arguments
that specify the names generated using -rn <file name root>.

• Original run (no restart):

forte.exe -i example.ftsim -rn Run_001_ -o Run_001.ftind

• Restart run:

forte.exe -i example.ftsim -rf selected.ftrst -rs selected.ftind -

rn Run_001_1_ -o Run_001_1.ftind

selected.ftrst and selected.ftind are local copies of the restart and results index files.
The solution files associated with the index files also need to be copied into the working directory.
You must use the cgns_util restartcopy command to make sure these files are internally
consistent. See restartcopy Utility (p. 262) for details on the using the utility.

The restart files naming is designed to give the best sort order.

Due to the solver crank-angle or time-step incrementing, the restart files may not be generated at
exactly the precise point you request. For instance, the restart files in Figure 5.12: Restart points at
CA = -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (p. 191) were generated based on a custom setting of creating
a restart file at these crank angles: -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

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 Restarting Runs

Figure 5.12: Restart points at CA = -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

As you can see, there is only 1 results file and the simulation ended before the crank angle 5
threshold was reached. The format of the file names uses the Run name (Run_001) and then "CA"
for crank angle or "T" for time step. Next is the numeric value with either "n" or "p" prefix (in addition
to a minus sign) that was added to force consistent sorting in the 5 different viewing scenarios
described earlier. Finally, in addition to the crank angle or time step, the final numeric value is the
specific simulation step at which the restart was generated. This is done to allow a case in which
the restart files are generated so frequently that the same name would otherwise be generated.
For instance, if 2 distinct restart files were generated at CA of 0.04, the names might be
Run_001_CA_p_0.04_42.ftrst and Run_001_CA_p_0.04_43.ftrst.

Note:

When the File Size Control option is used to split the spatially resolved solutions across
more than one .ftres file, then the same naming format is used in both the .ftres
files and the .ftrst files, to help identify the range of crank angles in each .ftres.

The listing in Figure 5.12: Restart points at CA = -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (p. 191) is for an initial
run that generated restart files. The next listing, in Figure 5.13: Restart using
Run_001_CA_p_0.04_42.ftrst (New files highlighted) (p. 192), shows rerunning the same
simulation, but using Run_001_CA_p_0.04_42.ftrst as the restart file. As you can see, none
of the existing restart or results files are modified by this second run. Distinct file names are gener-
ated by using a different root name that includes a sequential number purely to distinguish and
group these subsequent runs. The new files created are highlighted. If a 3rd run was performed
using restart, then you would see Run_001_2.ftres and any associated restart files.

Note:

If a subsequent run is performed not using restart, then the original file names are used
and overwritten.

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Workflows: Preparing and Executing Runs

Figure 5.13: Restart using Run_001_CA_p_0.04_42.ftrst (New files highlighted)[2]

Save Restart Point: While a job is running, the Save Restart button (which was the Start button
before the run started) allows you to signal the job to save a solution and a restart file at the current
crank angle during the run.

Figure 5.14: Run Simulation panel showing Start/Save button in Save mode after run has
started

5.8.1.2. Restarting from the Forte Command Line Interface

You can use the Forte Command Line Interface to prepare a job so it uses a restart file as follows
(this is also described in Commands (p. 196))

Windows
Call run_forte.bat CLI-project myProject.ftsim --prepare -mpi_args 8 -restart_file\
restart.ftrst -restart_results restart.ftind

Linux
forte.sh CLI-project myProject.ftsim --prepare -mpi_args 8 -restart_file restart.ftrst\
-restart_results restart.ftind

which will create a run_mpi.bat/.sh that will use the specified result file restart.ftrst
and index file restart.ftind.

You may need to modify the restart.ftind file when performing a restart run where the ori-
ginal run was performed on a different compute resource and/or disk.

[2] From Figure 5.12: Restart points at CA = -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (p. 191) as restart file.

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 User-defined Functions (UDF)

5.9. User-defined Functions (UDF)

Ansys Forte allows usage of user-defined functions to customize/enhance some of the nominal built-in
computations. In this release of Forte, there are 3 categories for which such customizations are available.
These are:

• Combustion: allows user-defined laminar and turbulent flame-speed

• Output: allows various user-defined output fields
• Wall: allows user-defined wall-heat transfer (flux and coefficient) and shear-stress

Forte supports usage of three computer programming languages, namely Fortran, C, and C++, to build
a user-defined function shared-object library (a file with extension "dll" on Windows systems and with
extension ‘so’ on the Linux operating system). Each module (category listed above) builds into a corres-
ponding shared-object library file.

The detailed instructions on how to build the library and various functionalities available are documented
in the README.txt file. On Windows systems, this file is located in the In-
stallDir\forte.win64\user_defined_functions, where the default location for the install-
ation directory is InstallDir. (For example, on Windows systems, this location is C:\ANSYS
Inc\vNNN\reaction where NNN is a particular version number, such as 221). Also, there are descript-
ive comments in each program-source file that provide details on input, output, and the intended usage.

Using user-defined functions from CKCFD-API

Forte uses Ansys Chemkin-Pro CKCFD-API for efficient computation of chemical source terms. You can
also use the corresponding user-defined functionalities, either progress variable for certain reactions or
net-production rate for certain species. However, this is done outside of compilation-and-building of
the user-defined shared-objects mentioned earlier. For example, on Windows systems, a shared-object
library named kinetics_usrdll.dll can be built using the make utilities available through Ansys
Chemkin-Pro located in InstallDir\chemk-
inpro.win64\samples\chemkin_cfd_api\user_routines. (The instructions on compiling
and building can be obtained from Ansys.) Note that the kinetics_usrdll.dll gets built into
InstallDir\chemkinpro.win64\bin directory. You then must copy that file into the location
where Forte expects to find the user-defined function shared-objects, which by default is In-
stallDir\forte.win64\user_defined_functions\bin.

Note:

The file NOTE.txt in InstallDir\forte.win64\user_defined_functions\bin

mentions that the (user-defined) shared-object files generated by the make utility in Forte
will be automatically copied (via the make script) into the just-mentioned bin folder. However,
this applies only to the three files mentioned in the previous subsection and not to the
kinetics_usr. The latter must be built and copied as mentioned in the above paragraph.

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Chapter 6: Command-line Interface
This chapter describes the Ansys Forte command line interface or “CLI”. First, it explains how to set up
your environment before using the CLI, then the operations you can perform using the CLI.

6.1. Setting Up the Environment

The Ansys Forte environment must be set up before execution.

To set up the environment on Windows, from a DOS prompt run the run_forte_env_setup.bat
file located in the installation bin directory:
> call "C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\V221\reaction\forte.win64\bin\run_forte_env_setup.bat"

To set up the environment on Linux (csh and tcsh users), from a terminal source the forte_setup.sh
file located in the installation bin directory:
> source $HOME/ansys_inc/v221/reaction/forte.linuxx8664/bin/forte_setup.sh

For other Linux shell users:

> . $HOME/ansys_inc/v221/reaction/forte.linuxx8664/bin/forte_setup.ksh

Note:

The instructions above assume that you have installed Ansys Forte in your Linux home dir-
ectory. If you have installed into a different location, replace "$HOME" in the above instructions
with the actual (absolute) path to your installation.

6.2. Command Line Interface

When working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments, users often have limited access to
graphics capabilities. Ansys Forte provides a mechanism to view, modify, and prepare runs on remote
clusters using a text-based representation of the project data. The forte cli utility is a command-line
utility program invoked by adding "CLI" as an argument to the forte.sh launch script found in the
bin directory and is accessible once the appropriate setup script has been run
(run_forte_env_setup.bat on Windows or forte_setup.(k)sh on Linux systems).

The workflow most commonly used for the CLI is to prepare your Forte project file and then run it. The
steps to accomplish this are described in Run Preparation Using the Command Line Interface (p. 176).

The steps performed by the CLI include:

1. Loads a project

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Command-line Interface

2. Loads a replay file

3. Loads project data from a text file

4. Saves the project

5. Exports project data to a text file

6. Validates the project

7. Prepares the project for execution

8. Prints the project data to the console

Which steps are actually performed depends on the options passed to the utility. The steps are always
executed in the order listed above, regardless of the order of the options passed. The options are passed
to the utility as arguments with the following conventions:

• Argument names that are preceded with a single dash require a value specified immediately after a
space.

Example:

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim

• Argument names that are preceded with two dashes do not require a value; they imply a boolean
TRUE value by their presence.

Example:

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim --prepare -mpi_args 8

(--prepare is equivalent to -prepare true)

Syntax for file names: Regardless of platform, file names should be specified using a forward slash
"/" as a path separator.

Utility usage: Any combination of the steps listed in the primary sequence may be specified; any
omitted step will not be performed.

6.2.1. Commands

6.2.1.1. Project-based Commands

Load a project: If omitted, all operations will act on an empty project with default settings.

-project ProjectFile.ftsim

Load a replay file: If present, will load the replay file before processing further steps.

-replay ReplayFile.ftrpl

Load project data from text: Specifies project data in text format to be imported into the project.

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 Command Line Interface

-import TextFileToImport.txt

Save project data: If present, the utility will save the project before exit. -save_as specifies an
alternate file name to save; must be used along with --save option.

--save

-save_as NewProjectName.ftsim

Export project data to text: Specifies a file name to export project data to.

-export TextFileToExport.txt

Validate project data: The utility will validate the project before exiting, reporting any errors to
the console.

--validate

Prepare the project for execution: The utility will prepare a run for execution. Additional arguments
are required, as in the following list.

--prepare

MPI processes: Specify the number of MPI processes to use with the mpi command
(specify -1 to omit the -n argument from the mpirun command).

-mpi_args 8

Parameter study name: Specify the name of the parameter study run, if omitted
Nominal is assumed.

-run Nominal

Restart file: (Optional) Specify a restart file to continue a run.

-restart_file

Restart results: (Optional) Specify a results file with which to append a restarted
run.

-restart_results

Print project data to console: The utility will print a text representation of the project data to the
console.

--print

6.2.1.2. Inputs for Geometry and Chemistry

Since geometry and chemistry are introduced to the project through file imports, two special input
parameters are provided that allow specifying the file names of a geometry source file or a chemistry-
set file. Specifying one or both of these input parameters causes an appropriate import command
to be invoked prior to processing the rest of the text-based input.

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Command-line Interface

Geometry:

geometry_source = “/path/to/geometry.stl”

END

The appropriate geometry import command will be invoked based on the file extension.

Chemistry:

chemistry_set=”/path/to/chemistry.cks”

END

6.2.2. Text Representation of Project Data

To assist in preparing text representations of project data, this section provides an example:
PROJECT:
MESH_CONTROLS:
POINTDEPTH: "SparkRefinement"
point = {0.0 [cm], 0.04 [cm], 2.38 [cm], "Global Origin"}
radius = 2.5 [mm]
size_fraction = "1/8"
/* multiline
comment */
activation_option = "Always"
END //single line comment
END
END

Project elements are divided into sections, with each section beginning with a name followed by a
colon. If a section has an id attribute, it is specified as a quoted string following the colon. Sections
are terminated with END. Sections are nested within other sections according to the project layout
as seen in the workflow tree in the user interface. White space (new line, space, tabs) is ignored, except
within quoted strings. C-style comments are supported. Single line comments are made with // and
block comments can be started with /* and ended with */.

Within a section, project data is specified with key-value pairs. Keys are always one-word strings, with
no spaces, and values are one of the following types:

• Numeric entry: Can be dimensioned or dimensionless. Dimensioned units are given in square
brackets: [cm].

• String value: All string values must be enclosed in quotes.

• Boolean value: Specified with true or false (no quotes).

• Null: Null value to indicate a parameter is unset (no quotes).

• List of other data types: Lists are always enclosed in braces with commas separating elements, as
in: { "Patch1", "Patch2" } and may contain any of the other data types, including lists.

Users are free to specify as little or as much project data as they wish, provided all key-value pairs
are contained within an appropriate section.

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 Command Line Interface

6.2.3. Command-line Interface Examples

Print project data to the console

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim --print

Export project data to text file

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim -export project_data.txt

Import project data from a text file and save the project

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim -import project_data.txt --save

Import project data from a text file, save the project under a new name

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim -import project_data.txt --save

-save_as NewProject.ftsim

Load a replay file with an existing project, save the result

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim -replay replay.ftrpl --save

Load a project, load a replay file, load project data from a text file, prepare a parameter study
run for execution, specify restart parameters

forte.sh CLI -project myProject.ftsim -replay replay.ftrpl -import

project_data.txt --prepare -mpi_args 4 -run “Run_002” -restart_file
restart.ftrst -restart_results forte_soln.ftind

6.2.4. Modify Default Behavior in Project Preparation

Specify destination of files

-prep_dir <absolute directory path>

The -prep_dir keyword allows you to specify where the prepared/extracted files go. If the directory
specified does not exist, it will be created as will any higher-level directories along the specified path.
The prepared files are then extracted/created in this specified location. If the specified location is the
directory containing the project file, then a copy of the project file is made first to avoid the prepared
version of the project file overwriting the existing project file.

Note:

The supplied path must be an absolute path.

Force overwrite of project data

--prep_force

The --prep_force keyword is needed if the location you specify already has project run results
that would be deleted as part of the preparation task. Using this keyword would allow you to repeatedly

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Command-line Interface

run within the same directory, but would delete/overwrite previous results. If this keyword is not
provided and there are results, then the project preparation will not proceed.

6.3. Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility

The Cheemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility is used to create, modify, select, and validate a chemistry set,
which is necessary for setting up an Ansys Forte simulation (see Chemistry (p. 56)). The Pre-Processing
panel can be opened or viewed from the Pre-Processing command on the Utility menu. The Pre-Pro-
cessing panel displays both the Working Dir and the chemistry set defined for the currently selected
project. The Working Dir is the directory or folder on your computer’s hard-disk where all generated
input and output files will be created when the simulation is run. The chemistry set does not need to
be located in the same directory as the Working Directory and each input file contained within the
chemistry set can be stored in any location. The default location in Ansys Forte is the System Data dir-
ectory, which is the data directory of your Ansys Forte installation location.

Note:

Ansys Chemkin-Pro sample mechanisms and Model Fuel Library mechanisms use the
@DATA@ macro to reference the location of the folder containing those mechanisms.
The macro typically refers to the data folder under the Ansys installation location:
Program Files\ANSYS Inc\V221\reaction\data. When using these mechan-
isms in Forte, the following message appears, indicating that Forte could not resolve
the location referenced by the macro.
The chemistry set contains one or more @DATA@ references.
This is meant to resolve to a system data directly, typically
the one in which the chemistry set resides.
Please specify the location of the data directory in the browser.

Click OK and a file browser will appear. Provide the correct path to the \reac-
tion\data folder to use the mechanism in Forte.

From the Pre-Processing panel, you can create a new chemistry set, edit an existing chemistry set, or
select a different chemistry set. A chemistry set consists of input files that contain species and reaction
descriptions, as well as thermodynamic data and, in some cases, gas transport-property data. Pre-pro-
cessing these files serves to verify the consistency and completeness of the chemistry set. In addition,
this step provides information about what chemical species are present in the system, and whether
surface chemistry is present.

A chemistry set consists of several input files, each containing a different type of chemical data. The
collection of chemical data in a given chemistry set is often called a reaction mechanism. The major
components of a chemistry set are:

• Gas-phase kinetics file: a file containing a description of the species contained in and the reactions
occurring in the gas phase, often named chem.inp;

• Surface kinetics file: a file containing a description of the reactons occurring at the gas-surface interface
or on the surface, and the species contained in the dispered phase or the bulk liquid phase, often
named surf.inp;

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 Chemistry Set Pre-Processing Utility

• Thermodynamics data file: a file containing thermochemical data for the chemical species of interest,
often named therm.dat; and

• Gas-phase transport data file: a file containing gas-phase transport data, often named tran.dat.

A set of gas-phase and/or surface reactions are generally developed using specific thermochemical data.
Thus, the gas-phase kinetics, surface kinetics, and thermodynamic data are most reliable when used
together as a set in reacting-flow simulations. Once a chemistry set is defined, it can be saved and ref-
erenced easily in future simulations.

The gas-phase kinetics file (chem.inp) is always required in the chemistry set for any gas-phase flow
simulation. You can define the thermodynamic data in therm.dat, and define transport data in
tran.dat. Alternatively, these data can be included in chem.inp, so that therm.dat and tran.dat
are not needed. For more details on the format of chem.inp, refer to Thermodynamic Data in the
Chemkin-Pro Input Manual.

In two situations, a surface kinetics file, surf.inp, is required:

1. When the Methods of Moment soot model (see Soot Model (p. 75)) is selected. In this case, the
surface kinetics file is required to specify a dispersed particulate bulk phase, and to specify reactions
that occur on the particle surface to initiate the formation of soot particles.

2. When the Eulerian two-phase flow simulation (see Gas-Phase and Eulerian Two-Phase Flow Simu-
lations (p. 59)) is selected. In this case, the surface kinetics file is required to define a bulk phase
with keyword LIQUID and the species contained within. No reaction specification is needed. The
liquid species defined in this file and the gas species defined in the gas-phase kinetics file are used
to specify the two-phase working fluid’s concentrations. The specification of thermodynamic data
for the liquid species must follow certain format requirements, which are detailed in Thermodynamic
Data and Reaction Mechanism Description in the Chemkin-Pro Input Manual.

Note:

In an Eulerian two-phase flow simulation, if Phase Equilibrium is selected, ensure that at

least one of the liquid species defined in the surface kinetics file (surf.inp) has its corres-
ponding vapor species defined in the gas-phase kinetics file (chem.inp).

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Chapter 7: Commands for Replay Scripting
Ansys Forte provides a scripting capability so fundamental operations are exposed as commands. Create
a script file by logging the commands of an interactive session or create one manually. The commands
offer a concise and flexible way of interacting with project data.

This chapter describes the scripting command set and how to use the commands.

7.1. Command Syntax

Commands are represented with a single line of text containing a command name and attribute value
pairs:
command_name attribute1="value1" attribute2="value2"

7.2. Command Context

A command context is defined as a location in the project where a command executes. This location
is referred to as a project "path" and is analogous to a file structure containing the project components
as leaves of a tree.

Examples:

/project

/project/geometry

/project/models/spark_ignition

/project/models/spray

/project/run_settings

Every command must execute within a context. The context is specified as an attribute-value pair, where
the attribute name is path:

command_name path="/project/models/spark_ignition"

Some commands are valid within any context. Other commands are valid only in a specific project
context. For example, the command set_attribute is available within any context, but the command
add_spark is only available within the /project/models/spark_ignition context.

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Commands for Replay Scripting

7.3. Replay File Creation and Loading

Starting in release 17.0 (40151), Ansys Forte records each interaction that modifies the project and
echoes the command to the Replay log window. You can save or copy the contents of this window to
a file and use the Load Replay File command from the Utility menu. The replay file can also be invoked
at startup by adding this command-line argument:

-DLoadReplay java vm

Following is a replay script that, among other things, loads geometry from an STL, imports chemistry,
adds boundary conditions, and submits the run:

7.4. Replay File Example

load_stl check="false" file="C:\Users\auser\geom.stl" format="Unknown" overwrite="true"
path="/project/geometry" tol="1.0E-10" units="cm"
add_clip_plane id="Clip" path="/project/geometry/clip_planes"
set_point csys="Cartesian" parameter="fluid_point" path="/project/mesh_controls/material_point:material_point"
ref="Global Origin" value="0.0 cm,0.0 cm,5.5 cm"
set parameter="size" path="/project/mesh_controls/staticsize:global_mesh_size" units="cm" value="0.2"
load_chemistry dir="C:\Users\auser" file="C:\Program Files\Reaction\forte40151_win64\data\Air_NoReactions_2sp.cks"
path="/project/models/chemistry" prompt="false"
add_wall id="Wall" path="/project/boundaries"
add parameter="location" path="/project/boundaries/wall:wall" selection="solid.1.2"
set parameter="wall_temperature" path="/project/boundaries/wall:wall" units="K" value="300"
set_attribute attribute="selected" parameter="wall_temperature_table" path="/project/boundaries/wall:wall"
value="Temperature"
set_vector csys="Cartesian" parameter="direction" path="/project/boundaries/wall:wall" ref="Global Origin" value="0.
cm,0.0 cm,1.0 cm"
add_wall id="Piston" path="/project/boundaries"
add parameter="location" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" selection="moving_0"
set parameter="wall_temperature" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" units="K" value="300"
set_attribute attribute="selected" parameter="wall_temperature_table" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston"
value="Temperature"
set parameter="wall_motion" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" value="true"
set parameter="stroke" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" units="cm" value="5"
set parameter="connecting_rod" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" units="cm" value="8"
set_vector csys="Cartesian" parameter="direction" path="/project/boundaries/wall:piston" ref="Global Origin" value="
cm,0.0 cm,1.0 cm"
add_gas_mixture id="gas_mixture" path="/project/mixtures"
rename id="gas_mixture" path="/project/mixtures" to="air"
add_row index="0" parameter="ck_gas" path="/project/mixtures/gas_mixture:air" value="o2,0.24"
add_row index="1" parameter="ck_gas" path="/project/mixtures/gas_mixture:air" value="n2,0.76"
set parameter="composition" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization" value="air"
set parameter="initial_temperature" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization" units="K" value="400"
set_attribute attribute="selected" parameter="ic_table_temperature" path="/project/initialization/global_initializat
value="Temperature"
set parameter="initial_pressure" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization" units="atm" value="1"
set_attribute attribute="selected" parameter="ic_table_pressure" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization
value="Pressure"
set_attribute attribute="selected" parameter="ic_table_turbulence" path="/project/initialization/global_initializati
value="TKE~TED"
set parameter="velocity_initialization" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization" value="Velocity Compone
set_velocity csys="Cartesian" parameter="initial_velocity" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization"
value="0.0 cm/sec,0.0 cm/sec,0.0 cm/sec"
set parameter="surf_composition_active" path="/project/initialization/global_initialization" value="false"
set parameter="atdc" path="/project/simulation_controls" units="degrees" value="-5"
set parameter="cafin" path="/project/simulation_controls" units="degrees" value="5"
set parameter="angular_velocity" path="/project/simulation_controls" units="rpm" value="2000"
set_enabled path="/project/output_controls/resolved" value="true"
set_enabled path="/project/output_controls/averaged" value="true"
set_enabled path="/project/output_controls/restart" value="true"
save_as file="C:\Users\auser\test_project.ftsim" path="/project"
prepare_run file="C:\Users\auser\test_project.analysis\test_project.ftsim" mpi_args="8" path="/project/run_simulatio

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 Replay File Example

run="Nominal"
submit_run file="C:\Users\auser\test_project.analysis\test_project.ftsim" mpi_args="8" path="/project/run_simulation
run="Nominal"

Table 7.1: Scripting contexts and command descriptions

Context Command Description

/project
print_help print_help verbose={Boolean} Prints help for all available comm
print print Print project contents to the cons
format.
save save Save the project.
save_as save_as file={String} Save the project with a different
close_project close_project Close the project.
load_project load_project file={String} Open a project.
load_replay load_replay file={String} Load a replay file.
exit exit Exit the application.
set set parameter={String} Set the value of a project elemen
value={String} units={String}
set attribute set attribute attribute Set the attribute value of a projec
={String} value={String} paramet
er={String}
set_point set_point parameter={String} Set the value, coordinate system,
value={String[]} csys={String} frame of a point element.
ref={String}
set_vector set_vector parameter={String} Set the value, coordinate system,
value={String[]} csys={String} frame of a vector element.
ref={String}
set_velocity set_velocity parameter={String} Set the value, coordinate system,
value={String[]} csys={String} frame of a velocity element.
ref={String}
cd cd value={String} Go to the specified project path.
ls ls filter={String} List contents of the current proje
list _commands list_commands List available commands within th
project path.
add add parameter={String} selec Add an item to the list identified
tion={String[]} specified parameter.
remove remove parameter={String} selec Remove an item from the list ide
tion={String[]} specified parameter.
add_row add_row=parameter={String} Add a row to the table identified
value={String[]} index={Integer} specified parameter.
remove_row remove_row=parameter={String} Remove a row(s) from the table id
index={Integer} count={Integer} the specified parameter.

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Commands for Replay Scripting

Context Command Description

import_csv import_csv parameter={String} Import table data from a CSV file
file={String} skip={Integer} de
lim={String} has_header={Boolean}
export_csv export_csv parameter={String} Export table data to a CSV file.
file={String}
swap_rows swap_rows parameter={String} Swap two rows of a table.
row1={Integer} row2={Integer}
clear clear parameter={String} Clear data from the target elemen
import_table import_table file={String} Import lookup table data.
type={String} id={String}
set_color set_color value={String} Set the display color of an eleme
set_enabled set_enabled value={Boolean} Set the enabled state of an eleme
set_visible set_visible value={Boolean} Set the visibility of a display elem
/project/geometry
load_stl load_stl file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over file.
write={Boolean} isAMG={Boolean}
tol={Double} format={String}
check={Boolean}
load_ftsim load_ftsim file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over Ansys Forte Project file.
write={Boolean} isAMG={Boolean}
load_fmsh load_fmsh file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over file.
write={Boolean} isAMG={Boolean}
load_cgns load_cgns file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over file.
write={Boolean}
load_fluent load_fluent file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over mesh file.
write={Boolean}
load_xml load_xml file={String} Import geometry into the project
units={String} over file.
write={Boolean}
export_geometry export_geometry file={String} Export project geometry to an ST
selection={String[]}
merge merge selection={String[]} Merge two or more surfaces into
id={String} tol={Double} surface entity.
join join selection={String[]} Find shared edges and vertices b
tol={Double} or more surfaces.
split_by_feature split_by_feature selec Split surfaces by feature angle.
tion={String[]} angle={String}
minFaces={Integer}

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 Replay File Example

Context Command Description

split_by_plane split_by_plane selec Split geometry by plane.
tion={String[]} p={String[]}
n={String[]} minFaces={Integer}
pref={String} nref={String}
split_by_point split_by_point selec Split geometry by proximity to po
tion={String[]} r={String[]}
minFaces={Integer} ref={String}
transform transform selection={String[]} Transform surfaces by scale, rotat
scale={String[]} trans translation.
late={String[]} rotate={String[]}
ref={String} copies={Integer}
option={String}
invert_normals invert_normals selec Reverse the normal orientation o
tion={String[]} surfaces.
measure measure p1={String[]} Measure geometry.
p2={String[]} p3={String[]}
ref1={String} ref2={String}
ref3={String}
/project/models/chemistry
load_chemistry load_chemistry file={String} Import an Ansys Chemkin-Pro ch
dir={String} prompt={Boolean} into the project.
create_composition load_chemistry id={String} com Create a mixture using Forte’s Co
position_type={String} Calculator, equivalent to the men
fuel_mass={Double} Utility > Open Composition Cal
fuel_mass_units={String} Create Mixture.
gas_liq={String} fuel1={String}
gasfuel1={String} second
fuel={Boolean}
fuel_mass2={Double}
fuel_mass2_units={String}
gas_liq2={String} gas
fuel2={String} fuel2={String}
uniqueair={Boolean} air={String}
fuelratio={String}
air_mass={Double}
air_mass_units={String}
air_mass_ratio={Double}
phi={Double} egr_rate={Double}
internal_egr_choice={String} in
ternal_egr_rate={Double} compres
sion_ratio={Double} temp_ra
tio={Double} pres_ratio={Double}
/project/ preview_simulation/ preview_mesh_generation/ preview_plot
preview_mesh preview_mesh Run the mesher to generate a pre
/project/prun_simulation

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Commands for Replay Scripting

Context Command Description

submit_run submit_run file={String} Submit a run to the solver.
run={String} mpi_args={String}
/project/bc_tables
import_bc_table import_bc_table file={String} Import a boundary condition tab
id={String}
/project/ic_tables
import_ic_table import_ic_table file={String} Import an initial condition table f
id={String}

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Chapter 8: Forte Simulation in Workbench
Within Ansys Workbench, you can use the Forte tool to set up a workflow for Ansys Forte CFD. This
approach mainly reduces the manual effort in preparing the geometry in Ansys DesignModeler and the
surface mesh in Ansys Meshing. The transient volume meshes are handled during the simulation in
Ansys Forte CFD. Additionally the workflow includes the basic setup for simulation with Ansys Forte
CFD and post-processing in EnSight or CFD-Post. The workflow is customized for cold flow and combus-
tion simulations. For combustion simulations, different approaches are applicable, with full-engine
simulations and sector simulations using the automated mesh generation approach (AMG). Additionally
sector geometries can be meshed with body fitted meshes using the FORTE Sector Mesh Generator
(SMG).

8.1. Working in Forte

In Workbench, double-click or drag Forte from under Component Systems in the Toolbox. The new
Forte component system then appears in the Project Schematic. Before importing the geometry you
must define the parameters for your analysis.

Note:

Parameterizing a non-integer, non-zero number in a Forte project when your system is

set to a European number format (the decimal separator uses a comma) causes the
parameter value to be displayed as zero in Workbench. Ensure your system is set to a
number format that uses a period as the decimal separator.

8.1.1. Geometry
You can use one of two methods for geometry assignments:

• Use the native Ansys Forte Geometry features, accessible under Geometry on the Ansys Forte
Workflow tree.

• In Workbench, double-click or drag Geometry under Component Systems in the Toolboxand

click and drag from the new Geometry system to the Setup cell in the Forte system in the Project
Schematic to create a connection.

For information on Geometry details in the Ansys Forte interface, see Geometry Node (p. 41).

8.1.2. Set Up a Forte Component System

Right-click the Setup cell and select one of the following commands:

• Edit: Opens the Ansys Forte interface. See the chapter on Modeling Guide (p. 41) and other
chapters in this manual for details on setting up the case.

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Forte Simulation in Workbench

• Import Mesh: If desired, select an .stl or ANSYS mesh .msh file for the case, or use Forte
Automated Mesh Generation to mesh on-the-fly.

• Import a Forte project: Allows you to select a Forte .ftsim file and opens the Ansys Forte
interface for further processing and analysis.

• Import Replay Journal: Allows use of a Forte replay file.

For information on Setup details in the Ansys Forte interface, see:

• Mesh Controls Node (p. 51).

• Table 2.1: File menu (p. 8).

8.1.3. Solving the Case in the Forte Component System

Right-click the Solution cell and select one of the following commands:

• Monitor Run: Opens the Ansys Forte Monitor Run interface. See the other chapters in this
manual for details on setting up the case.

To view results in Ansys CFD-Post, double-click or drag Results under Component Systems in the
Toolbox, the new Results system appears in the Project Schematic. Click and drag from the Solution
cell in the Forte system to the Results cell in the new Results system to create a connection.

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Chapter 9: System Coupling
In addition to working as a stand-alone CFD application, Ansys Forte 2022 R1 can also work as a parti-
cipant of a "coupled simulation" using System Coupling. The coupled simulation can involve multiple
Ansys tools to collaboratively solve a multiphysics problem. In a coupled simulation, participants interact
with each other via data transfer on the coupling interfaces and make progress on solutions iteratively.
The coupled simulation is managed by Ansys System Coupling in a convenient and user-friendly manner.

In internal combustion (IC) engine simulations, one of the highest-interest areas for System Coupling
is Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis. While this section introduces information about how Forte works
with System Coupling in general, you also can use tutorials ( see Forte Tutorials, System Coupling tutorials)
specifically introducing Forte and System Coupling for Conjugate Heat Transfer simulations.

9.1. Overview of System Coupling Analysis Using Forte

As stated in the System Coupling Overview in the System Coupling User's Guide :

The Ansys portfolio of simulation software facilitates the creation of multidisciplinary

physics analyses—not only within the context of a single product, but also through the
use of Ansys System Coupling. System Coupling can integrate multiple individual
analyses, enabling you to leverage different physics solvers and/or static external data
sources in a single multiphysics simulation. When two or more analyses are coupled, an
examination of their combined results can capture more complex interactions than an
examination of those results in isolation, producing more accurate results and yielding
an optimal solution....

Forte supports command-line System Coupling, which enables you to run the coupled simulation from
the command line. This type of analysis involves preparing the project files of Forte and other participants
and putting them in a working directory. In the working directory, you open a command line prompt
and execute a series of commands, which may be put into a Python script. The commands typically
include loading participants, specifying controls for the coupling-related analysis settings, and starting
the coupled simulation. In this chapter, we describe detailed steps for setting up a command-line System
Coupling simulation with Forte as one of its participants. For more general information about using
command-line system coupling, see Using the System Coupling Command-Line Interface (CLI) in the
System Coupling User's Guide .

9.1.1. Supported Capabilities and Limitations

The following capabilities are supported for command-line System Coupling analysis with Forte:

• Steady State or Transient System Coupling

• Parallel/distributed processing of Forte simulations.

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System Coupling

• Performs thermal data transfer on the boundary condition selected for System Coupling. Heat
Transfer Rate (or Heat Transfer Coefficient and Near-wall Temperature) can be provided to
other coupling participants, and temperature can be received from them. Here, the heat transfer
data refer to those of convective heat transfer.

• Performs fluid structure interaction (FSI) on the boundary condition selected for System Coupling.
Force can be provided to other coupling participants, and displacement can be received from them.

• In a Conjugate Heat Transfer analysis, Forte initializes the data being transferred at the coupled
boundaries.

• In a Fluid Structure Interaction analysis, the initialization follows the default system coupling rules.

The following are known limitations when using System Coupling analysis with Forte:

• To be a participant for System Coupling, Forte must have the System Coupling node checked
(turned ON) with at least one coupled surface selected.

• The coupling interface must be a wall boundary condition in Forte.

• In Forte, a wall boundary condition that is selected for System Coupling must be associated
with one and only one surface patch of the simulation domain.

• The output variables from Forte for a Steady State System Coupling (that is, Heat Transfer
Rate, or Heat Transfer Coefficient and Near-wall Temperature) are spatially resolved but
time-averaged. The time average frequency is controlled by a Monitor Probe’s inquiry frequency.
If no Monitor Probe is set, the spatially averaged output frequency is used.

• Analogously, for a Transient System Coupling analysis the output variables are still spatially
resolved and their time averaging is performed over each time step instead of over the entire
simulation time.

• The heat transfer rate and coefficient are for convective heat transfer only. Radiation effects
are not included even if the radiation heat transfer model is turned on.

9.1.2. Variables Available for System Coupling

The following variables are available in Forte when a boundary condition is selected for System
Coupling:

Table 9.1: Forte variables available for System Coupling

Name / Internal Name Transfer Tensor Extensive/Intensive Quantity Type

Direction Type
Heat Transfer Rate / Output Scalar Extensive Heat Rate
HEATR
Heat Transfer Coefficient Output Scalar Intensive Heat Transfer
/HEATTC Coefficient
Near Wall Temperature Output Scalar Intensive Temperature
/NWALLT
Temperature / TEMP Input Scalar Intensive Temperature

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 Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

Name / Internal Name Transfer Tensor Extensive/Intensive Quantity Type

Direction Type
Force / FORCE Output Vector Extensive Force
Displacement / DISP Input Vector Intensive Displacement

9.1.3. System Coupling Related Settings

In Setting Up a Coupled Simulation (p. 213), we will introduce the settings of Forte and System
Coupling needed for a coupled simulation. Here, an overview is provided:

Forte Settings
The Forte project file (.ftsim) contains all the information needed for System Coupling to accept
it as a participant. Unlike some other participants, which must export a System Coupling participant
(.scp) file, Forte does not need to export a .scp file. The System Coupling command can load Forte
as a participant by directly reading the .ftsim project file.

As mentioned, Forte must have a wall boundary condition listed under the System Coupling node in
the Forte Workflow tree. Enable System Coupling under Simulation Controls to make this boundary
a coupling interface. Also, select the output variable on the coupling interface as Heat Rate, or altern-
atively, Heat Transfer Coefficient and Near Wall Temperature for a Conjugate Heat Transfer analysis
or as Force for a Fluid Structure Interaction analysis.

The Force applied by the fluid on the structure in FSI analysis is calculated using the gauge pressure
of the fluid in Forte. The Reference Pressure input on the user interface panel is used to convert
absolute pressure to gauge pressure: .

9.2. Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

In a coupled simulation, Forte and the other participant(s) of System Coupling are applied to distinct
simulation domains which share common geometric surfaces. Such a surface, where transfer and mapping
of solutions from one to the other participant occur, is called a coupling interface. The data transfer is
two-way, meaning that each participant is both a source and target of the data transfer, sending an
output and receiving an input. To set up the participants for System Coupling, the coupling interfaces
must be properly specified in each participant. For example, selecting which boundary condition is the
coupling interface and what solutions are to be transferred out and received on the interface. Also,
certain controlling parameters for the coupled simulation, such as the maximum number of coupled
iterations, should be specified before starting the simulation.

Using Forte in a System Coupling run generally involves these steps:

1. Set up your Forte project specifically for System Coupling. Ensure System Coupling (under Simulation
Controls on the Workflow tree) is enabled.

2. Set up the other participants for System Coupling.

3. Set up a working directory for the System Coupling run.

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System Coupling

4. Create the System Coupling python script to set up and launch the coupled simulation.

Note:

A distinct license is required for each coupling participant product, but no additional licenses
are required for the System Coupling infrastructure itself. For more information on applicable
licenses, see Coupled Analysis Licensing Requirements in the System Coupling User's Guide.

These steps are described in more detail in the following sections.

9.2.1. Step 1: Set up Forte Project for System Coupling

The Forte project used for System Coupling is in most aspects the same as the one used for a stand-
alone CFD application, but with specific settings to flag certain boundary conditions as the System-
Coupling type. Specifically, load your Forte project, navigate to the Simulation Controls node on
the Workflow tree, enable the System Coupling item, and select the boundary condition(s) to parti-
cipate in System Coupling (see the example below with the Wall selected).

Tip:

When a boundary condition is selected for System Coupling, the output of solution variables
is handled as an implicit wall sampling monitor probe. (To see how a wall sampling mon-
itor probe works in general, refer to Probes for Time-Averaged and Spatially Resolved
Data (p. 151) ). The output data provided at the coupling interface are spatially resolved
solutions distributed on the selected wall boundary and time-averaged. As in a wall sampling
probe, it is good practice to ensure sufficient surface mesh resolution on the boundary,
which is used as the spatially resolved output resolution. Forte outputs data automatically,
in the sense that you do not need to manually set up a wall sampling monitor probe in
the user interface for this purpose. There is a sampling frequency used for time averaging,
which is implicitly set as the inquiry frequency on the Monitor Probes Editor panel (Monitor
Probes Panel (p. 146) ). If there is no monitor probe present, the sampling frequency is im-
plicitly set as the spatially averaged output frequency, specified in the Spatially Averaged
Editor panel (Spatially Averaged and Spray Panel (p. 118) ). It is good practice to specify a
sufficiently refined sampling frequency to produce accurate time-averaged output.

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 Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

Figure 9.1: Selecting a boundary condition and output variable

Once the desired coupling surfaces are selected, the System Coupling Method option allows selection
between a Steady State (as in the example above) or a Transient simulation. Note that in both cases
Forte will run in a transient mode, providing spatially resolved output variables on the coupled
boundaries. The differences are:

• In a steady state coupled analysis, those variables will be time-averaged over the entire simulation
time and transferred at the end of each iterative cycle to the other participant(s)

• In a transient coupled analysis the data will be averaged and transferred at the end of each
coupling time-step, in other words, per each Δt.

To learn how to set the coupling time step through the python script or System Coupling user interface,
see Step 4a: Create a System Coupling Python Run Script (p. 217) and Step 4b: Use the System Coupling
Graphical User Interface (p. 218) in this chapter or consult Choosing the Mesh-Related Timescale in
the System Coupling User's Guide.

If the system coupling simulation is run as steady-state, the Generate System Coupling Reuse Point
option can be activated, and a specific time/crank angle must be defined. When activated, the first
Forte run will be a complete run from initial to final specified time/crank angle and generate a Forte

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System Coupling

restart file at the specified reuse time/crank angle point. Subsequent Forte runs for each System
Coupling steady state iteration will instead begin from the Reuse restart point to the final time/crank
angle, thus reducing the turn-around time per iteration. The reuse-point option is particularly beneficial
when the portion between the start of the simulation and the generated restart point can be neglected
from an energy viewpoint, that is, during the gas exchange phase of an engine cycle.

The lower section of the System Coupling panel is dedicated to the selection of the Output Variables
to be transferred and, if needed, initialized. For example, to initialize the Heat Rate on the boundary
wall, click Add Boundaries to Initialize > Wall > Ok, and then add the desired value in Watts. Altern-
atively, if the same case has been previously run, click Import from previous Forte run, select the
file wall_sampling_Wall_system_coupling.csv and the heat rate will be set as the average
over the wall and over an entire iterative cycle. Additionally, at the bottom of the initialized data
table, you can select the Default Heat Rate value to be applied to all the other boundaries not expli-
citly initialized in the table.

Tip:

On a coupling interface of a Conjugate Heat Transfer analysis, Forte can output Heat Rate,
or alternatively, Heat Transfer Coefficient and Near Wall Temperature, and receives the
wall temperature from System Coupling. The wall temperature is used to update the thermal
boundary condition in the coupled iteration. When Fluent is the other Participant in the
System Coupling run, we recommend using Heat Rate as the output variable.

Click Apply and save the project with File > Save. Your Forte project .ftsim file is now ready for
use in System Coupling.

9.2.2. Step 2: Set Up the Other Participants for System Coupling

You may use Ansys software applications that are System Coupling participants in the coupled simu-
lation. In a Conjugate Heat Transfer analysis, Forte is typically used to simulate engine flow and
combustion processes, while the other participant should be able to perform thermal analysis in the
solid engine walls and receive heat transfer data from Forte. In a Fluid Structure Interaction analysis,
Forte is typically used to simulate the force originated from the fluid flow acting on the moving sur-
face/s, while the other participant (Ansys Fluent or Mechanical) should be able to provide the structure
response (displacement) back to Forte.

In general, the participant’s project used for System Coupling is very similar to the one used for a
stand-alone CFD application. The difference is that the boundary conditions for the coupling interfaces
should be listed under the System Coupling node in the Workflow tree. Refer to that participant’s
manual for more detailed instruction on this (at ansyshelp.ansys.com). Certain participants (such as
Ansys Fluent and MAPDL) need to export a System Coupling participant file (.scp) from their projects,
which are to be placed in the working directory and used by System Coupling for setup. (For more
information, see Participant Setup File in the System Coupling User's Guide .)

9.2.3. Step 3: Set Up a Working Folder for the System Coupling Run
Now create a working directory where you will run the System Coupling run. Create in this directory:

1. A subfolder for the Forte runs driven by System Coupling. This folder must contain the Forte
.ftsim project file for System Coupling.

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 Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

2. A subfolder for the other Participants in this System Coupling run. For example, fluent.

3. A System Coupling python script that defines and controls the run (see Step 4a: Create a System
Coupling Python Run Script (p. 217)). Alternatively the System Coupling Graphical User Interface
can be used (see Step 4b: Use the System Coupling Graphical User Interface (p. 218)).

4. This directory may also contain System Coupling participant files (.scp) that are required by
other Participants, such as a Fluent .scp file.

Note:

Forte does not use an .scp file; everything that is required for a System Coupling run is
already contained in the Forte project file that you already prepared.

9.2.4. Step 4a: Create a System Coupling Python Run Script

The next step is to create a System Coupling python run script which enables setting up and running
System Coupling with this Ansys Forte project as a Participant and at least one other Participant, such
as Ansys MAPDL, Fluent, or CFX.

Below is an example run script where Fluent and Forte are both Participants. In this example, subfolders
for Fluent and Forte have been created with the Forte prepared project forte.ftsim in the Forte
folder and a Fluent System Coupling file fluent.scp placed in the working directory where this
script exists. In Forte, the Wall boundary is coupled to the wall_internal boundary in Fluent.

The number of processes used by the run is specified using the -t option on the command line (see
Coupling Participant Parallel Arguments in the System Coupling Settings and Commands Reference).

Tip:

1) You must use at least 2 MPI processes when using Forte. Therefore, ensure that
you specify enough MPI processes using the -t option and the appropriate fraction
via ParallelFraction so that each Forte System Coupling Participant will be using
at least 2 MPI processes.

2) In the following example the ParallelFraction option is set to 0.125 so that Fluent
will use an 8th of the processes that Forte will. So if 8 processes are used for the System
Coupling run, then Forte will use 8 and Fluent 1.

import os

# Forte is a Participant
forte = AddParticipant(InputFile = os.path.join('forte', 'forte.ftsim'))

# Fluent is a Participant
fluent = AddParticipant(InputFile = 'fluent.scp')

# Fluent will run on 1 process, while Forte will run on 8 processes if -t8 is used
DatamodelRoot().CouplingParticipant[fluent].ExecutionControl.ParallelFraction = 0.125

# Add a coupling interface between Forte and Fluent, and specify

coupling variables on each interface.

iName = AddInterface(SideOneParticipant = fluent,

SideOneRegions = ['wall_internal'],

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System Coupling

SideTwoParticipant = forte,
SideTwoRegions = ['Wall'])

iheatrate = AddDataTransfer(Interface = iName,

TargetSide = 'One',
SideOneVariable = 'heatflow',
SideTwoVariable = 'HEATR')

itemperature = AddDataTransfer(Interface = iName,

TargetSide = 'Two',
SideOneVariable = 'temperature',
SideTwoVariable = 'TEMP')

# Perform the System Coupling run

Solve()

The commands used in the script are fully documented in the System Coupling documentation at
System Coupling Settings and Commands Reference . In addition to the commands used in the above
Python script, there are commands that control the convergence between the participants, such as
ramping and relaxation; in some cases these may be needed to ensure stable and rapid convergence
to a coupled solution. See Best Practices for System Coupling in the System Coupling User's Guide and
the System Coupling tutorial examples in the Forte Tutorials at the Help site for examples of using
these options.

For a Transient coupled analysis the python run script must also contain two additional lines to set
the final time of the simulation 'SolutionControl.EndTime' and the time step size 'Solution-
Control.TimeStepSize' at which the participants will be exchanging their data, the Δt of the
coupled simulation. For example:

DatamodelRoot().SolutionControl.EndTime =
'0.1 [s]'
DatamodelRoot().SolutionControl.TimeStepSize =
'0.01 [s]'

Tip:

Note that the System Coupling syntax for certain commands have changed, starting at
release 2021 R2. So if you want to run a previously set-up case, you can manually modify
the python script following the system coupling user guide, or you can simply launch the
system coupling UI and re-save the project.

When using a cluster queuing environment for your System Coupling run, such as Univa Grid Engine
(see information about Queuing Systems on the Platforms Support page at https://www.ansys.com/
solutions/solutions-by-role/it-professionals/platform-support ) you do not need to use the -t option
on the command line to specify the number of processes since those will be allocated by your cluster
environment.

Once you have set up the working directory and created the python script, you are ready to start the
System Coupling run.

9.2.5. Step 4b: Use the System Coupling Graphical User Interface
Another option to set up a System Coupling simulation is to use the System Coupling Graphical User
Interface (GUI) following this workflow:

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 Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

• Start the System Coupling GUI and select the working directory.

• Right-click Setup and choose Add Participant, select the .ftsim file and the other .scp parti-
cipant file.

• Open the Parallel Partitioning dialog through Coupling Participant > Parallel solve setup and
apply partitioning to coupling participants; such as: Fluent weight = 0.125 so that Fluent will
use1/8th of the processes.

• On the Coupling Control > Analysis Type, choose the Duration and the Step Control. In case of
a transient analysis, select Transient instead and define the End Time of the simulation and the
Time Step Size.

• Add coupling interfaces by right-clicking the Setup, and configure them to match the settings from
the python_script.py.

• Right-click the newly created coupling interface and add data transfer options.

For more detailed documentation of the System Coupling GUI, see Using System Coupling's Graphical
User Interface (GUI) in the System Coupling User's Guide.

9.2.6. How To Run System Coupling

To start the System Coupling simulation, open the shell for your operating system in System Coupling's
working directory.

Execute the command for your system's platform:

Windows:

call "c:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\v221\SystemCoupling\bin\systemcoupling" -t<n>

-R <python_script.py>

Linux:

$HOME/ansys_inc/v221/SystemCoupling/bin/systemcoupling" -t<n>

-R <python_script.py>

where python_script.py is the System Coupling run script you created in Step 4a: Create a
System Coupling Python Run Script (p. 217) and -t specifies the number of processes you wish the
run to use, for example, -t8 specifies 8 processes.

If the System Coupling user interface is used instead, extend the Outline pane, right-click Solution
and select Solve.

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System Coupling

9.2.7. Workflow and File Structure of Forte Runs During System Coupling
Runs
When your System Coupling run starts up, the Forte runs will be performed in the directory specified
by WorkingDirectory\forte in your python script. In this folder, your Forte project file will be
prepared for running in the same way as the "Prepare" step in the Forte Simulate interface with the
chemistry files extracted and pre-processed.

During the System Coupling run, a number of subdirectories will be created within the forte folder
to allow you to monitor the progress of the Forte runs for each System Coupling iteration. The name
and contents of these sub-directories depend on whether the System Coupling run is steady state or
transient as described below.

Steady state analysis

For each Forte System Coupling iteration i, an updated copy of the original Forte project file will be
created, named <original name>_SCIter_<i>.ftsim and this project file is used for the ith
iteration. Additionally, a separate directory for each Forte run i will be created and named
SC_Run_<i>. This contains the output from Forte for the ith System Coupling iteration so you can
inspect each intermediate Forte solution and decide if you need to use some of the System Coupling
methods such as ramping to aid convergence.

By default, all solution files (Forte.log file, spatially resolved solution files and spatially averaged
files, Forte .ftind file, and Forte restart files) from the ith Forte run are stored in each SC_Run_<i>
subdirectory. However, you can use the following Forte command-line option to control this:

-scbackup <"none|all|csv|log|ftres|ftrst"> Controls which files are backed up to

each SC subfolder per each iteration. Default all.

csv - spatially averaged csv files only

log - Forte.log only

ftres - spatially resolved solutions only

ftrst - restart files only

You can combine multiple options by using "+" for example csv+log would backup csv files and
log files only. To use this option, you use the System Coupling AdditionalArguments option
and add the following line to your python script

forte.ExecutionControl.AdditionalArguments = '-scbackup <arguments>'

for example

forte.ExecutionControl.AdditionalArguments = '-scbackup csv+log

Transient analysis
A copy of the original Forte project file will be created inside the Forte main folder, named <original
name>_backup.ftsim. The final solution can be inspected in the main Forte folder.

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 Setting Up a Coupled Simulation

At the end of either a Steady State or Transient System Coupling run, the final Forte solution (spatially
averaged and spatially resolved solution files) will be in the forte folder.

9.2.8. Monitoring Progress of System Coupling and Examining Final Results

During the System Coupling runs, information on the progress of the run will be written to a
scLog.scl file and to standard output. You can use this to confirm both that the correct input and
output variables have been specified and to monitor the progress of the convergence. Find more in-
formation about the writing of these files in the chapter Transcript and Log File in the System Coupling
User's Guide, available at the Ansys Help site.

To have a successful coupled simulation, it is important to make sure that coupling interfaces, which
are common surfaces shared by the simulation domains of participants, are defined consistently in
the participants. Once the participants are loaded and before the first coupled iteration starts, you
can check whether the coupling interface’s mapping between the participants is successful. As shown
in Figure 9.2: Information on mapping the coupling interface written to standard output (p. 221) , the
percentages of mapped area, elements, and nodes for "Interface-1" are printed in the output. It is
desirable to have greater than 95% mapping of area, elements, and nodes, for all the coupling interfaces
defined. If the mapping is less than 95% for a certain coupling interface, we suggest checking its
geometry and boundary condition setup in the relevant participants. Find any problems and fix them,
before running the coupled simulation.

Figure 9.2: Information on mapping the coupling interface written to standard output

You can monitor the coupled simulation in scLog.scl or the standard output by checking the
status of data transferred on the coupling interface in each iteration or coupling time step. Fig-
ure 9.3: Status of a coupled iteration in standard output (p. 222) shows the information written for it-
eration #10, which is the final iteration to reach convergence in our example. On the coupling interface
("Interface-1"), the RMS change of two-way data transfer (for "heatflow" and "Temperature") are dis-
played. The "RMS Change", which stands for "Root Mean Squared change", is the averaged and nor-
malized iteration-by-iteration change of data transferred on the coupling interface. By default, coupled
simulation is regarded as converged when the RMS changes on the coupling interfaces are reduced
to less than 1%. This is satisfied for both "heatflow" and "Temperature" as shown in Figure 9.3: Status
of a coupled iteration in standard output (p. 222) . Also displayed are the Weighted Averaged or the
Summed values of the data on the coupling interface, depending on which type of solution data is
transferred. The standard scLog.scl output can also be displayed as a chart by activating the beta
features (Forte Edit > Preferences) and adding to the python_script.py the following lines:

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System Coupling

dm.ActivateHidden.BetaFeatures = True
DatamodelRoot().OutputControl.GenerateCSVChartOutput = True

If the System Coupling graphical user interface is used instead, type on the System Coupling console
the line:

WriteCsvChartFiles()

Figure 9.3: Status of a coupled iteration in standard output

When the run has converged and completed, you can open the usual Forte spatially averaged and
spatially resolved solution files to view the final solution in Forte (as well as the solution in the other
participants).

9.2.9. Forte System Coupling Restart Runs

It is possible to re-start a Forte System Coupling run using the restart option (see Restarting a Coupled
Analysis in the System Coupling User's Guide. A list of the available restart solutions can be found at
the end of the scLog.log file. A System Coupling restarted run script need only the solution to
restart from and the solve command, for example:
# To start from the latest saved solutio simply use Open ()
Open(CouplingStep = 3)

Solve()

During a restart run, Forte will leave the existing results prior to the restart point intact and will create
new subfolders that continue the progression after the restart.

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Chapter 10: Getting Help and Support
Several resources are available to provide you further help when using Ansys Forte. Starting points for
these resources are described here.

10.1. Tool Tips

A useful help feature is the Ansys Forte Interface "tool tip" help, also known as "mouse-over" help. In
each of the Editor panels, resting your mouse cursor near an input-parameter label will usually result
in temporary display of context-sensitive help in the Tool tip area next to the Log window. This help
provides more description about the parameter usage and about default behavior or default values.
Figure 10.1: Tool tip help (p. 223) shows an example of the Ansys Forte tool tip help.

Figure 10.1: Tool tip help

10.2. User Manuals

User manuals are available for Ansys Forte as HTML pages that can be viewed with a web browser.

These manuals include:

• Forte User's Guide

• Ansys Forte Best Practices

• Ansys Forte Theory Manual

• Forte Additional Resources Guide (p. 1)

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Getting Help and Support

• Forte Tutorials and Forte Quick Start Guide.

To access a product's documentation and tutorials, use the Ansys Forte Help menu or visit the Ansys
Help site.

Note:

Users of various combinations of Linux and remote terminal programs may encounter
intermittent failures when trying to open Ansys Help from the Forte user interface or
the Sector Mesh Generator. If this occurs, access Help by manually opening a browser
and going to the Ansys Help website at ansyshelp.ansys.com. Information about remote
display with Ansys products is available at General Information in the Using Remote
Display Technologies with Ansys Workbench Products

10.3. Technical Support

10.3.1. Troubleshooting
The monitor window at the bottom of the Ansys Forte screen includes a list of executed commands
and messages, and will indicate the cause of an error. A more detailed log output of commands and
actions can be found in the RDApplicationManager.log file found in the installation bin dir-
ectory.

10.3.2. Contacting Technical Support

Ansys is committed to the highest level of technical support. If the answer to your question is not
found in the documentation or web site, contact Technical Support using one of these methods:

[email protected]

When you contact Technical Support, include the following information in your support request:

• Your Ansys Forte License Number.

• The name and email address of the Licensee, if different from yourself.

• Your computer platform.

• Program outputs and/or screen prints showing the error message(s) you are receiving.

For inquiries related to running the CFD model, also include:

• The FORTE.log file found in your run directory (if your problem is the CFD run itself has problems)

• The MONITOR file also found in your run directory

For problems visualizing results, also include:

• The .ftind and .ftres results files.

• The plot recreation XML file(s) created using File > Save As (or the Save As toolbar button).

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Appendix A. Setting Up Environment, Launching
Depending on your operating system, certain setup tasks may be required after installing the Ansys
Forte simulation package, but before you are ready to run the software. These tasks are described below.

A.1. Environment Setup Requirement for Linux Only

Note:

Before launching any Ansys Forte interface component, several environment settings must
be in place, as described in Java Memory Settings (p. 226).

Ansys Forte and related products require a few environment variables that help them to operate
properly. These environment variables are shown in Table 1: Ansys Forte environment variables (p. 226).

The UNIX installation script creates two files, forte_setup.csh (C-shell) and forte_setup.ksh
(K-shell), which define variables and aliases based upon the selections chosen during the install. They
are located in the bin directory.

Source Environment Variables in a C-Shell:

You can source the product environment variables in a C-Shell using the command line. For example,
if your installation is in the $HOME/ansys_inc directory, and you have installed v221, then you would
use this command to set up Ansys Forte:
source $HOME/ansys_inc/v221/reaction/forte.linuxx8664/bin/forte_setup.csh

Source Environment Variables in a Bash, Korn, or Bourne Shell:

You can source the product environment variables in a Korn or Bourne shell using the command line.
For example, if your installation is in the $HOME/ansys_inc directory, and you have installed v221,
then you would complete the following steps to set up Ansys Forte:

1. Source the Ansys Forte environment variables with the following command. Remember that the
period and space are required at the beginning of the command line.
. $HOME/ansys_inc/v221/reaction/forte.linuxx8664/bin/forte_setup.ksh

To do this in a csh or tcsh environment, put the following into $HOME/.login:

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Setting Up Environment, Launching

source $HOME/ansys_inc/v221/reaction/forte.linuxx8664/bin/forte_setup.csh

Note:

The shell scripts used to run the user Interface are Bourne shell scripts and use the
forte_setup.ksh file to source the environment. Therefore, even if all users work in the
C shell environment, the forte_setup.ksh file is used also.

Table 1: Ansys Forte environment variables

Variable Description
$REACTION_DIR This is a required variable. It points to a subdirectory
where the Ansys Chemkin-Pro and Ansys Forte are
installed and a mechanism data directory exists. An
example would be (where NNN is the ANSYS release
number code):

$HOME/vNNN
$FORTE_BIN Required by Ansys Forte. It points to the location of
the bin directory for the Ansys Forte installation.
$PATH The value $FORTE_BIN should be prepended to the
$PATH variable.
(LD_LIBRARY_PATH) This is a required variable.
$FORTE_USER This is an optional FORTE variable. This is not
automatically defined. The variable is used in the
naming of the preferences file.
$FORTE_MEMORY Optional variable defining how much memory to
allocate to the Java Virtual Machine running the Ansys
Forte interface. If not defined, you are prompted for
this value.

A.2. Java Memory Settings

Although the amount of memory required by Ansys Forte to display and process a CFD model varies
greatly depending on the number of cells in the mesh, and there is no value that is correct for all
problems and usages, the interface must know at start-up the maximum amount of memory that will
be available.

The amount of memory Ansys Forte will use can be configured by editing the Launcher preferences.

To do this, click the Edit Launcher Preferences button from the Ansys Forte Launcher (see
Figure 2: Launcher icon with Edit Launcher Preferences button (p. 228)).

After clicking the Edit Launcher Preferences button, select either the Simulate or Monitor application
item and expand the Memory Settings panel. You may configure the default memory limit (in MB) and
optionally choose to have the Launcher prompt for a memory limit (with the preferred setting as the
default) before new instances of either the Simulate or Monitor interface are opened.

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 Launching Ansys Forte on Linux

Figure 1: Edit Launcher Preferences dialog

Note that the memory limit specified is only an upper limit on the amount of memory that may be
consumed by the application; in practice the actual memory consumption may be significantly less.
However, to avoid interfering with other system processes and resources, we recommend specifying a
value that is below your total system RAM by at least 500 MB to 1 GB.

Also note that the memory usage will be cumulative with respect to multiple instances of Simulate and
Monitor windows, so if you have 3 windows open, each with a maximum memory setting of 8 GB, your
system could potentially require 24 GB of system RAM.

A.3. Requirements for Ansys Forte User Interface on Linux

The Ansys Forte User Interface components are written in Java and make use of 3rd party Java OpenGL
graphics libraries. If you are connecting to the Linux system from Windows using a remote terminal
program, the user interface requires that the terminal program support both X-windows and OpenGL.
Basic telnet and putty connections typically do not support the graphics protocols that the user interface
requires. There are several such programs available including the following (more information is available
at General Information in the Using Remote Display Technologies with Ansys Workbench Products:

Cygwin-X: http://x.cygwin.com/

Exceed-3D: http://connectivity.opentext.com/products/exceed-3d.aspx

vncserver with NICE DCV Endstation: https://download.nice-dcv.com/

A.4. Launching Ansys Forte on Linux

To start Ansys Forte on Linux systems, open a Linux shell. If you have modified your shell initialization
to source the ksh file under your $REACTION_DIR for Ansys Forte, then three aliases are defined. In
each case, type the command and press the Enter key to launch the associated interface:

• FORTE alias: Type FORTE and press the Enter key to launch the Ansys Forte interface. This will display
the Launcher with Simulate and Monitor options. Click the Simulate button to start working with
an Ansys Forte project. In the following cases, type the command and press the Enter key to launch
the desired interface:

• FORTES alias: FORTES command directly launches the Simulate interface.

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Setting Up Environment, Launching

• FORTEM alias: FORTEM command directly launches the Monitor interface.

Note:

The Simulate interface either will use the default memory setting you have specified in the
Launcher (see Java Memory Settings (p. 226)) or it will prompt you to specify a memory limit.
For auto-mesh cases, 8 GB is recommended. Larger cases could require even more memory.

Note:

On some Linux operating systems, particularly those running a variant of gnome-3, certain
dialogs may not display window decorations as expected (such as the 'x' or close button and
the minimize button). These dialogs can be closed by right-clicking in the title bar, which
will present a context menu containing the window-control actions.

A.5. Launching Ansys Forte on Windows

To launch Ansys Forte on a Windows system, double-click the shortcut on the desktop, or go to
Start > Ansys 2022 R1 > Forte 2022 R1. This displays the Launcher with Simulate and Monitor options.
Click the Simulate button to start working with an existing Ansys Forte project.

Note:

The Simulate and Monitor interfaces either will use the default memory setting you have
specified in the Launcher (see Java Memory Settings (p. 226)) or they will prompt you to
specify a memory limit. For auto-mesh cases, 8 GB is recommended. Larger cases could require
even more memory.

Figure 2: Launcher icon with Edit Launcher Preferences button

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Appendix B. Prerequisites for Parallel MPI Environment

B.1. Supported MPI Versions

Ansys Forte supports Intel MPI 2018u4. The Intel MPI version may change with each release and addi-
tional MPI versions may become available in future releases. This specific Intel MPI software is provided
in runtime form within the Ansys version-specific installation area and you should not need to separ-
ately install it. By default, the Forte Simulate user interface and Command Line Interface generate
script files for both local use and cluster use that set the PATH and other required environment variables
to use the provided version of Intel MPI. No other version of MPI is currently supported by Forte.

B.2. Updating the Environment

A subdirectory IntelMPI2018 of the Forte bin directory of the Ansys Forte installation contains the
mpivars.{ext} script(s). On Windows systems, this is the mpivars.bat script. On Linux, there are
mpivars.csh and mpivars.sh scripts. These scripts are called or "sourced" (run such that their
definitions update the current environment). The result is that the location containing mpiexec and
mpirun is added to the PATH variable and other related variables are also updated as needed. These
scripts are in the Forte bin area so they can be invoked once the FORTE_BIN environment variable is
defined. Since you only need the MPI environment when running the simulation, the call/source of
these scripts is in the run_env.bat or run_env.sh script that the Forte Simulate interface generates
to run your simulation jobs. For more details about these scripts, see Run Preparation Using the Command
Line Interface (p. 176).

On Windows systems, the Ansys Forte Simulate interface generates an Ansys Forte script that contains
the –localonly flag, which allows Intel MPI to run on a single node using shared memory for com-
munication. This is faster than running with socket-based communication and avoids needing to install
and start the mpiexec_hydra service. It also avoids the need for mpiexec -–register.
I_MPI_AUTH_METHOD=delegate

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Appendix C. Advanced Settings and Scripts

C.1. Advanced Settings for Linux or Windows Systems

In the Run Settings > Linux Settings panel (or Windows Settings panel), you can find the Advanced
Settings section. Using the options in this section will allow you to create Ansys Forte job scripts that
are configured for use on the remote system.

Run Initialization Commands is a text block where you can specify any commands that you want ex-
ecuted prior to the start of the overall run (single job or parameter study). You can use this section if
you need to receive a node list from a batch queuing system and construct a hosts file for use by MPI
or otherwise configure a cluster on-the-fly for use by your Ansys Forte runs. You can also use this to
perform any time or date logging or other job submission logging activities.

Run Forte Environment Setup Path (Override) can be specified if you generate the run scripts on
one computer, but then plan to zip everything (analysis directory and run directories) and copy to an-
other machine or cluster to run. This gives you the ability to specify the Ansys Forte setup location
(forte_setup.ksh or run_forte_setup.bat) on the target machine or cluster. This location will
be used when generating the scripts.

Run Finalization Commands is a text block where you can specify any commands that you want ex-
ecuted at the completion of the overall run (single job or parameter study). You can use it for logging,
stopping MPI daemons, or other cleanup activities that may be required on your computer servers or
to automate harvesting of results and transfer of results to another computer for post-processing.

C.2. Additional Scripts - Background Information

The following files may exist when you prepare the job from the Forte User Interface but not from the
Command Line Interface. This section is background information only, since these scripts are only used
by the Forte User Interface when it runs jobs.

• run_selected_mpi.bat/run_selected_mpi.sh

—Run one job for Windows / Linux system.

• copy_restart_files.bat/copy_restart_files.sh

—Copy any restart-related files into the Run directories.

• queue_runner.bat/queue_runner.sh

—Used by the Forte User Interface when it is running the jobs and any restart files are copied. The
queue_runner examines all the subdirectories looking for PREPARED and SELECTED flag files
and submitting the corresponding run script in the Run directory. When you specify running multiple
jobs at the same time, Nqueue_runner script instances are started, where N is the number of jobs

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Advanced Settings and Scripts

that you want run at the same time. The default is to run the jobs sequentially, which results in only
1 queue_runnerscript being executed.

These scripts also exist when a parameter study has been prepared by the Forte User Interface and you
should not directly invoke them in that situation because they depend on some prerequisite processing
by the parameter-study master script.

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Appendix D. Fuel Library
Ansys Forte employs a fuel library file to obtain the liquid thermophysical properties and the thermody-
namics and transport data for the fuel vapor species employed in simulations. The library default fuel
library (fuel_library.inp in the data directory at the top level of the Ansys Forte installation)
consists of element and species information and species properties, for common fuels and fuel additives.

Note:

If necessary, users can modify the existing fuel properties as well as add new fuel species to
the fuel library. We recommend that new species be appended at the end of the species list
to maintain the existing ordering of the species in the library.

Chemkin standard thermodynamic data format is used for the Fuel Library. This format is augmented
with special tags that provide the physical properties of the fuel components.

D.1. Fuel Species

Table 1: Fuel species (p. 233) lists the fuel species by common name and symbolic name.

Table 1: Fuel species

Common name Symbolic name

Water h2o
Gaseous fuels
n-Butane c4h10
iso-Paraffins
iso-Pentane ic5h12
iso-Hexane ic6h14
iso-Heptane ic7h16
iso-Octane ic8h18
iso-Dodecane ic12h26
Heptamethylnonane hmn
n-Paraffins
n-Pentane nc5h12
n-Heptane nc7h16
n-Octane nc8h18
n-Nonane nc9h20
n-Decane nc10h22

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Fuel Library

Common name Symbolic name

n-Undecane nc11h24
n-Dodecane nc12h26
n-Tridecane nc13h28
n-Tetradecane nc14h30
n-Pentadecane nc15h32
n-Hexadecane nc16h34
n-Heptadecane nc17h36
n-Octadecane nc18h38
cyclo-Paraffins
Cyclohexane chx
Methylcyclohexane mch
Decalin decalin
Aromatics
Toluene c6h5ch3
m-Xylene m-xylene
iso-Propylbenzene isopropylbenzene
n-Butylbenzene a1c4h9
Tetralin tetralin
1-Methynaphthalene a2ch3
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene tmb124
Olefins
1-Pentene c5h10-1
1-Hexene c6h12-1
Alternative fuels
Methanol ch3oh
Ethanol c2h5oh
ETBE ETBE
n-butanol nc4h9oh
Dimethyl ether ch3och3
Acetone ch3coch3
Tetrahydrofuran c4h8o1-4
Methyl tert-butyl ether mtbe
Methyl butanoate mb
Methyl decanoate md
Methyl palmitate mhd
Methyl stearate mod
Methyl oleate mod9d
Blended fuels

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 Temperature-Dependent Properties

Common name Symbolic name

Lube oil lubeoil
Bio-diesel biodiesel
Jet fuel jetA

D.2. Species Information and Property Entries

Table 2: Fuel library species identification properties (p. 235) lists the identifying properties and Table 3: Fuel
library species single-temperature properties (p. 235) lists the temperature-dependent physical properties
that are included in the Fuel Library for each component listed in Table 1: Fuel species (p. 233). A subset
of these properties are based on correlations that are defined in Temperature-Dependent Proper-
ties (p. 235). See Temperature-Dependent Properties (p. 235) for details regarding the definition of the
coefficients used for each property.

Table 2: Fuel library species identification properties

Property Tag Name Description

CommonName Common name for fuel species
SymbolicName Species symbolic name
CAS Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number
Class Chemical class
SMILES SMILES string based on Marvin canonical form
20 that contains molecular structure
information.

Table 3: Fuel library species single-temperature properties

Property Tag Name Description Property

Units
CriticalTemperature Single temperature value. Used in K
Vaporization model.
LowerHeatingValue Single value. MJ/kg

Used in the calculation of Indicated

Specific Fuel Consumption (ISFC).

D.3. Temperature-Dependent Properties

In addition to the single-temperature properties listed in Table 3: Fuel library species single-temperature
properties (p. 235) , the Fuel Library contains a number of temperature-dependent properties for the liquid-
fuel components. These properties are provided using correlations to temperature and coefficients that
correspond to those correlations. In this section, the nature of the input for each temperature-dependent
property is described. The correlations and coefficients used in the Ansys Forte Fuel Library originate
from the DIPPR Database 9. The fits are in Kelvin; the reference temperature for these values is 298 K.
In Ansys Forte, properties are not valid beyond the specified limit or critical temperature. Out-of-bounds
temperatures are not an issue because the components vaporize at those temperatures so there is no
need to evaluate the properties at such high temperatures.

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Fuel Library

For the fuel species listed in Table 1: Fuel species (p. 233), the coefficients are included in the Fuel Library
file within the installation data directory.

D.3.1. Liquid Density

Liquid Density is a 3-coefficient correlation with units of kmole/m3. This property is tabulated against
temperature and used in the vaporization model for liquid fuels. The correlation with temperature
for Liquid Density is:

(1)

where the values for the 3 coefficients A, B, and D are given in a fuel’s LiquidDensity property
tag, while C is the Critical Temperature, and is included in the CriticalTemperature tag.

D.3.2. Vapor Pressure

Vapor Pressure is a 5-coefficient correlation with units of Pa. This property is tabulated against tem-
perature and used in the Vaporization model for liquid fuels. The correlation for VaporPressure
is:
(2)

where the values for the 5 coefficients A through E are given in a fuel’s VaporPressure property
tag.

D.3.3. Liquid Specific Heat (Heat Capacity, Liquid)

Liquid Heat Capacity or Liquid Specific Heat is tagged LiquidSpecificHeat. This property is
tabulated against temperature and used in the vaporization model of liquid fuels. It is a 5-coefficient
correlation with units of J/kmol-K.

The first number in the tag is an integer indicating the type of the correlation and the next five
numbers are the five correlation coefficients: A through E. The liquid specific heat calculation uses
two types of correlations (mutually exclusive). The type of correlation is determined based on the
first ID tag that is either 1 or 2. The Type 1 correlation ( Equation 3 (p. 236)) is most commonly used.
However, a few components, such as n-butane and n-heptane, use the Type 2 correlation ( Equa-
tion 4 (p. 236)).
(3)

(4)

In Equation 4 (p. 236), is a reduced temperature, .

D.3.4. Liquid Viscosity

Liquid Viscosity is tagged LiquidViscosity. This property is tabulated against temperature and
used in the vaporization model of liquid fuels. It is a 7-coefficient correlation with units of Pa-sec. The
correlation is

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 Temperature-Dependent Properties

(5)

where the first 5 numbers in a fuel’s LiquidViscosity property tag are values for the 5 coefficients
A through E and the 6th and 7th numbers are lower and upper temperature bounds for the correlation.

D.3.5. Surface Tension

Surface Tension is tagged SurfaceTension. The property is tabulated against temperature or re-
duced temperature and used in the vaporization model of liquid fuels. It is a 5-coefficient correlation
with units of N/m. The first number in the tag is an integer indicating the type of the correlation and
the next five numbers are the five correlation coefficients A to E (D and E are usually 0).

The surface tension calculation uses two types of correlations (mutually exclusive). The type of correl-
ation is determined based on the first ID tag of either 1 or 2. The Type 1 correlation (Equation 6 (p. 237)
) is most commonly used. However, a few components, such as methanol and ethanol, use the Type
2 correlation ( Equation 7 (p. 237)).
(6)

where temperature is or a reduced temperature, .

(7)

D.3.6. Liquid Thermal Conductivity

Liquid Thermal Conductivity is tagged LiquidThermalConductivity. This property is tabulated
against temperature and used in the vaporization model of liquid fuels. It is a 5-coefficient correlation
with units of J/m-sec-K. The correlation is
(8)

where the values for the 5 coefficients A through E are given in a fuel’s LiquidThermalConduct
ivity property tag.

D.3.7. Heat of Vaporization (Enthalpy of Vaporization)

Heat of Vaporization is tagged HeatVaporization. This property is tabulated against temperature
and used in the vaporization model of liquid fuels. It is a 5-coefficient correlation with units of J/kmol.
The correlation is
(9)

where the values for the 5 coefficients A through E are given in a fuel’s HeatVaporization property
tag. is a reduced temperature, .

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Appendix E. Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte
Sample chemistry set files are located in the system data folder installed with Ansys Forte. These files

can be accessed directly by browsing to the .cks file from the Import Chemistry button on the
Chemistry Set tab (see Chemistry (p. 56)). A description of each of the provided chemistry sets is provided
in this section, including reference to the source of the chemistry mechanism, the reduction method
used and the expected applicable range of conditions.

While these mechanisms can serve as a starting point in exploring detailed fuel kinetics with Ansys
Forte, they should not be applied outside of the range of applicability suggested. ANSYS builds such
mechanisms from a large database of full mechanisms for over 60 model-fuel components and different
surrogate-fuel blends. These full mechanisms have been carefully validated over a wide range of engine-
relevant conditions, under work sponsored by the Model Fuels Consortium 17. The Ansys Model Fuel
Library (MFL) Manual (available in the Ansys Chemkin-Pro installation) includes the mechanism validation
plots. Skeletal mechanisms for use in Ansys Forte are generated by setting up an Ansys Chemkin-Pro
project that represents the specific range of conditions of interest and for a specific model-fuel blend
and then applying a variety of automated mechanism-reduction methods to achieve specific targets
within specific error tolerances. In this way, ANSYS can provide services or additional software tools to
assist in the tailoring of mechanisms to a specific application. The mechanisms are reduced using the
targeted automated mechanism reduction facility in Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench. Several
methods, including Directed Relation Graph (DRG), DRG with Error Propagation (DRGEP), DRG with Path
Flux Analysis (DRGPFA), sensitivity analysis, and automatic isomer, are used in an iterative fashion to
create the reduced mechanisms from the full mechanisms in the Ansys MFL.

For the mechanisms included with Ansys Forte, review the application range and the targets / error
tolerances used in the reduction to make sure they are appropriate for your application. There are two
types of mechanisms included with Forte. As shown in Table 1: Summary of the Ansys MFL-based pre-
reduced reaction mechanisms included with Forte (p. 240), 1-component mechanisms are provided for
natural gas, gasoline, and diesel. Note that for diesel, it is listed as n-heptane + methane that is also
applicable for dual fuel engines. These 1-component mechanisms are smaller in size and provide a quick
and reliable engine simulation. They can be used to perform initial calibrations of the baseline case.
They also can be used with an empirical acetylene-based soot model. For more accurate results, 2- or
3-component surrogates for gasoline and diesel should be used. For gasoline, we provide the mechanism
for TPRF fuels containing toluene/iso-octane/n-heptane. The mechanism contains a chemistry of ethanol
for modeling gasoline-ethanol blends. Diesel fuel can be modeled using 2 components: n-decane/ 1-
methyl naphthalene. Two versions of soot models are included for the multi-component mechanisms:
a pseudo-gas soot model, and a detailed soot-surface mechanism. The pseudo-gas soot model is a
multi-step model that uses benzene-based precursors for soot formation. It provides soot mass and
treats "soot" as a gas-phase species. For the most accurate prediction of soot mass and size distribution,

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

use a detailed soot-surface mechanism. It uses heavier PAH species, such as coronene, for the nucleation
and growth steps. Soot is tracked using the Particle Tracking model in Ansys Forte.

Table 1: Summary of the Ansys MFL-based pre-reduced reaction mechanisms included with Forte

Fuel Surrogate Pre-Ignition Soot #Species

Natural Methane x Empirical** 29
gas
Gasoline iso-Octane x Empirical 49
TPRF* + Ethanol x Detailed 171
soot-surface
✓ Pseudo-gas soot 179
Diesel Heptane + Methane ✓ Empirical 137
n-Decane/1-Methyl ✓ Detailed 189
naphthalene soot-surface
✓ Pseudo-gas soot 191
* TPRF = toluene/iso-octane/n-heptane.

** Empirical = Acetylene-based soot model.

The mechanisms listed in Table 1: Summary of the Ansys MFL-based pre-reduced reaction mechanisms
included with Forte (p. 240) are specifically created for the surrogates and their compositions described
in the following sections. The same multi-component mechanisms can be used for a slightly different
composition. For a brief description on creating a surrogate to match a specific test fuel, refer to Creating
a Surrogate for a Specific Test Fuel (p. 249). If a higher level of accuracy in fuel models is required to
capture fuel effects and emissions, more complex surrogates with additional components may be required.
For additional multi-component surrogates and their mechanisms, refer to the Ansys Model Fuel Library
Manual.

E.1. Reduced Mechanisms for Diesel Engine Applications

Four chemistry sets are included for compression-ignition engine applications. One of the mechanisms
can also be used for natural gas /diesel dual-fuel engines. The following flowchart summarizes the ap-
plicability of the mechanisms. Note that Ansys MFL mechanisms are not part of Ansys Forte and need
to be installed separately.

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 Reduced Mechanisms for Diesel Engine Applications

Figure 1: Decision flowchart for selecting Forte diesel mechanisms

Further details of these mechanisms are explained below.

E.1.1. D.2.1. Semi-detailed n-Heptane Model for Simulation of Ignition in

Conventional Diesel Engines
D The Diesel_1comp_35sp.cks mechanism has been developed at the University of Wisconsin
Engine Research Center (ERC). Details of this mechanism, and relevant validation studies, are reported
by Patel et al. 27. The species name in the chemistry file for the fuel species n-heptane is nc7h16.

E.1.2. n-Heptane-Methane Model for Simulations of Compression-Ignition

Diesel and Natural-Gas–Diesel Fueled Engines
The Diesel-naturalGas_2comp_137sp.cks chemistry set consists of 137 species. It represents
diesel fuel with a single-component surrogate: n-heptane. The mechanism captures the pathways
necessary for both high-temperature and low-temperature reactions, including the intermediate
negative-temperature-coefficient (NTC) regime, and therefore can be used for accurately modeling
autoignition behavior and emissions for any diesel engine. In addition to n-heptane, it also retains
kinetics for methane as a single-component surrogate for natural gas. Therefore, the mechanism can
also be used for a dual fuel engine running on natural gas with diesel pilot.

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.5-3.

2. Pressures of 1-150 bar.

3. Temperatures of ~650 K and higher.

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

4. EGR of 0-50%.

This mechanism has been reduced from the Gasoline_PAH_NOx mechanism from the Ansys MFL that
consists of more than 2500 species. As documented in the MFL Manual, which has been thoroughly
validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating conditions of interest in engines.
The mechanism was reduced from this comprehensive "full" mechanism using Ansys Chemkin-Pro
Reaction Workbench software 34, for the conditions listed above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. CO.

2. NOx species NO and NO2.

3. Soot-precursor species acetylene (C2H2).

The species names in the chemistry file: for the n-heptane fuel species is nc7h16; for the methane
fuel species is ch4.

E.1.3. 2-Component Model, Focus on Soot Particle Tracking

The Diesel_2comp_189sp__soot-particle-tracking.cks chemistry sets consist of a 189
species gas-phase mechanism along with a soot surface mechanism with 18 species. The mechanism
represents diesel with the 2-component n-decane/1-methyl naphthalene (AMN) as the fuel surrogate.
The focus of this chemistry set is on accurate soot modeling from combustion in diesel engines. This
chemistry set can be used to track soot particles using the Method of Moments in Ansys Forte.

The soot surface mechanism includes:

1. Soot nucleation pathways through multiple pathways

2. HACA- and PAH-based soot growth pathways

3. Soot oxidation through O2 and OH

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.5-3.

2. Pressures of 1-150 bar.

3. High-temperatures of ~650 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0%.

5. This mechanism was assembled for a cetane number of 55, with a composition of 33 wt% AMN/67
wt% n-decane.

This mechanism has been reduced from the Diesel_PAH_NOx mechanism from the Ansys MFL that
contains more than 5000 species. As documented in the Ansys Model Fuel Library (MFL) Manual,the
mechanism has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating
conditions of interest in engines. The mechanism was reduced from this comprehensive "full" mech-
anism using Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench software 34, for the conditions listed above.

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 Reduced Mechanisms for Diesel Engine Applications

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. Soot-precursor species:

a. acetylene (c2h2)

b. propargyl (c3h3)

c. benzene (c6h6)

d. phenyl (c6h5)

e. toluene (c6h5ch3)

f. naphthalene (naph)

g. acenaphthalene (a2r5)

h. pyrene (a4)

i. coronene (coronene)

2. CO.

3. NOx species NO and NO2.

The species names in the chemistry file for the fuel species are:

1. n-Decane is nc10h22.

2. AMN is a2ch3.

E.1.4. 2-Component Model, with a Focus on Soot Using Pseudo-Gas Model

The Diesel_2comp_191sp__soot-pseudo-gas.cks chemistry set consists of a 191 species
gas-phase mechanism. The mechanism represents diesel with the 2-component n-decane/ 1-methyl
naphthalene (AMN) as the fuel surrogate. The focus of this chemistry set is on accurate soot modeling
from combustion in diesel engines. This chemistry set represents "soot" as a gas-phase species.

The pseudo-gas soot model includes soot nucleation pathways through benzene and phenyl, and
growth dominated by HACA pathways. It also includes soot oxidation through O2 and OH.

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.5-3.

2. Pressures of 1-150 bar.

3. Temperatures of ~650 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0%.

5. This mechanism was assembled for a cetane number of 55, with a composition of 33 wt% AMN
/ 67 wt% n-decane.

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

This mechanism has been reduced from the Diesel_PAH_NOx mechanism from the Ansys MFL that
contains more than 5000 species. As documented in the Ansys Model Fuel Library (MFL) Manual,the
mechanism has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating
conditions of interest in engines. The mechanism was reduced from this comprehensive "full" mech-
anism using Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench software 34, for the conditions listed above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. Soot-precursor species:

a. acetylene (c2h2).

b. benzene (c6h6).

c. phenyl (c6h5).

2. CO.

3. NOx species NO and NO2.

The species names in the chemistry file for the fuel species are:

1. n-Decane is nc10h22.

2. AMN is a2ch3.

E.2. Reduced Mechanisms for Gasoline SI Engine Applications

Three chemistry sets are included for gasoline spark-ignition (SI) engine applications. These cover both
GDI and traditional (port-injected) gasoline SI engines. One of the mechanisms can also be used for
gasoline/ethanol HCCI engines. The following flowchart summarizes the applicability of the three
mechanisms:

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 Reduced Mechanisms for Gasoline SI Engine Applications

Figure 2: Decision flowchart for selecting Forte gasoline mechanism. (*The MFL mechanism referred
to in the figure can be accessed if Model Fuels Library has been installed.)

Further details of these mechanisms are explained next.

E.2.1. 1-Component Fuel Model for Spark-Ignition Simulations Without

Knocking
The Gasoline_1comp_49sp.cks chemistry set consists of 49 species. It represents gasoline with
the single-component iso-octane as the fuel surrogate. The mechanism captures the pathways necessary
for only the high-temperature reactions, and focuses only on capturing emissions from combustion
in spark-ignited engines. Since this mechanism does not include low-temperature reaction pathways,
it cannot be used for predicting knocking.

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.4-3. This range is to capture both GDI and port-fuel injection engine local
environments.

2. Pressures of 1-100 bar.

3. High-temperatures of ~1200 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0-40%.

This mechanism has been reduced from a larger gasoline kinetics mechanism consisting of ~2600
species, which has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

conditions of interest in engines, under the Model Fuels Consortium 23. The Ansys Model Fuel Library
(MFL) Manual includes the mechanism validation plots. The mechanism was reduced from this com-
prehensive "full" mechanism using the Reaction Workbench software 34, for the conditions listed
above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. CO.

2. NOx species NO and NO2.

3. Soot-precursor species acetylene (C2H2).

The species name in the chemistry file for the fuel species iso-octane is ic8h18.

E.2.2. TRF-Ethanol Model for Spark-Ignition Simulations for Non-knocking

Conditions, Focus on Soot Particle Tracking
The Gasoline_4comp_171sp__soot-particle-tracking.cks chemistry set consists of a
171-species gas-phase mechanism, and a soot surface mechanism. The focus of this chemistry set is
on accurate soot modeling from combustion in spark-ignited engines. This chemistry set can be used
to track soot particle using the Method of Moments in Ansys Forte.

The soot surface mechanism includes:

1. Soot nucleation pathways through multiple pathways.

2. HACA- and PAH-based soot growth pathways.

3. Soot oxidation through O2 and OH.

This mechanism represents gasoline-ethanol with the 4-component n-heptane/iso-octane / toluene/eth-

anol as the fuel surrogate. The mechanism captures the pathways necessary for only the high-temper-
ature reactions. Since this mechanism does not include low-temperature reaction pathways, it cannot
be used for predicting knocking.

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.4-3. This range is to capture both GDI and port-fuel injection engine local
environments.

2. Pressures of 1-100 bar.

3. High-temperatures of ~1200 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0-40%.

5. Octane numbers of ~85-100. The composition used for mechanism reduction had a composition
of 39/30/21/10 wt% toluene/iso-octane/n-heptane /ethanol. n-Heptane and iso-octane compositions
can be modified to change the octane number within the range listed above.

This mechanism has been reduced from a larger gasoline kinetics mechanism consisting of ~2600
species, which has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating

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 Reduced Mechanisms for Gasoline SI Engine Applications

conditions of interest in engines, under the Model Fuels Consortium 23. The Ansys Model Fuel Library
(MFL) Manual includes the mechanism validation plots. The mechanism was reduced from this com-
prehensive "full" mechanism using the Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench software 33, for the
conditions listed above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. Soot-precursor species:

a. acetylene (c2h2).

b. propargyl (c3h3).

c. benzene (c6h6).

d. phenyl (c6h5).

e. toluene (c6h5ch3).

f. naphthalene (naph).

g. acenaphthalene (a2r5).

h. pyrene (a4).

i. coronene (coronene).

2. CO.

3. NOx species NO and NO2.

The species names in the chemistry file for the fuel species are:

1. iso-Octane is ic8h18.

2. n-Heptane is nc7h16.

3. Toluene is c6h5ch3.

4. Ethanol is c2h5oh.

E.2.3.TRF-Ethanol Model for Spark-Ignition Gasoline for Knocking Conditions

and Gasoline HCCI Engine Simulations, with a Focus on Soot Using Pseudo-
Gas Model
The Gasoline-ethanol_4comp_179sp__knocking__soot-pseudo-gas.cks chemistry
set consists of a 179-species gas-phase mechanism. The focus of this chemistry set is on accurate low-
temperature ignition to capture knocking in SI engines and ignition in HCCI engines, along with ac-
curate soot modeling, with soot treated as a pseudo-gas.

It represents gasoline-ethanol with the 4-component n-heptane / iso-octane / toluene/ethanol as the

fuel surrogate. The mechanism captures the pathways necessary for both low- and high-temperature

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

reactions. Since this mechanism includes low-temperature reaction pathways, it can be used for pre-
dicting knocking.

The mechanism has been validated against fundamental data for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.4-3. This range is to capture both GDI and port-fuel injection engine local
environments.

2. Pressures of 1-100 bar.

3. Temperatures of 700 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0-30%.

5. Octane numbers of ~85-100. The composition used for mechanism reduction had a composition
of 39/30/21/10 wt% toluene/iso-octane/n-heptane/ethanol. n-Heptane and iso-octane compositions
can be modified to change the octane number within the range listed above.

This mechanism has been reduced from a larger gasoline kinetics mechanism consisting of ~2600
species, which has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating
conditions of interest in engines, under the Model Fuels Consortium 23. The Ansys Model Fuel Library
(MFL) Manual includes the mechanism validation plots. The mechanism was reduced from this com-
prehensive "full" mechanism using the Reaction Workbench software 33, for the conditions listed
above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions are expected to be accurately predicted:

1. Soot-precursor species:

a. acetylene (c2h2).

b. benzene (c6h6).

c. phenyl (c6h5).

2. CO.

3. NOx species NO and NO2.

The species names in the chemistry file for the fuel species are:

1. iso-Octane is ic8h18.

2. n-Heptane is nc7h16.

3. Toluene is c6h5ch3.

4. Ethanol is c2h5oh.

E.3. Reduced Mechanisms for Natural Gas SI Engine Applications

This section describes a chemistry set for natural gas SI engine applications.

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 Creating a Surrogate for a Specific Test Fuel

E.3.1. Natural Gas 1-Component Surrogate (Methane) for SI Engine Emissions

Predictions
One chemistry set is included for natural gas SI engine applications. This chemistry set, Natural-
Gas_1comp_ 29sp.cks, consists of 29 species. The mechanism captures the pathways necessary
for mid- to high-temperature reactions, and focuses on capturing emissions in combustion for spark-
ignited natural-gas engines. Since this mechanism does not include low-temperature reaction pathways,
it cannot be used for predicting knocking or for auto-ignition simulations. The mechanism considers
the natural gas surrogate as the single-component, methane.

The mechanism is valid for the following conditions:

1. Equivalence ratios of 0.4-2.

2. Pressures of 10-100 bar.

3. Temperatures of ~1000 K and higher.

4. EGR of 0-20%.

This mechanism has been reduced from the Ansys MFL full GaseousFuels_C0-C6_NOx_MFL2017
mechanism. It has been thoroughly validated against fundamental experimental data for the operating
conditions of interest in engines. Validation details are provided in the Ansys Model Fuel Library (MFL)
Manual. The mechanism was reduced from this comprehensive "full" mechanism using Ansys Chemkin-
Pro Reaction Workbench software 34, for the conditions listed above.

For the emissions, the following species predictions have been validated as accurate:

1. CO.

2. NOx species NO and NO2.

3. Soot-precursor species acetylene (C2H2).

The species name in the chemistry file for the fuel species methane is ch4.

E.4. Air-Only Mechanism

This section describes the chemistry set for flow conditions with air alone.

E.4.1. 2-Species Mechanism for Flow Conditions

One chemistry set is included for flow conditions with air alone; no fuel or EGR species are included.
It consists only of the species O2 and N2, to represent air, and provides no reactions. The chemistry
set is named Air_NoReactions_2sp.cks.

E.5. Creating a Surrogate for a Specific Test Fuel

Multi-component mechanisms for diesel and gasoline included with Ansys Forte are reduced from the
full mechanisms for specific blends. They can readily be used for different blends with the same com-

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Fuel Chemistry Sets Included with Ansys Forte

ponents to represent fuels with different characteristics. Using the Surrogate Blend Optimizer tool in
Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench can help in creating the best surrogate blend to match the
important known properties of the test fuel. It can create multi-component surrogates ranging from
two-component to much more complex versions, to match one or more properties, including:

• Octane or Cetane numbers

• certain component specifications

• elemental H/C ratio

• density

• viscosity

• heating value

• Reid vapor pressure

• distillation curve

An example of the SBO Select Targets tab, for specifying the known properties of the test fuel is shown
in Example of Surrogate Blend Optimizer (p. 251). For example, if the goal is to obtain a surrogate than
can model an E10-gasoline sample, we can start with the existing TPRF-Ethanol mechanism. That
mechanism is an input to the Surrogate Blend Optimizer (on the Operation Setup and Select Fuels tab)
to identify the component options available in the mechanism. Any one or more known properties of
E10-gasoline can be used as Targets. Here, the ethanol volume fraction target is set to 0.1 to have 10%
ethanol in the blend. In addition, RON and MON of 94 and 88, respectively, are used as targets as shown
in Example of Surrogate Blend Optimizer (p. 251). An optimized composition that includes 4 components
will be generated to match those targets. If additional properties are available, they can be used as
targets, as needed. Note that components in addition to TPRF-ethanol may be required if the goal is
to create a more realistic surrogate that can match ignition, chemical, and physical properties of the
test fuel.

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 Creating a Surrogate for a Specific Test Fuel

Figure 3: Example of Surrogate Blend Optimizer in Ansys Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench.

Specification of test fuel properties, called Targets, is shown.

In general, the reduced mechanisms can be used without additional validation if the following charac-
teristics are true:

• Percentage of any component in the desired surrogate is within 20% of the original surrogate for
which the mechanism has been reduced.

• If the desired Octane or Cetane numbers are within 20 numbers of those of the original surrogate.

More information about the Surrogate Blend Optimizer and model-fuel mixtures is available in the
Chemkin-Pro Reaction Workbench User's Manual and an example in the SBO tutorial in the Reaction
Workbench Tutorial Guide.

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Appendix F. Flame-Speed Tables Installed with Ansys Forte
For spark-ignited engines, a flame front propagates through the unburned mixture according to the
local turbulent flame speed of the mixture. The model used for this purpose is the G-equation, as de-
scribed in Spark Ignition (p. 73) under Models Node (p. 55). This flame-propagation model may also
be used for pilot-spray auto-ignited dual-fuel engines, when the option is turned ON in the Chemistry
Solver panel, as described in Chemistry Solver Panel (p. 104). The local turbulent flame speed used by
the G-equation model is calculated based on a correlation to the laminar flame speed, which is a
chemical property of the gas mixture. In Ansys Forte, you have three options to describe the laminar
flame speed:

1. The recommended option is the Table Library, which contains pre-built laminar flame speed tables
for 54 surrogate fuels that have been calculated from detailed kinetics simulations.

2. Table Lookup contains pre-built laminar flame speeds that you can assemble externally.

3. Power-law correlation. The power-law correlation is typically based on curve-fitting of experimental

data.

F.1. Table Library Option

For more complex fuel mixtures, high levels of EGR, or pressures and temperatures that may be outside
of the available experimental range, the Table Library option allows more general accounting of flame-
speed dependencies.

With increasing fuel variability, the effects of fuel composition on flame speeds need to be captured
accurately. Gasoline, for example, consists of hundreds of components; representing the behavior of
gasoline may require 3–8 components. Ansys Forte comes installed with pre-built laminar flame-speed
tables for 54 surrogate fuels as part of the Table Library option. The fuels covered in the Table Library
option represent several classes: families of n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cyclo-alkanes, alkenes, cyclo-alkene,
iso-alkene, aromatics, ethers, cyclo-ethers, alcohols, and methyl esters. The fuels are listed in Table 1: Fuels
for which prebuilt laminar flame speeds are available as part of the Table Library option (p. 253).

Table 1: Fuels for which prebuilt laminar flame speeds are available as part of the Table Library
option

Chemical family Surrogate fuel common name Symbolic

name
n-alkane Methane ch4
Ethane c2h6
Propane c3h8
n-Butane c4h10
n-Pentane nc5h12
n-Hexane nc6h14

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Flame-Speed Tables Installed with Ansys Forte

Chemical family Surrogate fuel common name Symbolic

name
n-Heptane nc7h16
n-Nonane nc9h20
n-Decane nc10h22
n-Dodecane nc12h26
n-Tetradecane nc14h30
n-Hexadecane nc16h34
iso-Alkane iso-Butane ic4h10
iso-Pentane ic5h12
iso-Hexane ic6h14
iso-Octane ic8h18
iso-Dodecane ic12h26
Heptamethyl nonane (HMN) hmn
cyclo-Alkane Methyl cyclohexane (MCH) mch
Cyclohexane chx
Decalin decalin
Alkene Ethylene c2h4
Propene c3h6
Allene c3h4-a
1,3-Butadiene c4h6
1-Pentene c5h10-1
2-Pentene c5h10-2
1-Hexene c6h12-1
2-Hexene c6h12-2
3-Hexene c6h12-3
Alkynes Acetylene c2h2
Propyne c3h4-p
cyclo-Alkene Cyclopentadiene cy13pd
iso-Alkene 2-Methyl-2-butene bc5h10
Aromatics Toluene c6h5ch3
n-Propylbenzene c6h5c3h7
n-Butylbenzene a1c4h9
Ethylbenzene c6h5c2h5
o-Xylene o-xylene
p-Xylene p-xylene
m-Xylene m-xylene
1,2,4-Trimethyl benzene (TMB) tmb124
1-Methylnaphthalene (AMN) a2ch3

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 Table Library Option

Chemical family Surrogate fuel common name Symbolic

name
Ether Dimethyl ether (DME) ch3och3
Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) mtbe
cyclo-Ether Tetrahydrofuran (THF) c4h8o1-4
Ethyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether (ETFE) etfe
Methyl ester Methyl butanoate mb
Methyl crotonate mb2d
Alcohol Methanol ch3oh
Ethanol c2h5oh
n-Butanol nc4h9oh
Other CO co
Hydrogen h2

In addition to fuel effects, the operating conditions of equivalence ratio, temperature, pressure, and
EGR affect flame speeds. With wider operating regimes, including fuel stratification and boosted condi-
tions, it is difficult to predict the correct trends of flame speeds using correlations. For the 54 surrogate
fuels that are part of the Table Library option, flame speeds have been calculated over a wide range
of operating conditions. The Ansys Forte laminar flame-speed tables were generated using the Ansys
Chemkin-Pro 5 Flame-speed Table Generator. This Chemkin-Pro option uses an adiabatic, premixed,
laminar flame-speed calculator to determine the flame speeds over a range of conditions for a particular
fuel component, employing detailed (high-temperature) kinetics for the fuel-combustion.

The conditions that can be varied include: fuel-air equivalence ratio, initial temperature of the unburned
gas, pressure, and dilution rate (for simulated EGR). For the pre-built flame speed tables available as
part of the Table Library option, the conditions covered for the built-in tables are summarized in
Table 2: Mixture conditions covered by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the Table
Library option (p. 255).

Table 2: Mixture conditions covered by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the
Table Library option

Parameter varied Range of values Number of values

Equivalence ratio 0.3-2 18
Pressure (bar) 1-150 15
Unburned temperature (K) 300-1200 17
Dilution (EGR) rate 0-40% 6

When conditions are encountered outside of the range described in Table 2: Mixture conditions covered
by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the Table Library option (p. 255), the flame speed
is determined by sampling points within the table, and creating a linear-least-square fit of a power law
/ Gulder equation that can be used to extrapolate to the given conditions.

Using pure-fuel flame speeds and local fuel composition in the CFD simulation, multicomponent-fuel
flame speeds are calculated on-the-fly using non-linear blending of the single-component values 29.
This Table Library option provides:

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Flame-Speed Tables Installed with Ansys Forte

• Simplicity in the user input required for the CFD simulation (only fuel composition is required).

• A high degree of accuracy afforded by the Ansys Chemkin-Pro-generated flame-speed library for an
extensive range of fuel components.

• The automation of the blending without compute performance penalty.

F.2. Table Lookup Option

The second option for flame speeds is the Table Lookup option. Ansys Forte comes installed with pre-
built laminar flame-speed tables for five common gasoline and natural-gas fuel-surrogate components
that can be used with the Table Lookup option; these can be considered as templates when you want
to build your own laminar flame-speed tables. The conditions covered for the built-in tables included
as part of the Table Lookup option are summarized in Table 3: Mixture conditions covered by the built-
in laminar flame-speed tables available in the Table Lookup option (p. 256). Accessing these tables is
described in Flame Model (p. 60), under Chemistry > Flame-speed Model in the Workflow tree.

Table 3: Mixture conditions covered by the built-in laminar flame-speed tables available in the
Table Lookup option

Parameter varied Range of values Increment in table

Equivalence ratio 0.4-1.5 0.1
Pressure (bar) 10-25 7.5
Unburned temperature (K) 500-1000 100
Dilution (EGR) rate 0-40% 10%

F.3. Power Law Option

The Power Law option employs a correlation of laminar flame speed to pressure, temperature, and
equivalence ratio. It is described in Turbulent Flame Propagation Model in the Ansys Forte Theory
Manual.

F.4. Reaction Mechanisms Used in the Table Generation

The laminar flame-speed tables included with Ansys Forte were all generated using the latest and most
well-validated mechanism database from the Model Fuels Consortium 17. The high-temperature portion
of the full mechanism (which was used for this work) contains 1147 species and 6720 reactions, which
covers over 40 fuel components in a self-consistent database validated over a wide range of fundamental
combustion experiments. Since the full mechanism was too large for practical flame-speed table gener-
ation, the mechanism was first reduced conservatively using Reaction Workbench 32 utilities. For the
C1-C4 components, a simple C# extraction was used, where the species and reactions kept in the reduced
mechanism were for the carbon number of N+1, where N was the number associated with the fuel
component of interest. For larger components, error-controlled, skeletal mechanism-reduction methods
were employed, where target tolerances were tightly controlled. The flame-speeds calculated with the
reduced mechanism were verified to be within a few percent or less of the full mechanism results.

Details on the validation history of the full mechanism database are available for the C1-C4 components,
as reported by Naik et al. 26. Sample comparisons to data for higher carbon-number alkanes are reported

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 Reaction Mechanisms Used in the Table Generation

by Puduppakkam et al. 30. In all cases the detailed mechanism provides predictions that agree with
the available measured values within experimental uncertainty.

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Appendix G. CGNS Utilities
The Ansys Forte installation includes a command-line utility for manipulating CGNS files. The utility is
included in the installation bin directory as an executable file named cgns_util. The utility consists
of the subprograms detailed in Table 1: CGNS Utility subprograms and descriptions (p. 259).

G.1. cgns_util Subprograms

Table 1: CGNS Utility subprograms and descriptions

Subprogram Arguments and Example Description

Name
convert [-a|h|f][Input File] Converts Ansys Forte project,
[Output File] restart or solution files from ADF
to HDF5 file format. Use the -h
where both input file and output option to convert from HDF5 to
file are either a Forte project ADF. The converted input file is
(*.ftsim) restart (*.ftrst) or written to the output file. If the
solution (*.ftres) file and one of output file exists, then you must
the options a or h must be use the -f option to overwrite it.
specified with f optionally. Files can be converted from HDF5
back to ADF using the -a option.
cgns_util -h forte_soln.ftres forte_soln_HDF5.ftres
restartcopy [origin index file] Copies an ftind file and the
[destination index file] associated solution files to a new
[restart file] location.
cgns_util restartcopy forte_soln.ftind renamed_solution.ftind re
start.ftrst
harvest [output file] [results Combines two or more results files
file 1] [results file 2] into a single file.
... [results file N]
cgns_util harvest Results.ftres Run_1/Run_1.ftres Run_2/Run_2.ftres
Run_3/Run_3.ftres
export [project file] [output Exports simulation parameters to
text file] a text file.
cgns_util export project.ftsim parameters.txt
smg -i [input file] -o [out Generates a sector mesh from an
put mesh file] input file.
cgns_util smg -i input.xml -o mesh.fmsh

To display usage information for each utility program, type the utility name with no arguments. For
example, to print usage information for the harvest program enter the following command:

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CGNS Utilities

> cgns_util harvest

The following sections provide a more detailed description of the utilities.

G.1.1. convert Utility

The convert utility is used to convert Ansys Forte project, restart, or solution files from ADF and
HDF5 using the -h option. If the output file exists, then you must use the -f option to overwrite it.
Files can be converted from HDF5 back to ADF using the -a option. This utility should be used when
you are performing a restart run using a restart file from an older version of Ansys Forte.

G.1.2. export Utility

The export utility exports the simulation parameter values to a human-readable text file consisting
of a nested block structure. This text file can be edited and then "imported" back into a simulation
file so that the changes made to the text file are reflected in the simulation. See the import utility
section for details regarding the formatting of this file.

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 cgns_util Subprograms

Figure 1: Format of exported simulation parameters file

G.1.3. harvest Utility

The harvest utility combines two or more results files. This is typically done in the Ansys Forte user
interface with the Harvest Workflow tree item, but there may be situations in which it is helpful to
perform this task from the command line, for example, if harvesting the results of two separate project
runs where the only difference is the mesh used.

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CGNS Utilities

G.1.4. restartcopy Utility

The restartcopy utility copies the solution file from one place to another, while keeping the file
names in the index internally consistent. The optional final argument when calling the utility is the
restart file, which is used to skip the copy step of any split spatially resolved files that are not going
to be used. This is useful when spatially resolved results files are extremely large, and the copy of the
unused information is unnecessary.

G.1.5. smg Utility

The smg utility (Sector Mesh Generator) generates an Ansys Forte-compatible mesh from an input
xml file. A sample of the input file format is given below. See Sector Mesh Generator (p. 43) for a
description of the parameters. This xml file is created by the Ansys Forte Sector Mesh Generator User
Interface.

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 cgns_util Subprograms

Example 1: Sample smg utility input file

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Appendix H. File Formats

H.1. List of Summaries

• ADF

(Advanced Data Format) The underlying format used for Ansys Forte files up to and including release
18.2.

• CGNS

Open source CFD file format used to import geometry for use in automatic meshing. The SIDS data
format definition for CGNS is found at CGNS. See Appendix G: CGNS Utilities (p. 259) for information
on working with CGNS files.

• CKCSV

An Ansys Chemkin-Pro solution file format that results from a parameter study run in Chemkin-Pro
and that can be used to populate a 2-D contour plot for use in phi-T map generation.

• CKTBL

Ansys Chemkin-Pro look-up table. Ansys Forte has an option to use look-up tables for laminar flame
speeds (see Flame-Speed Table Editor (p. 27)).

• CKS

Chemistry set file; this is an Ansys Chemkin-Pro file. It consists of file paths to chemistry mechanism
input files. A chemistry set can be used in multiple projects.

• CSV

(Comma Separated Value) ASCII-formatted data file. ANSI is a supported encoding format for .csv
files. Other encodings (UTF8, UTF8 BOM, UCS-2 BE BOM, and UCS-2 LE BOM) are not supported.

• FMSH

Ansys Forte mesh file; compatible with KIVA-3V mesh-file formats.

• FTBL

Structured data file for initial conditions and boundary conditions (see Initial Conditions Table Edit-
or (p. 25)). An ASCII CSV (comma separated value) format file. The first line is the number of manifold
dimensions, followed by the names of the manifold dimensions. The third line is the total number
of scalars, followed by the names of all of the scalars. Subsequent lines are the corresponding data
points in the table, one data point per line. Units are in cgs (centimeter gram second) and mass

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File Formats

fractions for composition. See Example 2.1: Excerpt from flame-speed table file demonstrating .cktbl
format (p. 28).

• FTIND

Ansys Forte index file. Contains a list of the results files generated by each run.

• FTIVC

Ansys Forte IVC session file that saves composition data from the IVC utility.

• FTRES

Ansys Forte spatially resolved results file format, in CGNS format. This results file contains saved plot
and charts properties; it is created by Ansys Forte for a single run and by the Harvester for multiple
runs.

• FTSIM

The FTSIM file is the project file that stores all of the Ansys Forte project settings. It is in a CGNS-file
format. The SIDS data format definition for CGNS is found at CGNS

• HDF5

(Hierarchical Data Format 5) The underlying format used for Ansys Forte files from release 19.0 onwards.
See https://www.hdfgroup.org/.

• PNG/GIF

Export formats for visualized image data. Static image is exported to .png; animation is exported to
.gif.

• SMG

Sector Mesh Generator replay file extension.

• STL

Triangulated surface mesh format used to import geometry for use in automatic meshing.

• XML

EXtensible Markup Language file format, a text-based self-documenting file standard. Ansys Forte
uses XML for plot replay files for regenerating plots. For details, see http://www.w3.org/XML/

H.2. VOF Input File Format

The contents of a VOF data input file are listed here:

• Header line: These are comment lines for memo or information purposes. More than one line is al-
lowed, but they must begin with "#". Header lines must start from the first line of the file and they
are only allowed at the beginning of the file.

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 VOF Input File Format

• VOF data sets at a series of time points: A data set for a given time starts with the time value (unit:
second), followed by the integral data and per-cell data for each nozzle hole. The time value line
must start with string "Time", followed by the time value. In the example shown in the figure and
example,Figure 1: VOF input data file components (p. 267) and Example 1: VOF input data file (p. 267),
respectively, the VOF injector involves two nozzles. For each nozzle, the integral data include the
total mass (liquid and vapor) and total liquid mass crossing the coupling plane since the previous
time point, cavitation coefficient, nozzle diameter, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), dissipation rate
(EPS), and liquid temperature. The per-cell data include the total number of VOF cells, coordinates
and velocity components, liquid volume fraction, liquid mass, TKE, EPS, and temperature defined at
each cell. SI units should be used for all parameters.

Figure 1: VOF input data file components

Example 1: VOF input data file

# VOF input data file for VOF-spray one-way coupling
Time 5.0000000e-06
Nozzle_Index 1
Total_Mass 1.1136990e-09
Total_Mass_Liquid 1.2575164e-09
Ca 7.4073743e-01
TKE 8.7188988e+03
EPS 3.3230207e+05
Temperature 2.9500000e+02
VOF_Cell_Count 5
X Y Z U V W Liqui
-4.2048808e-12 -4.6180439e-04 -9.0387788e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.258346
4.9879000e-06 -4.6162772e-04 -9.0364840e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.312473
9.9504638e-06 -4.6109936e-04 -9.0296217e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.530238
-3.9162086e-22 -3.2396214e-04 -7.2485208e-05 -3.6266783e-05 -5.4858435e+00 -6.4249156e+00 8.070786
-8.9609662e-06 -3.2354180e-04 -7.2430619e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 7.234873
Nozzle_Index 2
Total_Mass 1.1282285e-09
Total_Mass_Liquid 1.1495893e-09
Ca 7.6863241e-01
TKE 8.6705386e+03
EPS 3.0170659e+05
Temperature 2.9400000e+02

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File Formats

VOF_Cell_Count 5
X Y Z U V W Liqui
-8.8370733e-06 -3.2454459e-04 -7.2560857e-05 9.2406905e-01 -5.4026733e+00 -6.4823196e+00 9.221170
-1.3395302e-05 -3.2425355e-04 -7.2523058e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.610478
-4.4274276e-06 -3.2411916e-04 -7.2505604e-05 4.7351952e-01 -5.4671380e+00 -6.4779342e+00 8.769406
-2.1012405e-04 4.0950838e-04 -1.7015111e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.300442
8.0342647e-16 -3.2297042e-04 -7.2356408e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.483205
Time 1.0000000e-05
Nozzle_Index 1
Total_Mass 1.1136990e-09
Total_Mass_Liquid 1.2575164e-09
Ca 7.4073743e-01
Diameter 1.4000000e-04
Tke 8.7188988e+03
Eps 3.3230207e+05
Temp 2.9500000e+02
VOF_Cell_Count 5
X Y Z U V W Liqui
-4.2048808e-12 -4.6180439e-04 -9.0387788e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.258346
4.9879000e-06 -4.6162772e-04 -9.0364840e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.312473
9.9504638e-06 -4.6109936e-04 -9.0296217e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 3.530238
-3.9162086e-22 -3.2396214e-04 -7.2485208e-05 -3.6266783e-05 -5.4858435e+00 -6.4249156e+00 8.070786
-8.9609662e-06 -3.2354180e-04 -7.2430619e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 7.234873
Nozzle_Index 2
Total_Mass 1.1282285e-09
Total_Mass_Liquid 1.1495893e-09
Ca 7.6863241e-01
Diameter 1.6500000e-04
Tke 8.6705386e+03
Eps 3.0170659e+05
Temp 2.9400000e+02
VOF_Cell_Count 5
X Y Z U V W Liqui
-8.8370733e-06 -3.2454459e-04 -7.2560857e-05 9.2406905e-01 -5.4026733e+00 -6.4823196e+00 9.221170
-1.3395302e-05 -3.2425355e-04 -7.2523058e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.610478
-4.4274276e-06 -3.2411916e-04 -7.2505604e-05 4.7351952e-01 -5.4671380e+00 -6.4779342e+00 8.769406
-2.1012405e-04 4.0950838e-04 -1.7015111e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.300442
8.0342647e-16 -3.2297042e-04 -7.2356408e-05 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 0.0000000e+00 2.483205

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Appendix I. References
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bustion, 1996.

2. CEI, see http://www.ensight.com/.

3. CHEMKIN-PRO: Reaction Design, 2008.

4. Ciezki, H. K., and G. Adomeit, "Shock-Tube investigation of self-ignition of n-heptane-air mixtures

under engine relevant conditions," Combustion and Flame, 93: 421-433, 1993.

5. CHEMKIN-PRO 15112: Reaction Design: San Diego, 2012.

6. Colket, M. B., III, and L. J. Spadaccini, "Scram jet Fuels Autoignition Study," Journal of Propulsion
Power, 17, 2001.

7. Dagaut, P., M. Reuillon, and M. Cathonnet, "Experimental study of the oxidation of n-heptane in a
jet stirred reactor from low to high temperature and pressures up to 40 atm," Combustion and Flame,
101: 132-140, 1995.

8. Damköhler, G., Z. Elektrochem. Angew. Phys. Chem., 46: 601, 1940.

9. DIPPR Diadem, DIPPR Information and Data Evaluation Manager for the Design Institute for Physical
Properties, BYU, 2006.

10. Fieweger, K., R. Blumenthal, and G. Adomeit, "Self-ignition of S.I. engine model fuels: A shock tube
investigation at high pressure," Combustion and Flame, 109: 599-619, 1997.

11. Garner, S., R. Sivaramakrishnan, and K. Brezinsky, "The high-pressure pyrolysis of saturated and un-
saturated C7 hydrocarbons," Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 32: 461-467, 2009.

12. Gauthier, B. M., D. F. Davidson, and R. K. Hanson, "Shock tube determination of ignition delay times
in full-blend and surrogate fuel mixtures," Combustion and Flame, 139: 300-311, 2004.

13. Griffiths, J. F., P. A. Halford-Maw, and D. J. Rose, "Fundamental features of hydrocarbon autoignition
in a rapid compression machine," Combustion and Flame, 95: 291-306, 1993.

14. Gülder, O. L. "Correlations of Laminar Combustion Data for Alternative S.I. Engine Fuels, SAE Paper
841000," SAE Technical Paper Series, 841000, 1984

15. Held, T. J., A. J. Marchese, and F. L. Dryer, "A semi-empirical reaction mechanism for n-heptane oxid-
ation and pyrolysis," Combustion Science and Technology, 123: 107-146, 1997.

16. Kaario, O., Antilla, E., Larmi, M., "Applying Soot Phi-T Maps for Engineering CFD Applications in
Diesel Engines, SAE Paper 2005-01-3856," SAE Technical Paper Series, 2005-01-3856, 2005.

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References

17. Liang, L., Naik, C. V., Puduppakkam, K. Wang, C., Modak, A., Meeks, E., Ge, H.-W., Reitz, R. D., and
Rutland, C. J., "Efficient Simulation of Diesel Engine Combustion Using Realistic Chemical Kinetics in
CFD, SAE Paper 2010-01-0178," SAE Technical Paper Series, 2010-01-0178, 2010.

18. Lu, T., and Law, C. K., "A directed relation graph method for mechanism reduction," Proceedings of
the Combustion Institute, 30: 1333-1341, 2005.

19. Lu, T., and Law, C. K., "Linear time reduction of large kinetic mechanisms with directed relation graph:
n-heptane and iso-octane," Combustion and Flame, 144: 24-36, 2006.

20. MarvinView 5.1.5 (http://www.chemaxon.com).

21. Metghalchi, M, and Keck, J. C. "Burning Velocities of Mixtures of Air with Methanol, Isooctane, and
Indolene at High Pressures and Temperatures," Combustion and Flame, 48: 191-210, 1982.

22. Minetti, R., M. Carlier, M. Ribaucour, E. Therssen, and L. R. Sochet, "A rapid compression machine in-
vestigation of oxidation and auto-ignition of n-heptane: Measurements and modeling," Combustion
and Flame, 102: 298-309, 1995.

23. Model Fuels Consortium II, modelfuelsconsortium.com, 2011.

24. Model Fuels Consortium II, modelfuelsconsortium.com, 2009.

25. Naik, C. V., Puduppakkam, K., Wang, C., Kottalam, J., Liang, L., Hodgson, D., Meeks, E., "Applying De-
tailed Kinetics to Realistic Engine Simulation: The Surrogate Blend Optimizer and Mechanism Reduction
Strategies, SAE Technical Paper 2010-01-0541," SAE Technical Paper Series, 2010-01-0541, 2010.

26. Naik, C. V., Puduppakkam, K., and Meeks, E., "An Improved Core Reaction Mechanism for Saturated
C0-C4 Fuels," Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 134, 2011.

27. Patel, A., S.-C. King, and R. D. Reitz, "Development and Validation of a Reduced Reaction Mechanism
for HCCI Engine Simulations," SAE Technical Paper 2004-01-0558, SAE Technical Paper Series, 2004-
01-0558, 2004.

28. Peters, N. Turbulent Combustion. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000.

29. Puduppakkam, K.V., Wang, C., Hodgson, D., Naik. C.V. and Meeks, E., "Accurate and Dynamic Account-
ing of Fuel Composition in Flame Propagation During Engine Simulations", submitted for SAE World
Congress, 2015.

30. Puduppakkam, K. V., Naik, C. V., and Meeks, E, "Validation Studies of a Detailed Kinetics Mechanism
for Diesel and Gasoline Surrogate Fuels," SAE Technical Paper 2010-01-0545, SAE Technical Paper
Series, 2010-01-0545, 2010.

31. Puduppakkam, K.V., Liang, L., Shelburn, A., Naik, C. V., Meeks, E., and Bunting, B., "Predicting Emissions
Using CFD Simulations of an E30 Gasoline Surrogate in an HCCI Engine With Detailed Chemical
Kinetics," SAE Technical Paper 2010-01-0362, SAE Technical Paper Series, 2010-01-0362, 2010.

32. Reaction Workbench, Reaction Design: San Diego, 2010.

33. Reaction Workbench with CHEMKIN-PRO, Reaction Design: San Diego, 2011.

34. Reaction Workbench 15112, Reaction Design: San Diego, 2012.

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35. Rhodes, D. B. and Keck, J., "Laminar Burning Speed Measurements of Indolene-Air-Diluent Mixtures
at High Pressures and Temperatures," SAE Technical Paper 850047, SAE Technical Paper Series, 850047,
1985.

36. Silke, E. J., H. J. Curran, and J. M. Simmie, "Influence of fuel structure on combustion as demonstrated
by the isomers of heptane: a rapid compression machine study," Proceedings of the Combustion Insti-
tute, 30: 2639-2647, 2005.

37. Wenzel, H., "Turbulent premixed combustion in the laminar flamelet and the thin reaction zones
regime," Annual Research Briefs, Center for Turbulence Research, 1997: 237-252, 1997.

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 Release 2022 R1 - © ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information
272 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.