MECH4620

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Lecture 1
Course Details
MECH4620 Weeks 1-10
Lecturers:
Prof Guan Heng Yeoh A/Prof Victoria Timchenko
J17, Room 401B Teams
[email protected] [email protected]

CFD Demonstrators:
Ivan - [email protected]
Harvey - [email protected]
Jingang - [email protected]
Rachel - [email protected]
Sophia - [email protected]

Lectures and Labs are located in Moodle

Week Lecturer Topic Work during laboratory session DUE (Friday)

Introduction to CFD and ANSYS software • Backward facing step exercise

• Examples of CFD • Problem setup
1 GHY
• Defining a CFD problem • Lab work on creating geometry and
• Creating and/or importing geometry meshing

• Lab work on creating geometry and

Mass and momentum conservation and meshing Release: group allocation and
2 GHY
Navier-Stokes equations • Heat exchanger exercise: Meshes project topics
• Discussions of group project topics

Energy conservation and dynamic

• Discussions of group project topics Due: T1: conservation laws
3 VT similarity
• T1 work

• Backward facing step exercise;

Convergence and Discretisation,
Turbulence: basics and introduction Feedback: T1: conservation
4 GHY Turbulence Models
laws
• T2 work
• Group project work

Turbulence: applications of models • T2 work

5 GHY Due: T2: turbulence
• Group project work

Initial and boundary conditions: practical • Characterization of boundary conditions

Feedback: T2: turbulence
guidelines • Heat exchanger exercise
7 VT Due: Group project report
Post-processing – analysis of results; • Characterization of boundary conditions
Validation and Verification • Group project work

• Computational method online tutorial

8 VT Computational methods – discretisation • T3 work Feedback: Group project report
• Individual project work

9 Guest Lecture • Individual project work

10 VT Solution procedures • Individual project work Due: Individual project report

• Revision/consultation Feedback: Individual project

Study Week GHY, VT Exam revision
• Consultation for exams report
Textbooks

Main Texts:
J. Tu, G.Yeoh, C. Liu "Computational Fluid dynamics:
A Practical Approach”, Butterworth-
Heinemann/Elsevier, 4th Edition, 2023
H.K. Versteeg and W. Malalasekera, An introduction
to Computational Fluid Dynamics. The Finite Volume
Method, 2nd Edition

Additional Reading:
J.D. Anderson, Computational Fluid Dynamics
P.J. Roache, Fundamentals of Computational Fluid
Dynamics
P.J. Roache, Verification and Validation in
Computational Science and Engineering
J.C. Tannehill, D.A. Anderson and R.H. Pletcher,
Computational Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
S.V. Patankar, Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid
Flow
D.C. Wilcox, Turbulence modelling for CFD
 Assessment

Due date, time, and

Assessment Deadline for Marks
Length Weight submission
task absolute fail returned
requirements
10% (2x 4 pm Friday, Week 3,
Tutorial style 2-3 Same as assignment 1 week after
5% and Week 5 via
problems pages deadline due date
each) Moodle

15 4 pm Monday, Week 7 4 pm Monday, Week 1 week after

Group Project 25%
pages via Moodle 8 due date

Individual 15 4 pm Friday, Week 10 4 pm Friday, Study 1 week after

25%
Project pages via Moodle Week due date

Exam period, date During exam

Final exam 2 hours 40% N/A
TBC period
Group and Individual Projects
➢ The aim of this assignment is for you to solve a problem using
ANSYS, a commercial CFD code
➢ It entails the process of CFD analysis, from the initial concept
through to CAD, meshing, pre-processing, solving, and post-
processing the results
➢ Groups and project topics will be announced in Week 2
➢ Main focus is on the analysis and conveying the results through
report writing
➢ Help will be given in tutorials with use of ANSYS but we expect you
to learn the software through the use of the tutorial problems and
examples
➢ We will offer set project problems
 Group and Individual Projects
You will be supplied with a template for writing your preliminary and final technical report – this is
meant to mimic the structure of a typical CFD project report or research journal paper. The
approximate length and weighting of sections are:

Short literature review (~ ½ page)

➢ Find 2 or 3 papers that are most relevant to your problem (they do not need to be about your exact
problem) that feature a description of numerical work (i.e. type of mesh, turbulence model) – synthesise
this info and comment on whether your approach is different and why.

Project Description (~1 page)

➢ Describe your original project proposal, plus any comments you have on how your final project might
differ from the original proposal (e.g. perhaps you were too ambitious?). Here is where you outline what
you wanted to achieve and why.

Grid Description and Refinement (~2 pages)

➢ Discuss the features of your grids, why you have designed them this way. Use <2 million cells, for
reasonable accuracy but still able to solve in a reasonable time . Obtain solutions on two or three grid
sizes, using a similar type of grid structure on both in order to compare the effect of refinement.
Suggest whether you have reached grid convergence.
 Group and Individual Projects (continue)
Numerical Model (~8 pages, total)
➢ Discuss how you have validated and verified the problem, making distinctions between the two parts of
the process. What assumptions have you made? How valid are they? What are the limitations of your
approach and how do you expect them to impact the results?
INCLUDES: Boundary Conditions
Examine the effect of changing the boundary conditions, both type and specification of
values. Are your boundaries placed at the correct location?
Discretization Schemes
Obtain solutions using two different discretization schemes. Explain the scheme. Are the
results as you expect? Which scheme do you recommend for this problem?
Convergence
What convergence level do you suggest for your problem? Why?
CFD Models (3 pages)
Discuss any extra models you have had to implement for your problem (e.g. turbulence,
energy, multiphase). Which particular model do you recommend for this problem? Why?
Results (~3 pages)
➢ Discuss the major flow features you have found in your analysis and their significance with some
justification of the results
Group and Individual Projects (continue)
➢ Constitute : 50% of total mark... and parts of the exam will
be along the same lines...
➢ More importantly - You should be able to do your CFD
problem properly
➢ Time spent thinking about your CFD problem at the
start will: Save you time in the long run!
What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)?
➢ Fluid mechanics - the study of fluids either in motion
(fluid in dynamic mode) or at rest (fluid in stationary
mode). CFD is particularly dedicated to fluids that are in
motion and how the fluid flow behavior influences
processes that may include heat transfer and possibly
chemical reactions in combusting flows. This infers to
the fluid dynamics description appearing in the
terminology
What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)?
➢ Physical characteristics of the fluid motion can usually
be described through fundamental mathematical
equations, usually in partial differential form, which
govern a process of interest - often called governing
equations in CFD
There is an Art in Meshing
➢ Get a good mesh at the start, and you can concentrate
on minimising all the other errors that will creep in
➢ We need to make sure our grid is fine enough that it’s
not really influencing our results
➢ We’ll talk more about how to assess grid convergence in
the lecture on Validation and Verification
➢ For your assignment, you’ll have to make at least 2
meshes to compare, but as we’ve seen, 3 is better
Mesh Aspects

Triangle in-centers

AR = y / x  < 75 degrees
0.2 < AR < 5

 < 45 degrees or  > 135 degrees

Structured Meshing

Aerofoil for
transonic
flow
 Structured Meshing

Projectile close
to a wall
Structured Meshing
➢ You’re virtually guaranteed a better result for a given
mesh density when you use a structured mesh
➢ You will almost certainly have lower residual errors, and
the solver will be happier (faster)
➢ Structured meshes can take ages to create
➢ Sometimes it’s just not possible...! What are the
alternatives?
Unstructured Meshing

Tetrahedral meshes combined with hexahedral meshes

Unstructured Meshing (continue)

Polyhedral meshes are becoming more popular

Unstructured Meshing (continue)

ANSYS latest, greatest technology –

“cut-cell” meshing
Meshing Summary
➢ ALWAYS use structured mesh (inflation layer) where a
boundary layer will form
➢ Put more mesh where you think the flow gradients will
be strongest (you can always run a coarse mesh to
double check where this might be)
➢ Your mesh should look “smooth” – no sudden changes
in volume, and different mesh types should “blend”
nicely to each other
➢ ALWAYS check your mesh before you run it for skew,
negative volumes
CFD analysis framework
Solver

Pre-processor Governing equations solve on a mesh

• Creation of geometry Transport Equations Physical Models

• Mesh generation
• Mass • Turbulence
• Material properties
• Momentum • Combustion
• Boundary conditions
• Energy • Radiation
• Other transport • Other processes
variables
• Equation of state
• Supporting physical
models
Week 1

Post-processor Solver Settings

• Initialization
• X-Y graphs • Solution control
• Contour • Monitoring solution
• Velocity vectors • Convergence criteria
• Others
Why are the governing equations important?
➢ The governing equations represent mathematical
statements of the conservation laws of physics
❑ Mass is conserved for the fluid (Conservation of Mass)
❑ Newton’s second law, the rate of change of momentum equals
the sum of forces acting on the fluid (Conservation of
Momentum)
❑ First law of thermodynamics, the rate of change of energy equals
the sum of rate of heat addition to and the rate of work done on
the fluid (Conservation of Energy)
➢ This will be dealt further in Week 2
Why are boundary conditions important?
➢ Physical aspects of boundary conditions and their
appropriate mathematical statements must also be
developed since the numerical form of physical
boundary condition is strongly dependent on the
particular mathematical form of the governing equations
and numerical algorithm used. This will be dealt in Week
5

“Garbage In, Garbage Out”

(GIGO)
Late Prof Eddie Leonardi (UNSW)
Why is turbulence important?
➢ Many if not most flows of engineering significance are
turbulent in nature. The turbulent flow regime is,
therefore, not just of theoretical interest among
academics but a problematic source for engineers who
need to capture the effects of turbulence in solving
everyday problems
➢ Flows in the laminar regime are completely described by
the aforementioned equations. More complex flows may
have to be tackled numerically with turbulence modeling.
This will be dealt in Weeks 4 and 5
What is discretisation?
➢ All of CFD is based on approximate forms of the
governing equations which are generally solved
iteratively. The use of these approximate equations in
formulating CFD solutions will be dealt in Week 8
CFD analysis framework
Solver Week 10
Pre-processor Governing equations solve on a mesh

• Creation of geometry Transport Equations Physical Models

• Mesh generation
• Mass • Turbulence
• Material properties
• Momentum • Combustion
• Boundary conditions
• Energy • Radiation
• Other transport • Other processes
variables
• Equation of state
• Supporting physical
models

Post-processor Solver Settings

• Initialization
• X-Y graphs • Solution control
• Contour • Monitoring solution
• Velocity vectors • Convergence criteria
• Others

Week 7
Overview of solution procedure
Initialization

Solution control

Monitoring solution

CFD calculation
Modify solution
parameters or mesh
Check for convergence

Yes No

Stop
Analysis of results - qualitative

Front of Building

Rear of Building
Analysis of results - quantitative
1 1.6

0.8
1.2

0.6

U/Uinlet
y/H

0.8

0.4

0.4
0.2

0 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
U/Uinlet x/L

Near Entrance Midway Fully-Developed X-Y Plots

x/H = 0.075 x/H = 0.5 x/H = 0.9
Analysis of results
➢ Verification and Validation have very distinct definitions
➢ Verification can be defined as a process for assessing
the numerical simulation uncertainty and when
conditions permit, estimating the sign and magnitude of
the numerical simulation error and the uncertainty in that
estimated error
➢ Validation can be defined as a process for assessing
simulation model uncertainty by using benchmark
experimental data and when conditions permit,
estimating the sign and magnitude of the simulation
modeling error itself
➢ Is the solution correct? How correct do we need?
CFD Example
➢ Flow in a square duct pipe with dimensions 0.1 m x 0.1
m x 1.0 m
➢ Open Workbench
➢ Create Geometry
➢ Mesh Geometry
➢ Use CFX – set boundary conditions and fluid properties
➢ View Results
➢ Use Fluent – set boundary conditions and fluid
properties