Auxiliary Processing –

swak4Foam and PyFoam

Bruno Santos and Nelson Marques

BlueCAPE, http://joomla.bluecape.com.pt/
bruno.santos@bluecape.com.pt
nelson.marques@bluecape.com.pt

Manoel Silvino Araújo

Universidade Federal do Pará
Brasil
FOAM
Guimarães

@PT 10-11
Julho
2015
 Contents
• funkySetFields
• Introduction
• funkySetBoundaryField
• groovyBC
• swak4Foam
• patchExpression
• swakExpression
• expressionField
• PyFoam • pyFoamPlotRunner
• pyFoamPlotWatcher

• Further Information

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 Introduction (1/4)
swak4Foam
• SWiss Army Knife for Foam.
• It’s primary feature is the power of mathematical
expressions, no C++ required, e.g.:
• 10*(1+0.5*sin(500*time()))
• 15*pow(x,2)+20*pow(y,2)
• Pre-processing utilities
• Boundary conditions
• Function Objects (co-processing)
• openfoamwiki.net/index.php/Contrib/swak4Foam

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 Introduction (2/4)
Why was swak4Foam created:
• OpenFOAM is a CFD toolbox
• It’s coded in C++
• Whenever a feature is missing, it’s expected the
user to code it in C++

swak4Foam aims to bypass the requirement to code

in C++, by empowering the user with capabilities that
don’t exist yet in OpenFOAM, without the need to rely
on coding in C++.

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 Introduction (3/4)
PyFoam
• Helps unleash the power of Python, applied to controlling
and manipulating OpenFOAM cases
• Features:
• Case running utilities
• Utilities for log files
• Networking utilities
• Utilities for manipulating case data
• Scripted manipulation of dictionaries
• ParaView related utilities (requires Python in ParaView)
• GUI-Tools (e.g. pyFoamDisplayBlockMesh)

• openfoamwiki.net/index.php/Contrib/PyFoam

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 Introduction (4/4)
Why was PyFoam created:
• OpenFOAM relies on:
• conventional shell scripting (usually bash) for
handling cases;
• the user to either post-process results manually
or with one’s own scripts.
• PyFoam aims to provide:
• a common library infrastructure, built on top of
Python, for manipulating and processing cases;
• a common scripting toolkit for managing the
cases.
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 funkySetFields (1/11)
Original tutorial case:
• “multiphase/interFoam/ras/damBreak”
• Static column of water
• Width of column: 0.1461 m
• Height of column: 0.292 m
• Non-moving obstacle at
X= 0.292 m, width= 0.024 m
• Domain size:
• width=0.584 m
• height= 0.584 m

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 funkySetFields (2/11)
Our example case:
• Case folder: “funkySetFieldsDamBreak”
• Objective is to define the initial internal field:
• 2D circle of water of 0.05m
• Centred at x=0.14, y=0.2m
• Added pressure +100*y (in Pascal)
• Traveling upward at 1.5 m/s

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 funkySetFields (3/11)
Dictionary file: “system/funkySetFieldsDict”
FoamFile
{
version 2.0;
format ascii;
class dictionary;
location "system";
object funkySetFieldsDict;
}

expressions
(
//…
);

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 funkySetFields (4/11)
Basic parameters for each expression:
• field – to specify the name of the field to change.
• expression – to specify the expression to use for
the new field values.
• condition – to define where the expression is
applicable.
• keepPatches – define true or false, where false
will discard the existing boundary conditions.

FOAM Guimarães

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 funkySetFields (5/11)
Expressions to initialize phase and velocity:
initFieldAlpha
{
field alpha.water;
expression "0";
keepPatches true;
}

initFieldU
{
field U;
expression "vector(0.0,0.0,0.0)";
keepPatches true;
}

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 funkySetFields (6/11)
Expression to initialize “pressure - rho*g*h”:
pressureAir
{
field p_rgh;
expression "0";
keepPatches true;
}

FOAM
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 funkySetFields (7/11)
Expression to initialize the phase for the water circle:
floatingCircle
{
field alpha.water;
expression "1";
condition
"sqrt(pow((pos().x-0.14),2)+pow((pos().y-0.2),2))<0.05";
keepPatches true;
}

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 funkySetFields (8/11)
Expression to initialize the added pressure for the
water circle:
pressureCircle
{
field p_rgh;
expression "100.0*pos().y";
condition
"sqrt(pow((pos().x-0.14),2)+pow((pos().y-0.2),2))<0.05";
keepPatches true;
}

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 funkySetFields (9/11)
Expression to initialize the initial velocity for the water
circle:
risingCircle
{
field U;
expression "vector(0.0,1.5,0.0)";
condition
"sqrt(pow((pos().x-0.14),2)+pow((pos().y-0.2),2))<0.05";
keepPatches true;
}

FOAM Guimarães

@PT 10-11
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2015
 funkySetFields (10/11)
To run the case, simply run:
./Allrun

Or run manually each step:

cp 0/alpha.water.org 0/alpha.water
blockMesh
funkySetFields –time 0
interFoam

Then open it in ParaView!

FOAMGuimarães

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funkySetFields (11/11)

FOAM Guimarães

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 funkySetBoundaryField (1/4)

It’s essentially funkySetFields, for manipulating only

the boundary fields on the surface mesh.

Specifically, it can operate on dictionary entries like

this one:

value uniform (0 0 0);

We will also use the previous case and add a new

dictionary file…

FOAM
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 funkySetBoundaryField (2/4)

… “system/funkySetBoundaryDict”:
blowerLeftWall
{
field U;
expressions
(
{
target value;
patchName leftWall;
variables "maxY=max(pts().y);thres=0.5*maxY;";
expression
"(pos().y<thres)?vector(3,3,0)*(maxY-pos().y):vector(0,0,0)";
}
);
}

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 funkySetBoundaryField (3/4)

To run the case, simply run:

./Allrun

Or run manually each step:

cp 0/alpha.water.org 0/alpha.water
blockMesh
funkySetFields –time 0
funkySetBoundaryField -time 0
interFoam

Then open it in ParaView!

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funkySetBoundaryField (4/4)

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 groovyBC (1/7)
funkySetBoundaryField can initialize fields, but
what if we need them to be time/iteration dependant?
This is where groovyBC comes in!
Objective:
1. We use the case from the funkySetFields slides.
2. Use groovy BC for applying an air jet at 20 m/s.
3. Air jet works within the 0.1 and 0.2 second range.
4. Location is in the lower wall, with X within 0.12
and 0.16 metre.

FOAM
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@PT 10-11
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 groovyBC (2/7)
Edit the file “0/U”, scroll down to the end of the file
and find “lowerWall”. Replace it with this:
lowerWall
{
type groovyBC;
value uniform (0 0 0);
variables
(
"vel=20.0;"
"minX=0.12;"
"maxX=0.16;"
);
valueExpression
"(0.1<=time()&&time()<=0.2)&&(minX<=pos().x)&&(pos().x<=maxX)
?vector(0,vel,0):vector(0,0,0)";
}

FOAMGuimarães

@PT 10-11
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 groovyBC (3/7)
Edit the file “system/controlDict”, scroll down to the
end of the file and add this line:
libs ( "libgroovyBC.so" );

Notes:
• Make sure you only have 1 entry named “libs”.
• For loading more than one library, list them, e.g.:
libs ( "libgroovyBC.so" "libOpenFOAM.so" );

FOAM Guimarães

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 groovyBC (4/7)
To run the case, simply run:
./Allrun

Or run manually each step:

cp 0/alpha.water.org 0/alpha.water
blockMesh
funkySetFields –time 0
interFoam

Then open it in ParaView!

FOAM
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@PT 10-11
Julho
2015
 groovyBC (5/7)
In ParaView (1/2):
1. Select “groovyBCDamBreak” (Pipeline Browser).
2. Change representation to the “alpha.water” field.
3. Menu: Filters  Common  Stream Tracer
4. Turn on the advanced options for “StreamTracer1”
(it’s the button with the little gear symbol).
5. Click on the “X Axis” button.
6. “Seed Type”  “High Resolution Line Source”
7. “Resolution”  50
8. Click on the “Apply” button.

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 groovyBC (6/7)
In ParaView (2/2):
9. Menu: Filters  Alphabetical  Transform

10.“Translation”: 0 0 0.1

11.Click on the “Apply” button.

12.Go to the next or last time step, to check if the
stream lines appear.

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groovyBC (7/7)

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 patchExpression (1/11)
Need to calculate the mass flow rate going through a
patch?
• OpenFOAM 2.3 already has that feature.

Need to calculate the mass flow rate going through a

patch, in pound per hour (lb/h)?
• patchExpression can do that and a lot more!

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 patchExpression (2/11)
Example case:
• Original: “incompressible/simpleFoam/pitzDaily”
• Case folder: “patchExpressionPitzDaily”
• Objective:
• Calculate the volumetric flow in m3/s.
• Calculate the mass flow in kg/s.
• Calculate the mass flow in lb/h.
• Get the maximum, minimum and average
volumetric/mass flow values on the faces of the
“inlet” and “outlet” patches.

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 patchExpression (3/11)
Create a copy of the tutorial:
cp -r $FOAM_TUTORIALS/incompressible/simpleFoam/pitzDaily \
patchExpressionPitzDaily

Edit the file “system/controlDict”, scroll down to the

end of the file and add these lines:
libs (
"libsimpleSwakFunctionObjects.so"
"libswakFunctionObjects.so"
);

FOAM Guimarães

@PT 10-11
Julho
2015
 patchExpression (4/11)
Still in the file “system/controlDict”, find this block:
functions
{
streamLines
{
//…
}
}

We will add the next blocks inside the block

“functions”, after the end of the block “streamLines”.

FOAMGuimarães

@PT 10-11
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 patchExpression (5/11)
The first block (accurate volumetric flow rate):
volumetricFlowSurfaceField
{
type patchExpression;
outputControlMode outputTime;
verbose true;
accumulations (
sum max min average
);
patches (
inlet
outlet
);
expression "phi";
}

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 patchExpression (6/11)
The second block (less accurate):
volumetricFlowVolumeField
{
type patchExpression;
outputControlMode outputTime;
verbose true;
accumulations (
sum max min average
);
patches (
inlet
outlet
);
expression "U&Sf()";
}

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 patchExpression (7/11)
The third block (mass flow rate kg/s):
massFlowSurfaceField
{
$volumetricFlowSurfaceField;
patches (
inlet
outlet
);
variables (
"rhoAir=1.2041;"
);
expression "phi * rhoAir";
}

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 patchExpression (8/11)
The fourth block (mass flow rate lb/s):
massFlowSurfaceFieldInPoundPerHour
{
$volumetricFlowSurfaceField;
patches (
inlet
outlet
);
variables (
"rhoAir=1204.1;"
"poundPerHour=2.20462*3600.0;"
);
expression "U&Sf() * rhoAir * poundPerHour";
}

FOAM
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 patchExpression (9/11)
For running the case:
foamRunTutorials

Location of the results (formatted with fixed width):

ls -l postProcessing/patchExpression_*/*

For later clean up the case:

foamCleanTutorials

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 patchExpression (10/11)
The results are also available in the file
“log.simpleFoam”. Example:
Expression volumetricFlowSurfaceField on outlet:
sum=0.000254001 max=6.97636e-006 min=7.27091e-007
average=4.45616e-006
Expression volumetricFlowSurfaceField on inlet:
sum=-0.000254 max=-3.13389e-006 min=-1.78262e-005
average=-8.46667e-006

Expression volumetricFlowVolumeField on outlet:

sum=0.00025273 max=6.9322e-006 min=7.08664e-007
average=4.43386e-006
Expression volumetricFlowVolumeField on inlet:
sum=-0.000254 max=-3.13389e-006 min=-1.78262e-005
average=-8.46667e-006

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 patchExpression (11/11)
What else can it do? A lot more! One last example:
deltaP
{
type patchExpression;
accumulations (
min max average
);
patches (
inlet
);
variables "pOut{outlet}=average(p);";
expression "p-pOut";
verbose true;
}

Source: “swak4Foam/Examples/groovyBC/pulsedPitzDaily”

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 swakExpression (1/4)
The function object patchExpression is essentially
derived from swakExpression, which is able to
operate on following types of mesh domains:
cellSet
cellZone
faceSet
faceZone
internalField
patch
set
surface

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 swakExpression (2/4)
Copy the previous folder and replace all other
function objects with just this one:
absolutePressureStats
{
type swakExpression; accumulations (
valueType internalField; average
variables ( weightedAverage
"rhoAir=1.2041;" median
"refP=101325;" weightedMedian
); quantile0.50
expression "p*rhoAir + refP"; weightedQuantile0.50
verbose true; quantile0.75
weightedQuantile0.75
outputControlMode outputTime; );
}

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 swakExpression (3/4)
Notes:
• Quantile 50% is the median
• The weighted variants are based on the volumes
of each cell
• The number next to the name of an accumulation
is the argument for it:
• quantile0.75  quantile 75%
• Running the case is done the same way as the
previous example, i.e.: foamRunTutorials

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 swakExpression (4/4)
The tabulated results are in this file:
postProcessing/swakExpression_absolutePressureStats/0/absolutePressureStats

The file “log.simpleFoam” also has these values, e.g.:

Expression absolutePressureStats :
average=101324 weightedAverage=101328
median=101319 weightedMedian=101328
quantile0.5=101319 weightedQuantile0.5=101328
quantile0.75=101332 weightedQuantile0.75=101337

FOAM Guimarães

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 expressionField
If you ever need to quickly create a new field for
sampling or for common use with other function
objects, this function object can do it for you.
Example:
velocityMagSquared
{
type expressionField;
outputControl timeStep;
outputInterval 1;
fieldName UMag2;
expression "U&U";
autowrite true;
}

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 pyFoamPlotRunner (1/2)
Next, it’s time for PyFoam to shine.
• Feel the need to easily keep track of the residuals
while the solver is running?
• What about keeping track of the residuals and
launch the solver in a single command?

Then on the latest case, try the following commands:

foamCleanTutorials
blockMesh
pyFoamPlotRunner.py simpleFoam

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 pyFoamPlotRunner (1/2)
What else can it do? Try running:

pyFoamPlotRunner.py –help

e.g., remove time steps + run 200 iterations only +

0.2s refresh plotting:

pyFoamPlotRunner.py --clear-case --run-until=200 \

--frequency=0.2 --persist simpleFoam

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 pyFoamPlotWatcher
pyFoamPlotRunner is nice, but what it the
simulation is already finished? Then use
pyFoamPlotWatcher!
Examples:

pyFoamPlotWatcher PyFoamRunner.simpleFoam.logfile
pyFoamPlotWatcher log.simpleFoam

Best of all? You can use this script while the solver is
running!

FOAM
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 Further Information
This presentation was only a fraction of the tip of the
iceberg. Several presentations are available in the
wiki pages of each respective project:

• openfoamwiki.net/index.php/Contrib/swak4Foam:
• 7.2 Further information

• openfoamwiki.net/index.php/Contrib/PyFoam:
• 1.3 Other material

FOAM Guimarães

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 Questions?

Thank you for your attention!

Any questions?

FOAM
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@PT 10-11
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2015