Introduction to CFD

Fluid Mechanics

 Fluid Mechanics is the science of fluid motion.

 Fluid flow is commonly studied in one of three ways:
– Experimental fluid dynamics.
– Theoretical fluid dynamics.
– Numerically: computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
 During this presentation we will focus on obtaining the knowledge
required to be able to solve practical fluid flow problems using CFD.
 Topics covered today include:
• -A brief review of the history of fluid dynamics
• -An introductory overview of CFD
 Antiquity
• A pragmatic, if not scientific, knowledge of fluid flow was
exhibited by ancient civilizations, such as in the design of
arrows, spears,boats and particularly hudraulic engineering
projects for flood protection, irrigation, drainage and water
supply. The earliest human civilization began near the shores of
rivers and consequently coincided with the dawn of hydrology.
• Focus on waterworks: aqueducts, canals, harbours, bathhouses.
• One key figure was Archimedes -Greece (287-212 BC). He
initiated the fields of static mechanics, hydrostatics, and
pycnometry (how to measure densities and volumes of objects).
• One of Archimedes’ inventions is the water screw, which can be
used to lift and transport water and granular materials.
 Leonardo da Vinci - Italy (1452-1519)

• Leonardo set out to observe all natural

phenomena in the visible world,
recognizing their form and structure,
and describing them pictorially exactly
as they are.
• He planned and supervised canal and
harbour works over a large part of
middle Italy. In France he designed a
canal that connected the Loire and
Saone.
• His contributions to fluid mechanics
are presented in a nine part treatise
(Del moto e misura dell’acqua) that
covers the water surface, movement
of water, water waves, eddies, falling
water, free jets, interference of waves,
and many other newly observed
phenomena.
Isaac Newton - England
• One of the most important
(1643-1727)
figures in science.
• Most well known for his three
laws of motion
• His key contribution of the fluid
mechanics include:
• – The second law: F=m.a.
• – The concept of Newtonian
viscosity in which stress and the
rate of strain vary linearly.
• – The reciprocity principle: the force
applied upon a stationary object by
a moving fluid is equal to the
change in momentum of the fluid as
it deflects around the front of the
object.
• – Relationship between the speed of
waves at a liquid surface and the
wavelength.
 18th and 19th
Century
• During this period, significant work was done trying to mathematically
describe the motion of fluids.
• Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782) derived Bernoulli’s equation.
• Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) proposed the Euler equations, which
describe conservation of momentum for an inviscid fluid, and
conservation of mass. He also proposed the velocity potential theory.
• Claude Louis Marie Henry Navier (1785-1836) and George Gabriel
Stokes (1819-1903) introduced viscous transport into the Euler
equations, which resulted in the Navier-Stokes equation. This forms the
basis of modern day CFD.
• Other key figures were Jean Le Rond d’Alembert, Siméon-Denis Poisson,
Joseph Louis Lagrange, Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille, John William
Rayleigh, M. Maurice Couette, and Pierre Simon de Laplace.
 Osborne Reynolds - England (1842-1912)
• Reynolds was a prolific writer who
published almost 70 papers during his
lifetime on a wide variety of science and
engineering related topics.
• He is most well-known for the Reynolds
number, which is the ratio between inertial
and viscous forces in a fluid. This governs
the transition from laminar to turbulent
flow
• Reynolds’ apparatus consisted of a long
glass pipe through which water could flow
at different rates, controlled by a valve at
the pipe exit. The state of the flow was
visualized by a streak of dye injected at
the entrance to the pipe. The flow rate was
monitored by measuring the rate at which
the free surface of the tank fell during
draining. The immersion of the pipe in the
tank provided temperature control due to
the large thermal mass of the fluid..
Faces of Fluid Mechanics : some of the greatest
minds of history have tried to solve the mysteries of
fluid mechanics
 First part of the 20th century

• Much work was done on refining theories

of boundary layers and turbulence.
• Ludwig Prandtl (1875-1953): boundary
layer theory, the mixing length concept,
compressible flows, the Prandtl number,
and more.
• Theodore von Karman (1881-1963)
analyzed what is now known as the von
Karman vortex street.
• Geoffrey Ingram Taylor (1886-
1975):statistical theory of turbulence and
the Taylor microscale.
• Andrey Nikolaevich Kolmogorov (1903-
1987): the Kolmogorov scales and the
universal energy spectrum.
• George Keith Batchelor (1920-2000):
contributions to the theory of
homogeneous turbulence.
Lewis Fry Richardson (1881-1953)
• In 1922, Lewis Fry Richardson developed the first numerical
weather prediction system.
• Division of space into grid cells and the finite difference approximations of
Bjerknes's "primitive differential equations.”
• His own attempt to calculate weather for a single eight-hour period took
six weeks and ended in failure.
• His model's enormous calculation requirements led Richardson
to propose a solution he called the “forecast-factory.”
• The "factory" would have filled a vast stadium with 64,000 people.
• Each one, armed with a mechanical calculator, would perform part of the
calculation.
• A leader in the center, using colored signal lights and telegraph
communication, would coordinate the forecast. he called the “forecast-
factory.”
1930s to 1950s
• Earliest numerical solution: for flow past a cylinder
(1933).
• A.Thom, ‘The Flow Past Circular Cylinders at Low Speeds’,
Proc. Royal Society, A141, pp. 651-666, London, 1933
• Kawaguti obtains a solution for flow around a cylinder,
in 1953 by using a mechanical desk calculator, working
20 hours per week for 18 months, citing: “a
considerable amount of labour and endurance.”
• M. Kawaguti, ‘Numerical Solution of the NS Equations for the
Flow Around a Circular Cylinder at Reynolds Number 40’,
Journal of Phy. Soc. Japan, vol. 8, pp. 747-757, 1953.
1960s and 1970s
• During the 1960s the theoretical division at Los Alamos
contributed many numerical methods that are still in use today,
such as the following methods:
• Particle-In-Cell (PIC).
• Marker-and-Cell (MAC).
• Vorticity-Stream function Methods.
• Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE).
• k-e turbulence model.
• During the 1970s a group working under D. Brian Spalding, at
Imperial College, London, develop:
• Parabolic flow codes (GENMIX).
• Vorticity-Stream function based codes.
• The SIMPLE algorithm and the TEACH code.
• The form of the k-e equations that are used today.
• Upwind differencing.
• ‘Eddy break-up’ and ‘presumed pdf’ combustion models.\
• In 1980 Suhas V. Patankar publishes Numerical Heat Transfer and
Fluid Flow, probably the most influential book on CFD to date.
1980s and 1990s
• Previously, CFD was performed using
academic, research and in-house codes.
When one wanted to perform a CFD
calculation, one had to write a program.
• This is the period during which most
commercial CFD codes originated that
are available today:
• Fluent (UK and US).
• CFX (UK and Canada).
• Fidap (US).
• Polyflow (Belgium).
• Phoenix (UK).
• Star CD (UK).
• Flow 3d (US).
• ESI/CFDRC (US).
• SCRYU (Japan).
• and more, see www.cfdreview.com.
 What is computational fluid
dynamics?
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the science of
predicting fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, chemical
reactions, and related phenomena by solving the
mathematical equations which govern these processes
using a numerical process.
• The result of CFD analyses is relevant engineering data
used in:
• Conceptual studies of new designs.
• Detailed product development.
• Troubleshooting.
• Redesign.
• CFD analysis complements testing and experimentation.
• Reduces the total effort required in the laboratory.
CFD - how it works
• Analysis begins with a mathematical
model of a physical problem.
• Conservation of matter, momentum,
and energy must be satisfied
throughout the region of interest.
• Fluid properties are modelled
empirically.
• Simplifying assumptions are made in
order to make the problem tractable
(e.g., steady-state, incompressible,
inviscid, two-dimensional).
• Provide appropriate initial and
boundary conditions for the problem.
CFD - how it works (2)
• CFD applies numerical methods (called
discretization) to develop approximations
of the governing equations of fluid
mechanics in the fluid region of interest.
• Governing differential equations: algebraic.
• The collection of cells is called the grid.
• The set of algebraic equations are solved
numerically (on a computer) for the flow field
variables at each node or cell.
• System of equations are solved simultaneously
to provide solution.
• The solution is post-processed to extract
quantities of interest (e.g. lift, drag, torque,heat
transfer, separation, pressure loss, etc.).
Discretization
• Domain is discretized into a finite set of control
volumes or cells. The discretized domain is called the
“grid” or the “mesh.”
• General conservation (transport) equations for mass,
momentum, energy, etc., are discretized into algebraic
equations.
• All equations are solved to render flow field.
Design• Should
and youcreate the grid
use a quad/hex grid, a tri/tet grid, a hybrid grid, or a non-
conformal grid?
• What degree of grid resolution is required in each region of the
domain?
• How many cells are required for the problem?
• Will you use adaption to add resolution?
• Do you have sufficient computer memory?
Structured Grids
Structured Overset Grids
Tri/tet vs. quad/hex meshes
• For simple geometries, quad/hex
meshes can provide high-quality
solutions with fewer cells than a
comparable tri/tet mesh.

• For complex geometries,

quad/hex meshes show no
numerical advantage, and you
can save meshing effort by using
a tri/tet mesh.
Hybrid Mesh example
• Valve port grid.
• Specific regions can be
meshed with different
cell types.
• Both efficiency and
accuracy are enhanced
relative to a hexahedral
or tetrahedral mesh
alone.
Dinosaur mesh example
Set up the
• Fornumerical model
a given problem, you will
need to:
• Select appropriate physical models.
• Turbulence, combustion, multiphase,
etc.
• Define material properties.
• Fluid.
• Solid.
• Mixture.
• Prescribe operating conditions.
• Prescribe boundary conditions at all
boundary zones.
• Provide an initial solution.
• Set up solver controls.
• Set up convergence monitors.
• Compute the
The discretized solution
conservation equations are solved iteratively. A
number of iterations are usually required to reach a converged
solution.
• Convergence is reached when:
• Changes in solution variables from one iteration to the next are negligible.
• Residuals provide a mechanism to help monitor this trend.
• Overall property conservation is achieved.
• The accuracy of a converged solution is dependent upon:
• Appropriateness and accuracyof v w
u the
 physical
0 models.
x y z
• Grid resolution and independence.
• Problem setup. u u u u 1 p    2u  2u  2u 
 u  v  w    2  2  2 
t x y z  x   x y z 
v v v v 1 p    2 v  2 v  2 v 
u v w    2  2  2 
t x y z  y   x y z 
w w w w 1 p    2 w  2 w  2 w 
u v w    2  2  2 
t x y z  z   x y z 
Examine the results

• Visualization can be used to answer such questions as:

• What is the overall flow pattern?
• Is there separation?
• Where do shocks, shear layers, etc. form?
• Are key flow features being resolved?
• Are physical models and boundary conditions appropriate?
• Numerical reporting tools can be used to calculate quantitative results, e.g:
• Lift, drag, and torque.
• Average heat transfer coefficients.
• Surface-averaged quantities.
Velocity vectors around a dinosaur
 Tools to examine the results
• Graphical tools:
• Grid, contour, and vector plots.
• Pathline and particle trajectory
plots.
• XY plots.
• Animations. Numerical
reporting tools:
• Flux balances.
• Surface and volume integrals and
averages.
• Forces and moments.
Forces on •the
Drag dinosaur
force: 17.4 N.
• Lift force: 5.5 N.
• Wind velocity: 5 m/s.
• Air density: 1.225 kg/m3.
• The dinosaur is 3.2 m tall.
• It has a projected frontal area of A = 2.91 m2.
• The drag coefficient is:

• This is pretty good compared to the average car! The

streamlined back of the dinosaur resulted in a flow pattern
with very little separation.
Consider revisions
• Are physical toappropriate?
models the model
• Is flow turbulent?
• Is flow unsteady?
• Are there compressibility effects?
• Are there 3D effects?
• Are boundary conditions correct?
• Is the computational domain large enough?
• Are boundary conditions appropriate?
• Are boundary values reasonable?
• Is grid adequate?
• Can grid be adapted to improve results?
• Does solution change significantly with adaption, or is the solution
grid independent?
• Does boundary resolution need to be improved?
Applications of CFD
• Applications of CFD are numerous!
• Flow and heat transfer in industrial processes (boilers, heat
exchangers, combustion equipment, pumps, blowers, piping, etc.).
• Aerodynamics of ground vehicles, aircraft, missiles.
• Film coating, thermoforming in material processing applications.
• Flow and heat transfer in propulsion and power generation
systems.
• Ventilation, heating, and cooling flows in buildings.
• Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for integrated circuit
manufacturing.
• Heat transfer for electronics packaging applications.
• And many, many more!
Advantages of CFD
• Relatively low cost.
• Using physical experiments and tests to get essential engineering data for
design can be expensive.
• CFD simulations are relatively inexpensive, and costs are likely to decrease
as computers become more powerful.
• Speed.
• CFD simulations can be executed in a short period of time.
• Quick turnaround means engineering data can be introduced early in the
design process.
• Ability to simulate real conditions.
• Many flow and heat transfer processes can not be (easily) tested,
e.g. hypersonic flow.
• CFD provides the ability to theoretically simulate any physical
condition.
Continued…
• Ability to simulate ideal conditions.
• CFD allows great control over the physical process, and
provides the ability to isolate specific phenomena for study.
• Example: a heat transfer process can be idealized with
adiabatic, constant heat flux, or constant temperature
boundaries.
• Comprehensive information.
• Experiments only permit data to be extracted at a limited
number of locations in the system (e.g. pressure and
temperature probes, heat flux gauges, LDV, etc.).
• CFD allows the analyst to examine a large number of locations
in the region of interest, and yields a comprehensive set of
flow parameters for examination.
Limitations of models.
• Physical CFD
• CFD solutions rely upon physical models of real world processes (e.g.
turbulence, compressibility, chemistry, multiphase flow, etc.).
• The CFD solutions can only be as accurate as the physical models on
which they are based.
• Numerical errors.
• Solving equations on a computer invariably introduces numerical errors.
• Round-off error: due to finite word size available on the computer.
• Round-off errors will always exist (though they can be small in
most cases).
• Truncation error: due to approximations in the numerical models.
• Truncation errors will go to zero as the grid is refined. Mesh refinement is
one way to deal with truncation error.
• Boundary conditions.
• As with physical models, the accuracy of the CFD solution is only as good
as the initial/boundary conditions provided to the numerical model.
• Example: flow in a duct with sudden expansion. If flow is supplied to
domain by a pipe, you should use a fully-developed profile for velocity
rather than assume uniform conditions.
Summary

• CFD is a method to numerically calculate heat transfer and fluid flow.

• Currently, its main application is as an engineering method, to

provide data that is complementary to theoretical and experimental
data. This is mainly the domain of commercially available codes and
in-house codes at large companies.

• CFD can also be used for purely scientific studies, e.g. into the
fundamentals of turbulence. This is more common in academic
institutions and government research laboratories. Codes are usually
developed to specifically study a certain problem.