1.

Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

1.1. Definition
CFD is the use of computers to produce information about the ways in which a fluid flows in a given
situation. Computer codes can be used to model flow situations in order to study and analyse various
features of the flow.

1.2. CFD Analysis Stages
The computer-based analysis process consists of the following stages:
1. Initial thinking: it is very important to understand as much as possible about the problem
being simulated. This helps in choosing the correct settings in order to accurately describe the
problem, and also in analysing the results.
2. Mesh generation: in this stage the flow domain is divided into sufficiently small cells, the
distribution of which determines the positions where the flow variables are calculated.
3. Flow specification: in this stage the physical properties of the fluid, the flow parameters, and
the boundary conditions are specified.
4. Calculation of the numerical solution: the CFD software is run to calculate the numerical
solution to the flow problem. The user must provide the information that will control the
numerical solution.
5. Results analysis: when the results have been obtained they must be analysed in order to check
that the solution is satisfactory and then to determine the required flow data.

1.3. Modelling - How CFD works
The mathematical equations which govern the flow can be found from the knowledge that both the
mass and the momentum of the fluid must be conserved, thus resulting in two sets of equations: the
mass continuity equation, and the momentum equations or Navier-Stokes equations.

These equations are partial differential equations (PDEs) because changes of the variables involved are
represented by partial derivatives. The PDEs are made up of combinations of flow variables and the
derivatives of these variables. Digital computers only recognise and manipulate discrete numerical
values; therefore, they cannot be used directly to produce solutions to partial differential equations.
Consequently, the partial differential equations have to be transformed into numerical equations
containing only numbers (discrete numerical equations). This process is called numerical
discretisation. In this discretisation process, each term within a PDE is translated into a numerical
analogue that the computer can be programmed to calculate. The major techniques used for
discretisation are: the finite difference method, the finite element method, and the finite volume method
(CFX uses a finite-volume-based method).

The next step is to solve the resulting discrete numerical equations to obtain a set of numerical
values for the variables throughout the flow domain. The discrete numerical equations are solved as a
set of simultaneous equations. Large systems of such equations are solved using iterative methods, in
which some guess is taken for the value of a solution vector (vector of variables) and then a more
accurate guess is produced. The solution is then said to converge if the values of the variables at the
points in the domain tend to move towards some fixed value as the solution progresses.

In short, three steps are required to produce a numerical prediction for a given flow situation:
1. Producing the flow governing equations (partial differential equations)
2. Discretising the PDEs
3. Solving the discrete numerical equations

The solution of the PDEs is largely dependent on the boundary conditions of the problem.

1.4. CFD Software
Typically, a CFD software package consists of three main pieces of software:
A pre-processor
A solver
A post-processor

Pre-processing covers all the tasks that take place before the numerical solution process. This involves:
building the geometry, mesh generation, defining the flow domain, setting the fluid properties,
applying the boundary conditions, specifying initial conditions (if required), and setting the numerical
control parameters. All this information is fed to the solver programme of the software, which then
solves the numerical equations and produces the results.

The results thus obtained are then displayed and analysed in the post-processor in a variety of ways
such as vector plots, graphs, and contours.

In this course we will learn how to use the software package ANSYS Workbench 11.0. This software
consists of the following components:

1. DesignModeler: for generating geometry
2. CFX-Mesh: for mesh generation
3. CFX-Pre: for pre-processing
4. CFX-Solver: for solving the problem
5. CFX-Post: for examining the results

For each component we will study the main features required to perform simple simulations.