Maya Fluid Dynamics

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPTS OF FLUID DYNAMICS

Pankaj Malik
MAYA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL, FX ARTIST
 Fluids is the study of motion of a substance
(liquids and gases) under forces
Maya Fluids dynamically simulates the
motion of fluids which are based upon
laws of real-world physics

Fluids Dynamics
-Autodesk Maya Native Fluid Solver

-Based on Navier-Stokes equations

 Maya Fluids are powerful enough to mimic
the behavior of real world “fluids”
A solver which uses Navier-Stokes
Equations to compute the fluids with
respect to each time step (every frame)
Maya Fluids are useful in creating stunning
Maya Fluids visual effects like:
-Realistic fire
-Realistic smoke
-Realistic explosions
-Realistic dust
 Fluids are created only inside the limited
domain of Fluid Containers.
Fluid Containers are 3-dimensional cubes,
which are made up of voxels and fluid
emitters.

Maya Fluids
-Voxels are defined as the volumetric
pixels which have X, Y, and Z dimensions
Components
-Voxels can store the values of density,
velocity, temperature and fuel
-Voxels are always created and distributed
under containers in square form
-Voxel Density or Voxel Distribution is
defined as resolution
 Fluid Emitters
The generic objects of Maya Fluid
Container which enables the flow of
density, temperature, fuel and velocity
Maya Fluids
-The Emitter emits the values of density
Components voxels inside the containers, technically the
container is in itself already filled up with
voxels. They just update the properties of
Fluids
-The rate of emission is Contents/Voxel/Sec
 Fluid Emitters are of various types, with
each one having its own benefits and
contributions:
-Point Emitters
-Surface Emitters
Maya Fluids
-Curve Emitters
Emitter Types
-Particle Emitters
-Surface (Emission Maps)
-Volume Emitters
 Maya Fluids are described with the
following elements of its container
properties:
Maya Fluids -Density

Container -Velocity and Turbulence

Details -Temperature
-Fuel
 Density
The material property of a substance or
fluid in real world. Density represents the
surface of the fluid it appears on. The
overall visibility with respect to its opacity.
Maya Fluids It represents the volume the fluid has
occupied.
Container -Density scale -Density pressure
Details -Buoyancy -Gradient force
-Dissipation -Density tension
-Diffusion -Density tension force
-Noise
 Velocity and Turbulence
The vector field has both direction and
magnitude, and it helps in pushing values of
density, temperature, and fuel. Velocity is
represented by vectors. In fluids we can
Maya Fluids visualize the directional arrows. Turbulence
creates disturbances in the flow of velocity,
Container causing it to change directions with respect
Details to frequency and speed.
-Swirl (vortices - for billowing effects)
-Velocity scale(X,Y,Z) -Turbulence strength
-Noise -Frequency/Speed
 Temperature
The temperature helps in rising of fluids and
also ignites the fuel to burn quickly. The
reactions of fire and explosions are
achieved with temperature. In shading also,
Maya Fluids the use of temperature is very useful, while
linking temperature with incandescence
Container attribute.
Details -Temperature scale -Diffusion
-Buoyancy -Pressure
-Dissipations -Tension
-Noise -Turbulence
 Fuel
Fuel acts as an accelerator and helps in
achieving a reaction with a faster rate. Fuel
combines itself with density, and when
exposed to temperature, it will add more
Maya Fluids heat to the final reactions. It’s useful in
spontaneous fire and explosions.
Container
-Fuel scale -Reaction Speed
Details
-Air/Fuel ratio -Ignition temperature
-Max temperature -Heat Released
-Light released -Light Color
 Concept of fluids
Study of voxels

Summary Fluid containers

Fluid emitters
Fluid container details
-Density
-Velocity and turbulence
-Temperature
-Fuel