Chapter 1 Introduction

ICEM CFD Introductory Course

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Introduction

Schedule
Day 1
Introduction Geometry Handling Shell Meshing Volume Meshing Output to Solver

Training Manual

Day 2
Prism meshing Intro to Hexahedral meshing

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Introduction

Purpose/Goals
Gain understanding of basic functionality for
Geometry import/editing Meshing (surface meshing, tetra, prism, hexa) Mesh Editing (smoothing, checks, individual element editing) Solver setup

Training Manual

Propose best meshing practices

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Introduction

What is a Mesh?
Mesh Volume comprised of elements used to discretize a domain for numerical solution
Structural Fluid dynamics Electromagnetics Other

Training Manual

2D Surface/Shell
Quads Tris Thin sheet modeling 2D volume 3D mesh boundary Tetra Pyramid Penta (prism) Hexa Solid modeling 3D fluid modeling

3D - Volume

Elements
0D Node element
Point mass Constraint, load location

Formats
Unstructured Block Structured

1D Lines
Bars, beams, rods, springs 2D mesh boundary

Nodes
Point locations of element corners
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Introduction

Ansys ICEM CFD Features

Geometry Creation/Repair/Simplification
Including Mid-Plane Extractions/Extensions Most geometry intended to be imported

Training Manual

Powerful Meshing tools

Tetra/Prism from CAD and/or existing surface mesh Shell meshing: structured, unstructured Hex-dominant, swept, Structured hexa, Extruded quads, Body-fitted and stair-step Cartesian Hybrid meshing (merging, multi-zone)

Advanced mesh editing Solver Setup Output to 100+ Solvers Post processing Scripting and much more
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Introduction

Ansys ICEM CFD Product Purchasing

ICEM CFD
Full capabilities (all meshers, CFD and FEA) Enables Ansys meshing in Workbench

Training Manual

ICEM CFD Tetra/Prism

Includes hexa core, but not other hexa methods Enables Ansys meshing in Workbench

ICEM CFD hexa

No tetra/prism Includes Body-fitted Cartesian (BFC) and Hexdominant

ICEM CFD Add-on

Lower cost, added to Ansys solver bundles Full capabilities Only writes to Ansys solvers (Ansys, CFX, Fluent)

CAD interfaces sold separately

Settings->Product filters what options are seen in the application, but the licensing determines which ones can be used
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Introduction

GUI and Layout

Utility Menu Utility Icons

Training Manual

Function Tabs

Selection Toolbar
Model Tree

Data Entry Panel

Display Triad Message Window Histogram Window

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Introduction

File and Directory Structure

Training Manual

Use of many files

Not one large common database For faster input/output

All files are usually associated within a Project

Establishes working directory Settings (*.prj) file

Primary file types:

Tetin (.tin): Geometry plus
Geometry entities and material points Part association Global and entity mesh sizes Created in Ansys ICEM CFD or Direct Cad Interface .tin .blk .uns

.prj

Domain file (.uns)

Unstructured mesh

Blocking file (.blk)

Blocking topology

Attribute file (.fbc, .atr)

Boundary conditions, local parameters & element types

Parameter file (.par)

solver parameters & element types

.fbc .rpl .par .jrf

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Journal and replay file(.jrf, .rpl)

Record of performed operations (echo file)
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Introduction

Mouse Usage
Dynamic viewing mode (click and drag)
left: middle: right: Wheel left: middle: right: rotate (about a point) translate zoom(up-down) screen Z-axis rotation (sideways) zoom select (click and drag for box select) apply operation unselect

Training Manual

Selection mode (click)

F9 toggles the mouse control to Dynamic mode while in Select mode

Spaceball allows for dynamic motion even while in select mode
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Introduction

File menu
To open/save/close
Projects Will open/save/close all associated files including Geometry (*.tin) Mesh (*.uns) Attributes (*.fbc, *.atr) All file types can be opened/saved/closed independently

Training Manual

Most common functions are duplicated as utility icons:

Open Project

Save Project

Also to
Read in results data Import/Export Geometry/Mesh Invoke scripting

Open/Save/Close Geometry Open/Save/Close Mesh Open/Save/Close Blocking

Exit
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Save frequently!
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Introduction

Other Commonly Used Utilities

Edit > Undo/Redo

Training Manual

Local Coordinate System

View
Fit
Fit active entities into screen

Box Zoom Standard views

Top, Bottom, Left, etc. Can also select X, Y, Z axis of display triad in lower right hand corner of main view screen to orient to standard view, e.g. selecting X will orient right Isometric select blue dot within triad

Used by: Select location Measuring Node/point movement/creation Alignment Loads Transformation

Surface display
Wireframe Solid Transparent

Measure
Distance Angle Location

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Introduction

Help

Training Manual

Menu Driven
Searchable Includes tutorials Programmers guide (for ICEM CFD/Tcl scripting procedures)

Hyper-link to specific topic

Bubble explanation with cursor positioning

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Introduction

Function Tabs
Geometry

Training Manual

Create/Modify geometry

Mesh

Set mesh sizes, types and methods Set options Auto create Shell, Volume, Prism meshes

Blocking

Edit Mesh

Output
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Initialize a block Split/modify blocks Generate structured hexa mesh Check, Smooth Refine/Coarsen Merge, Auto repair, Manual edit Transform, etc. Set Boundary Conditions and Parameters Write mesh for 100+ solvers.
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Primary Function Tabs

Training Manual

Properties

Create, read, write out material properties Apply to geometry/elements Set constraints, displacements, define contacts, initial velocity, rigid walls Set force, pressure and temperature loads Set parameters, attributes, create subcases, write out input file, run solver Visualize results: cut plane, streams, animation, calculate integral and more.
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Constraints

Loads

Solve options

Post Processing
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Introduction

Selection Toolbar
During select mode, popup selection toolbar appears
Some tools are common to all, others are contextual Linked to select mode hotkeys By Part Filtering of entities Cancel

Training Manual

Geometry
Polygon Select all Only visible Flood fill to Angle Entity Filter Mesh on Geom

Flood fill to Curve

Mesh
Circle
Entire/Partial toggle Set FF angle All Shells

Blocks
Toggle Dynamic Mode (F9)
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By Subset

From Corners

Faceted Geometry Segments

In between segments
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Introduction

Model Tree

Training Manual

To toggle on/off various sections of the model Main Categories for:

Geometry, Mesh, Blocking, Parts Element Properties, Connectors, Displacements, Loads and Material Properties

Toggle check boxes to blank/unblank

Blanked/inactive Visible/active Partially visible/active: some sub members turned on, some turned off

Click on plus sign to expand tree

Expose sub members

Right mouse click for display options

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Introduction

Model Tree: Parts

Parts

Training Manual

Grouping of mesh and geometry entities

Based on boundary condition/property Based on mesh size (can set mesh size by part) Based on material property Just to partition large model

Select to blank/unblank all entities within part Color coded: Part name matches entity screen display Right Mouse Button on Parts to access:
Create Part Create Assembly Delete Empty Parts Etc.

RMB on specific parts branches allows options to modify or delete the parts Properties are shown as a sub branch of the part
Double Left Click or RMB > Modify to modify element properties

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Introduction

Workflow
Typical ICEM CFD Workflow:

Training Manual

Create/open new project Import/Create geometry Build topology/Clean geometry Mesh model (Possibly Hex Blocking) Check/edit mesh Output to Solver Postprocess

Workflow
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Introduction

Overall Meshing Process

Open/Create Project Geometry Import/Creation Geometry Manipulation/Clean Up Set Parts

Training Manual

Create Mesh Auto sizing Default method/type

Set Mesh Sizes, Methods and Types

Blocking (Quad/Hexa)
View/Edit Pre-Mesh

Shell Mesh

Auto Volume Mesh View/Edit Mesh Solver Setup Output to Solver Post process Run Solver
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Introduction

Accessing from Workbench

Training Manual

Ansys ICEM CFD 12 is no longer a module inside Workbench

Export files from Mechanical Model (Simulation) to open in ICEM CFD

Many ICEM CFD capabilities have been integrated into the Meshing Application
Tetra octree

Patch dependent surface mesher Multizone

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Introduction

Workbench Interactive Link

Training Manual

Ansys ICEM CFD can still be accessed in Workbench 12 by setting the environment variable:
ICEM_CFD_INTERACTIVE = 1

Insert a meshing method

MultiZone Patch Independent Autoblock

Generate Mesh Edit within ICEM CFD, save project, then exit ICEM CFD

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Introduction

Lets Explore the GUI with a simple practice part

File > Import Geometry (parasolid or acis) Show menu locations Mouse controls Change display options
Shading/Wire, simple/full Views/Save view

Training Manual

Create Part
Parts concept

Overview process
Create/open/Save Project Build topology Define global and local mesh sizes Create volume mesh Edit/check quality, smooth Set up and write out to solver
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