ICEM-Intro 13.0 L04 Auto Volumemeshing PDF

Customer Training Material
L t
Lecture
4
Volume Meshing
Introduction to ANSYS
ICEM CFD
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary
2010 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
L4-1
Release 13.0
December 2010
Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD
Introduction to volume meshing
To automatically create 3D elements to fill

volumetric domain
Generally termed unstructured
Mainly tetra
Full 3D analysis
Where 2D approximations dont tell the full
story
Internal/External flow simulation

Structural solid modeling
Thermal stress
Many more!
Standard procedures
Start from just geometry
Octree tetra
Robust
obust
Walk over features
Cartesian
Fastest
Have to set sizes
Start from existing shell mesh

Delauney/T-grid
Quick
Advancing Front
Smoother gradients, size
transition
Both geometry and

shell mesh
Portions of model
already meshed
prism layers
Prism
Hex Core
Hex Dominant

L4-2
Release 13.0
December 2010
General Procedure
First decide volume mesh
parameters
Global Mesh Setup >

Volume Meshing
Parameters
Select Mesh Type
Select Mesh Method for
selected Type
Set options for specific
Methods
Set mesh sizes
Compute Prism (optional)
Globally
As in Shell Meshing
Locally
Part/Surface/Curve
Mesh Setup
As in Shell Meshing
For From geometry
only
As separate process
Also option to run
automatically following tetra
creation
Octree
Cartesian
Define volumetric region
Typically for octree on

complex models
Multiple volumes
D
Define
fi density
d
it regions
i
(optional)
Compute Mesh
Mesh > Compute Mesh >
Volume Mesh
Applying mesh size

within volume where
geometry doesnt
exist
Load/create surface mesh

As in Shell Meshing chapter
For Delauney, Advancing Front, T-grid, Hex-Dominant
Either of these types run from geometry will automatically create surface mesh
using global and local Shell Mesh settings without any user input/editing
If in doubt, run Shell Mesh first, then from existing mesh
L4-3
Release 13.0
December 2010
Body/Material Point
Define Volumetric Domain

Optional
Recommended for complex geometries
Multiple volumes
Geometry -> Create Body
Material Point
Centroid of 2 points
Select any two locations whose mid-point is within volume
Preferred
At specified point
Define volume region by point within volume
By Topology
g
by
y set of closed surfaces
Defines volume region
Must first Build Diagnostic Topology
Entire model
Automatically define all volumes
Selected surfaces
User selects surfaces that form a closed volume
L4-4
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Types
Tetra/mixed
Most used
Tetra
With hex core
Pure tetra
Available in Cartesian type too

Hexa filling majority volume
Tetra (from Delauney algorithm) used
to fill between surface or top of prism
layers and hex core
Pyramids to make conformal between
tetra tri and hex quad faces
Tetra/Prism
With prism layers
Prisms from tri surface mesh

Hexas from quad surface mesh
Tetra and/or hex core filling interior
Pyramids to cap off any quad faces
Of hex core or hex prism layers
Tetra/Prism/Hexcore
Merged hybrid with structured hex

mesh
L4-5
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Types
Hexa-Dominant
From existing quad mesh

Good quality hex near surface
Somewhat poor in interior
Typically good enough for static displacement
Not covered in detail here
Cartesian
Methods available in Cartesian
Staircase
Body fitted
Hexa-Core
Hexa Core
Automatic pure Hexa
Rectilinear mesh
Fastest method for creating volume mesh
Not covered in detail here
L4-6
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Method
Tetra/Mixed
Robust (Octree)
Same as Shell Meshing > Patch Independent
Retains volumetric tetras
If you have complex and/or dirty geometry
Dont want to spend too much time with geometry
cleanup
Dont want to spend too much time with detailed
shell meshing
Don
Dontt want to spend time defeaturing geometry
Just set appropriate mesh sizes on geometry
Parts
Surfaces
Curves
Review Shell Meshing chapter
Part/Surface/Curve Mesh Setup

L4-7
Release 13.0
December 2010
Octree Method
ICEM Tetra uses patch-independent Octree method
Volume first generated independent of surface model
Nodes are projected to model surfaces, curves and points
Surface mesh is created
Resulting mesh is independent of the underlying

arrangement of surfaces
Not all surface edges need to be captured!
Make curves/points dormant
Delete
Filter points/curves under Build Diagnostic Topology
Mesh detail
Sliver ignored
Geometry

Mesh
L4-8
Release 13.0
December 2010
Geometry Requirements for Octree Tetra
Tetra requires an enclosed

surface model
Run Build Diagnostic Topology
to find gaps/holes
Octree can tolerate gaps
smaller then the local element
size
Geometry Repair
tools quickly locate
and fix these
problems.
Recommend points and curves

at key features
Recommend Material points to
define volumes
Will create a material point if
none exists
Set Global, Part, Surface, Curve

Size Parameters
Missing inlet surface
As in Shell Meshing
Hole highlighted by
yellow single edge curve
L4-9
Release 13.0
December 2010
Using Points and Curves
Curves and points included

Mesh size specified on curves
and surfaces
Mesh captures detail
Coarse mesh walks over detail

in surface model
Curves and points not included

Mesh size specified only on surfaces
L4-10
Curves and points

affect which
features
eatu es a
are
e
captured by the
mesh!
Build Topology
easily creates the
necessary points
and curves
Release 13.0
December 2010
Octree - Options
Setup options:
Global Mesh Setup > Volume Meshing parameters
Run as batch process
p
Runs as a separate process. GUI will stay interactive.
Fast Transition
Allows for a faster transition in element size from finer to coarser
Reduce element count
Edge
g Criterion
Split elements at a factor greater than set value to better capture
geometry
Define Thin cuts

Tool for resolving thin gaps, sharp angles
User selects pairs of opposing parts
Resolve elements jumping from one side to another
Smooth
Automatically smoothes after grid generation process
Coarsen
Fix Non-manifold
Automatically tries to fix elements that jump from surface to another
For a more detailed description go to Help > Help Topics > Help
Manual > Mesh > Global Mesh Setup > Volume Meshing
Parameters > Tetra/Mixed > Robust (Octree)

L4-11
Release 13.0
December 2010
Octree -Options
Run options: Compute Mesh > Volume Meshing

Parameters
Create Prism Layers
y
Will create prisms marked under Part Mesh Setup

Immediately after tetra calculation
Prism layers grown into existing tetra mesh
Create Hexa-Core
Will retain tri surface mesh (or tri

tri-prism),
prism), throw away tetra
mesh
Fill volume interior with Cartesian
Cap off with pyramids
Map tetra to tri or top prism face with Delauney algorithm
Input
Select Geometry
All, Visible
Part by Part
Meshes each part separately
Mesh not conformal between parts
p
From file
Select tetin file
Use Existing Mesh Parts
Select Parts that are already surface meshed

Uses Make Consistent to match octree volume mesh to
existing surface mesh

L4-12
Release 13.0
December 2010
Curvature/Proximity Based Refinement
Curvature/Proximity Based Refinement

Octree only
Automatically subdivides to create elements that are
smaller than the prescribed entity size in order to capture
finer features
Min size limit value entered is multiplied by the global Scale
Factor and is a lower limit for the automatic subdivision
Used primarily to avoid setting up meshing parameters
specifically for individual entities thus allowing the
geometry to determine the mesh size
Min Size Limit: multiplied by
Scale Factor = global minimum
Prescribed element size: Surface/Curve Max. Element
Size times Scale Factor
Prescribed size
is adequate here

L4-13
Auto subdivision
at ttighter
g te radius
ad us
of curvature
Release 13.0
December 2010
Curvature Based Refinement
Refinement
R fi
t
Number of elements along
curvature if extrapolated
to 360o
To avoid subdivision
always to global minimum
which would otherwise
result in too many
elements
Subdivision will stop
once number of
elements along curve
is reached
Wont exceed global
minimum set by natural
size value
Prescribed size
Min size limit
Refinement = 12
Example
Specified refinement
achieved with larger
elements
Global minimum (Size) not
realized, not necessary to
capture curvature
L4-14
Release 13.0
December 2010
Proximity Refinement, Elements in Gap
Elements in Gap
Number of cells desired in
narrow gaps
To avoid subdivision
always to global minimum
which would otherwise
result in too many
elements
Subdivision will stop
once number of cells
in gap is reached
Will not override global
minimum (Min size limit)
Prescribed size
Min size limit
Cells in Gap = 5
Prescribed size
Min size limit (1/5th smaller)
Example
Only one element in gap
Cant go smaller than Min
size limit
Have to set smaller Min
size limit
Cells in Gap = 5
L4-15
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Methods
Tetra/Mixed
T t /Mi d
Quick (Delauney)
If already have good quality surface mesh

From Shell Mesh
From Octree
From imported surface mesh
Uses initial point cloud, distributed so as the centroid of any tetra is outside circumsphere of any neighboring tetra

Setup Options:
Delaunay
D l
Scheme
S h
Standard: Delaunay scheme with a skewness-based refinement
TGlib: TGrid Delaunay volume grid generation algorithm that utilizes a more
gradual transition rate near the surface and faster towards the interior
Use AF: TGrid Advancing Front Delaunay algorithm which has smoother
transitions than the pure Delaunay algorithm.
Memory Scaling Factor: To allocate more memory automatically
Spacing Scaling Factor: Growth ratio from surface
Fill holes in volume mesh: Use to fills holes/voids in existing volume mesh
e.g. if bad quality region is deleted
Mesh all domains: For multiple sets of closed volumes in one model
Flood fill after complete
For multiple volumes: Will assign tetras within closed volume to Part designated by
Body or Material Point
Verbose output: For troubleshooting
L4-16
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Methods
Tetra/Mixed
Smooth (Advancing Front)
Same as Quick (Delauney) but
Uses advancing front method that marches tetras
from surface into interior
g
from GE/CFX
Algorithm
Results in more gradual change in element size
Better but finer mesh
Input surface mesh has to be of fairly high quality
Setup Options: Do Proximity Checking
Check to properly fill small gaps
Longer run time

L4-17
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Methods
Tetra/Mixed
TGrid 11.0
Uses TGrid algorithm

Good mesh quality
Faster mesh generation
Setup Options:
AFT Scheme: Advancing Front Tetrahedrons
Flood fill: Same as octree Flood fill
Verbose output: This option writes more messages to
help in debugging any potential problem

L4-18
Release 13.0
December 2010
Mesh Methods
Run Options:
Same for Delauney, Advancing Front
Create Prism Layers/Hexa-Core
Same as for Octree
Hexa-Core not available for Advancing Front, TGrid
Input
All Geometry
Will run shell mesh first with no user input/editing
Using parameters from Shell/Part/Surface/Curve
Mesh Setup
Review Shell Meshing chapter
If doubtful as to shell mesh quality, run Shell Mesh
first, then use Existing Mesh
Existing Mesh
Part by Part/From File
Same as for Octree
Volume Part Name

For newly
y created tetras

L4-19
Release 13.0
December 2010
Comparison
Delaun
ney
TGid 1
11.0
Octree
e
Adv.fron
nt

L4-20
Release 13.0
December 2010
Set Mesh Sizes
Create
C
t M
Mesh
hD
Density
it
Define volumetric region with certain mesh size
where no geometry exists, e.g. wake region behind
a wing
Not
N t actual
t l geometry!
t !
Mesh nodes not constrained to density object
Can intersect geometry
Can create densities within densities
Always subdivides to smallest set size
Set Size
As for surface/curve multiplied by global Scale
Factor
Ratio expansion ratio away from density
object
Width Number of layers from object
Type
Type
Points Select any number of points
Size and Width (number of layers) will determine thickness of
volume if number of points selected is 1-3
4-8 creates polyhedral volume
Entity bounds define region by bounding box

of selected entities
L4-21
Release 13.0
December 2010
Periodicity
Define Periodicity
Forces mesh alignment across periodic sides

For meshing
g and solving
g only
y one section of
symmetrically repeatable geometry
Rotational Periodic
Enter Base, Axis, and Angle
Translational Periodic
Enter dX, dY, dZ offset
Tip: Place
material point
close to mid-plane

L4-22
Release 13.0
December 2010
Workshops
Workshop 4.1 Engine Block Model
Build diagnostic topology

Octree mesh
Smooth mesh
Curvature/proximity refinement
Delaunay mesh
Workshop 4.2 Valve Model
Build diagnostic topology

Create parts, Create body
Set sizes Global, Surface, Curves, density
Octree mesh

L4-23
Release 13.0
December 2010
Workshops
Workshop 4.3
Import Design Modeler file into ICEM

Create Parts from Subsets
Global, Part mesh set up
Using ANSYS ICEM CFD Hexa to create a Cartesian initial grid with biasing
Computing the mesh
Viewing
g cut-planes
p

L4-24
Release 13.0
December 2010

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Customer Training Material

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Introduction to volume meshing

Customer Training Material

To automatically create 3D elements to fill

Internal/External flow simulation

Start from existing shell mesh

Both geometry and

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Global Mesh Setup >

Customer Training Material

Set mesh sizes

Compute Prism (optional)

Define volumetric region

Typically for octree on

Applying mesh size

Load/create surface mesh

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

Define Volumetric Domain

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

Available in Cartesian type too

With prism layers

Prisms from tri surface mesh

Merged hybrid with structured hex

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

From existing quad mesh

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

ICEM Tetra uses patch-independent Octree method

Volume first generated independent of surface model

Nodes are projected to model surfaces, curves and points

Surface mesh is created

Resulting mesh is independent of the underlying

Not all surface edges need to be captured!

Make curves/points dormant

Filter points/curves under Build Diagnostic Topology

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Geometry Requirements for Octree Tetra

Customer Training Material

Tetra requires an enclosed

Recommend points and curves

Set Global, Part, Surface, Curve

Missing inlet surface

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Using Points and Curves

Customer Training Material

Curves and points included

Coarse mesh walks over detail

Curves and points not included

Curves and points

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD

Customer Training Material

Define Thin cuts

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

Introduction to ANSYS ICEM CFD