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Flotherm Educational Seminar

Gridding Tools and

Recommendations
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Agenda
•Basic Gridding Tools
–Keypoints
–System Grid
–Grid Constraints
–Localized Gridding
•Rules of Thumb
–Heat Sinks
–Components
–PCBs
–Grid Metrics
•Grid Independence Solutions
–What is it?
–How do I achieve it?
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Keypoints
•Grid lines automatically
appear along edges of all
objects
•Object Associated
•If the object is moved
or resized, the
keypoints follow!
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System Grid Tool

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System Grid Tool – Maximum Size

Max Size = 25 mm Max Size = 75 mm

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System Grid Tool – Minimum Size

Min Size = 0.2 mm Min Size = 2 mm

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System Grid Tool – Smoothing

Large Aspect Ratio

Abrupt Transition

No Smoothing Smoothing Activated

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System Grid Tool – Preset Buttons

•Hardwired settings for minimum
size, maximum size and
smoothing
•Use to create a starting point for
your grid and use slider bars and
other gridding tools to refine
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Grid Constraints for Objects

•Minimum Size overrules the
system grid setting!
•Controls the cells across an
object
•Object associated
•Resizing, copying,
save/retrieve from the library
manager
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Grid Constraints for Objects

No Grid Constraints Minimum # 15 Grid Constraint attached

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Grid Constraints - Inflation

•Controls grid around an object
•Two key inputs
•How far from the object
should the grid be
controlled? [Inflation
Distance]
•How many grid cells should
be placed in this interval?

•Different settings are possible for

the Low and High sides…
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Grid Constraints - Inflation

Inflation Distance = 60 mm
Number of cells = 8

Object associated as well.

Repositioning, resizing, copying
and library saving/retrieving will
retain this setting

60 mm
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Localized Grid

Localized
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Localized Grid
Grid lines truncate at
localized grid boundary

Objects that touch or cross

the localized grid boundary
will not have their keypoint
grid lines truncated
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Localized Grid - Inflation

Grid lines truncate at
localized grid boundary…
which moves to reflect the
inflation distance

Note that the cuboid

keypoint lines are now
truncated
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Localized Grid - Assemblies

Grid lines truncate at
localized grid boundary…
which is the bounding box
of all contained geometry
(shown in red)

Useful if the target

geometry is held in a single
assembly
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Localized Grid - Regions

Use Regions, , as
dummy grid objects to place
the localized boundary
precisely where needed

Convenient for cluttered

geometries that need to be
localized
Graphical indication of the
localized boundary is
helpful for grid setup
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Localized Grid - Positioning

Localized grid spaces can
be nested as needed

Can externally or internally

abut another localized
space

Localized boundary can be

completely in solid, fluid, or
both.
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Localized Grid - Restrictions

Localized spaces cannot
overlap

The following SmartParts

may not intersect a
localized grid space
boundary
•Fan
•Fixed Flow
•2D Sloping Block

The Compact Component

SmartPart may not touch a
localized grid boundary
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Rules of Thumb – Heat Sinks

Across a channel:
•3+ cells for an accurate
heat transfer prediction
•5+ cells for an accurate
pressure drop prediction

Across a fin:
•2+ cells in the solid
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Rules of Thumb – Components

For components that are
capable of predicting
junction and case
temperatures (2R, Delphi,
or Detailed)
•6 cells in the 1st millimeter
above the component

Note: This is automatically

taken care of in Flotherm v8
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Rules of Thumb – PCBs

For printed circuit boards
•3 cells in the 1st millimeter
above the board
•3 cells in the 1st millimeter
below the board

Note: This is automatically

taken care of in Flotherm v8

More generally, this rule is

applicable to any surface
with a significant amount of
heat convecting off it
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Rules of Thumb – Grid Metrics

• Rules to remember:
– Aspect ratio (L1/L2) of grid cells should
be as close to unity as possible.
– 1 is ideal
– < 20 good
– >200 convergence trouble is likely

– Localized grid transition ratios (N2/N1)

should be less than 10
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Grid Independence
Traditional Definition
The point at which the
doubling of the of
number of grid cells
causes no change in
the solution
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Grid Independence
(what you really want)
Engineering Definition
The point at which the
addition of a large
number of grid cells no
longer significantly
affects the solution.

Significant = 5%, 3%
etc
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Grid Independence
Command Center
Maximum Cell Size in Bulk Air Flow
•Identify gridding parameters
to investigate
•Depends on model, Maximum Cell Size in Block
application, and
expected location of
sharp gradients
•Identify key outputs
(component temperatures,
etc)
•Use Command Center to
define a parametric study to
Number of Cells in Inflation zone
investigate grid sensitivity