18.

0 Release

Workshop 01: Time Transformation

for modeling 1.5-stage
Aeromechanics of Turbomachinery Blades

1 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Introduction

• This Workshop deals with 1.5 stage machine, operating at 3500 rpm Outlet

• The working fluid is Air Ideal Gas

• Aim is to illustrate the basic concepts of setting up, running, and Inlet S2
37 count
monitoring a Transient blade row simulation using Time 9.73 deg sector
S1 R1
Transformation (TT) method in ANSYS CFX 36 count 42 count
modeled

10 deg sector 3500 rpm

• The geometry to be modeled consists of a single rotor blade passage modeled 8.571 deg sector
modeled
and two stator blade passages (one from each stator row) Pitch ratio
• S1-R1 interface – 0.8571 Within limits of time
• R1-S2 interface – 0.881 transformation (0.75
• Learning Aims: to 1.4)

− Define a steady state simulation using Turbo machinery wizard

− Perform steady state flow analysis for initializing TT simulation Step 1
− Define & perform TBR analysis with TT method
− Post process results in CFD Post Step 2

2 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 TBR Methods in ANSYS CFX

Focus of this tutorial Full-wheel

Model
Profile Time Fourier
Transformation Transformation Transformation
(PT) (TT) (FT)
Small/Moderate Pitch Small/Moderate Pitch Large Pitch

• Single Stage • Frozen gust • Frozen gust

• Single Stage • Fan Inlet Distortion
Reduced
• Multistage
• Multistage • Single Stage Model
• Blade Flutter

3 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Step 1
Setting up a Steady State Simulation
Using Turbo Wizard

4 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Setting up a working directory
Copy provided mesh .gtm and profile BC .csv files in working
directory

In CFX-Launcher set path to working directory

3
Click on CFX-Pre to
2 open a new session

ANSYS CFX uses a working directory as the

default location for loading and saving files
5 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Creating a New Case Using Turbomachinery Mode

Creating a new Turbo case Select Machine Type, Axis & Analysis Type

Select New Case

Select
Turbomachinery

Click Next button at the bottom

Click OK

6 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Component Definition

Right click on
Components
and select Add
Component…
Do selections as shown
by red box and click OK

View after
creating S1
Browse to file and select
TBRTurbineStator.gtm

7 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Component Definition
• Add a New
Component R1
• Click OK

Do selections as
shown by red box

Browse to file and select

View after TBRTurbineRotor.gtm
creating S1, R1

8 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Component Definition

• Add a new component S2

• Click OK

View after creating

S1, R1, S2
Browse to file and select
TBRTurbineStator2.gtm

Having defined all 3 components click Next at the

bottom of Component Definition dialogue box
9 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Physics Definition

Do settings as shown
by red boxes

Inlet-Outlet Boundary
Condition combination

Boundary Condition values

Use Mixing-Plane
interface for steady
state simulation
Having defined all conditions as shown click Next
at the bottom of Physics Definition dialogue box
10 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Interface Definition
• Click on each interface in the list
• Visually examine if each interface is defined correctly
(refer to both Side 1 & Side 2)
• Verify interface Type
− Periodic for periodic interfaces
− Mixing Plane for R1 to S1 and S2 to R1
− None for R1 to R1 Blade Tip interface

Having defined all Interfaces click Next at the

bottom of Interface Definition dialogue box
11 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Boundary Definition
• Click on each Boundary in the list
• Visually examine if each Boundary is
defined correctly (refer to Location)
• Verify Boundary Type
• Verify Wall Influence On Flow
Represents a − should be No Slip Wall for all but R1 Shroud
stationary wall in
absolute frame

Inlet boundary conditions Outlet boundary

supplied in earlier step conditions supplied in
earlier step

Click Next at the bottom of Boundary Definition dialogue box

12 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Final Operations View after exiting the turbo set up wizard

• Select Enter General Mode

• Click Finish at the bottom of
Final Operations dialogue box

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 Saving CFX file

• Click File
• Save Case  provide name:
MTimeBladeRowIni.cfx and click Save

14 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Additional Domain Settings
Basic setting tab Fluid models tab

Ensure
Double click on that this
R1 in Outline box is
checked

Ensure that
this box is
checked

15 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Reading Profile Data

• Tools>Intialize Profile Data

• Select file TBRInletProfile.csv
which has inlet profile data
• In same way Intialize Profile Data
using TBROutlet2Profile.csv

Click OK

16 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Modifying Inlet Boundary
Boundary Details tab

• In Outline  double click on S1 Inlet

• Do selections as shown by red boxes
and red arrows
Auto filled
Basic Settings tab

Axial flow

Check
this box

Auto filled
Click Generate Values
Click Apply after selections

17 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Visualizing Profile Data on S1 Inlet
Plot Options tab

Check this box

to view contours
Check this box
to view vectors

Plot of Pressure
contours & Cylindrical
velocity components

18 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Modifying Outlet Boundary
• In Outline double click on S2 Outlet
• Do selections as shown by red boxes and
red arrows
Basic Settings tab Boundary Details tab

Check this box

Auto filled

Click Apply after selection

Click Generate Values

One can see pressure contour plot on S2 Outlet boundary by

going to Plot Options tab of this boundary condition

19 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Solver Settings
In Outline double click on Solver Control &
review the solver settings

Click on Apply to save any changes

20 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Obtaining a Steady State Solution
• All steps for setting-up a steady state simulation are complete
• Run steady state simulation. You will use these results for
initializing the transient TT simulation

Click on Define Run

Accept Default
name and click Save

21 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Step 2
Setting up a Transient Blade Row
Simulation Using TT method

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 Preparing TT Simulation

• Create a duplicate of steady state CFX file in the

working directory
• Rename the file as MTimeBladeRow.cfx
• Open above file in CFX-Pre for setting up a TBR
simulation using the Time Transformation (TT) method

23 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Modifying Analysis Type

• Double click on Analysis Type

• Do the selection as shown to the right
by red box

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 Modifying R1-S1 & S2-R1 Interface

• Double click on R1 to S1 interface and modify

as shown
• Same modification needs to be done for S2 to
R1 interface

Click Apply after selection

25 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Setting up Time Transformation
3

Values in red boxes are

selected or provided
1
Double click

2
Select Time
Transformation Auto calculated
Click to add new
Auto calculated
Accept default
name & Click OK
Click Apply after entering inputs
26 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Setting up Time Transformation

Add one more Time Transformation

Auto calculated Passing period = 2* pi / (Number of Blades * Angular Velocity)

Auto calculated Time step = Passing Period / Number of Time steps per Period

Click Apply after entering inputs

27 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Setting Output Control

Monitor tab
Transient Results tab
Check
this box

Un-check Click to add

this box Monitor Point
Check this box
Added two Extra
Output Variables:
Mach Number in
Give name &
Stn Frame, Velocity
click OK
in Stn Frame
Refer to next slide for filling in
inputs for rotor_P1
Click Apply after entering inputs
28 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Setting Output control

• Four Monitor Points are created as shown above

• Output variable List is: Pressure, Temperature,
Total Pressure, Total Temperature, Velocity
• These Monitor Points can be seen as yellow cross
symbols in the adjacent picture

29 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Solver Settings

• In Outline, double click on Solver

Control & verify settings as shown

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 Saving the Files and Running the Simulation
• Save .cfx and .def files
• Use steady state results for initializing this TBR simulation
Extra Information in .out file for TBR run
• Before the simulation begins, the Transient Blade Row Post-processing Information summary in
the .out file will display the time step range over which the solver will accumulate the Fourier
coefficients of the Time Transformation solution
• Similarly, the Time Transformation Stability summary displays whether the rotor-stator pitch ratio
is within the acceptable range

31 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Monitoring During the Run

• After the CFX-Solver Manager has run for a

short time, you can track the monitor points
you created in CFX-Pre by clicking the Time
Corrected User Points tab at the top of the
graphical interface of CFX-Solver Manager

32 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Post Processing in CFD Post

33 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Turbo Initialization

• Open result file in CFD-Post. Load all 3 domains and click OK in

the Transient Blade Row Post-processing warning dialog box
• Select the Turbo tab
• A dialog box will ask if you want to auto-initialize all turbo
components. Click Yes

34 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Creating a Turbo Surface

• Insert>Location>Turbo Surface
• Chose constant span and provide
value as 0.5
• Click OK

Uncheck this box for Rotor is rotated by 10 periods of run

switching off from view time and hence not aligned with stator

35 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Creating a Vector Plot
1 2

• Insert>Vector 1
• Do selections as shown below
• Click Apply

2
• Click on Timestep Selector
• Click on 1st timestep and Apply
• Now rotor will move back to its
Switch off Vector 1 by unchecking box starting position
next to it in the Outline at the end
36 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Blade to Blade Plot, Turbo Tab

Double click

Pressure contour for selected time step is shown

37 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Time Steps in Result File

• For a transient blade row case, CFD-Post automatically

reconstructs variables for the flow solution for the last time
step. Intermediate time steps for time instances in the
common period are located in the Timestep Selector.
• We used 60 time steps per rotor blade passing period and
there are 42 rotor blade passing periods in a common
period. Therefore, the total number of intermediate time
steps in the common period is 60x42=2520.
• For this case, the solver has reconstructed results over one
common period (2520 time steps). You will reduce the total
number of time steps to 420 to speed up the generation of
the time chart.

38 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Creating Expression for Force on Blade

• Insert>Expression
• Give name forces on rotor
• Enter value as sqrt(force_x()@ R1 Blade ^2 +
force_y()@ R1 Blade ^2 + force_z()@ R1 Blade ^2)
• Click Apply

39 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Chart Creation
1

• Insert>Chart 1
• Select type as XY – Transient or Sequence
• Data Series tab 2
− Select Data Source as Expression and chose expression
created in previous slide
• Click Apply to generate the chart (shown below)

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 Chart Creation – Monitor data 1

• Insert>Chart (accept default name) 1

• Select type as XY – Transient or Sequence
• Data Series tab (provide a meaningful data series Name) 2
− Select Data Source as Monitor Data
− Select axis variables 2
• X Axis  Time
• Y Axis  Monitor Point: stator_P1 (Pressure)

41 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Creating a Point

• Insert>Location>Point
• Accept default name
• Enter XYZ coordinates as shown (corresponding to
Monitor Point stator_P1 created earlier in CFX-Pre)
• Click Apply
• Observe location of Point 1 in 3D Viewer window

Intention of adding this point is to compare

pressure signal reconstructed from Fourier
Coefficients at this point with solver monitor
stator_P1
42 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Chart Creation – at Point 1
• Double click on Chart 2 in the Outline
Add a new series
• Go to Data Series tab
• Do selections as shown by red boxes Provide name
Location  Point 1

Stator_P1 Pressure data (Solver Monitor) & pressure point 1 Click on Apply after
(CFD-Post reconstructed from Fourier series) compare well above selection
43 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Data Instancing Transformations

• Double click on R1 in the Outline

• Go to Data Instancing tab
• Enter Number of Data Instances as 42
• Click on Apply

CFD-Post will create additional mesh nodes proportional to the

number of extra passages created, and populate them with
solution variables correctly updated to their corresponding
position in time and space
• Repeat this for S1  36 data instances
• Repeat this for S2 37 data instances
• You can view contours created the on entire 360 degree mesh
44 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017
 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• With the Timestep Selector set to time step 0, you will make an
animation showing the relative motion starting from this time
step and lasting for one stator blade passing period

45 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Select the 3D Viewer tab

• Position the geometry for the animation by right-
clicking on a blank area in the viewer and selecting
Predefined Camera > View From -X

46 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Click Animation
• In the Animation dialog box, select Keyframe
Animation
• Click New to create KeyframeNo1
• Select KeyframeNo1, then set # of Frames to 70, then
press Enter while inside the # of Frames box

Be sure to press Enter and confirm that the new

number appears in the list before continuing. This
will place 70 intermediate frames between the
keyframes, for a total of 72 frames.

47 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Use the Timestep Selector to load time step 70 and

then close this dialog box

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 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• In the Animation dialog box, click New to create KeyframeNo2

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 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Click More Animation Options to expand the

Animation dialog box
• Select Save Movie
• Specify a filename for the movie
• Set Format to MPEG1
More
Animation
Options

50 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Click To Beginning to rewind the active keyframe to

KeyframeNo1

The active keyframe is indicated by the value appearing

in the F: field in the middle of the Animation dialog
box. In this case it will be 1. Wait for CFD-Post to finish
loading the objects for this frame before proceeding.

51 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Click Save Animation State and save the animation to a file.

This will enable you to quickly restore the animation settings
in case you want to make changes. Animations are not
restored by loading ordinary state files (those with the .cst
extension).

52 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017

 Animating Movement of Rotor Relative to Stator

• Click Play the animation

It takes a while for the animation to be completed. To view the

movie file, you will need to use a media player that supports
the MPEG format. From the animation and plots, you can see
that the flow is continuous across the interface. This is because
CFD-Post is capable of interpolating the flow field variables to
the correct time and position using the computed Fourier
coefficients.
• When you have finished, close the Animation dialog box and
then close CFD-Post

53 © 2017 ANSYS, Inc. August 10, 2017