User Manual

AutoGrid4™
Automated Grid Generator for Turbomachinery

- April 2009 -

NUMERICAL MECHANICS APPLICATIONS

 User Manual
AutoGrid4™
Documentation v4e

NUMECA International
5, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt
1050 Brussels
Belgium

Tel: +32 2 647.83.11

Fax: +32 2 647.93.98
Web: http://www.numeca.com

NUMERICAL MECHANICS APPLICATIONS

 Contents

CHAPTER 1: Overview 1-1

1-1 Introduction 1-1
1-2 AutoGrid4™ GUI 1-3

CHAPTER 2: Getting Started 2-1

2-1 Starting AutoGrid4™ 2-1
2-2 Set Up Settings 2-2
Set Up Geometry 2-2
Geometry From File (hub & suction side) 2-3
Shroud Creation 2-4
Pressure Side Creation 2-5
Domain Limits Interactive Control 2-7
Geometry Characteristics 2-9
Set Up Topology 2-9
Check Geometry Orientation 2-10
2-3 Flow Path Settings 2-12
2-4 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control 2-13
Streamwise Clustering Control 2-14
2-5 3D Mesh Generation 2-16
View XYZ Mesh 2-16
View Meridional Mesh 2-17
2-6 Save Project 2-17
Save Template 2-17
Save Mesh 2-17

CHAPTER 3: Geometry Definition 3-1

3-1 Introduction 3-1
3-2 Geometry Turbo Files 3-2
HUB & SHROUD Definition 3-3
PRESSURE, SUCTION & BLADE Definition 3-3
Curve Data Format 3-5
Set of Data Points 3-6
IGG™ Curve Format 3-6
Surface Data Format 3-7
Set of Sectional Curves 3-7
IGG™ Lofted Surface 3-8
IGG™ Wireframe Surface 3-9

CHAPTER 4: Mesh Generation 4-1

4-1 Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology 4-2
I-Topology 4-2
Streamwise Clustering Control 4-5
Azimuthal Control of the Mesh - Boundary Layer. 4-6
Negative Volumes Detected - Multiblock Smoother 4-8
4-2 Mesh with Tip Clearance 4-8

AutoGrid4™ iii
Contents

4-3 Mesh with Hub Clearance 4-12

4-4 HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade 4-12
HOH Mesh Definition 4-13
Topology - Extension Control 4-14
Grid Points 4-15
Blade Points Distribution 4-17
Smoothing - Orthogonality 4-18
Butterfly Mesh Topology for Tip Gap 4-19
4-5 Blade with Blunt Leading Edge and/or Blunt Trailing Edge 4-20
4-6 Mesh with Splitter Blade 4-23
Blade and/or Splitter Defined by One Surface. 4-24
Topology Definition 4-25
4-7 Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud 4-29
4-8 Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0 4-33
4-9 Mesh around a Propeller. 4-38
4-10 Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud 4-40
4-11 Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub 4-47

CHAPTER 5: Special Features 5-1

5-1 Control Geometrical Tolerance 5-2
5-2 Control Flow Paths Generation. 5-3
5-3 Control Extension Shape 5-5
5-4 Control Leading & Trailing Edge Position 5-7
5-5 Sharp Leading & Trailing Edges 5-9
5-6 Rotor/Stator Interaction 5-11
5-7 Orthogonality Control on Periodic Faces 5-11
5-8 Visualize Surface/Curve in Meridional View 5-12
5-9 Blade Tolerance 5-12
5-10 Batch Processing 5-12

CHAPTER 6: Troubleshooting 6-1

6-1 Strange Loops on Boundaries 6-1
6-2 Blade to Blade Boundaries not Fully Defined 6-2
6-3 Problems & Bug Reports 6-3

CHAPTER 7: Output Files 7-1

7-1 Template & Geometry Files 7-1
7-2 Grid Files 7-5
“.CGNS” File 7-5
“.BCS” File 7-5
Format description 7-6

iv AutoGrid4™
Introduction Overview

CHAPTER 1: Overview

1-1 Introduction

AutoGrid4™ is an automatic meshing system for turbomachinery configurations integrated as a

separate module in IGG™. This system is available through the menu item Modules/AutoGrid4. It
provides tools to create automatically a mesh in a few minutes while ensuring an optimal control of
orthogonality and mesh refinement at the solid walls, for an accurate description of viscous effects
in the boundary layer.

FIGURE 1.1.0-1 AutoGrid4™ access in IGGTM

The advanced tools of AutoGrid4™ enable to create meshes for a large range of turbomachinery
configurations such as:
— axial or radial compressors, turbines, pumps and propellers;
— with periodic H, non-periodic I or O mesh topology;
— with or without a splitter blade;
— with or without blade hub or tip clearances;
— with or without seal leakages;
— including or not bulbs on the hub;
— with radial expansion of the mesh (propeller, windmill).

AutoGrid4™ 1-1
Overview Introduction

To obtain fully automatic or semi-automatic grids with an optimal quality control, AutoGrid4™
takes advantage of the characteristics of turbomachinery configurations by creating blade to blade
grids onto surfaces of revolution. The generation based on a conformal mapping between the 3D
Cartesian space (XYZ coordinates) and the cylindrical surfaces of the 2D blade to blade space (dm/
r-theta plane) follows 3 main steps:
— The generation of meridional flow paths. These flow paths define the meridional trace of the
surfaces of revolution on which the 3D mesh will be built.
— The generation of 2D meshes on the hub and shroud surfaces. This 2D generation enables
the user to control the mesh topology, as well as the grid refinement and orthogonality along
along the solid walls.
— The generation of the final 3D mesh. This generation combines the meridional flow paths
and the 2D blade to blade meshes on hub and shroud to create the mesh on surfaces of revo-
lution. The use of the conformal mapping between the 3D cartesian space and the 2D blade
to blade space ensures conservation of quality in terms of orthogonality and clustering for
each cylindrical surface mesh.
The settings used to create a mesh are controlled interactively through several dialog boxes. At the
end of the grid generation process, all the parameters can be saved in a template file. Meshes for
similar geometries can then be created automatically using this template capability.

Flow paths definition 3D mesh

Hub and Shroud meshes

FIGURE 1.1.0-2 Main steps of the grid generation

To define the geometry, simple data given in an engineering way are required in one of the follow-
ing form:
— The blade surface description.

1-2 AutoGrid4™
AutoGrid4™ GUI Overview

— The curves that define the hub and shroud surfaces of revolution.
 Additional data are also required to handle special features such as splitters and seal
leakage.
All the curves and the surfaces can be loaded from data files or created interactively.

1-2 AutoGrid4™ GUI

.
Main menu bar

Icon bar

Graphics area

Quick Access Pad

Grid parameters area Keyboard input area Viewing buttons

FIGURE 1.2.0-1 AutoGrid4™ interface

AutoGrid4™ GUI is split into several areas that can be described as follows:
• The Quick Access Pad (also called QAP) issued from IGG™. Access to QAP is not required
during normal operations with AutoGrid4™ and must be restricted to advanced use of the prod-
uct. The subpads Geometry and View can however be accessed more often to ease geometry
definition and viewing operations on the grid. The user is referred to the manual of IGG™ for a
full description of these two subpads.
• The Graphics area is divided into 4 views that control and display the mesh generation proc-
ess:
• The Meridional view (R-Z plane) used to control the flow paths.
• The XYZ view used to display the 3D mesh.

AutoGrid4™ 1-3
Overview AutoGrid4™ GUI

• The Hub and the Shroud views used to control the blade to blade mesh generation on hub
and on shroud, respectively.
The two last views are called conformal planes. The abscissa corresponds to the integral, in the
streamwise direction, of the ratio “dm/r”, where “m” is the curvilinear abscissa in the meridional
view, and “r” is the local radius; the ordinate is the angular location “theta”. This transformation is
illustrated on a basic geometry as shown on the figure below. The hub is a conical surface, the
shroud is a cylindrical surface (constant radius), both surfaces having the same rotation axis. The
blade is a cylinder such that its rotation axis is perpendicular to the hub and shroud rotation axis.
Moreover this blade is situated at mid distance between the inlet and outlet.

Leading edge
Shroud Trailing edge

Blade

Hub

FIGURE 1.2.0-2 3D view of the basic geometry

The corresponding blade to blade views resulting from the conformal transformation are shown on
the figure below:

Leading
Edge

FIGURE 1.2.0-3 Blade to blade views after the conformal transformation on hub and shroud.

1-4 AutoGrid4™
AutoGrid4™ GUI Overview

The lower left figure (zoom) is the result of the conformal transformation of the 3D curve corre-
sponding to the intersection between the hub conical surface and the blade. This curve is a planar
representation of the 3D curve. The particularity of the conformal transformation is that the angles
are conserved in comparison of the corresponding 3D surface, while the distances are not. Indeed,
the angles of the blade at pressure and suction sides respectively at the leading and trailing edges
are conserved with respect to meridional direction. One can observe that upstream part on the hub
mesh is longer that the downstream part. This is due to the radius variation of the hub. On the
shroud, the distance are conserved due to a constant radius from the inlet to the outlet boundaries.
Due to the conservation of the angles, the conformal transformation ensures that the quality of the
mesh regarding cell orthogonality will not be modified when the reverse transformation (from 2D
to XYZ coordinates) is performed. That is why the blade to blade meshes on hub and shroud sur-
faces are generated in the conformal plane.
• The Main menu bar gives access to several options of IGG™ which can be useful during the
automatic generation:
• The pull-down menu File is used to manage files, save or retrieve mesh, template or geo-
metrical entities.
• The pull-down menu Geometry is used to create geometrical entities.
• The pull-down menu Grid is used to control manually the grid generation process.
• The pull-down menu View is used to control the visualization process.
• The Grid parameters area shows very useful informations about the 3D mesh displayed in the
3D View.
• The Keyboard input area is provided to enter numerical inputs when necessary for some inter-
active operations such as drawing curves.
• The Viewing buttons are used to perform viewing manipulations on the active view (high-
lighted by a red border) such as scrolling, zooming, rotating.
The user is referred to the second chapter of the user manual dedicated to IGG™ for more details
about these views.

• The Icon bar represents the skeleton of the automatic grid generation process. Each icon corre-
sponds to one particular step of the grid generation. Each step must be performed successfully
before the next one can proceed, starting from the definition of the geometry to the stacking of
the 3D mesh. At the beginning of the process, all the icons are disabled except the Set Up icon,
thus conveying the user to define the geometry.

FIGURE 1.2.0-4 Icon bar

The Geometry & Topology Control icon opens a dialog box asking for the geome-
try definition, number of blades, choice of the topology (H,I or O,H,I), number of
grid points and refinement near the solid walls.

By clicking on the icon Streamlines Control, a dialog box is opened allowing to

control parameters defining the flow paths, which are the traces of the revolution sur-
faces from hub to shroud in the meridional plane. Further, the blade to blade meshes
will be mapped on these revolution surfaces.

AutoGrid4™ 1-5
Overview AutoGrid4™ GUI

The icon Blade to Blade Mesh Control opens a dialog box allowing to control the
blade to blade mesh on the hub and should surfaces, including the possibility to
switch from H to I topology.

The icon Blade to Blade Shape Control (H&I) opens a dialog box used to control
the shape of the inlet & outlets extensions which are the periodic faces upstream and
downstream the blade. The option is only valid for H & I topologies.

The icon 3D Mesh Generation computes the 3D mesh by stacking meshes gener-
ated on the hub and shroud surfaces.

The icon View 3D mesh allows to visualize the complete 3D case. This button acts
as a toggle (on/off).

The icon View meridional grid allows to display a meridional view of the mesh.
This button acts as a toggle (on/off).

The following page presents the general philosophy of mesh generation for turbomachinery cases
within AutoGrid4™. This includes the interaction between dialog boxes, buttons and icons from
the beginning of the process up to the saving of the mesh.

• On the left part of the scheme, the status of the icon bar corresponding to the current step of
the mesh generation is displayed. The different icons appear activated as the user is going
through the operations described on the skeleton.

• Actions carried out by the user are represented by rounded boxes.

• State resulting from previous actions are rectangular boxes.

1-6 AutoGrid4™
AutoGrid4™ GUI Overview

Modification
taken into account

Modification
taken into account
Mesh quality
not satisfying

Mesh quality
H&I Topology satisfying

volumic
negative
visualize the complete 3D mesh cells 3D mesh created
without negative cells

visualize the meridional mesh (H&I Topology) ...

...

AutoGrid4™ 1-7
Overview AutoGrid4™ GUI

1-8 AutoGrid4™
Starting AutoGrid4™ Getting Started

CHAPTER 2: Getting Started

This section describes the main steps needed to generate a grid using AutoGrid4™. As it is the first
contact with the system, it provides an easy way to learn the basic concepts used in AutoGrid4™
through a simple example of axial compressor. This tutorial will be the vital lead of this manual. It
contains several actions to be done by the user in order to create and save a mesh. These actions are
indicated by a number and are in bold format:
1. Click on the left mouse button.
2. Close the dialog box.
3. ...
 Before starting this section, it is assumed that IGG™ software is already installed
according to the instructions described in the installation note.

2-1 Starting AutoGrid4™

1. Check if the directory ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/ can be accessed from the installation CD or
if it has been successfully installed on your disk. Then start IGG™.

AutoGrid4™ is available through the main IGG™ interface. In the IGG™ main menu bar, the
menu item Modules/AutoGrid4 allows to switch from the IGG™ to AutoGrid4™ interface. The
main menu bar is updated to give access to the tools dedicated to the full automatic grid generation
for turbomachinery.

FIGURE 2.1.0-1 IGG™ main menu bar

AutoGrid4™ 2-1
Getting Started Set Up Settings

2. Select the menu item “Modules/AutoGrid4”.

FIGURE 2.1.0-2 AutoGrid4™ access

2-2 Set Up Settings

The icon Set Up opens a dialog box used to define all the global parameters needed to
create a mesh.

3. Select the icon to open the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control (if necessary).

FIGURE 2.2.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control dialog box

The dialog box Geometry & Topology Control is a notebook including 5 thumbnails:
• Geometry enables the user to define the hub, shroud and blade geometries. It is opened by
default.
• Topology enables the user to define the topology and to specify the mesh grid points distribu-
tion in all directions.
• Bulb, Seal Leakage and Propeller give access to advanced configurations including technolog-
ical effects. More details are available in chapter 4. The thumbnails Seal Leakage and Propel-
ler can only be accessed with H & I topologies.

2-2.1 Set Up Geometry

The page Geometry allows the definition of the geometrical properties and entities needed to gen-
erate the mesh restricted to the curves defining the hub and shroud, the blade surface(s) and the
number of blades.

2-2 AutoGrid4™
Set Up Settings Getting Started

4. Activate the option “Geometry Definition”

The Geometry Definition option extends the dialog box. The interactive area then gives access to
the definition of the geometrical entities.

FIGURE 2.2.1-1 Geometry Definition

There are different ways to define a geometry:

• Load a data file containing a curve defining the hub or the shroud and/or a surface entity defin-
ing the pressure/suction side or both sides of the blade (button From Data File).
• Select a curve or a surface created interactively in AutoGrid4™ (button From Selection).
• Load a geometry turbo (“.geomTurbo”) file (button Select a Geometry File). The “.geomTurbo”
files contain several geometrical entities required by AutoGrid4™. AutoGrid4™ then recog-
nizes these entities through keywords. The user is referred to chapter 3 of this manual for a more
complete description of input files.

2-2.1.1 Geometry From File (hub & suction side)

5. Press the button Select a Geometry File and select, through the file chooser, the file ../
_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/sample.geomTurbo.

FIGURE 2.2.1-2 Select a Geometry File

This file contains the definition of the suction side of the blade only. The surface is displayed in the
XYZ and meridional view. The other geometrical entities will be defined following another path as
an illustration.

Suction side

AutoGrid4™ 2-3
Getting Started Set Up Settings

6. The option “Hub” is activated by default. Press the button From Data File and select,
through the file chooser, the data file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub.dat defining
the hub curve.

FIGURE 2.2.1-3 Select Hub File

The hub curve is displayed in the meridional view.

Suction side

Hub curve

The geometrical entities that are still missing (shroud curve and pressure side surface) will now be
created interactively using the options available from IGG™.

2-2.1.2 Shroud Creation

7. Select the meridional view by clicking on it using the left mouse button.
 The active view is highlighted by a red border. From now, the actions made interactively
will always take place in the active view.
8. Select the menu item “Geometry/Draw CSpline/Free” to create the curve defining the
shroud. A message prompts the user to enter point coordinates.

9. Type the first point coordinates ( 0 0.76 0 <Enter>) in the keyboard input area. Click again
in the keyboard input area and enter the second point coordinates (1 0.76 0 <Enter>), then
right-click to end the curve creation. The new curve is displayed in yellow indicating that
it is currently activated.

2-4 AutoGrid4™
Set Up Settings Getting Started

10. Select the option “Shroud”, then press the button From Selection to associate the active
curve to the shroud of the machine.

FIGURE 2.2.1-4 Select Shroud from selection

The curves defining the limits of the meshed domain are automatically created and displayed in the
meridional view.

Inlet curve Outlet curve

2-2.1.3 Pressure Side Creation

The pressure side of the blade will be created starting from a set of 3D sections. These sections are
stored in 4 data files respectively named as ps_section1.dat, ps_section2.dat, ps_section3.dat and
ps_section4.dat. These files can be accessed from the directory ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/
.
11. Select the XYZ view by clicking on it using the left mouse button.
 The active view is highlighted by a red border. From now, the actions made interactively
will always take place in the active view.
12. Select the menu item “File/Import/IGG data” and select the file ps_section1.dat through
the file chooser in the directory ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/.
13. Repeat the step 12 to select the files ps_section2.dat, ps_section3.dat and ps_section4.dat.
The sections are displayed in the XYZ view and will be activated to create a lofted surface defining
the pressure side. In order to ease the operation, these curves will be isolated in the 3D view.

 When the blade is defined by two surfaces (pressure and suction side) the number of sec-
tions defining each surface must be equal. Except for blunt, the two curves that define a
section respectively on the suction side and on the pressure side, must be coincident at
the leading and trailing edge points.

AutoGrid4™ 2-5
Getting Started Set Up Settings

14. Select the menu item “Geometry/View/Curves” and select only the 4 last curves which cor-
respond to the 4 curves imported at previous step. Click Apply.

ps_sections 1 2 3 & 4

FIGURE 2.2.1-5 View curves defining the pressure side

As a result, four curves only are present in the 3D view.

15. Click Close to close the View Curves dialog box.
16. Select the menu item “Geometry/Select/Curves”. A message prompts you to select curves
in the XYZ view.

All the curves must be selected to create the pressure side surface. The toggle key binding <a> can
be used to select all the curves displayed in the active view:
17. Move the cursor in the graphics area and type twice <a>. This key binding acts as a toggle:
all the curves are disabled (displayed in blue) and activated (displayed in yellow).
18. Select the menu item “Geometry/Create Surface/Lofted” to create a surface interpolating
all the four selected curves.
19. Select the menu item “Geometry/Select/Surfaces”. AutoGrid4™ is waiting for surface(s)
selection in the XYZ view. Move the mouse near a curve defining the pressure side. When
it is highlighted with a blue wireframe, click and release the left mouse button to confirm
the selection. If the selection is correctly performed, the pressure side surface must be
highlighted in red. Right click on the mouse button to quit the surface selection mode.
20. Select the option “Pressure side” in the dialog box and press the button From Selection to
link the pressure side to the selected surface.

FIGURE 2.2.1-6 Select pressure side from selection

2-6 AutoGrid4™
Set Up Settings Getting Started

The geometrical entities of the machine (hub, shroud and blade) are now fully defined.

2-2.1.4 Domain Limits Interactive Control

AutoGrid4™ provides interactive control of the domain through access to the meridional view. By
default the inlet/outlet limits are defined by 2 segments that join the starting and ending points of
the hub and shroud curves. The limits of the domain at the inlet/outlet can however be moved
through displacement of markers located on the inlet/outlet segments.

Domain limits

Shroud

Inlet line Blade Outlet line

Hub

Domain Limits

FIGURE 2.2.1-7 Interactive control in the meridional view

To this end, the following operations have to be performed:

21. Select the meridional view (click and release the left mouse button inside the view).
22. Select the menu item “View/View Position...” to display the meridional view in full screen
mode. A dialog box appears. Choose the Full button and press Apply and Close to close the
dialog box.
23. Move the mouse near a marker. It becomes candidate for selection when its name appears
highlighted in red.

FIGURE 2.2.1-8 Marker used for Interactive control in the meridional view

24. Click and release the left mouse button to select it. Move it on the desired position and left
click, then click and release the right mouse button to quit the operation.
While the marker is evolving, the associated inlet or outlet curve is automatically updated.

 In some situations, the marker cannot be moved as expected. It is then required to left
click on the default orientation icon ( ) in the meridional view and finally move the
desired point.

AutoGrid4™ 2-7
Getting Started Set Up Settings

25. Move the inlet points to limit the extension of the domain at inlet as shown in the following
figure.

New inlet limits

FIGURE 2.2.1-9 Inlet interactive control in the meridional view

 The coordinates of the frontier points (R,Z) can also be specified through a dialog box.
Right-click on the mouse button opens a dialog box providing the marker is highlighted
in red, the user is then asked to enter the meridional coordinates of the new frontier point.

The inlet/outlet curves of the domain can further be modified using Cspline to form more complex
shapes. Additional control points must then be included as follows:
26. Select the menu item “Geometry/Select/Curve”. Move the mouse near the inlet curve until
it is displayed in yellow, then click and release the left mouse button to confirm the selec-
tion. Click and release the right mouse button to quit the selection mode.

Step 27

Step 28

Step 29

New inlet shape

FIGURE 2.2.1-10 Inlet shape control in the meridional view

27. Select the menu item “Geometry/Modify Curve/Add Control Point” to add a control point
to the inlet curve. Move the mouse near the middle of the inlet curve until a new control
point is displayed. Click and release the left mouse button to confirm the location of the
control point. Quit the action using the right mouse button.

2-8 AutoGrid4™
Set Up Settings Getting Started

28. Select the menu item “Geometry/View/Control Points” to view all control points for the
selected curve.
29. Select the menu item “Geometry/Modify Curve/Modify Point” to move the new control
point. Move the mouse near the new control point and click and release the left mouse but-
ton to confirm the selection. Move the point at the desired location to modify the curve
shape. Click and release the left mouse button to confirm the desired location. Quit the
action using the right mouse button.

2-2.1.5 Geometry Characteristics

Additional characteristic of the machine (and in particular the number of blades) can be accessed in
the thumbnail Geometry through the option Geometry Characteristics.
30. Activate the option “Geometry Characteristics”.

63

FIGURE 2.2.1-11 Geometry Characteristics - Number of blades

31. Enter the “Number of blades”: click in the string input area and type <63>, then <Enter>
to confirm.
Other characteristics including corners and geometrical tolerance can also be modified (refer to
chapters 4 and 5 for more details).
32. Click on the option “Geometry Characteristics” to close the area.

2-2.2 Set Up Topology

The page Topology includes a selected number of inputs required to fix the grid topology, the distri-
bution of grid points and the mesh refinement on the solid walls. The total number of points in the
domain can be checked at the bottom of the dialog box, while the data are filled in.
33. Click on the thumbnail “Topology” to open the page.
The page is divided into two major areas enabling the user to specify:
• The number of grid points in the spanwise (1), azimuthal (2) and streamwise (3) direction.
• The mesh refinement in the boundary layer defined by the first cell width near the wall and
the number of cells with constant size in the mid-flow region.
 The cells width at wall must be appropriate regarding the case and the turbulence model
that will be used for the calculation (more details in the FINE™ User Manual).

AutoGrid4™ 2-9
Getting Started Set Up Settings

(1)
(2)
(3)

(4)

FIGURE 2.2.2-1 Topology settings

34. Modify the number of points in the spanwise direction to <33> - <Enter>. The total
number of points (4) becomes equal to 140481.
spanwise 33 65 33
j
33 33
33 65 33
azimuthal i
inlet blade outlet
streamwise
k

FIGURE 2.2.2-2 Topology of the meridional mesh

 Each input must be confirmed by pressing <Enter> otherwise the input data is not taken
into account.

2-2.3 Check Geometry Orientation

When the Geometry and the Topology pages are filled in, the option Check Orientation, located
under Geometry Check in Geometry page can be activated to Yes to check the integrity of the
geometry when pressing the button Next>>.

FIGURE 2.2.3-1 Check Geometry Orientation

 The pressure and the suction side must be hub-to-shroud and streamwise oriented.

2-10 AutoGrid4™
Set Up Settings Getting Started

 The blade must necessarily be intersected by the hub and the shroud curve in the meridi-
onal view.
35. Press the button Next>>. A warning appears at the bottom of AutoGrid4™ interface:

no intersection between shroud and blade

FIGURE 2.2.3-2 Intersection problem between shroud and blade

In the example, the blade surface does not intersect the shroud curve. The difficulty can however be
overcome by using the surface editing tool available in AutoGrid4™ under the Surface Edition
option in the Geometry page.
36. Click on the thumbnail “Geometry”, then select the option “Surface Edition”. The dialog
box extends to a new area dedicated to surface edition.

FIGURE 2.2.3-3 Surface Edition - Blade Expansion

37. Type <0.1> - <Enter> in the “Expansion Shroud” input area to expand the blade by 10%
in the direction of the shroud. The blade and the shroud intersect now adequately.

FIGURE 2.2.3-4 Intersection between shroud and blade

AutoGrid4™ 2-11
Getting Started Flow Path Settings

38. Press again the button Next>>. No warning appears, indicating that an intersection has
been found.

2-3 Flow Path Settings

The grid generation is based on surfaces of revolution on which the grid will be mapped.
AutoGrid4™ computes default flow paths using the hub and the shroud definition and the number
of grid points specified in the spanwise direction. A dialog box, dedicated to the definition of the
flow paths settings is made available, as the second step of the grid generation process. The dialog
box is automatically opened when the Next>> button is pressed in the Geometry & Topology Con-
trol dialog box. It can also be accessed using the second icon located in the icon bar.

FIGURE 2.3.0-1 Streamlines Control dialog box

The definition of the flow paths can be controlled through the Streamlines Control dialog box if
necessary (refer to section 5-2 for more details).

FIGURE 2.3.0-2 Default flow paths

39. Select the menu item “View/View Position” to reset the meridional view position to origi-
nal. The dialog box windowsPositionIGG is opened. Press the toggle button Original, then
Apply to retrieve the 4 views layout and close the dialog box.
40. Press the button Next>> in the Streamlines Control dialog box. This will enter the third
step of the grid generation process dedicated to the generation and the control of the mesh
in the blade-to-blade planes at hub and shroud.

2-12 AutoGrid4™
Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control Getting Started

2-4 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control

Once the flow paths are correctly defined, AutoGrid4™ generates automatically the blade to blade
mesh at hub and shroud.

Hub and Shroud

mesh

FIGURE 2.4.0-1 Blade to blade views settings

Default settings can however be modified through an adequate Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog
box. The dialog box can also be accessed using the third icon located in the icon bar.

FIGURE 2.4.0-2 Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box

 Providing H&I mesh topology is selected, inlet and outlet extension of the mesh on the
hub and shroud views can additionally be controlled. The surfaces and curves defining
the extension are controlled by imposing the angles, the number of control points and the
size of the domain. In the present example, the default settings are sufficient to generate
a good quality mesh. Access to these advanced parameters must be restricted to complex

AutoGrid4™ 2-13
Getting Started Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control

unusual configuration. The extension control is only accessible through the icon
Blade-to-Blade Shape Control (H&I).

41. .Press the icon located at the center bottom of the interface . This icon allows the user
to size the “black” view to full screen. Additional click(s) on the icon switch to the counter
clockwise representations. Click until the shroud blade to blade view is displayed on the
entire graphics area.

FIGURE 2.4.0-3 Zoom in the leading edge

2-4.1 Streamwise Clustering Control

42. Move the mouse near the leading edge until the control point is highlighted in red and
click the right mouse button. A dialog box is opened to control the leading edge clustering.
Modify the value to <5.10-5> for example and press <Enter>. The mesh clustering is auto-
matically updated and displayed in the hub view when pressing on Apply in the Blade-to-
Blade Mesh Control.Close the dialog box.

Right-Click

FIGURE 2.4.1-1 Clustering at the leading edge

 When imposing the clustering at the trailing or the leading edge, the Blade-to-Blade
Mesh Control dialog box needs to be closed otherwise the clustering imposed will not be
applied.
The orthogonality criterion is automatically controlled near the walls. Furthermore, the boundary
layer of the mesh can be controlled in the dialog box Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control.

2-14 AutoGrid4™
Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control Getting Started

43. Press the icon located at the center bottom of the interface . This icon allows the user
to size the “black” view to full screen. Additional click(s) on the icon switch to the counter
clockwise representations. Click until the hub blade to blade view is displayed on the
entire graphics area.
44. Activate “Mesh” option to open a new area.

FIGURE 2.4.1-2 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control

45. Type <0.0250> - <Enter> in the input area “Hub Orthogonality” to impose orthogonality
on the hub starting from the solid walls over a distance of 1.25% of the pitchwise angle in
each side of the blade. Press on Apply to generate the blade to blade mesh with increased
orthogonality.
46. Zoom in the leading edge of the hub.

P itchw ise
A ngle

FIGURE 2.4.1-3 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control - Hub Orthogonality

47. Close the dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh Control.

48. Select the menu item “View/View Position”. Select button Original in the dialog box, then
press Apply. The hub is displayed at the bottom left of the entire graphics area. Close the
dialog box.

AutoGrid4™ 2-15
Getting Started 3D Mesh Generation

2-5 3D Mesh Generation

When the blade to blade mesh is created, the 3D mesh can be computed by stacking.
This icon is used to activate the 3D mesh generation. Depending upon mesh density
and computer facilities, this operation can take from few seconds to few minutes in
order to compute accurately the surface-surface intersections defining the periodic
faces of the mesh.
49. Press the icon to compute the 3D mesh and confirm (yes)
At the end of the generation, the quality of the mesh is automatically checked and an information
window is displayed.

FIGURE 2.5.0-1 Quality check window

50. Press Close

 The first check informs the user about the number of multigrid levels available. The sec-
ond and third checks are related to the number of possible negative cells respectively
performed with double and simple precision (accuracy). As the flow solver EURANUS
is running in single precision, the user needs to modify grid settings if the third check
informs about the presence of negative cells. The final checks concern respectively the
orthogonality, the aspect ratio and the expansion ratio criteria.

2-5.1 View XYZ Mesh

This icon can be used to display a 3D view of the mesh using surface rendering. It acts
as a toggle.

51. Press this icon and fit the view using the adequate
viewing buttons.

2-16 AutoGrid4™
Save Project Getting Started

2-5.2 View Meridional Mesh

This icon can be used to display the mesh in the meridional view. It acts as a toggle.
52.Press this icon.

2-6 Save Project

2-6.1 Save Template
Once the mesh has been generated, the underlying parameters required for the generation can be
saved in a template file (“.trb”). This file will be used in the next coming sections of this manual to
create meshes on similar configurations. The information related to the geometry definition is saved
simultaneously in a “.geomTurbo” file.
53. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters. A file chooser
prompts the user to enter a name for the template file. Set the directory to a location with
user writing permissions ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/ and enter the name sample.trb, then
press the button Save.

2-6.2 Save Mesh

54. Select the menu item “File/Save Grid As...” to save the mesh. A file chooser prompts the
user to enter a name for the mesh file. Enter the name sample.igg, then press the button
Save.
 The “.igg”, “.cgns”, “.bcs”, “.geom” and “.meridional” files are now created (see IGG™
User Manual for more details). The “.meridional” file is containing flow paths coordi-
nates that will be required by CFView™ for turbo post-treatment.

AutoGrid4™ 2-17
Getting Started Save Project

2-18 AutoGrid4™
Introduction Geometry Definition

CHAPTER 3: Geometry Definition

3-1 Introduction
AutoGrid4™ uses geometry files as an input. These files can be of two different types:
— Geometry files containing one geometrical entity (a curve or a surface). These files are linked to
a part of the turbomachinery using the Geometry Definition option (2) of the dialog box Geom-
etry & Topology Control.
— Geometry turbo files (“.geomTurbo” extension) containing one or more geometrical entities
linked to a part of the turbomachinery. Each entity is identified using a key word. These files are
loaded using the button Select a Geometry File (1) in the dialog box Geometry & Topology Con-
trol.

(1)

(2)

FIGURE 3.1.0-1 Geometrical input in the Set Up and Check Dialog Box

AutoGrid4™ 3-1
Geometry Definition Geometry Turbo Files

3-2 Geometry Turbo Files

A geometry turbo file contains the curves defining the hub and the shroud and the surface(s) defin-
ing the blade in ASCII form. The file begins with a file header that defines the version of
AutoGrid4™. The file header is followed by a set of sections including the data.
These sections begin with one of the following keywords:
• GEOMETRY TURBO VERSION 3.7 (file header)
• HUB
• SHROUD
• PRESSURE
• SUCTION
• BLADE
• PRESSURE_SPLITTER
• SUCTION_SPLITTER
• SPLITTER

 Any line that begins with a pound sign "#" is treated as a comment and is thus ignored.

 For flexibility in the definition of curves and surfaces, AutoGrid4™ enables the use of
various data format (i.e lofted surface, wireframe surface, polyline, cspline,...).

Example of geometry file.

GEOMETRY TURBO VERSION 3.7 file header
SHROUD keyword
XYZ coordinate system
33 number of data points
-6.110668045235748E-02 -9.146569632432408E-02 -1.500000000000000E-01
shroud definition
data points
-6.164062878388058E-02 -9.110508113758986E-02 -1.318785994485903E-01
... XYZ coordinates
1.870200285715335E-01 2.345167079826371E-01 -1.499999999999987E-02

PRESSURE keywords
SECTIONAL
7
number of sections
#section 1 key word
XYZ coordinate system
number of data points blade pressure side
33
-9.596753865480423E-02 5.402636900544167E-02 -6.359002739191055E-02 data points section 1 definition
-9.596848050600396E-02 5.402818010686742E-02 -6.357013301720424E-02 XYZ definition
... coordinates
1.929917335510254E-01 5.200180411338806E-02 -1.499999966472387E-02
#section 2
...
#section 7
XYZ
33 section 7
-6.596940755844116E-02 3.699005395174026E-02 -3.809957997873425E-03 definition
-6.598514228111053E-02 3.699632879898725E-02 -3.799328663116449E-03
...
1.929214894771576E-01 5.196809023618698E-02 1.499999966472387E-02

 Only a partial view of this file is given: the "..." indicates that data are omitted in this
area.

3-2 AutoGrid4™
Geometry Turbo Files Geometry Definition

3-2.1 HUB & SHROUD Definition

HUB and SHROUD keywords are selected to provide definition of the hub and shroud curves
respectively, each geometrical entity being defined as a single curve. The curve must be defined
from the inlet to the outlet of the turbomachinery.
Hub and shroud curves can be either included in the preparation of a “.geomTurbo” file (so called
internal data), or imported as an external data file (so called external data). The underlying formats
can be summarized as follows:

Format Type File Type

Set of data points Internal/External
All IGG™ curve formats. External

The information is provided using the following format:

Internal curve defined by set of data point External curve defined in a data file
coordinate_system EXTERNAL
number_of_data_points file_name
data_point_coordinates

An example of a hub definition, provided in the form of a set of data points is provided here below:

HUB keyword for the hub

ZR coordinate system
3 number of data points
1.2 2.3
1.3 2.4 coordinates of 3 data points (Z,R)
1.4 2.5

External data curves are recognized by the use of the EXTERNAL keyword following the HUB or
SHROUD key word.
An example of a hub definition, provided in the form of an external curve stored in the data file
“hub.dat”, is provided here below:

HUB keyword for the hub

EXTERNAL keyword for external file
hub.dat name of external file

 The data file name can be given using relative or absolute path.

 See section 3-2.3 for the definition of the curve formats.

3-2.2 PRESSURE, SUCTION & BLADE Definition

PRESSURE, SUCTION and BLADE keywords are selected to provide definition of the surfaces
that form the blade.
The keyword BLADE requires the blade surface to be defined as a unique surface, including both
pressure and suction sides. The keywords PRESSURE and SUCTION require the blade surface to
be defined as two separate surfaces, defining respectively the pressure and suction sides.

AutoGrid4™ 3-3
Geometry Definition Geometry Turbo Files

 The pressure and suction sides of the blade must be defined from the leading edge to
the trailing edge and from the hub to the shroud.

 The surfaces that define the pressure and suction sides are formed with set of curves
called sections. The sections must share common points at the leading and trailing edge
of the blade, except if the blade is presenting a blunt.

 The blade must be defined from/to the trailing edge and from the hub to the shroud.

 In case the leading edge of the blade is blunt, the blade surface must be defined using
PRESSURE and SUCTION keywords.
Sections and surfaces can either be included in the preparation of a “.geomTurbo” file (so called
internal data) or imported as an external data file (so called external data). The underlying formats
can be summarized as follows:

Format Type File Type Keyword

Set of section curves Internal/External SECTIONAL
IGG™ lofted surface External SECTIONAL SISL
IGG™ wireframe External WIREFRAME

External data surfaces are recognized by the use of the EXTERNAL keyword, in one of the follow-
ing form:
1. An example of a surface defined by a set of sections provided in the form of internal and
external (suction_1.dat, suction_2.dat) data curves, is provided below:
SUCTION keyword for the suction side
SECTIONAL
3 number of sections: 3 sections
#section 1 1st section defined by external file
EXTERNAL (close to the hub)
suction_1.dat
#section 2 2nd section defined by external file
EXTERNAL
suction_2.dat
#section 3
XYZ 3rd section defined by 33 points
33
-9.596753865480423E-02 5.402636900544167E-02 -6.359002739191055E-02
specified in Cartesian coordinates
-9.596848050600396E-02 5.402818010686742E-02 -6.357013301720424E-02
from leading to trailing edge
... (close to the shroud)
1.929917335510254E-01 5.200180411338806E-02 -1.499999966472387E-02

2. An example of a surface defined by a lofted surface provided in the form of an external sur-
face stored in the data file pressure.dat, is provided here below:
PRESSURE keyword for the pressure side
SECTIONAL SISL defined by external lofted surface
EXTERNAL
pressure.dat name of the data file

3. An example of a surface defined by a wireframe surface provided in the form of an external

surface stored in the data file pressure.dat, is provided here below:
PRESSURE keyword for the pressure side
WIREFRAME defined by external wireframe surface
EXTERNAL

3-4 AutoGrid4™
Geometry Turbo Files Geometry Definition

pressure.dat name of the data file

The user is referred to section 3-2.4 for the definition of the surface formats.

Besides format description, as discussed in the above part, the following options can be considered
in order to close the blade geometry using a cspline curve technique. The options are however
restricted to situations when either the leading or trailing edge are left undefined. To do so, the fol-
lowing can be added in the sections PRESSURE or SUCTION.
• [blend_inlet [nb_pt expan_ratio]]: providing the leading edge of the blade is not defined, the
user can add the key word blend_inlet to define automatically a rounded leading edge using a c-
spline curve that connects the pressure and suction sides of the blade. The parameters nb_pt and
expan_ratio respectively represent the number of points selected to define the blend curve and
the relative expansion size of the curve edge relative to the distance between the suction and
pressure sides of the leading edge. Example: SUCTION blend_inlet 10 1.2
• [blend_outlet [nb_pt expan_ratio]]: providing the trailing edge of the blade is not defined, the
user can add the key word blend_outlet to define automatically a rounded trailing edge using a
c-spline curve that connects the pressure and suction sides of the blade. The parameters nb_pt
and expan_ratio respectively represent the number of points selected to define the blend curve
and the relative expansion size of the curve edge relative to the distance between the suction and
pressure sides of the trailing edge. Example: SUCTION blend_outlet 12 1.1
• [blend_inlet_outlet [nb_pt expan_ratio] [nb_pt expan_ratio]]: providing both the leading and
trailing edge of the blade are not defined, blend_inlet and blend_outlet optional key words can
be concatenated into a single blend_inlet_outet key word. blend_inlet_outlet enables to define
automatically the edges using a c-spline curve that connects the pressure and suction sides of the
blade. See blend_inlet and blend_outlet for the definition of parameters nb_pt and
expan_ratio. Example: SUCTION blend_inlet_outlet 10 1.2 12 1.1

When the surfaces defining the blade are physically ruled and that the blade is defined through a set
of sections within the “.geomTurbo” file, user must take care to select the same number of points to
define each section. In addition, the points must be distributed equally along the section. The latter
constraint can be activated using the keyword uniform_parametrization.
Example:
S e c t io n 2
Section_1
XYZ uniform_parametrization SH R O U D x
36 x
0.5 0.3 0.1 x x
...
Section_2
XYZ uniform_parametrization x
36 x
x x S e c t io n 1

0.55 0.35 0.11

HUB W ith o u t u n if o r m p a r a m e tr iz a tio n
...
W ith u n if o r m p a r a m e tr iz a tio n

3-2.3 Curve Data Format

Several formats can be selected in the definition of curve in AutoGrid4™. They can be included
either in the preparation of a “.geomTurbo” file (so called internal data), or imported as an external
data file (so called external data). The formats can be summarized as follows.

AutoGrid4™ 3-5
Geometry Definition Geometry Turbo Files

3-2.3.1 Set of Data Points

The information is then provided using the following format:

Internal set of data points External set of data points

coordinate_system # title
number_of_data_points [options] coordinate_system [options]
data_point_coordinates number_of_data_points
data_point_coordinates

Selection of the underlying coordinate system can be controlled through the keyword
coordinate_system as follows:
• 3D Cartesian coordinate system (XYZ keyword). The Cartesian coordinates of each point that
defines the curve are then provided.
Example:
#section 3 3rd section defined by 33 points
XYZ specified in Cartesian coordinates
33
-9.596753865480423E-02 5.402636900544167E-02 -6.359002739191055E-02 coordinates of 1st point (leading edge)
-9.596848050600396E-02 5.402818010686742E-02 -6.357013301720424E-02 coordinates of 2nd point
...
1.929917335510254E-01 5.200180411338806E-02 -1.499999966472387E-02 coordinates of 33rd point (trailing edge)
• Meridional coordinate system (RZ or ZR keywords). R is defined as the radius and Z represents
the rotation axes.
Example:
HUB keyword for the hub
ZR coordinate system
3 number of data points
1.2 2.3
1.3 2.4 coordinates of 3 data points (Z,R)
1.4 2.5
• 3D cylindrical system (THRZ, THZR, RTHZ, RZTH, ZRTH, ZTHR, R*THZ or ZR*TH
keywords). TH, R and Z respectively represent the angle in degree (or radian), the radius and
the rotation axis coordinates. The cylindrical coordinates can be provided in different ways,
using permutations [Example: ZRTH means that the points are entered in cylindrical coordi-
nates in Z, R and TH order). For the two last key words (R*THZ or ZR*TH), the option must
include the R value: R*THZ R= 3.2].
Geometrical definition of the curves can additionally be controlled through the keywords polyline:
(a polyline is drawn between each point) and degree (angles are assured to be degree). By default,
curves are generated using cspline technique and angles are defined in radian. These keywords
must be written after the coordinate system keyword. Example: RTHZ polyline degree.

 In all these systems, the rotation axis must coincide with the Z direction in the coordinate
system.
To complete the definition, the keywords number_of_data_points and data_points_coordinates
must be selected to respectively define the number of points that discretize the curve and the coor-
dinates of each of these points (see above examples).

3-2.3.2 IGG™ Curve Format

The information is then provided through definition of a polyline, b-spline, c-spline. The user is
referred to the IGG™ User Manual for more details on these options. It is however interesting to

3-6 AutoGrid4™
Geometry Turbo Files Geometry Definition

notice that the curve data files created by IGG™ can also be used as external data file input for
AutoGrid4™.
In addition, several definitions can be stored in one external data file using the menu item File/
Export/Geometry Selection that allows the capture of discontinuities in curves. AutoGrid4™ then
creates a composite curve while freezing the discontinuities at the boundaries of the stored curves.

3-2.4 Surface Data Format

Several formats can be selected in the definition of surface in AutoGrid4™. They can be included
either in the preparation of a “.geomTurbo” file (so called internal data), or imported as an external
data file (so called external data). The formats can be summarized as follows.

3-2.4.1 Set of Sectional Curves

Sectional curves are recognized by the keyword SECTIONAL. Each curve is then defined either
through a set of data points or IGG™ curve formats. The user is referred to section 3.2-3 for more
details on these formats.
The following constraints must however be applied:

 The pressure and the suction sides of the blade must be defined from the leading edge
to the trailing edge and from the hub to the shroud.

 The surfaces that define the pressure and suction sides are formed with set of curves
called sections. The sections must share common points at the leading and trailing edge
of the blade, except if the blade is presenting blunt.

 If the blade is defined by one single surface, the blade must be defined from the trailing
edge and from the hub to the shroud.
The underlying formats for the definition of a surface using sectional curves can be summarized as
follows:

Format
SUCTION (Keyword)
SECTIONAL (Keyword)
nb_curve (Number of curve sections)
# section 1
curve_section (curve section 1)
# section 2
curve_section (curve section 2)
...
# section nb_curve
curve_section (curve section nb_curve)

 Any line that begins with a pound sign ’#’ is treated as a comment and is thus ignored.
Example:

SUCTION
SECTIONAL keyword for the suction side
3 number of sections: 3 sections
#SECTION 1
EXTERNAL 1st section defined by external file
_data/suction_1.dat
#SECTION 2 (close to the hub)

AutoGrid4™ 3-7
Geometry Definition Geometry Turbo Files

EXTERNAL
_data/suction_2.dat 2nd section defined by external file
#SECTION 3
EXTERNAL
_data/suction_3.dat 3rd section defined by external file
(close to the shroud)

3-2.4.2 IGG™ Lofted Surface

Besides sectional curves, surfaces can also be defined using lofted capabilities, as they are available
IGG™. The operation can be achieved using the menu item Geometry/Create Surface/Lofted. A
set of curves are required as an input. The underlying format for the definition of a surface using
lofted surface as an external data file can be summarized as follows:

Format
PRESSURE (Keyword)
SECTIONAL SISL (Keyword)
EXTERNAL
Data_file_name

Example:
PRESSURE
SECTIONAL SISL keyword for the pressure side
EXTERNAL keyword for lofted surface
pressure.dat keyword for external data file
name of the data file

The following operations detail on how to proceed to generate a lofted surface and define the pres-
sure side of a blade, starting from a set of 4 curves. The sample files are stored in the directory ../
_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry.
1. Select in IGG™ or in 3D view in AutoGrid4™, the menu item “File/Import/IGG data”
and select the file ps_section1.dat through the file chooser in the directory ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry.
2. Repeat the step 1 to select the files ps_section2.dat, ps_section3.dat and ps_section4.dat.
As a result, four curves displayed in the 3D view.
3. Select the menu item “Geometry/Select/Curves”. A message prompts the user to select
curves in the XYZ view.

All the curves must be adequately selected from the hub to the shroud to create the pressure side
surface. The toggle key binding <a> can be used to select all the curves displayed in the active view
because there were imported from hub to shroud.
4. Move the cursor in the graphics area and type twice <a>. This key binding acts as a toggle:
all the curves are disabled (displayed in blue) and activated (displayed in yellow).
5. Select the menu item “Geometry/Create Surface/Lofted” to create a surface interpolating
all the four selected curves.
6. Select the menu item “Geometry/Select/Surfaces”. AutoGrid4™ is now waiting for sur-
face(s) selection in the XYZ view. Move the mouse near a curve defining the pressure side.
When it is highlighted with a blue wireframe, click and release the left mouse button to

3-8 AutoGrid4™
Geometry Turbo Files Geometry Definition

confirm the selection. If the selection is correctly performed, the pressure side surface
must be highlighted in red. Right click on the mouse button to quit the surface selection
mode.
7. Select the menu item “File/Export/Geometry Selection” to create a lofted surface data file
that can be used as an external data file.

FIGURE 3.2.4-1 IGG™ Lofted Surface

3-2.4.3 IGG™ Wireframe Surface

Finally, besides sectional curves, surfaces can also be defined using wireframe capabilities, as they
are available IGG™. The underlying format for the definition of a surface using wireframe surface
as an external data file can be summarized as follows:

Format
PRESSURE (Keyword)
WIREFRAME (Keyword)
EXTERNAL
Data_file_name

Example:
PRESSURE SIDE keyword for the pressure side
WIREFRAME keyword for wireframe surface
EXTERNAL keyword for external data file
pressure.dat name of the data file

The following operations detail on how to proceed to generate a wireframe surface and define the
pressure side of a blade, starting from a set of 4 curves. The sample files are stored in the directory
../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry.
1. Select in IGG™, the menu item “File/Import/IGG data” and select the file ps_section1.dat
through the file chooser in the directory ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry.
2. Repeat the step 1 to select the files ps_section2.dat, ps_section3.dat and ps_section4.dat.
As a result, four curves displayed in the 3D view.

3. Select in the Quick Access Pad, the menu item “Grid/Create/Insert New Face” ( ) in
order to map a face mesh on the imported curves. A message prompts the user to set the
first corner and then the opposite corner.

AutoGrid4™ 3-9
Geometry Definition Geometry Turbo Files

The corners of the face have to be set in order to have J in the spanwise direction (from hub to
shroud) and I in the streamwise direction (from inlet to outlet).
4. Select in the Quick Access Pad, the menu item “Grid/Insert/Edit/Insert Internal Grid
Line” ( ) in order to add two internal grid lines on the face that will be moved to map
the two intermediate curves ps_section2.dat and ps_section3.dat. The user is referred to the
IGG™ User Manual for more details on how to define internal grid lines.
5. Select the menu item “Grid/Grid Settings” to increase the number of points in both direc-
tions. The user is referred to the IGG™ User Manual for more details on how to adapt the
number of nodes on a surface.

5. Select in the Quick Access Pad, the menu item “Grid/Insert/Edit/Cluster Points” ( ) in
order to adapt the points distribution in both directions The user is referred to the IGG™
User Manual for more details on how to adapt the nodes distribution on a surface.
6. Select the menu item “File/Export/Face Coor...” to create a wireframe surface data file
that can be used as an external data file.

I
J

FIGURE 3.2.4-2 IGG™ Wireframe Surface

3-10 AutoGrid4™
 Mesh Generation

CHAPTER 4: Mesh Generation

In the chapter 2, you have learnt the way used to create a H-Topology mesh within AutoGrid4™.
This chapter will explain how to handle more complex mesh configurations through examples
derived from the template file sample.trb created at the end of the chapter 2. These new configura-
tions include:
1. Blade to blade mesh control & I-mesh;
2. Mesh with tip clearance;
3. Mesh with hub clearance;
4. HOH mesh for highly-staggered blade;
5. Blade with blunt leading edge and/or blunt trailing edge;
6. Mesh with splitter blade;
7. Mesh with a bulb;
8. Mesh around a propeller;
9. Mesh with seal leakage defined at the shroud;
10. Mesh with seal leakage connected to the outlet hub;
11. Mesh with discontinuities on the hub and on the shroud.

The geometry files used to create the mesh can be found in the directory ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/.

AutoGrid4™ 4-1
Mesh Generation Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology

4-1 Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology

4-1.1 I-Topology

N points inlet 1 > N points inlet 2

Periodic non-matching side 1

boundaries

side 2 Periodic matching

boundaries
N point outlet 1 = N points outlet 2

The clustering are projected

on the opposite side (*)

By default, AutoGrid4™ creates H-meshes ensuring matching nodes on the periodic boundaries
(See chapter 2). For some configurations (highly staggered blade), non matching boundaries (I
topology) are more appropriate. When the blade to blade meshes are set up in both hub and shroud
views, the dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh Control gives access to the parameters used to control
the blade to blade meshes. It can be opened using the icon .

(1)
(2)

(3)

FIGURE 4.1.1-1 Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box

• (1) The option Points Distribution gives access to the parameters used to control the I-mesh
definition.
• (2) The option Mesh gives access to the parameter Blade-to-Blade Smoothing Step useful
when negative cell volumes have been generated. Default is 20 (the mesh can be smoothed
using an elliptic solver if this parameter is greater than 0) and defines the number of iteration to
be done by the solver. Furthermore it gives access to the parameters used to control the blade to
blade meshes in the azimuthal direction (cell width, orthogonality,...). Finally, it gives access to
the Const.-Z Line used to define control points in the meridional (ZR) view. These points can
be located on the hub and/or on the shroud. A streamwise mesh index, associated to each point,
defines the location of an azimuthal circular grid line.
• (3) The option Expert gives access to the Streamwise Clustering parameters used to control
the number of cells of constant length on the inlet, on the blade and on the outlet.

4-2 AutoGrid4™
Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology Mesh Generation

The following steps describe how to create an I-mesh.

1. Start AutoGrid4™ and select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sam-
ple.trb created in the chapter 2.
2. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.
3. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Streamlines Control.
4. Select the option “Points Distribution” in the dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh Control.

FIGURE 4.1.1-2 Blade to Blade Mesh Control - Points Distribution

5. Display the hub view in full mode by the menu item “View/View Position”, activate Full
and click Apply after left-clicking on the hub view (red border).

PERIODIC MATCHING BOUNDARIES

Same number of points at the
Inlet on the pressure and the suction sides
inlet 1= inlet 2= 33

Same number of points at the

outlet on the pressure and the
suction side
outlet 1 = outlet 2 = 33

FIGURE 4.1.1-3 H-mesh topology - default mesh topology

6. Move the mouse on the trailing or leading edge. Labels appear indicating the Leading
Edges 1&2 and the Trailing Edges1&2. The side 1 and side 2 used in the terminology are
identified.

AutoGrid4™ 4-3
Mesh Generation Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology

SIDE 1

SIDE 2

FIGURE 4.1.1-4 Sides identification.

7. Increase the number of points at inlet 1 to 49 and at outlet 2 to 49 and reduce the number
of points at inlet 2 and at outlet 1 to 25 to obtain an I-mesh topology configuration. Left
click on the appropriated boundary (highlighted in red) - change the value - <Enter>.
Press the button Apply to compute the new grid point distribution.

outlet 1 = 25
projection of the clustering

outlet 2 = 49
inlet 1 = 49

inlet 2 = 25

FIGURE 4.1.1-5 I-mesh topology

The grid points clustering at the leading edge 1 & trailing edge 1 have been projected on the side 2
as well as the clustering at the leading edge 2 & trailing edge 2 on the side 1. By default, the projec-
tion is done in order to minimize the distance between two opposite grid points (I-projection). New

4-4 AutoGrid4™
Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology Mesh Generation

control points are added in the view. These points can be selected and moved to change the location
of the projection. In addition the user can open a dialog box by clicking on the right mouse button
on the control point to change the projected clustering expansion ratio.

Right-click

FIGURE 4.1.1-6 Projection Point Clustering Control

 When an I-mesh is defined, the nodes of the tip clearance block (presented in section 3-
4) and the blade-to-blade block are non-matching excepted if the number of cells are
equals on both sides of the blade. This is the case if inlet 1= outlet2 and inlet 2=outlet 1
(symmetrical I-Mesh). In this case the tip clearance block can be ’matching’ by activat-
ing the parameter Try To Make Matching Mesh of the dialog box Streamlines Control.

4-1.2 Streamwise Clustering Control

8. Click on the hub or shroud blade to blade view in order to activate it. Move the mouse
near the leading edge until the control point is highlighted in red and click on the right
mouse button. A dialog box indicating the cell length allows the user to change it. For
example, if the user estimates that the number of points is insufficient to capture correctly
the leading edge, he has to reduce the cell length by right clicking on the leading edge
point, changing the value and <Enter>. The mesh clustering is automatically updated and
displayed in the hub view when pressing on Apply in the Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control dia-
log box. Close the dialog box.

FIGURE 4.1.2-1 Clustering at the leading edge

9. Move the mouse near the projection of the leading edge 1 (when I-topology) until the con-
trol point is highlighted in red and click and release the right mouse button. A dialog box
allows to change the projected clustering expansion ratio. The default value is 1. An
increase of this value stretches out the projected clustering and vice versa (Note that this
value can not be negative). The mesh clustering is automatically updated and displayed in
the hub view when pressing on Apply in the Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control dialog box. Close
the dialog box.
 When imposing the clustering at the trailing or the leading edge, the Blade-to-Blade
Mesh Control dialog box has to be closed.

AutoGrid4™ 4-5
Mesh Generation Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology

10. Activate the option “Expert/Streamwise Clustering” of the Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control
dialog box.

(1)

(2)

Cell size

Constant cells

FIGURE 4.1.2-2 Streamwise Clustering Expert Control

The control of the constant cells and the cell sizes near the leading edge and the trailing edge can be
done through the normalized parameters of this area. The constant cell ratios (1) can be defined
from 0 to 1 (the cell size ratios must be positive) and corresponds to the streamwise area where the
cell size will be set constant (i.e. if the Hub Inlet Cst Cells Ratio is set to 0.6666667, 2/3 of the
hub inlet starting from the inlet will be covered by constant size cells and 1/3 will be covered by
decreasing cell size until the hub leading edge cell size is reached). When new values have been
specified, the Apply button must be pressed to update the streamwise distribution.
When an I-mesh is defined, all the nodes of the periodic boundaries are non-matching. When
shocks must be detected, it can be very useful to define locally a matching mesh near the leading
and/or the trailing edge. The parameters Matching Points at Leading Edge and Matching Points
at Trailing Edge (2) allow the user to control how much cells have to match upstream and down-
stream the blade.

 Each time a parameter belonging to Streamwise Clustering area is modified, the button
Apply must be pressed to confirm the modification.

4-1.3 Azimuthal Control of the Mesh - Boundary Layer.

11. Press Apply to compute the streamwise clustering.
12. Display the shroud blade to blade view in full mode.

4-6 AutoGrid4™
Blade To Blade Mesh Control & I-Topology Mesh Generation

FIGURE 4.1.3-1 I-mesh defined on the shroud

13. Select option “Mesh” in the dialog box Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control to open the area dedi-
cated to the boundary layer and smoothing control. The orthogonality at the walls can be
controlled as well as the blade to blade clustering:

FIGURE 4.1.3-2 Mesh Control - Azimuthal Constant Cells

14. Change the parameter “Azimuthal Constant Cells” to 4.

15. Press Apply to compute the blade to blade mesh.

10 azimuthal constant cells 4 azimuthal constant cells

blade cell width blade cell width

FIGURE 4.1.3-3 Blade to blade with 4 constant cells

AutoGrid4™ 4-7
Mesh Generation Mesh with Tip Clearance

4-1.4 Negative Volumes Detected - Multiblock Smoother

• When the button Apply is pressed, a scanning of the hub and the shroud surface meshes is per-
formed to detect existing overlapping cells.
• At the end of the 3D mesh generation, a scanning of the 3D mesh is performed to detect nega-
tive cell volumes and mesh quality.

If the user needs to suppress some negative cells, an elliptic smoother is recommended during the
3D generation, keeping the cell size at the solid wall, using the parameter Blade-to-Blade Smooth-
ing Step (by default set at 20) combined with the activation of the Multiblock Smoother located
on the top of the Mesh area in the Blade to Blade Mesh dialog box. The multiblock smoother pre-
serves the size of first cell and orthogonality while enhancing mesh continuity between blocks.

FIGURE 4.1.4-1 Multiblock Smoother

 If one or several blade to blade smoothing steps are specified, this applies to each span-
wise blade to blade mesh.

16. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...”. A file chooser prompts you to enter a
name for the template file. Set the directory to ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/ and enter the name
sample_imesh.trb, then press the button Save.

4-2 Mesh with Tip Clearance

When the geometry is unshrouded, the gap between the tip of the blade and the shroud is meshed
using an additional block. The flow paths must be adapted to capture the tip gap region. This can be
done in the dialog box Streamlines Control.
1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary)
2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
3. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.
The flow paths are created and displayed. The dialog box dedicated to the flow paths control is
opened. It gives access to the tip clearance control area.

4-8 AutoGrid4™
Mesh with Tip Clearance Mesh Generation

4. Activate the option “Tip Clearance”. A new area is opened:

FIGURE 4.2.0-1 Tip clearance control

5. Activate the option “On” to activate the tip clearance.

The tip clearance block is described by the number of points in the spanwise direction, the number
of points in the azimuthal direction and the shape of the tip of the blade. The tip can be defined by a
curve or by giving a width at the leading edge and at the trailing edge of the blade.
6. Increase the spanwise and the azimuthal number of points of the tip clearance to 13 -
<Enter>.

(*) (*) (**) (**)

13 grid points

33-13+1=21 grid points

Zoom on the spanwise clustering
of the tip gap

FIGURE 4.2.0-2 Tip Gap definition

AutoGrid4™ 4-9
Mesh Generation Mesh with Tip Clearance

7. Change the “Tip Clearance Width at Leading Edge” parameter to 0.01-<Enter> and the
“Tip Clearance Width at Trailing Edge” parameter to 0.01-<Enter>, activate to “No” both
parameters “Reset Distribution at Inlet” and “Reset Distribution at Outlet”, then press
the button Apply.
The flow paths are by default uniform along the spanwise direction in the tip gap (Figure 4.2.0-2).
The grid points distribution along the spanwise direction at the leading edge and at the inlet are not
the same (*).
8. Activate to “Yes” both parameters “Reset Distribution at Inlet” and “Reset Distribution at
Outlet” to have the same spanwise grid points distribution at the inlet and at the leading
edge as well as the same distribution at the outlet and the trailing edge.

9. Press the Apply button to update the new settings.

FIGURE 4.2.0-3 Spanwise distribution adapted at the inlet and at the outlet

The shape of the tip can also be defined using a curve and this last curve will be saved in the geom-
etry turbo (“.geomTurbo”) file.

Step 11

Step 10

FIGURE 4.2.0-4 Tip Gap definition - Data File

4-10 AutoGrid4™
Mesh with Tip Clearance Mesh Generation

10. Activate the option “Tip Definition” and the button to select the file ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry/tip.dat. The curve defining the tip is displayed into the meridional
view.
 AutoGrid4™ imposes that the flow path defining the tip (i.e. flow path 21) contains all
points belonging to the tip curve in the meridional view. As a consequence, the begin-
ning and the end of the tip curve does not necessarily match the leading and the trailing
edge of the blade. The tip leading and trailing edge points are the intersection between
the flow path defining the tip (i.e. flow path 21) and the upstream and downstream part
of the blade surfaces (pressure and suction side), respectively.
The number of points used to define the flow paths is currently equal to 65. It must be increased to
200 to capture the shape of the tip. These number must always be higher that the number of points
defining the tip curve.
11. Increase the parameter “Number Of Points to define Flow Paths” to 200, then press the
button Apply to adapt the flow paths to the curve shape.

J J constant lines

FIGURE 4.2.0-5 Tip Gap defined from a curve

The flow paths are generated using the line J=cst of a face mesh. As shown above the user can con-
trol, through some parameters, the way the flow paths are defined (number of points,...). These
parameters are described in the section 5-2 on page 5-3.

12. Press the icon “3D Mesh Generation” ( ) to compute the mesh with a tip clearance
block.
13. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision
14. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_tip.trb.

 The parameter Try to Make Matching Mesh can be used when a I-mesh is created. See
section 4-1 on page 4-2 for a complete explanation of this parameter.

15. Press the meridional viewing icon ( ) to plot the meridional mesh.

AutoGrid4™ 4-11
Mesh Generation Mesh with Hub Clearance

FIGURE 4.2.0-6 Meridional view of the mesh with tip clearance.

16. Press the 3D viewing icon ( ) to plot the 3D mesh.

HUB

Blade Tip

FIGURE 4.2.0-7 Tip gap block

4-3 Mesh with Hub Clearance

When a hub clearance must be analyzed, the option Hub Clearance of the dialog box Streamlines
Control gives access to the parameters controlling the hub clearance definition (more details in sec-
tion 4-2).

4-4 HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade

For highly staggered blade, AutoGrid4™ allows the user to change the topology of the mesh. By
default the mesh is created using a H or a I topology. This is not suitable for all the machine type.
Especially for turbine blade, O-mesh topology is a better approach to increase the mesh quality.
This chapter presents the HOH mesh option available in AutoGrid4™. This feature is not applica-
ble for meshes with splitter blades, blunt trailing and/or leading edges (C-mesh), seal leakage, pro-
peller topology, holes, Z Cst line.

1. Start AutoGrid4™ and select the icon .

4-12 AutoGrid4™
HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade Mesh Generation

4-4.1 HOH Mesh Definition

2. Press the button Select a Geometry File of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control and
select the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/rotor37.geomTurbo.

(4)
(2)

FIGURE 4.4.1-1 Geometry & Topology Control dialog box

The geometry file contains the hub, the shroud and the blade definition of the rotor37.
3. Click on the thumbnail “Topology” of the notebook.
4. Select the “HOH” option to switch from H mesh to HOH mesh topology.
5. Press the Next>> button to set up the flow paths.
6. Press the Next>> button the of the dialog box Streamlines Control.
AutoGrid4™ computes default meshes on the hub and on the shroud as shown in the following pic-
ture:

FIGURE 4.4.1-2 Default HOH topology on hub

AutoGrid4™ 4-13
Mesh Generation HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade

The dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh Control is opened. It gives access to the parameters controlling
the HOH mesh generation. The dialog box is divided into 4 areas.
On the top, the user control the mesh topol-
ogy of the inlet and the outlet extension of
the mesh. The O-block is running around the
blade and can be extended by upstream and
downstream H or I blocks. In the middle
part, the interactive graphical area shows the
mesh topology in terms of number of points.
The user can customize the grid size by
changing the number of points displayed in
this area. Each label can be selected and
modified using the mouse. When clicking on
a number of points, a string input area
appears prompting the user to change this
number. The blade points clustering can also
be controlled at the leading and trailing
edges. At the bottom, the user is allowed to
change the orthogonality and the cell width
at the wall through the parameters Boundary
Layer factor and Cell Width at Wall,
respectively. In addition smoothing and peri-
odic boundaries optimization can be applied
by specifying the number of smoothing
steps. When modification have been done
inside the dialog box, the Apply button can
be used to compute and display the mesh according to the new settings. The Generate 3D button
allows the user to start the 3D generation.

4-4.2 Topology - Extension Control

As described in the previous section, the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box gives access to
the upstream and downstream control.

(1)
(2)

FIGURE 4.4.2-1 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control - Topology

By default, the upstream and downstream extension blocks are activated (1), the inlet and outlet
block type is set to I (2).
7. Activate the option “H” for “H Inlet Extension” then press the Apply button to set up a H
mesh at the inlet.

4-14 AutoGrid4™
HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade Mesh Generation

I mesh block at the inlet

H mesh block at the

inlet

FIGURE 4.4.2-2 H Inlet Extension vs. I Inlet Extension

As shown in the previous picture, H inlet type allows the user to set up periodic matching meshes.
If the I inlet type is chosen, the periodic boundaries at the inlet are periodic non-matching.
8. Type <0.3> - <Enter> in the “Inlet Position” string input area and press the Apply button
to change the connection location between the H inlet block and the O-mesh block around
the blade.

Inlet Position set at 0.1 Inlet Position set at 0.3

FIGURE 4.4.2-3 Inlet Position - H Inlet Extension

The value entered by the user is used to compute the distance between the leading edge and the con-
nection boundary. The computed distance is a ratio between the pitch angle and the specified value.

4-4.3 Grid Points

The interactive graphics area in the Grid Points area of the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog
box allows the user to change the number of points used to defined the blade to blade mesh. The
mouse can be used to select a grid point number by clicking on it. A string input area is automati-
cally displayed, prompting the user to specify a new grid point number.

9. Change the numbers of points as displayed in the following picture.

AutoGrid4™ 4-15
Mesh Generation HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade

49
17
17
33 49
33 9
9 17
49 17 33
17 33
33 17

FIGURE 4.4.3-1 Blade to Blade Mesh Control - Grid Points

10. Press the Apply button to generate the blade to blade mesh with the new grid points num-
bers.

FIGURE 4.4.3-2 Blade-to-Blade Mesh on Hub

When the blade-to-blade mesh is correctly defined, the 3D generation can be launched using the
Generate 3D button.
11. Press the Generate 3D button to start the 3D generation - yes.
12. Close the Mesh quality checking dialog box indicating that the mesh has a good quality and
no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

 The meridional mesh viewing option ( ) is not available for HOH mesh.

13. Press the “View 3D Mesh” icon ( ) to view the 3D mesh.

4-16 AutoGrid4™
HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade Mesh Generation

14. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...”. A file chooser prompts you to enter a
name for the template file. Set the directory to ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/ and enter the name
rotor-37-hoh.trb, then press the button Save.

4-4.4 Blade Points Distribution

The Blade Points Distribution option opens an area allowing the user to control the clustering near
the leading edge and near the trailing edge of the blade.

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

(5)
(6)

FIGURE 4.4.4-1 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control - Blade Points Distribution

15. Select the icon ( ) and activate the “Blade Points Distribution” panel.
AutoGrid4™ provides 4 modes for blade grid points clustering. The modes are available both for
the leading and the trailing edges:
• (1) None: the grid points are clustered according to the projection of the clustering on the exter-
nal boundaries of the block.
• (2) Absolute Control Distance: a uniform distribution is set along a distance given by the user.
• (3) Relative Control Distance (Default): a uniform distribution is set along a distance com-
puted by multiplying the blade width near the leading edge and a factor given by the user.
• (4) First Cell Length: first cell length is given by the user.
In addition the obtained clustering can be smoothed (5) and the grid point clustering down to the
blade in the azimuthal direction can be controlled by the Drag Clustering factor (6): the cell length
near the trailing edge is propagated until the boundary between the O and the outlet H block.

 The Blade Points Distribution settings have to be adapted with the number of points
imposed at the leading and trailing edge in the Grid Points area.

 The location of the leading and trailing edge is controlling the shape of the mesh in the
blade to blade views (hub and shroud). The default location can be changed, see section
5-4 for more details.

AutoGrid4™ 4-17
Mesh Generation HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade

4-4.5 Smoothing - Orthogonality

16. Activate the “Mesh” panel.
The Mesh option opens an area allowing the user to control the smoothing, the orthogonality, the
optimization of the periodic boundaries and the cell width at the wall.

(1) (2)
(3)

(4)

(5)

FIGURE 4.4.5-1 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control - Mesh

(1) If the user needs to suppress some negative cells, an elliptic smoother is recommended during
the 3D generation, keeping the cell size at the solid wall, using the parameter Smoothing Steps (by
default set at 20) combined with the activation of the Multiblock Smoother. The multiblock
smoother preserves the size of first cell and orthogonality while enhancing mesh continuity
between blocks.

 If one or several blade to blade smoothing steps are specified, this applies to each span-
wise blade to blade mesh.
(2) The Optimize Boundaries option enables the modification of the periodic boundaries while
using HOH mesh topologies.The process is automated and aims at optimization of the shape of the
boundaries, to further improve grid quality in terms of skewness (orthogonality) and aspect ratio as
shown on the following picture. The option is activated when the toggle is checked on.

(3) The Boundary Layer Factor is controlling the level of orthogonality at the walls on the hub
and on the shroud. Furthermore, the Cell Width at Wall allows the user to change if necessary the
cell size at the wall in the blade to blade mesh.
(4). For specific cases, the HOH module may lead to poor mesh quality in the spanwise direction.
To solve the problem, Hub to Shroud Control allows to control the shape of the inlet and outlet
patches through 2 parameters of the Mesh panel. When the mesh is generated, the shape of the

4-18 AutoGrid4™
HOH Mesh for Highly-Staggered Blade Mesh Generation

boundaries of each blade to blade layer depends strongly of the local solid angles at the leading and
at the trailing edge. High variation of these angles resulted in strange shape for the inlet and outlet
boundaries of the mesh as shown in the following picture.

The two parameters can be modified by the user in order to increase (until 1) or reduce (until 0) the
curvilinear effect of the variation of the solid angles.
(5) See chapter 5 for more details on the Blade Mapping: Zero Tolerance option.

4-4.6 Butterfly Mesh Topology for Tip Gap

Buttons to access the tip gap

parameters

Parameters to control the

Grid points in the tip gap

d1,d2 : leading edge control

lengths
d3,d4 : trailing edge control
length
d1+d2, d3+d4,d1/(d1+d2),
d3/(d3+d4) : parameters ratio
controlled by the users Details of the mesh near the leading edge

d1+d2 = 1 d1+d2 = 2

FIGURE 4.4.6-1 Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control - Tip Gap Control

AutoGrid4™ 4-19
Mesh Generation Blade with Blunt Leading Edge and/or Blunt Trailing Edge

17. Close the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box.

18. Click on “Streamlines Control” icon ( ) of the icon bar.
19. Activate the “Tip Clearance” in the Streamlines Control dialog box and check that the
“Grid Points Distribution” parameter is set to “Uniform” and that the distribution at inlet
and outlet are reset (Reset Distribution set to Yes). Click on Apply and then on Next>>.
The mesh on the tip gap is created using a butterfly topology. The dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh
Control provides new parameters to control the tip gap mesh.
20. Activate “Tip Gap” in the “Grid Points” area to open the area dedicated to the control of
the tip gap.
The parameters can be changed by selection in the graphics control area.

 In addition to the butterfly mesh topology, tip gap can also be meshed using full match-
ing block.
21. Press the Generate 3D button to start the 3D generation - yes.
22. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision
23. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named rotor-37-hoh-with-tip.trb.

4-5 Blade with Blunt Leading Edge and/or Blunt

Trailing Edge

FIGURE 4.5.0-1 Blade with Blunt Trailing Edge

4-20 AutoGrid4™
Blade with Blunt Leading Edge and/or Blunt Trailing Edge Mesh Generation

AutoGrid4™ detects when the blade has a blunt leading edge and/or a blunt trailing edge. New
structured blocks are then built to mesh the upstream and/or the downstream domain of the blade.
The number of points in the azimuthal direction must be specified for each new block.
1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary).
2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
3. Press the button Select a Geometry File in the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control and
load the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/bluntblade.geomTurbo. A new blade with blunt trailing
edge is loaded to replace the old blade definition.

FIGURE 4.5.0-2 Geometry & Topology Control - Blunt Trailing Edge

4. Activate the “Geometry Characteristics” panel. The dialog box extends and the “Blunt
Trailing Edge” is now activated indicating that AutoGrid4™ automatically detected the
specificity of the new geometry imported.

FIGURE 4.5.0-3 Geometry & Topology Control - Azimuthal Grid Points

AutoGrid4™ 4-21
Mesh Generation Blade with Blunt Leading Edge and/or Blunt Trailing Edge

5. Click on the thumbnail “Topology”. A new parameter “Azimuthal Downstream” is availa-

ble. It is used to control the number of points in the azimuthal direction of the block used
to mesh downstream the blade. Set this parameter to 17 - <Enter> (Figure 4.5.0-3).
6. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control, then press the
button Next>> of the dialog box Streamlines Control.
The blade to blade mesh is computed on the hub and shroud views.

d1
d2

downstream block shape

FIGURE 4.5.0-4 Blade-to-Blade mesh on Hub

By default the ratio d2/(d1+d2) is computed to obtain an uniform grid point distribution at the out-
let. In the dialog box Blade to Blade Shape Control (H&I), the Expert option gives access to the
area where this parameter can be controlled.

7. Open Blade-to-Blade Shape Control (H&I) dialog box ( ).

8. Press the “Expert” option.

FIGURE 4.5.0-5 Blade-to-Blade Shape Control - Expert

4-22 AutoGrid4™
Mesh with Splitter Blade Mesh Generation

9. The “Blunt Extension Parameters” control the ratio d2/(d1+d2) at the inlet and at the out-
let. Change the parameter “Outlet Ratio” to 0.9 - <Enter>.

d1
d2

d2/(d1+d2) = 0.9

d1
d2

FIGURE 4.5.0-6 Blade-to-Blade Shape Control - Blunt Extension Parameter

10. Press the button Update Blade to Blade Mesh - Close the dialog box by left-click on its top
corner.
11. Press the button Generate 3D in the Blade-to-Blade Mesh Control dialog box to compute
the mesh with a blunt trailing edge block.
12. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision
13. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_blunt.trb.

4-6 Mesh with Splitter Blade

AutoGrid4™ is able to create meshes for turbomachinery with one splitter blade. The blade to
blade block is then split into two blocks. The separation line is computed using the splitter defini-
tion.

1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary).

2. Select the menu item “File/New Template”. AutoGrid4™ asks you to created a new tem-
plate with or without splitter. Activate the option “Mesh With Splitter Blade” and Open.

AutoGrid4™ 4-23
Mesh Generation Mesh with Splitter Blade

3. AutoGrid4™ prompts you to load a basic template file. Press Yes and select the file sam-
ple.trb created in the chapter 2.

The AutoGrid4™ wizard is now adapted to a mesh with splitter blade. The parameters of the tem-
plate file sample.trb are loaded and the geometry is displayed.
4. Press the button Select a Geometry File and select the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/split-
ter.geomTurbo. This file contains only the definition of the splitter.

4-6.1 Blade and/or Splitter Defined by One Surface.

In the chapter 2, the 3D blade is defined by two surfaces: the pressure and the suction sides. The
surfaces are created from a set of sections. Each section being defined from the leading edge to the
trailing edge. The file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/splitter.geomTurbo contains the splitter defined by a
single surface, this surface being defined by two section curves. These closed curves are defined
from the trailing edge to trailing edge. For the automatic mesh generation, AutoGrid4™ automati-
cally will split each section in the leading edge region to define a pressure side and a suction side.
By default, the leading edge is defined at M-minimum.

Main blade defined by Trailing Edge

2 lofted surfaces (pressure
suction sides) created and
on a basis of 4 sections
Splitter blade defined Current points of division
by 1 single surface
created by 2
sections
Leading Edge

FIGURE 4.6.1-1 Splitter define by two sections

5. Activate the “Geometry Definition” (1) panel and select the option Splitter definition/
Blade (2).
6. Activate the “Surface Edition” (3) panel. A new area is opened.
7. Change the parameter “Splitter/Expansion/Shroud” to 0.1 - <Enter> to expand the splitter
definition up to the shroud (4).
8. Activate the parameter “Splitter Editing/Rotation Angle” and enter -3 expressed in
degrees - <Enter> to locate the splitter in the middle of the blade passage (6) (7). Further
details are given at the end of the section on how to predict the position of the splitter in the
theta direction in comparison with the main blade.
9. Deactivate the option “Leading edge at M Minimum” (5) to set the division point at the
beginning of the chord. The parameters “Leading Edge Location” and “Trailing Edge
Location” can be used to move the division point. The parameter “Chord Number of Pts”
controls the chord generation. The parameter “Fp Number of Pts” is used to control the
number of points used to defined the meridional curves on which each section is mapped
(this parameter must be rarely modified)
 The parameter Leading Edge and Trailing Edge Fitting is used to fit leading and trail-
ing edge of pressure and suction sides along the spanwise direction when the leading

4-24 AutoGrid4™
Mesh with Splitter Blade Mesh Generation

and/or trailing edge are very curved (i.e. inducer, twisted blade,...) and the blade is
defined by few sections in ".geomTurbo". This parameter is by default deactivated.

(3)

(1)
(2)

(4)

(5)

(6) (7)

FIGURE 4.6.1-2 Geometry & Topology Control - Splitter definition

4-6.2 Topology Definition

The mesh is divided into two blocks. The number of points in the azimuthal direction must be spec-
ified separately for each block.
10. Click on the thumbnail “Topology”. Two string input areas are used to set the number of
points in the azimuthal direction. Reduce these numbers to 25 - <Enter>.

FIGURE 4.6.2-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Topology

AutoGrid4™ 4-25
Mesh Generation Mesh with Splitter Blade

11. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control. The meridional
mesh, used to create the flow paths, is displayed.
12. Press the button Next>> of the dialog box Streamlines Control. The blade to blade mesh is
displayed in the hub and shroud views.

Extension curves
(*) d1
d2

(**)

d1’
d2’

Inlet Ratio = d1’/(d1’+d2’)

Outlet Ratio = d1/(d1+d2)

FIGURE 4.6.2-2 Blade to blade mesh on Hub

In this case, the splitter is located in the middle of the blade passage. The ratio d1/(d1+d2) is equal
to 0.5 by default. It can be changed as follows:
13. Activate the panel “Expert Splitter” of the dialog box Blade-to-Blade Shape Control (H&I).
A new area appears.

The parameters Inlet Ratio and Outlet Ratio can be modified if needed. The parameters Exten-
sion Curve & Surface Type are modified if the extension curves (* and **) of the splitter are not
correctly defined. In the example the default values can be used.
By default an H mesh topology is defined:

inlet 1 = 33, inlet 2 = 33, inlet 3 =33

outlet 1 = 33, outlet 2 = 33, outlet 3 =33

FIGURE 4.6.2-3 Default grid points distribution

4-26 AutoGrid4™
Mesh with Splitter Blade Mesh Generation

14. Close the dialog box Blade-to-Blade Shape Control (H&I).

15. Activate the panel “Points Distribution” in the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box and
change the parameter inlet 1 to 57, inlet 2 to 41, inlet 3 to 25, outlet 1 to 25, outlet 2 to 57
and outlet 3 to 25. Press the Apply button to compute the new blade-to-blade mesh.

FIGURE 4.6.2-4 Blade to blade mesh with new streamwise distribution on Hub

16. Move Projection Points on Hub and Shroud Views - Press Apply in Blade to Blade Mesh
Control dialog box.

FIGURE 4.6.2-5 Blade to blade mesh after moving projection points on Hub and Shroud

17. Press the icon to compute the 3D mesh - yes.

18. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision

AutoGrid4™ 4-27
Mesh Generation Mesh with Splitter Blade

19. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_splitter.trb.
 When introducing splitter geometry within AutoGrid4™, it may happens that the splitter
theta position is outside the theta range defined by the main blade channel. More pre-
cisely, the theta position of the splitter is shifted by the periodicity angle. Setting the peri-
odicity angle as the Rotation Angle parameter used at step 8 allows to position correctly
the splitter in comparison with the main blade. However, if the user does not want to use
this parameter and prepare the geometry files so that the relative theta position is correct
in the hub and shroud view, care must be given to the following consideration.
Remember that the local axis orientation convention is K as streamwise direction (from
inlet to outlet); J as spanwise direction (from hub to shroud) and I as azimuthal direc-
tion.
The following example (hub view) shows that imposing the inlet position fixes the K
orientation, as the J direction is always pointing out (perpendicular to the conformal
plane), I direction is automatically fixed since the mesh must be right-handed. In this
case I direction follows positive theta direction.

OUTLET

INLET
. K
J
FIGURE 4.6.2-6 I direction following positive azimuthal direction

Now imagine the situation where the inlet and outlet positions are switched. The K
direction is therefore reversed while the J direction keeps its orientation. The conse-
quence is that the I direction must be reversed in order to have a right-handed mesh. The
I direction is now following negative theta direction.

INLET
K .
J

OUTLET I

FIGURE 4.6.2-7 I direction following negative azimuthal direction

4-28 AutoGrid4™
Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud Mesh Generation

4-7 Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud

The curves defining the hub and the shroud can be discontinuous. When the discontinuities must be
captured by the mesh, the following method can be applied.
1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary).
2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
3. Activate the option “Geometry Definition” of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.
4. Select the “Hub”.

FIGURE 4.7.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Geometry definition

5. Press the button From Data File and select, through the file chooser, the file ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub_with_discontinuity.dat. The hub is replaced by a new curve.
6. Select the “Shroud”, then the button From Data File and select the file ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry/shroud_with_discontinuity.dat. The shroud is replaced by a new
curve.

corners

New Shroud

New hub

FIGURE 4.7.0-2 Hub and Shroud are discontinuous at the inlet

The locations of the discontinuities must be indicated to AutoGrid4™ using circular black markers
called corners.
7. Activate the “Geometry Characteristics” panel that opens a new area of the dialog box
Geometry & Topology Control.

AutoGrid4™ 4-29
Mesh Generation Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud

shroud_corner

FIGURE 4.7.0-3 Geometry & Topology Control - Define Corner

8. Press the button Define Corner, then move the cursor in the meridional view on the discon-
tinuity of the hub. When the cursor is near the curve, a marker and the name of the corner
point are displayed indicating that the new corner can be fixed using the left mouse but-
ton. Press the left mouse button to confirm the location of the corner.
9. Repeat step 8 to specify the corner location on the shroud.
10. Click on the thumbnail “Topology” and increase the number of points at inlet to 65.

FIGURE 4.7.0-4 Geometry & Topology Control - Topology

11. Press the button Next>>. The curves used to create the surfaces of revolution are com-
puted and displayed in the meridional view.
12. Activate “Grid” in the dialog box Streamlines Control - Apply. The mesh used to create the
flow path curves is displayed. Grid points are located on the specified corners.

4-30 AutoGrid4™
Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud Mesh Generation

FIGURE 4.7.0-5 Meridional view - Grid Points on corners

13. Press the button Next>> to create the blade to blade mesh.

FIGURE 4.7.0-6 Blade to blade mesh

The button Const.-Z Line can be used to specify, in the meridional view, the location of grid point
indices. These grid points will be used to capture the discontinuities. The mesh will have m con-
stant lines in the blade to blade space and circular mesh lines in the XYZ space.
14. Press the button Const.-Z Line in the “Mesh” panel in the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dia-
log box and move the cursor near the discontinuity on the hub in the meridional view.
Click the left mouse button to confirm the location of the Z Cst Line.
15. Repeat the same action to specify the Z Cst Line on the shroud.

FIGURE 4.7.0-7 Z Cst Lines in the meridional view

AutoGrid4™ 4-31
Mesh Generation Discontinuities on the Hub & Shroud

The Z Cst Lines indices are displayed. Each of them can be moved interactively using the mouse or
removed using the key <d>. The mesh clustering around the points and the index can also be con-
trolled using the following method.
16. Move the cursor near the Z Cst Line on the hub. When it is highlighted, click the right
mouse button to open a dialog box containing the Z Cst Line parameters.

17. Change the index to 33 and the clustering to 0.001 (type <Enter> to confirm). By default
the clustering is set to -1 meaning that free clustering will be computed around the Z Cst
Line location.
18. Move the mouse near the Z Cst line on the shroud. When it is highlighted the dialog box Z
cst line parameters is updated with the parameters of the highlighted Z Cst line. Change
the index to 17 and keep the clustering to -1.0 (type <Enter> to confirm).
19. Press the button Apply inside the dialog box Z cst line parameters. The streamwise cluster-
ing is adapted to have Z Cst Line at the specified locations.
20. Close Z cst line parameters and Point Location dialog boxes.
21. Press Apply in the Blade to Blade Mesh Control dialog box to compute the blade to blade
mesh with the Z Cst lines.

FIGURE 4.7.0-8 Blade to blade hub mesh with Z Cst Line

22. Press the icon to create the 3D mesh.

23. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.
24. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_discontinuity.trb.
25. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

free clustering

clustering = 0.001

4-32 AutoGrid4™
Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0 Mesh Generation

4-8 Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0

If the boundary points of the hub are on the axis (R=0), the conformal mapping between the XYZ
space and the blade to blade space is no more usable (xyz->dm/r with r=0 !!!). In that case, a spe-
cific treatment must be used to create the mesh in the R=0 region.
1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary)
2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
3. Activate the panel “Geometry Definition”.

FIGURE 4.8.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Geometry definition

4. Replace the hub definition by activating the “Hub” of the “Geometry Definition” area,
then selecting the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub_with_bulb.dat using the but-
ton From Data File.

AutoGrid4™ 4-33
Mesh Generation Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0

5. Choose full display mode for the meridional view. (“View/View Position” or using the mid-
dle lower icon ( ))

New Hub

R = 0, bulb control point linked

with the inlet hub point

FIGURE 4.8.0-2 Bulb Meridional View

AutoGrid4™ detects a bulb at the inlet: the new curve defining the hub starts at R=0. A new control
point (black circular marker) is displayed. The mesh will be divided into two blocks:
• one block will be built using blade-to-blade stacking starting from the bulb control point to the
outlet.
• The second block will be constructed from the bulb control point to R=0, using the inlet face
definition of the first block. Additional parameters must be set to define the second block.
6. Click on the thumbnail “Bulb” of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.

FIGURE 4.8.0-3 Geometry & Topology Control - Bulb

7. Activate “Mesh the Bulb” to indicate that the mesh must start from R=0.
8. Set the Z limit of the bulb to 0.
A z constant line defining the limit of the bulb block is displayed.
9. Specify the number of points in the streamwise direction on the solid boundary <33> -
<Enter> and on the axis <33> - <Enter>.

4-34 AutoGrid4™
Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0 Mesh Generation

10. Move the inlet bulb point away from R=0. (left click) See next figure.

BLOCK 1 : blade to blade block

New location of the Inlet bulb point

Z limit of BLOCK 2 :
the mesh block of the
33 Number of points on the bulb
bulb

Number of points on the axis

33

FIGURE 4.8.0-4 Geometry & Topology Control - Bulb configuration

 The bulb inlet point is moved using the mouse.

11. Click on the “3D Mesh Generation” icon ( ) to compute and to directly build the volu-
mic mesh - yes.
12. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

13. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

(***)

(**)
Blade-to-Blade block
Block of the bulb
Zoom of the streamwise clustering at r=0

(*)

FIGURE 4.8.0-5 Meridional view of the mesh

By default the mesh clustering in the streamwise direction near R=0 is defined by a ratio of the bulb
length (*). This ratio is normalized and can be modified to grow or reduce the cell length at R=0.

14. Press the icon and click on the thumbnail “Bulb” in the dialog box.

AutoGrid4™ 4-35
Mesh Generation Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0

15. Change the “Streamwise Clustering Factor” to <10> - <Enter> to multiply by 10 the cell
length at R=0. Press the “3D Mesh Generation” icon ( ) to compute the mesh with the
new parameters - yes.
16. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

FIGURE 4.8.0-6 Geometry & Topology Control - Bulb Clustering

17. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

(***)

(**)

Streamwise clustering

FIGURE 4.8.0-7 Meridional mesh with Streamwise Clustering Factor set to 10

The streamwise clustering is continuous at the connection between the 2 blocks (** and ***). By
default the cell size is coming from the blade-to-blade block.

18. Press the icon and click on the thumbnail “Bulb” in the dialog box.
19. Activate the option “Fit Connection Clustering at Shroud”, then press the “3D Mesh Gen-
eration” icon ( ) to compute the mesh with the new parameters - yes. The cell size at
the connection becomes equal to the cell size of a uniform point distribution on the shroud
of the block defining the bulb.

4-36 AutoGrid4™
Bulb - Hub Curve with R=0 Mesh Generation

20. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

21. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

Uniform distribution

(x)

FIGURE 4.8.0-8 Uniform distribution on the shroud of the bulb block

The cell width at the inlet hub (x) can also be controlled.

22. Press the icon and click on the thumbnail “Bulb” in the dialog box.
23. Change the “Spanwise Clustering Factor at hub” to 100, then press the “3D Mesh Genera-
tion” icon ( ) to compute the mesh with the new parameters - yes. The cell width at the
inlet hub will be multiplied by 100.
24. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

25. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

(x)

FIGURE 4.8.0-9 Cell width increased at the inlet (x)

26. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_bulb.trb.
 This method is also applied to a hub curve defined with R=0 at the outlet.

AutoGrid4™ 4-37
Mesh Generation Mesh around a Propeller.

4-9 Mesh around a Propeller.

R=Rmax

AutoGrid4™ is especially dedicated to the meshing of turbomachinery configurations (internal

flows). However, it has been adapted to create a mesh around propellers, windmills,... As described
in the chapter 2, a hub and shroud curve must be defined. In the case of a propeller, the shroud does
not exist. It must be defined using a curve cutting the tip of the propeller definition. The blade to
blade 3D mesh will be extended to the far field defined by R=Rmax.
1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary).
2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
The dialog box Geometry & Topology Control contains a page to control the mesh around a propel-
ler.
3. Open the thumbnail “Propeller” of the dialog box.

FIGURE 4.9.0-1 Control of the radial expansion

4. Activate the parameter “Radial Expansion of the Mesh”. AutoGrid4™ will create two new
blocks defining the domains up to the blade (Tip block) and up to the blade-to-blade pas-
sage.
• The parameter Number of Points Azimuthal on Tip is used to set the number of points in the
azimuthal direction of the tip block.
The spanwise grid points distribution in the expanded blocks is controlled through 3 parameters:

4-38 AutoGrid4™
Mesh around a Propeller. Mesh Generation

• The parameter Number of Points Radial is the number of points in the radial direction used to
define the mesh up to the blade to blade domain.
• The Number of Constant Cells and the Cell Width at External Boundary are used to control
the grid point clustering of the expanded blocks in the radial direction. By default, the Cell
Width at External Boundary is set to 0 (a free cell width will be used at R=Rmax).
5. Set the “Radial Expansion Value (rmax)” to <1.3> - <Enter>
6. Press the “3D Mesh Generation” icon ( ) to compute the mesh - yes.
7. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

8. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh

R=1.3

33 grid
points
Expansion

(*) (**)

FIGURE 4.9.0-2 Radial expansion of the mesh

By default, the mesh is relaxed upstream and downstream the tip of the blade (* and **).

9. Press the icon and click on the thumbnail “Propeller”.

10. Switch off the parameters “Relax Inlet Spanwise Clustering” and “Relax Outlet Spanwise
Clustering”, then press the “3D Mesh Generation” icon ( ) to compute the mesh with
no relaxation of the tip clustering - yes.
11. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

FIGURE 4.9.0-3 Control of the relaxation at inlet/outlet

AutoGrid4™ 4-39
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud

12. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

FIGURE 4.9.0-4 Meridional mesh without relaxation

13. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_propeller.trb.

4-10 Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud

FIGURE 4.10.0-1 Blade with Seal Leakage - Meridional mesh

4-40 AutoGrid4™
Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud Mesh Generation

When the rotor is shrouded, the seal leakage domain can be meshed using a specific feature of
AutoGrid4™. The upper part of the rotor is defined by 3 curves (shroud curve, curve 1 and curve 2)
as shown in the following picture:

Shroud curve

NS curve 1
inlet shroud curve 2 outlet shroud
p1 p2 p3 p4
Blade
inlet outlet
NI NB NO

Hub Curve

The points p1, p2, p3 and p4 define the inlet and the outlet of the seal leakage domain. The points
p2 and p3 are fixed by the boundaries of the curves 1 and 2 while the points p1 and p4 can be
moved interactively.
The topology of the mesh in the streamwise direction must be defined: NI, NB and NO are respec-
tively the number of points chosen to mesh the inlet, blade and outlet regions of the domain. NS is
the number of points used to create the seal leakage (NS<NI & NS<NO). The grid point indices of
p1, p2, p3 and p4 must be specified. The indices of p1 and p2 are linked to the number of points NS
as well as the indices of the points p3 and p4. AutoGrid4™ automatically detects if the index of p2
becomes greater than NI and if the index of p3 becomes lower than NI+NB-1.
The mesh will be created using 2 blocks:

Block 2 Shroud curve

curve 1
inlet shroud curve 2 outlet shroud
p1 p2 p3 p4
Blade
inlet outlet

Hub Curve
Block 1

1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary)

2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample.trb created in the chap-
ter 2.
The dialog box Geometry & Topology Control contains a page to control the mesh topology.
3. Click the thumbnail “Topology” of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control and
increase the inlet and outlet number of points to 49.

AutoGrid4™ 4-41
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud

FIGURE 4.10.0-2 Geometry & Topology Control - Topology

4. Click the thumbnail “Geometry”, then activate “Geometry Definition” panel. Select the
“Shroud”. Press the button From Data File and select the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/
_geometry/shroud_slf.dat to change the shroud definition.

FIGURE 4.10.0-3 Geometry & Topology Control - Geometry

The shroud curve has been replaced. The inlet and outlet shroud points of the domain have been
reset to fit the boundaries of the new shroud.

4-42 AutoGrid4™
Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud Mesh Generation

5. Move the inlet point shroud as shown in the following picture:

New shroud curve

inlet point shroud is moved

6. Click on the thumbnail “Seal Leakage” of the dialog box.

FIGURE 4.10.0-4 Geometry & Topology Control - Seal Leakage

7. Activate the option “Seal Leakage Connected to the Shroud”. The area giving access to the
seal leakage parameters appears.
8. Activate the “Mesh Creation” to confirm that a new block must be created to discretize
the seal leakage domain.
9. The option “curve 1” is currently selected. Press the button From Data File and select the
file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/shroud_slf_curve1.dat.
10. Select the option “curve 2”, then the button From Data File and select the file ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry/shroud_slf_curve2.dat.

p1 p2 p3 p4

The geometry of the seal leakage is now fully defined. The control points p1, p2, p3 and p4 are
automatically displayed as well as the related streamwise indices. All these points can be selected
using the left mouse button in the meridional view. When a point is selected, its index can be

AutoGrid4™ 4-43
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud

changed by typing the new index in the keyboard input area, then press <Enter>. The point p1 and
p4 can also be moved if needed. To deactivate a selected point, click and release the left mouse but-
ton.
11. Select the point p1 and change its index to 17. This can be done by left clicking on point p1,
then type 17 in the keyboard input area - <Enter>. Do the same operation for point p3 and
impose its index to 129.

Streamwise number of point = 65

33
17 17 17 65 17 17 17

49 49

FIGURE 4.10.0-5 Topology of the mesh

The shape of the seal leakage flow can be very complex. Each corner of its geometry can be defined
and identified by a streamwise index. AutoGrid4™ will place automatically a grid point at each
defined corner. The corners can be selected and their indices changed interactively as described for
the control points p1...p4.
12. Press the button Init Corner to define and display automatically the corners detected by
AutoGrid4™.

Four corners has been detected and displayed.

c1 c4
c2 c3

Additional corners can be added to have more control on the mesh.

4-44 AutoGrid4™
Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud Mesh Generation

13. Click on the thumbnail “Geometry” of the dialog box and open the “Geometry Character-
istics” area

FIGURE 4.10.0-6 Geometry & Topology Control - Define Corner

The button Define Corner can be used to define new control points on the curves defining the seal
leakage domain. To add a control point, press the button Define Corner, then move the mouse near
the desired location for the new control point in the meridional view. When the control point
appears, it can be fixed using the left mouse button. A control point can also be deleted by selecting
the control point and pressing the key <d>.
14. Create two new corners near the existing corners c2 and c3, then change the index of each
corner to obtain the following configuration.

c5=25 c6=41 c4=49

c1=17
c2=25 c3=41

FIGURE 4.10.0-7 Streamwise grid point configuration in the seal leakage.

All the parameters needed to create the mesh are defined.

AutoGrid4™ 4-45
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Defined at Shroud

15. Press the button Next to create the flow paths and the meridional mesh inside the seal leak-
age domain.

FIGURE 4.10.0-8 Streamlines Control - Grid Display

16. Press the option “Display/Grid” of the dialog box Streamlines Control. The flow paths
mesh and the meridional mesh inside the seal leakage are displayed.

Four new control points have been added automatically on the hub curve. These points define Z
constant lines. They are used to obtain similar streamwise clustering on the hub and on the shroud.
17. Press the button Next>> in the dialog box Streamlines Control. The blade to blade mesh is
computed in the hub and shroud views.

Z constant lines

FIGURE 4.10.0-9 Z constant lines are located at the connection with the seal leakage domain.

18. Press the icon to compute the 3D mesh - yes.

19. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

4-46 AutoGrid4™
Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub Mesh Generation

20. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

FIGURE 4.10.0-10 Meridional mesh with seal leakage domain

21. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_shroudslf.trb.

4-11 Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub

Before starting this section, it is needed to read the previous section. When a seal leakage is con-
nected to the hub, the hub part of the turbomachinery is defined by 3 curves: curve 1’, curve 2’ and
the hub curve.

Shroud curve

NS curve 1
inlet shroud curve 2 outlet shroud
p1 p2 p3 p4
Blade
inlet outlet
NI NB NO
p3’ p4’
curve 1’ Hub Curve
NS’
curve 2’

p1’ p2’

The points p1’, p2’, p3’ and p4’ define the inlet and the outlet of the hub seal leakage domain. The
point p3’ is fixed by the definitions of the curves 1’ and 2’ while the points p1’,p2’ and p4’ can be
moved interactively.
The topology of the mesh in the streamwise direction must be defined: NI, NB, NO are respectively
the number of points chosen to mesh the inlet, blade and outlet region of the blade to blade domain.
NS’ is the number of points used to create the hub seal leakage. The grid points indices of the geo-

AutoGrid4™ 4-47
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub

metrical points p3’ and p4’ must be specified. The indices of p3’ and p4’ are linked to the number
of points NS’. AutoGrid4™ automatically detects when the index of p3’ becomes lower than
NI+NB-1.
The mesh is created by adding one block:

Block 2 Shroud curve

curve 1
inlet shroud curve 2 outlet shroud
p1 p2 p3 p4
Blade
inlet outlet

p3’ p4’
Hub Curve
Block 1
new block p1’ p2’

1. Start AutoGrid4™ (if necessary).

2. Select the menu item “File/Open Template...”. Load the file sample_with_shroudslf.trb cre-
ated in the previous section.
3. Click the thumbnail “Geometry” of the Geometry & Topology Control dialog box, then
open the “Geometry Definition” area. Select the “Hub”. Press the button From Data File
and select the file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub_slf.dat to replace the hub curve.

new hub

inlet hub point

The hub curve has been replaced. The inlet and outlet points of the domain have been reset to fit the
boundaries of the new hub.
4. Click on the thumbnail “Seal Leakage” of the dialog box.
5. Activate the option “Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub”. The area giving access to the
hub seal leakage parameters appears.
6. Activate the “Mesh Creation” to confirm that a new block must be created to discretize
the seal leakage domain.
7. The option “curve 1” is currently selected. Press the button From Data File and select the
file ../_Tutorials/AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub_slf_curve1.dat.
8. Select the option “curve 2”, then the button From Data File and select the file ../_Tutorials/
AutoGrid4/_geometry/hub_slf_curve2.dat.

4-48 AutoGrid4™
Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub Mesh Generation

FIGURE 4.11.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Seal Leakage

The geometry of the seal leakage is now fully defined. The control points p1’, p2’, p3’ and p4’ are
automatically displayed as well as the related streamwise indices. All these points can be selected
using the left mouse button. When a point is selected (left click), its index can be changed by typing
the new index value in the keyboard input area, then press <Enter>. The point p1’, p4’ and p2’ can
also be moved if needed. To deactivate a selected point, click and release the left mouse button.

9. Move the inlet point hub as shown in the following picture:

p3’ p4’

p1’ p2’

10. Select the point p3’ and change its index to 129.
As described in the previous section, corners can also be defined to control the meridional mesh.
All the parameters needed to create the mesh are fully defined.
11. Press the button Next>> to create the flow paths and the meridional mesh inside the seal
leakage domain.

AutoGrid4™ 4-49
Mesh Generation Seal Leakage Connected to the Hub

12. Activate the option “Display/Grid” of the dialog box Streamlines Control. The mesh used
to define the flow paths and the meridional mesh inside the seal leakage blocks are dis-
played.

13. Press the icon to compute the 3D mesh - Yes.

14. Close the Mesh quality checking window indicating that the mesh is presenting a good
quality and has no negative cells either in double or simple precision.

15. Press the icon to visualize the meridional mesh.

FIGURE 4.11.0-2 Meridional mesh with seal leakage domain

16. Select the menu item “File/Save Template As...” to save the parameters in a new template
file named sample_with_hub-shroudslf.trb.
 In the example, the indices of connection at the outlet are the same for both seal leak-
ages. Nevertheless, it is possible to define a seal leakage with different indices of con-
nection. Furthermore, the hub leakage can be located close to the leading edge instead of
close to the trailing edge as presented in the example.

4-50 AutoGrid4™
 Special Features

CHAPTER 5: Special Features

This section explains various expert parameters useful when the defaults provided by AutoGrid4™
are not appropriate. These expert parameters are related to:
1. Control the geometrical tolerances;
2. Control the flow paths generation;
3. Control the extension shape;
4. Control the leading edge and trailing edge position;
5. Sharp leading and/or trailing edge;
6. Rotor / Stator interaction;
7. Orthogonality control on periodic faces;
8. Visualize a surface or a curve in the meridional view;
9. Blade Tolerance;
10. Batch processing.

AutoGrid4™ 5-1
Special Features Control Geometrical Tolerance

5-1 Control Geometrical Tolerance

FIGURE 5.1.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Geometry Tolerance

The geometrical tolerance is by default equal to 1e-6 (units imposed by the geometry used). It is not
advised to reduce the tolerance because it increases the generation time. Increase the tolerance up to
1e-4 can be useful to speed up the generation when the data are specified in millimetres.

 In any case the geometrical tolerance must be lower that the first cell width.
In previous AutoGrid4™, partial
geometry checks was accessible
(1) through the Check & Accept button.
During this process, blade orientation
was controlled and possibly changed
to ensure coherence with the genera-
tion algorithm. This Check Orienta-
tion option (1) has been extended in
(2)
AutoGrid4™ in the Geometry Check
area in the dialog box Geometry &
Topology Control. In particular, infor-
mations linked to the minimal distance
Angle Data Reduction Example: (Minimum Spacing) and the minimal
Kink removed after increasing the Tolerance Angle
angle between two consecutive data
points defining the lofting curves of
the blade (Minimum Angles) is acces-
sible. These data can be useful to
detect potential kinks in the data
(angle is then too small) or duplicated
control points (distance is thus equal to
zero). Once abnormalities are outlined, the Data Reduction tool (2) can be used to suppress data
points from the lofting curve definition. This is done according to two distinct criteria that are (a) a
minimal Tolerance Angle and (b) a minimal Tolerance Distance. The point is removed from the
original blade definition providing (a) the distance between two successive points is smaller than
the minimal tolerance distance or (b) the angle defined by the points and its neighbours is smaller
than the minimal tolerance angle.
Advanced geometry checks is accessible through a toggle button (1) located in a specific Geometry
Check area of the Geometry & Topology Control dialog box. Data reduction is enabled when Data
Reduction option is checked on.

5-2 AutoGrid4™
Control Flow Paths Generation. Special Features

5-2 Control Flow Paths Generation.

AutoGrid4™ creates a 2D mesh in the meridional plane (Z,R) to define the flow paths of the
machine (J constant lines of the mesh). These curves are used to create the surfaces of revolution on
which the 3D mesh will be built. The meridional mesh is based on the hub and shroud definition

outlet

inlet

blade

J Shroud

Hub

FIGURE 5.2.0-1 Flow paths of a centrifugal compressor

The meridional mesh is created using the default settings of AutoGrid4™ or the settings read in a
template file. These defaults can be modified through the dialog box Streamlines Control opened
when the icon is selected.

FIGURE 5.2.0-2 Streamlines Control dialog box

The following parameters can be controlled:

1. The number of points in the streamwise direction used to define the flow paths.

AutoGrid4™ 5-3
Special Features Control Flow Paths Generation.

2. The display of the meridional mesh or the flow paths.

3. The activation of a tip or hub clearance gap.
In Expert mode:
4. The type of the flow path curves: polyline or c-splines.
5. The orthogonality control of the meridional mesh.
6. The grid points distribution on the hub:
— Uniform
— Curvature: function of the curvature
— User defined through the menu Grid/Grid Density
7. The grid points distribution on the shroud:
— Same as on the hub
— Projection of each grid point of the hub
— Minimal Distance: each grid point on the shroud is computed to minimize its distance to its
corresponding grid point on the hub
— User defined through the menu Grid/Grid Density
8. The smoothing steps used to smooth the grid points distribution on the shroud when Projection
or Minimal Distance is applied.
9. The smoothing steps used to smooth the grid points distribution on all flow paths.
10. The number of points used to discretize the flow path curves.

(1)
(2)
(10)
(4)
(5)

(6)

(7)
(8)
(9)
(3)

Each time the user changes a setting and presses the Apply button, the meridional mesh is regener-
ated according to the modification. The spanwise distribution can be controlled through the grid
points distribution of the two connecting edges. The user is allowed to use all the other options of
IGG™ to customize the meridional mesh but in most cases, the defaults provided through that dia-
log box are sufficient.

5-4 AutoGrid4™
Control Extension Shape Special Features

Compressor Return Channel

Rotor 67 SHF pump

FIGURE 5.2.0-3 Flow paths created by AutoGrid4™

5-3 Control Extension Shape

When pressing Next>> in the dialog box Streamlines Control, AutoGrid4™ creates automatically
the 2D blade-to-blade meshes in the hub and shroud views. The intersections between the blade and
the surfaces of revolution defining the hub and the shroud are displayed in the 2D views. The inlet
and outlet periodic extension curves are computed and displayed according to the default settings of
AutoGrid4™ or the settings read in an existing template (“.trb”) file. The blade and the 3D exten-
sion curves are displayed in the 3D view.
When the complete AutoGrid4™ environment is displayed and after the Streamlines Control step,
the dialog box Blade-to-Blade Shape Control can be opened pressing the icon ( ) only if H & I
topology is used. Through the Expert mode of this dialog box, the user can control the shape of the
extension curves and the way the periodic surfaces are built.

AutoGrid4™ 5-5
Special Features Control Extension Shape

Flow paths

Blade

Extension curves

Intersections between the blade and the surfaces defining the hub and the shroud

FIGURE 5.3.0-1 AutoGrid4™ environment after streamlines control

(4)
(5)

(1)
(2)

(3)

FIGURE 5.3.0-2 Blade-to-Blade Shape Control - Parameters

5-6 AutoGrid4™
Control Leading & Trailing Edge Position Special Features

In expert mode the user is allowed to modify:

— The Tangent Weight (3) of the inlet and outlet extension near the leading edge and the trail-
ing edge according to the chord of the blade.
— The Number Of Control Points (1) used to define the inlet and the outlet extension sur-
faces.
— The Type of the extension surfaces (2).
The extension surfaces are used to define the upstream and downstream periodic faces of the mesh.
They are built using the extension curves as guide curves. In most cases the type Twisted Blade can
be used to create these surfaces.
The user can also defines the inlet and outlet angles relatively to the angles at the leading edge and
the trailing edge of the blade (4).
The user can finally modify the solid angles of the extension surfaces using the parameters of the
area Solid Angles (5).

Check buttons allow the user to specify the angles at the leading edge and at the trailing edge. By
default the buttons are deactivated and AutoGrid4™ computes the angles according to the chord of
the blade.

5-4 Control Leading & Trailing Edge Position

When the blade is defined by two surfaces (pressure and suction side), the leading edge position is
implicitly defined by one edge of the surfaces. When H-mesh topology is used, It can be useful to
move the location of the edge. The following figure shows the blade to blade mesh in the leading
edge region for two positions of the leading edge.

AutoGrid4™ 5-7
Special Features Control Leading & Trailing Edge Position

To change the location of the leading edge, the following method can be applied:

— Selection of the icon to open the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.

FIGURE 5.4.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Merge Blade

— Open the Geometry Definition area.

— Select the button merge Blade. The pressure side and the suction side are merged to be able
to choose the point of division. The hub and tip sections of the blade are projected in the hub
and shroud views and the default points of division are indicated with markers.

M minimum

chord tip section

hub section

default division location

By default the division is done at M minimum for leading edge.

— Open the Surface Edition area.

5-8 AutoGrid4™
Sharp Leading & Trailing Edges Special Features

— Disable the option Leading Edge at M Minimum

to set the division location at the beginning of the
chord. The location of the division point at leading
edge can be modified (*) through the parameter
Leading Edge Location. This parameter can be
positive or negative. The position of the trailing
edge can be modified in the same way. The chord
generation can be controlled by the parameter
Chord Number of Pts. The parameters Fp
number of Pts controls the curves used to project (*)
the sections in the conformal plane (hub &
shroud). This parameter is rarely modified. The
same options are available for the splitter blade.

5-5 Sharp Leading & Trailing Edges

When the blade leading edge and or trailing edge is sharp, following method can be applied to adapt
the geometry definition.

Suction side

Pressure side

FIGURE 5.5.0-1 Sharp leading and trailing edge

The Surface Edition and the Geometry Definition (1) (2) areas give access to parameters used to
close the blade definition. The selection of the Pressure side and the Suction side toggle buttons
(3) give access to the parameters Sharp Trailing Edge and Sharp Leading Edge (4). In the exam-
ple shown in the previous figure, the parameter Sharp Trailing Edge can be activated for the pres-
sure side and the parameter Sharp Leading Edge for the suction side.

AutoGrid4™ 5-9
Special Features Sharp Leading & Trailing Edges

(3)

(1)

(2)

(4)

FIGURE 5.5.0-2 .Geometry & Topology Control - Geometry & Surface Edition

(2)

Suction side

Pressure side

(1)

FIGURE 5.5.0-3 sharp leading and trailing edge are closed

• (1) The pressure side sections are updated to connect both trailing edges.
• (2) The suction side sections are updated to connect both leading edges.

5-10 AutoGrid4™
Rotor/Stator Interaction Special Features

5-6 Rotor/Stator Interaction

When the meshes of a rotor and a stator must be connected, the parameters used to define the flow
paths and the domain limits at the interface must be the same.

Domain Limits

Rotor Interface Stator

Streamwise direction

In the Geometry panel in the Geometry & Topology Control dialog box, the buttons Upstream
Rotor&Stator and Downstream Rotor&Stator can be used to load the domain limits and the flow
paths definition from an existing template.
• When meshing the stator, the button Upstream Rotor&Stator imports the upstream limits from
the template file (“.trb”) of the rotor.
• When meshing the rotor, the button Downstream Rotor&Stator imports the downstream limits
from the template file (“.trb”) of the stator.

5-7 Orthogonality Control on Periodic Faces

AutoGrid4™ allows the user to control the orthogonality of the hub-to-shroud grid lines. By default
the orthogonality control is active. Each periodic face is divided into 3 patches: inlet, solid wall and
outlet. Each patch is mapped on a surface. During the mapping, the orthogonality is improved near
the hub and the shroud.

 It is advised to set off the orthogonality if overlapping cells appear on the periodic faces.
This can be done in the page Topology of the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control.

FIGURE 5.7.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Orthogonality Control

AutoGrid4™ 5-11
Special Features Visualize Surface/Curve in Meridional View

5-8 Visualize Surface/Curve in Meridional View

The menu item File/Import/IGG Data can be used to load and visualize a curve or a surface
defined in the XYZ space. The XYZ view must be active. The loaded curves and the boundaries of
the loaded surfaces will be displayed in the XYZ and in the meridional view.

 It is not possible in AutoGrid4™ to remove a surface that has been imported.

5-9 Blade Tolerance

AutoGrid4™ allows for all topologies to calculate the differences between the mesh and the blade
surface nurbs through the menu Grid/Check Blade Tolerance. The window that is opened is only
informative and there are no means to act locally on the mesh to improve the difference distribution
except for HOH topologies by activating Zero Blade Tolerance in the Mesh area included in the
dialog box Blade to Blade Mesh Control. Furthermore, the Tolerance imposed in the Geometry
Characteristics area included in the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control can be reduced to
e.g. 1e-7. This last two actions are increasing significantly the RAM and the CPU needed to gener-
ate the 3D mesh. In general we do not advice to decrease the Tolerance and to activate the Zero
Blade Tolerance capabilities.

5-10 Batch Processing

AutoGrid4™ allows the user to launch background processes using template files and geometry
turbo files as inputs. The meshes are automatically computed and saved without any user’s interac-
tions. The following arguments must be specified on the command line of IGG™:
• -batch
• -autoGrid followed by the template file name full path, the geometry turbo file name full path
used to create the grid and the grid file name full path used to save the grid
example:
igg -batch -autoGrid /user/sample_grid.trb /user/sample_grid.geomTurbo /user/sample_grid.igg

 When launching the processing using the Task Manager (more details in FINE™ User
Manual), the template (“.trb”) and the geometry turbo file (“.geomTurbo”) should not
contain external references.

5-12 AutoGrid4™
Strange Loops on Boundaries Troubleshooting

CHAPTER 6: Troubleshooting

6-1 Strange Loops on Boundaries

The periodic faces of the mesh are created using Nurbs surfaces defined automatically. These sur-
faces are created in order to:
• follow the extension curves created in the hub and shroud views
• match the leading or the trailing edge of the blade.

extension curves
outlet extension
surface

blade
inlet extension
surface

streamwise direction
control points used to define the surface

The number of control points in the streamwise direction used to define these surfaces is by default
equal to 10. This parameter is available in Expert mode in the dialog box Blade to Blade Shape
Control ( ).
When loops appear near the leading edge and/or the trailing edge, the number of points used to
define the inlet and/or the outlet surfaces must be reduced. It is often the case when the extension
length is small compared to the leading or the trailing edge height.

AutoGrid4™ 6-1
Troubleshooting Blade to Blade Boundaries not Fully Defined

FIGURE 6.1.0-1 Blade-to-Blade Shape Control - Expert Parameters

6-2 Blade to Blade Boundaries not Fully Defined

The blade to blade boundaries are not fully defined on the hub and/or the shroud when the exten-
sion surfaces are not intersected by the hub and/or the shroud of the machine. The boundaries of the
extension surfaces are displayed in the meridional view. Visual checks can be done to determine if
the surfaces are fully intersected by the hub and the shroud curves. To solve the problem, the blade
definition can be more expanded below the hub and/or above the shroud. The expansion parameters
are available in the dialog box Geometry & Topology Control in Surface Edition area.

FIGURE 6.2.0-1 Geometry & Topology Control - Blade Expansion

6-2 AutoGrid4™
Problems & Bug Reports Troubleshooting

6-3 Problems & Bug Reports

If you are not able to create a mesh due to a malfunction of AutoGrid4™, bug reports can be sent
using an e-mail at [email protected]. This mail must contain:
• A description of the problem.
• A tar-gzip attachment.
• The machine type PC or UNIX (DEC,HP,SGI,SUN or IBM + operating system) and the release
on which the problem appears.
The tar-zip file must included all the files needed by AutoGrid4™ to reproduce the problem:
• The template file (“.trb”).
• The geometry turbo file (“.geomTurbo”).
• All the files (“.dat”) referenced in the geometry turbo file (“.geomTurbo”) as external files.

AutoGrid4™ 6-3
Troubleshooting Problems & Bug Reports

6-4 AutoGrid4™
Template & Geometry Files Output Files

CHAPTER 7: Output Files

7-1 Template & Geometry Files

The parameters used to create a mesh can be saved in a template file using the menu item File/Save
Template or the menu item File/Save Template As.... A template file (“.trb” extension) is created
as well as a geometry turbo file (“.geomTurbo” extension) containing all the geometrical entities
used to define the mesh which have been created during the AutoGrid4™ session.
Example
In the chapter 2, a mesh has been created using the following geometry turbo file:
GEOMETRY TURBO VERSION 3.7
SUCTION
SECTIONAL
4
#section 1
EXTERNAL
_geometry/ss_section1.dat
#section 2
EXTERNAL
_geometry/ss_section2.dat
#section 3
EXTERNAL
_geometry/ss_section3.dat
#section 4
EXTERNAL
_geometry/ss_section4.dat

During the geometry definition, a lofted surface and a curve have been created to define the shroud
and the pressure side of the blade. At the end of the grid generation, the parameters have been saved
in the file sample.trb using the menu item File/Save Template As.... Furthermore, a new geometry
turbo file (sample.geomTurbo) has been created automatically when saving the template. It contains

AutoGrid4™ 7-1
Output Files Template & Geometry Files

the geometry file names of all the curves and surfaces used to create the mesh if these external files
are located in the same directory or in a subdirectory, otherwise the whole content of these files is
copied automatically in the geometry turbo file.
Example 1: data files (“.dat”) located in same directory or in a subdirectory as template file (“.trb”)
GEOMETRY TURBO VERSION 3.7
geometric_tolerance 1e-06
blade_expansion_factor_hub 0
blade_expansion_factor_shroud 0.1
blade_merging 0
HUB
EXTERNAL
hub.dat
SHROUD
EXTERNAL
shroud.dat
SUCTION
SECTIONAL
4
# section 1
EXTERNAL
ss_section1.dat
# section 2
EXTERNAL
ss_section2.dat
# section 3
EXTERNAL
ss_section3.dat
# section 4
EXTERNAL
ss_section4.dat
PRESSURE
SECTIONAL SISL
EXTERNAL
pressure.dat

 When the template file must be moved in the directory hierarchy, the associated geome-
try turbo file as well as all the files (“.dat”) referenced (with keyword EXTERNAL) in
this file must be displaced to. The menu item File/Save Template As... can be used to
make a full copy at another location.

7-2 AutoGrid4™
Template & Geometry Files Output Files

Example 2: data files (“.dat”) not located in same directory as template file (“.trb”)
Only a partial view of this file is given: the “...” indicates that data are omitted in this area.
GEOMETRY TURBO VERSION 3.7
geometric_tolerance1e-006
blade_expansion_factor_hub0
blade_expansion_factor_shroud0.1
blade_merging 0
units 1
number_of_blades 63
data_reduction 0
data_reduction_spacing_tolerance 0.0001
data_reduction_angle_tolerance 90
hub
ZR
40
0 0.63
...
1 0.63
shroud
ZR
2
0 0.76
1 0.76
suction
SECTIONAL
4
# section 1
XYZ
61
0.617217091516616 -0.0310958309066851 0.57949733
...
0.617578902426471 0.0228043793548317 0.66820766
# section 2
XYZ
60
0.661001371356766 -0.034370879244779 0.57992234
...
0.660981676146111 0.0303484093520286 0.66548808
# section 3
XYZ

AutoGrid4™ 7-3
Output Files Template & Geometry Files

60
0.720769024164122 -0.0395687698222824 0.58158596
...
0.720823618542939 0.03900628024558 0.66306599
# section 4
XYZ
60
0.748811530525614 -0.0422085506967401 0.58314322
...
0.748790677080617 0.0425747802948418 0.66269733
pressure
SECTIONAL
4
#section 1
XYZ
61
0.617217091516616 -0.0310958309066851 0.57949733
...
0.617578902426471 0.0228043793548317 0.66820766
#section 2
XYZ
62
0.661001371356766 -0.034370879244779 0.57992234
...
0.660981676146111 0.0303484093520286 0.66548808
#section 3
XYZ
62
0.720769024164122 -0.0395687698222824 0.58158596
...
0.720823618542939 0.03900628024558 0.66306599
#section 4
XYZ
62
0.748811530525614 -0.0422085506967401 0.58314322
...
0.748790677080617 0.0425747802948418 0.66269733
BLADE_TYPE_BLUNT 0

7-4 AutoGrid4™
Grid Files Output Files

7-2 Grid Files

The mesh is saved using the menu item File/Save Grid or the menu item File/Save Grid As... The
grid file structure consists of five files and is used to save and reload an IGG™ project:
• a “.geom” file, containing the definition of geometry points, curves and surfaces.
• a “.igg” file, containing the topology and grid information, such as number of blocks,
number of grid points, clustering, smoothing, projections...
• a “.cgns” file, containing the blocks coordinates.
• a “.bcs” file, containing the boundary conditions information required for the solver.
• a “.meridional” file, containing the flow paths coordinates.
The “.geom” and “.igg” files are required by IGG™. Without one of these, IGG™ will not be able
to reload a mesh. The “.meridional” file is required by CFView™ to create the azimuthal averaged
view.
The “.cgns” file should normally always be present since it contains the blocks coordinates. How-
ever if IGG™ cannot find it, it will still be able to read the project (geometry + topology). The face
and block grid will have to be manually regenerated.
The “.bcs” file is not read by IGG™. It is only used by external solvers.
The “.geom”, “.igg” and “.meridional” files are not intended to be read by the user. They are conse-
quently not explained here. The two next sections describe the “.cgns” and “.bcs” files.

7-2.1 “.CGNS” File

The “.cgns” file is used to store block coordinates in binary format. The faces division into patches
and some related boundary conditions are also saved in this file but are not used by IGG™ except
when importing directly a “.cgns” file.
The “.cgns” file is a direct implementation of the standard CGNS format for aerodynamic data.
CGNS (CFD General Notation System) is becoming the de-facto standard for the exchange of CFD
data among heterogeneous CFD systems. More and more CFD systems directly support the CGNS.
The CGNS provides an API to read and store CFD data onto disk. Reading and writing CGNS com-
pliant files becomes very easy since the user needs no care about the internals of reading and writ-
ing to disk or about platform compatibility. The library supporting the implementation of the API is
freely accessible in source or compiled form. More information can be found on the web site
www.cgns.org.

7-2.2 “.BCS” File

The boundary condition file (“.bcs” file) is used to export the boundary condition settings of each
patch of a grid, defined with the Grid/Boundary Conditions... menu. There exists one “.bcs” file
for each project. An example of a “.bcs” file is shown below:

AutoGrid4™ 7-5
Output Files Grid Files

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

7-2.2.1 Format description

(1) The first line contains the number of blocks in the file (second field).
(2) Each block is then described one after the other in the following way:
• Name and type of the block.
• Number of points in the I, J and K directions.
• Periodicity information of the block set automatically by imposing the number of blades in
Geometry & Topology Control dialog box:
ROTATION rot_axis_x rot_axis_y rot_axis_z origin_x origin_y origin_z num_repet

7-6 AutoGrid4™
Grid Files Output Files

In our example, the first block has a rotation periodicity with origin (0,0,0), rotation axis (0,0,1)
and 63 repetitions (63 blades).
• The next lines describe the patches information for each block face. The order in which faces
are described is the following: Imin Jmin Kmin Kmax Jmax Imax (faces 5 3 1 2 4 6).

For each face:

• The number of patches for the face (one line).
• Patches description (one line per patch). This information depends on the patch type and is
summarized below:

For each patch, the line contains the patch name, its type and its limits min1, min2, max1, max2
(1 and 2 are the two principal axes of the patch: [I, J], [J, K] or [I, K]). The following figure
describes a solid patch going from (1,9) to (41,49):

name SOL 1 41 9 49

Patch name BC type

start index 2 end index2
start index 1 end index 1

FIGURE 7.2.2-1 SOLID patch type information

For CON, NMB, PER and PERNM patches, the line contains in addition the indices of the
connected patch (three indices giving the number of the connected block, face and patch) and
the relative orientation of the two patches, described by the corner and orientation indices.
Moreover the end of the line contains the name of the connected block. This information is not
mandatory (connected block is described by its index) and is only present to make things clear.

name CON 1 41 9 49 3 4 1 0 0 Block_2

Orientation Corner

General patch information Connected patch : Block Face Patch indices Connected block name

FIGURE 7.2.2-2 CON patch type information

 The index of the connected face (4 in the above example) is not directly the face number
in IGG™. Instead the indices in the right column below are used (for historical reason):

AutoGrid4™ 7-7
Output Files Grid Files

IGG™ Face index convention index saved in “.bcs” file

1 3
2 4
3 2
4 5
5 1
6 6

FIGURE 7.2.2-3 Face index convention

The corner and orientation indices determine how the connected patch connects to the patch
currently described. The following table shows the eight possible configurations:

PATCH ORIENTATION : 0 (SAME) CORNER PATCH ORIENTATION : 1 (REVERSE)

POSITION
FROM TO FROM TO

n2 n2 n2 n1
0
n1 n1 n1 n2

1 1 1 1

n2 n1 n2 n2
1
n1 n2 n1 n1

1 2 1 2
3 3

n2 n1 n2
n2
2
n1 n2 n1 n1

1 1
4 4
n2 n1
n2 n2
3
n1 n1 n1 n2

1 1

n1, n2 : first and second variable coordinate indices along the patch

FIGURE 7.2.2-4 Standard notation for corner and orientation.

 In this table, the left patch is always the connected patch and is taken as reference. The
right patch is the patch currently described.

7-8 AutoGrid4™
Grid Files Output Files

For PER and PERNM patches, the line contains in addition a connection sign (+1 or -1) before
the connected block name. This sign indicates the sense of the periodic transformation for the
given patch (the periodicity information is given previously in the file for each block):
+1 means that the patch connects to the other by rotating (or translating) it according to the peri-
odic axis (clockwise).
- 1 means that the patch connects to the other by rotating (or translating) it in the opposite direc-
tion as the periodic axis (counter clockwise).
This means that for two periodic patches, one will always have the sign +1 and the other -1.

Number of blocks
Block name Block_1 FLUID
Block size nI nJ nK
Block periodicity
Face Imin, 1 patch PER
Face Jmin, 1 patch CON
Block 1
Face Kmin, 2 patches SOL

Face Kmax, 1 patch UND

Face Jmax, 1 patch OUT

Face Imax, 1 patch PER

Block_2 FLUID

Block 2

Connection name

Fnmb
connection
Left patches list
Right patches list

After the information of each block, the full non matching connections are described. The descrip-
tion is done for each connection between the two following lines: "NI_BEGIN
FNMB_CONNECTION" and "NI_END FNMB_CONNECTION"; it contains the following infor-
mation:
• FNMB connection name.
• General information for the connection (periodic or not, repetition or not, tolerance,...).

AutoGrid4™ 7-9
Output Files Grid Files

• List of left patches involved in the connection.

• List of right patches involved in the connection.
Each patch is identified by three indices determining the Block, Face and Patch number.

(3) The first line contains the number of blades in the file.
Each blade is then described one after the other in the following way:
• Name of the blade.
• Location of the Leading & Trailing edges.
• Block patches defining the Pressure & Suction sides.

(4) This section is available when saving an AutoGrid5™ mesh and includes data required by
EURANUS when using the Initial Solution for Turbomachinery.

7-10 AutoGrid4™
 Index

INDEX
A Shape Definition 2-8
Azimuthal View 2-6
Blunt Control 4-22, 4-23
Clustering 4-7 D
Control Boundary Layer 4-7 Define Corner 4-30, 4-44
Control Z Constant Line 4-2, 4-32
Discontinuities 4-30
Grid Points 2-9
Splitter Control 4-24 E
Tip Clearance 4-8 Expansion Blade 2-11
Expansion Propeller 4-38
B
Extension Shape Control 5-5
Batch 5-12
Extension Surfaces Parameters 5-7, 6-1
BCS Format 7-5
Blade F
Clustering 2-14 File
Expansion 2-11, 6-2 Template 2-17
Format 3-3, 3-7 Tip Clearance 4-11
Merge 5-7 Fitting
Number 2-9 Leading Edge 4-24
Sharp Edge 5-9 Trailing Edge 4-24
Tolerance 5-12 Flow Paths 2-12, 5-3
Blade-to-Blade
Clustering 4-7 G
Geometry
Mesh 2-15, 4-2, 4-5
File 3-2
Orthogonality 2-15, 5-11
Inlet 2-7
Smoothing 4-2, 4-8, 4-18
Outlet 2-7
Splitter Control 4-26
Tolerance 5-2
View 1-4
Graphical User Interface 1-3
Blunt 4-21 Grid Points
Azimuthal Control 4-22, 4-23 Azimuthal 2-9
Boundary Conditions File 7-5 Spanwise 2-9
Boundary Layer 4-7 Streamwise 2-9
Boundary Layer Control 4-7
Boundary Layer Factor 4-14 H
Bulb 4-33 H Topology 2-14, 4-26
Spanwise Control 4-37 HOH mesh 4-12
Streamwise Control 4-36 Hub Clearance 4-12
Topology 4-35 Hub Format 3-3
Butterfly Tip Clearance 4-20
I
C I Topology 4-2
CGNS format 7-5 Import Curve 2-4
Chord Definition 5-9 Inlet
Curve Shape 2-8
Conformal Transformation 1-4
Control Point Definition 2-7
Define Corner 4-30, 4-44 Input
Curve File Definition 3-1
Blade Section 3-7 Geometry File 3-2
Format 3-3 Template 2-17
Import 2-4 Input Geometry File

AutoGrid4™ i
Index

INDEX
Curve 2-4 R
Lofted Surface 2-5 Reset Distribution
Tip Clearance 4-10
Interface 1-3
Rotation Angle 4-24
L Rotor-Stator Interaction 5-11
Leading Edge Fitting 4-24 Ruled Surface 3-5

M S
Matching Mesh 4-5, 4-6 Save
Merge Blade 5-7 Mesh 2-17
Meridional Template 2-17
Expert Parameters 5-3 Seal Leakage
Mesh 2-17 on Hub 4-47
Tip Clearance 4-8 on Shroud 4-40
View 1-3, 2-7 Sharp Edge 5-9
Mesh Shock Capture 4-6
Blade-to-Blade 2-15 Shroud Format 3-3
Matching Control 4-5, 4-6 Smoothing 4-2, 4-8
Meridional 2-17 Smoothing (Blade-to-Blade) 4-18
Save 2-17 Solid Angles 5-7
Spanwise
N Bulb Control 4-37
Negative Cells 2-16, 4-8 Grid Points 2-9
New Template 4-23 Propeller Control 4-39
Number of blades 2-9 Tip Clearance 4-9
Nurbs Surfaces 6-1 Splitter 4-23
Azimuthal Control 4-24
O
Blade-to-Blade Control 4-26
O Topology 4-12
Streamwise
Orthogonality 2-15 Bulb Clustering 4-36
Outlet Definition 2-7 Clustering 2-14, 4-5
Output
Clustering on Blade 2-14, 4-5, 4-6, 4-17
CGNS Grid File 7-5
Grid Points 2-9
Geometry File 7-1
Seal Leakage Control 4-41
Template 2-17
Suction Side Format 3-4
Overlapping Cells 4-8, 5-11
Surface
P Format 3-4
Periodic Surfaces 5-5 Lofted 2-5, 3-3
Precision (single-double) 2-16 Nurbs 6-1
Pressure Side Format 3-4 Ruled 3-5
Propeller 4-38 Wireframe 3-4
Expansion 4-38 T
Spanwise Control 4-39 Tangent Weight 5-7
Topology 4-38 Technological Effects
Blunt 4-21
Q
Bulb 4-33
Quality
Negative Cells 2-16 Propeller 4-38
Seal Leakage on Hub 4-47

ii AutoGrid4™
 Index

INDEX
Seal Leakage on Shroud 4-40
Template 2-17, 5-12
Save 2-17
Splitter 4-23
Tip Clearance 4-8
Azimuthal Control 4-8
Butterfly Topology 4-20
Curve 4-11
File 4-11
Meridional Control 4-8, 4-9
Reset Distribution 4-10
Tolerance 5-2
Topology
Bulb 4-35
Butterfly Tip 4-20
H mesh 2-14, 4-26
I mesh 4-2
O mesh 4-12
Propeller 4-38
Trailing Edge Fitting 4-24
Transformation Conformal 1-4
Troubleshooting 6-1

V
View
Blade-to-Blade 1-4
Full Screen Mode 2-7, 2-15
Geometry 2-6, 5-12
Meridional 1-3, 2-7, 2-17
XYZ-3D 1-3, 2-16

W
Windmill 4-38
Wireframe 3-4

X
XYZ View 1-3

Z
Z Constant Line 4-2, 4-32

AutoGrid4™ iii