Mesh-Intro 19R2 M05 Lecture Slides Mesh Quality and Advanced Topics
Mesh-Intro 19R2 M05 Lecture Slides Mesh Quality and Advanced Topics
Advanced Topics
Introduction to ANSYS Meshing
Release 2019 R2
Preprocessing
Meshing
and Solution
Geometry
Import / Geometry
Creation Cleanup /
Modifications
Mesh
Quality
Module 5
4 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Impact of the Mesh Quality
Good quality mesh means that…
• Mesh quality criteria are within correct range
- Orthogonal quality …
• Mesh is valid for studied physics
- Boundary layer …
• Solution is grid independent
• Important geometric details are well captured
User must…
• Check quality criteria and improve grid if needed
• Think about model and solver settings before generating the grid
• Perform mesh parametric study, mesh adaption …
• Example showing
difference between a
mesh with cells failing
the quality criteria
and a good mesh
• Unphysical values in
vicinity of poor
quality cells
Mesh 1
VzMIN≈-90ft/min
VzMAX≈600ft/min
VzMIN≈-100ft/min
VzMAX≈400ft/min
x8
DP 0 DP 3
• Solution run with
multiple meshes
• Note : For all runs the
computed Y+ is valid for
wall function (first cell
not in laminar zone)
2%
– Automated
– Reduced CPU-time for good boundary layer Prisms (near wall)
resolution
10 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Mesh Statistics & Mesh Metrics
• Displays mesh information for Nodes and Elements
• List of quality criteria for the Mesh Metric
– Different physics and different solvers have different requirements for mesh quality
2-D:
• Length / height ratio: δx/δy
3-D δy
• Area ratio δx
• Radius ratio of circumscribed / inscribed circle
• Characteristic Length mesh metric added for explicit to help find time
step:
CFL Condition:
Checked in solver
• Volume Change in Fluent Recommendation:
– Available in Adapt/Volume Good: 1.0 < σ < 1.5
Fair: 1.5 < σ < 2.5
– 3D : σi = Vi / Vnb Poor: σ > 5 … 20
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Mesh Statistics |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+ Good
Domain Name: Air Duct (OK)
Minimum Orthogonality Angle [degrees] = 20.4 ok
Maximum Aspect Ratio = 13.5 OK
Maximum Mesh Expansion Factor = 700.4 !
Domain Name: Water Pipe Acceptable
Minimum Orthogonality Angle [degrees] = 32.8 ok
Maximum Aspect Ratio = 6.4 OK (ok)
Maximum Mesh Expansion Factor = 73.5 !
Global Mesh Quality Statistics :
Minimum Orthogonality Angle [degrees] = 20.4 ok Questionable
Maximum Aspect Ratio = 13.5 OK (!)
Maximum Mesh Expansion Factor = 700.4 !
• For complex geometries hex Meshing, you can use SpaceClaim Meshing
SpaceClaim Meshing may be a good option for explicit applications. Please refer to the SpaceClaim Meshing training course
24 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Physics Based Settings (1)
• Different types of analyses have different meshing requirements
– Structural: coarser mesh with higher order elements
– CFD: finer, smoothly varying mesh, boundary layer resolution
➢ Different CFD solvers have different requirements as well
– Explicit Dynamics: uniformly size mesh desired
• Possible to set common defaults by setting the Physics Preference
Default Global Controls
Physics Solid Element Midside Relevance Smoothing Transition
Preference Midside Nodes Nodes Center
Option
Mechanical Kept Curved Coarse Low Fast
CFD Dropped Curved Fine Medium Slow
Electromagnetic Kept Straight Medium Medium Fast
Explicit Dropped Curved Coarse High Slow
This strategy is useful when model is clean and doesn’t have much difference
between the smallest and largest gap to be connected across.
• Find the smallest and largest gap between the entities to be connected.
‐ Define a list of connection tolerance
➢ smallest gap < smallest connection tolerance and largest gap < largest connection tolerance
Connected region
32 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Worksheet Explained
Front view
CAD
1
Dimensions are in mm
Side view
Model requires a minimum
tolerance of 1 mm to be
properly connected. Expected mesh after
connections
CAD Step 5
Named selection on 2 faces as
shown in image E.
E Tolerance = 1.2 mm
Connect option: Free to Free
35 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Why Extensions should be performed?
Performing extend operations in upstream cad have following advantages:
• Requires fewer and smaller tolerances to get the model connected. Thus increasing the overall robustness.
• Reduces chances of mesh getting distorted after connection.
• Since there are only 3 parts, it not efficient to use scoped named selection to use
in worksheet. Thus, “AllBodies” was used instead.
• If there are large number of bodies/parts, then it is recommended to use scoped
named selection in worksheet.
Steps:
1. Show the problematic geometry from warning / error message The bottom info bar will show which
2. Click on Start in the walk menu entity you are on in the collection
3. Use Previous, Next, First, Last buttons
Average quad meshing speed is ~0.25 to ~0.3 million elements per minute
Release 2019 R2
When to use?
• To merge together a number of small (connected)
faces/edges
• To simplify small features in the model
• To simplify load abstraction for mechanical analysis
• To create edge splits for better control of the surface
mesh control
Virtual cells modify topology
• Original CAD model remains unchanged
• New faceted geometry is created with virtual topology
Restrictions
• Limited to “developable” surfaces
• Virtual Faces cannot form a closed region
• Split Edge
Custom VT Repair
Advantages: Advantages:
• More control over curvature. Creating • Targeted ways of removing small
VTs w/too much curvature can some edges, faces and slivers
times make meshing less successful • Can be used with other Auto-VT
methods or in place of them
Note: Mesh Based Defeaturing is the recommended approach for detailed models cleanup. It is much more robust, as it
cleans at mesh level. Virtual Topology is recommended for only those cases/bodies where Mesh Based Defeaturing is not
effective. VT can also be used for any selective local cleanup which was not handled by mesh based defeaturing
51 © 2019 ANSYS, Inc.
Pinch
• Pinch control removes small features automatically or manually at the mesh level
➢ Slivers
➢ Short Edges
➢ Sharp Angles
• The Pinch feature works on vertices and edges only
• The Pinch feature is supported for the following mesh methods:
– Patch Conforming Tetrahedrons
– Thin Solid Sweeps
– Hex Dominant meshing
– Quad Dominant Surface meshing
before after before after
– Triangles Surface meshing
• Not supported for
– CutCell
– Patch Independent
– Multizone & General Sweep
Vertex-Vertex Edge-Edge
Polyhedral
Access
• Fluent Meshing volume meshing technology is
accessible from a WB meshing setup only
through the WBPolyMeshingForFluent ACT
• To use, download the ACT (free) from the ANSYS HexCore
App Store
• Both Polyhedral and HexCore meshes can be
produced with high quality inflation
Pre-requisites
• Single or Multi-body part meshing only
- The ACT does not support multiple parts
- Share topology must be successful
• Mesh Controls
- Only program controlled inflation (defined inside the ACT panel)
- All bodies must be assigned a patch conforming Method (tetrahedrons)
- Only Advanced Size Function
• Surface meshing
- A triangular surface mesh needs to be created in WB meshing
- Skew =1 is acceptable
5.1 CFD 5.2 CFD 5.3 CFD 5.4 CFD 5.5 CFD
5.1 Explicit