Creating An Altair Flux Project
Creating An Altair Flux Project
Creating An Altair Flux Project
The Flux Supervisor window is divided into several zones. The different
zones are identified in the figure below and then detailed in following paragraphs.
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The different zones of the Flux Supervisor and their functions are:
Modules - The user selects the module in which he wishes to create his project: 2D,
Skew, 3D or PEEC.
Contexts - The user have the choice between several context use of supervisor: New
project, Open project, Open example, Python for Flux and Batch solve.
Working directory - The user chooses a working directory. The path of this directory
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3.2. Memory Management
From the software management point of view Flux has:
• two major components:
- one” computation” component (invisible part), in Fortran language
- one “GUI” component (visible part), in Java language,
• one connection between these two components, in Java.
A memory space must therefore be allotted for the Flux program (the executable), for
the operation of each of the components, and the connection between the
components.
The distribution is presented in the figure below and explained in the following
sections.
As regards the calculus part (in Fortran), Flux uses a pseudo-dynamic* management
tool of the memory. This tool manages a global memory space comprising two Fortran
tables, one for the numeric memory, the other one for the character memory. The
size of each of these tables is controlled by a Fortran parameter inscribed in the main
program.
* Definitions:
• Dynamic allotting: the size of the reserved memory is set by the user (it is
therefore modifiable);
• Pseudo-dynamic allotting: Flux utilizes numeric tables and characters allotted in a
dynamic manner in order to emulate a dynamic memory.
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Numerical memory is the memory employed for the various modeling actions. 2D and
3D meshing and solving process (in 2D and in 3D) are the processes that require large
memory size.
GUI memory is the memory used for everything concerning the graphical user
interface (graphic display, etc.).
In the graphic window, the flag located bottom left gives an image of the utilization
of the graphic memory. When it is red, you can double-click on it to force the process
to release the memory.
The system memory corresponds to the memory allotted for the good operation of
the system; it comprises:
• the « executable » memory: memory space for the program Flux (the
executable) of the order 250 Mo
• the « cache » memory: memory space for the transfers of data between the
calculus component (Fortran) and the component HMI (Java). This memory is
difficult to quantify, it can generate errors during the recovery of data.
The allocated memory size is defined for each application (Flux 2D / Flux 3D / Flux
Skew / Flux PEEC).
The values of memory types are defined by means of the memory manager.
Memory options, Figure 3.4, are available by clicking on: in the Flux
Supervisor, Figure 3.1.
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Standard values are assigned by default in Flux and depend on a certain number of
criteria (application, computer characteristics, etc.). In the Student Version the
Default values for memory types are presented in Figure 3.4.
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3.3. Creation of a Flux Project
In the Flux Supervisor, Figure 3.5, we select Flux 2D Module (1) and New Project (2)
from the Contexts. Next, we’ll click on Start a new Project (3) after we selected the
folder in which we’ll work.
Graphic
Data Tree
Output
PyFlux Command
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Title bar - General information: Software name, version number, Application (Steady
State AC Magnetic 2D), Project name (Healthy_ST_AC_M_2D.FLU).
Menus bar - Access to the different menus: Project, Application, Geometry, Mesh,
Physics, Parameter/Quantity, Solving, Display, View, Select, Tools Extensions, Help.
PyFlux Command - Access to the new python editor and the memory of actions
achieved in the project.
and Tools - Commands of the Tools menu: Undo, Close all open dialog
boxes.
We can save the project from the Menu, Project>Save, Figure 3.7, or clicking on the
save button
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More Information can be found in:
• 01_Vol1_Environment_Geometry_Mesh_Import.pdf from Program from Pdf
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3.5. How to Define the Type of the Physical
Application for the Project
A physical application allows us to solve a problem described by an equation, the
operating hypothesis and the boundary conditions.
The concept of physical application regroups information that concerns:
• the solved equation and the solving mode of this equation (model, formulations,
approximations, etc);
• the operating hypotheses: characteristics of the material media and the material
behavior, characteristics of the sources, etc;
• the boundary conditions: infinite box, symmetry and/or periodicity, other
conditions imposed by the user, etc.
The basic applications can be grouped into three categories, Figure 3.9:
• magnetic applications;
• electric applications;
• thermal applications.
To these, the strong coupling between magnetic or electric, with thermal application
are added and are grouped under the thermal coupling applications, Figure 3.9:
• magneto-thermal applications;
• electro-thermal applications.
The previously defined applications can be classified according to the field states:
• static applications treat static (or steady state) phenomena in devices where the
field sources are time independent;
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• transient applications treat variables or transient phenomena in devices where the
field sources are time dependent;
• steady state AC applications for devices where the time variation of the field sources
is sinusoidal.
Magnetic Applications
In Flux software, the different “magnetic states” correspond to different physics
applications.
Generally, a magnetic application studies the magnetic phenomena created by:
• currents (stationary, variable, or sinusoidal)
• permanent magnets
The three available physics applications are the Magneto static, Transient Magnetic,
and Steady state AC Magnetic applications, Figure 3.10.
The main characteristics of the magnetic applications are listed in the table below.
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Examples of the studied devices are presented below:
• structures with permanent magnets for particle accelerators, spectrometers or MRI
magnets, magnetic reading heads, magnetic shielding, devices for magnetic
separation;
• magnetic bearings, electromagnets, contactors;
• rotating machines, micromotors, transformers;
• induction heating devices, etc.
For one device, it is possible to carry out a study with each Flux magnetic application
in order to study different aspects, Table 2.2.
Electric Applications
Study of electric charge systems - The ordinary matter consists of atoms that contain
the same number of electrons (carrying an elementary negative electric charge) and
of protons (carrying a positive electric charge). The atoms are electrically neutral. A
deficit of electrons within an atom means a positive electric charge and an excess of
electrons means a negative electric charge.
We can say:
• electrostatics is the study of static electric charges;
• electric conduction is the study of oriented motion of electric charges.
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Electric conduction studies electric currents, i.e. the phenomena associated with the
oriented displacement of electric charges, without considering the magnetic field
generated by electric currents.
The study of the interactions between magnetic fields and electric currents
characterizes electromagnetism; it is not the object of electric conduction studies.
The main characteristics of the electric applications are listed in the table below.
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Examples of some studied devices are listed in the table below.
Thermal Applications
Thermal equilibrium - When two bodies that do not exchange heat with their
environment but have different temperatures are brought into contact, they
exchange heat until an equilibrium state is reached. This state is characterized by the
uniform and time independent temperature field of the two bodies.
More generally, a system is in thermal equilibrium when the heat flux is null at any
point of the system. The temperature gradient is zero at any point and the
temperature field is time and space independent
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• Thermal radiation: A heated body emits energy through electromagnetic radiation.
One of the particularities of this phenomenon - called “thermal radiation” - is the
possibility of heat propagation in a vacuum.
Transient states must not be confused with variable states; in variable states the
power value of the heat sources varies with time.
Thermal convection, which assumes fluid heat transfer cannot be directly modelled
in Flux. Boundary thermal convection heat transfer characterizes the solid regions of
the studied device and the surrounding fluid. It is also the case for the radiation to
infinite.
The two available physical applications are the Steady state Thermal and Transient
Thermal applications, Figure 3.12.
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Figure 3.12 Thermal applications available in Flux - 2D module
The Transient Thermal application of Flux enables the study of both the transient and
variable states.
The Steady state and the Transient Thermal applications enable the solid body’s
system thermal conduction study considering the convection and/or radiation
thermal exchanges on the domain’s temperature computational boundaries.
The Steady state Thermal and Transient Thermal applications can be used to study
the temperature fields in furnaces, machines, etc.
Thermal Coupling
Usually, the term of coupling is used when we want to study, for a given device,
several physical phenomena: in our case electric/magnetic with thermal.
The thermal coupling applications available in Flux 2D are presented in Figure 3.13.
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These coupled applications allow the thermal study of the devices heated by
electromagnetic induction or by electric conduction.
The dissipated power by Joule effect, computed with application (1), is introduced as
the problem heat source in application 2.
The Flux application proposed couplings is a weak coupling: the thermal and
electromagnetic process are solved separately. The two equation systems are coupled
by means of some terms:
• The temperature (resulting from thermal resolution) is a quantity which is involved
in the system of electromagnetic equations by means of the material physical
properties: magnetic permeability, electric resistivity, permittivity, …
• The power losses (resulting from the electromagnetic solving) is the corresponding
term of the systems thermal equation heating source.
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The Steady State AC Magnetic coupled with Transient Thermal application allows the
evolution study of the electromagnetic and thermal phenomena during the induction
heating process of a part.
This type of study is a coupling between two different applications, one for the
evaluation of the electromagnetic field distribution, and the other computing the
part’s transient heating as a result of induced power and of thermal transfer:
• the Steady State AC Magnetic application allows the computation of the power
dissipated by Joule effect into the part to be heated (1);
• the Transient Thermal application (2) allows the study of the temperature evolution
of the heated part.
The Joule effect dissipated power, computed by the magnetic problem - application
1, is the source of the thermal problem - application 2.
The characteristics of the Electric Conduction (EC) coupled with the Transient Thermal
(TT) application are not detailed in this Book. This coupling is, a priori, simpler than
the “SM coupled with TT application” and the “SE coupled with TT application”, as the
problem solving with the Electric Conduction application is of a linear type.
The characteristics of the Steady state AC Electric (SE) coupled with the Transient
Thermal (TT) application are not detailed in this Book. This coupling operates similarly
to the Steady State AC Magnetic (SM) coupled with the Transient Thermal (TT)
application. Attention: the temperature depending properties (permeability
depending on temperature) must be defined by a user subroutine.
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More Information can be found in:
• 01_Vol3_Physical_applications_Magnetic_Electric_Thermal.pdf
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3.6. Building the Geometry
In Flux the geometry can be:
• Imported, Figure 3.15;
• created in the Sketcher 2D, Figure 3.16;
• created from points, lines and faces, Figure 3.17;
• created automatically using a template, overlay, only for electrical
motors/generators, Figure 3.18.
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Figure 3.17 Create points/lines/faces
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3.7. Defining and Assigning the Mesh. Meshing the
Domain
In Flux the mesh of the geometry can be:
• Imported, Figure 3.20, for example from Altair HyperMesh;
• Defined as mesh points or/and lines and assign to the correspondent entity,
Figure 3.21.
After assigning the mesh information, we need to mesh the computation domain
(geometry), Figure 3.22.
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Figure 3.22 Meshing the geometry
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3.8. Creation of the Materials
Flux allows us to create quickly materials in order to use it in the project, Figure 3.24.
The materials can be also imported from the material manager or from a file,
Figure 3.25.
The material manage, Figure 3.26, is a tool dedicated to materials. It allows to store
the materials in data bases, and gives access to lots of functionalities like creating,
consulting or comparing materials.
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Figure 3.26 Material manager
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3.9. Creation of the Circuit Associated with the
Model
Flux allows us to carry out studies with circuit coupling. The circuit coupling introduces
the electrical equations directly into the magnetic field computation, enabling the
analysis of electric conductors and the supply circuit. We refer to field – circuit
coupling (or coupling with circuit equations).
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Figure 3.29 Entering the circuit editor context
In the editor circuit context, we can add the electric components, Figure 3.31, to our
circuit and connect then as we want.
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Figure 3.31 Electric components that can be added in our circuit
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3.10. Creation of the Mechanical Sets
Flux allows us to carry out studies with kinematic coupling. The Flux kinematic module
enables us to study a moving part in a device that is subject to mechanical forces
(springs, friction, gravity, etc.) and magnetic forces (magnets, coils).
Flux gives us the possibility of having five types of mechanical set, Figure 3.33.
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3.11. Creation and Assigning of face/lines/point
Regions
Material media are modelled by material regions. In Flux 2D we’ll use mainly surface
regions, but line regions and point regions are also possible for use.
The medium physical properties are those of the corresponding material region.
An air or a vacuum region enables us to model the air or the vacuum (permeability
µr=1).
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We model a magnetic (permeability µr) and conducting (resistivity ρ) medium with a
solid conductor region.
After we have created the regions the next step is to assign them to theirs
corresponding types, Figure 3.36.
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3.12. Creation and Solving a Scenario
An electromagnetic problem can be determined by solving a set of equations:
• the Maxwell equations, which represent the backbone of the theory;
• the constitutive equations of the matter, which model the material properties.
• the electrical field strength 𝐸⃗⃗ and the electrical flux density 𝐷
⃗⃗;
Maxwell-Gauss ⃗⃗ ) = 𝑞
𝑑𝑖𝑣(𝐷 (1)
⃗⃗
𝜕𝐵
Maxwell-Faraday 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑙(𝐸⃗⃗ ) = − 𝜕𝑡 (2)
Gauss law for magnetism ⃗⃗) = 0
𝑑𝑖𝑣(𝐵 (3)
⃗⃗
𝜕𝐷
Maxwell-Ampère ⃗⃗ ) = 𝐽⃗ +
𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑙(𝐻 (4)
𝜕𝑡
The following constitutive material laws are added to the previous
equations:
Characteristics of the conducting media J = E (5)
Characteristics of the magnetic media B =H (6)
Characteristics of the dialectical media D=E (7)
where:
• is the conductivity of the material (in S)
• is the permeability (in H/m)
• is the permittivity (in F/m)
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Table 3.6 The constitutive equations for the materials
Constitutive
Material Material property
equation
magnetic B = H (8) : permeability [H/m]
dielectric D = E (9) : permittivity [F/m]
conductive J = E (10) : conductivity [-1.m-1]
thermal (thermal [k]: tensor of the thermal
conductivity) = − [k] grad T (11) conductivity [W/m/degree]
thermal (volumetric CP(T): volumetric heat
Q = CP. T (12)
heat capacity) capacity (J/m3/degree)
In Flux in order to solve a project we must create, Figure 3.38, and solve, Figure 3.39,
a scenario.
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Figure 3.39 Starting the solving process
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