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XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 1

XFlow 2015 (Build 96.01)

XFlow is a registered trademark of Next Limit Dynamics SL

All other trademarks included in this document belong to their respective owners.

All rights reserved. This document, in whole or in part, may not be copied, reproduced, translated, transferred,
transmitted or publicly performed, in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, machine-readable, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems - without the prior
written permission of Next Limit Dynamics SL.

All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned
and no responsibility is accepted by Next Limit Dynamics SL, producer, publisher, or printer for any
infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made
to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, Next Limit Dynamics SL, the
publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the
use of information contained in this document or from the use of programs and source code that may
accompany it. In no event shall Next Limit Dynamics SL, the publisher or the author be liable for any loss of
profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this
document.

Use of the XFlow software and its documentation has been provided under a software license agreement. Next
Limit Dynamics SL assumes no responsibility or liability for any damages or data loss caused by installation or
use of the software. Information described in this documentation is furnished for information only, is subject to
change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Next Limit Dynamics SL.

The software and its documentation contain valuable trade secrets and proprietary information and are
protected by copyright laws. Unauthorized use of the software or its documentation can result in civil damages
and criminal prosecution.

2 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Table of Contents

Using this guide 6

Conventions
................................................................................................................................... 6

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA

0012 airfoil 9
Step 0:
...................................................................................................................................
Execute XFlow 10
Step 1:
...................................................................................................................................
Create geometry 11
Step 2:
...................................................................................................................................
Problem setup 17
Step 3:
...................................................................................................................................
Run 22
Step 4:
...................................................................................................................................
Post-processing 25
Step 5:
...................................................................................................................................
Refine the resolution 34
Step 6:
...................................................................................................................................
Moving NACA - Enforced motion 42
Step 7:
...................................................................................................................................
Moving NACA - Rigid body dynamics 46

Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics 50

Step 1:
...................................................................................................................................
Import geometry 51
Step 2:
...................................................................................................................................
Problem setup 54
Step 3:
...................................................................................................................................
Run 58
Step 4:
...................................................................................................................................
Post-processing 61

Tutorial 03 - Advanced post

processing 74
Advanced
...................................................................................................................................
post-processing 75

Tutorial 04 - Dam break 85

Step 1:
...................................................................................................................................
Problem setup 86
Step 2:
...................................................................................................................................
Post-processing 88

Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves 92

Step 1:
...................................................................................................................................
Problem setup 93
Step 2:
...................................................................................................................................
Post-processing 97
Step 3:
...................................................................................................................................
Gravitational potential 98
Step...................................................................................................................................
4: Porous volume 101

Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve 103

Step...................................................................................................................................
1: No damping case 104
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Under-damping case 113

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 3

Step...................................................................................................................................
3: Critical-damping case 114
Step...................................................................................................................................
4: Over-damping case 115

Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine 118

Step...................................................................................................................................
1: Geometry healing 119
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Enforced behaviour - Case setup 122
Step...................................................................................................................................
3: Enforced behaviour - Post-processing 127
Step...................................................................................................................................
4: Rigid body dynamics behaviour 130

Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer 134

Tutorial 09 - Radiation 144

Tutorial 10 - Cyclone flow 150

Step...................................................................................................................................
1: Problem setup 151
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Post-processing 155
Step...................................................................................................................................
3: Stream tracers 158

Tutorial 11 - FMI standard

co-simulation: OpenModelica
Pendulum 167
Step...................................................................................................................................
1: Problem setup - XFlow 168
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Set FMI standard in XFlow 174
Step...................................................................................................................................
3: Problem setup - OpenModelica 177
Step...................................................................................................................................
4: Exectution of Co-simulation 182
Step...................................................................................................................................
5: Post-processing 185

Tutorial 12 - MSC Nastran

co-simulation: Turek Hron 187
Step...................................................................................................................................
1: Problem setup - SimXpert 188
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Problem setup - XFlow 201
Step...................................................................................................................................
3: Execution of Co-simulation 207
Step...................................................................................................................................
4: Post processing 210

Tutorial 13 - Helmholtz resonator 211

Step...................................................................................................................................
1: Problem setup 212
Step...................................................................................................................................
2: Post-processing 215

4 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 5
Using this guide

This guide contains several tutorials that illustrate how to use XFlow in different types of problems:
Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil
Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics
Tutorial 03 - Advanced post processing
Tutorial 04 - Dam break
Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves
Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve
Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine
Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer
Tutorial 09 - Radiation
Tutorial 10 - Cyclone flow
Tutorial 11- FMI standard co-simulation: OpenModelica Pendulum
Tutorial 12 - MSC Nastran co-simulation: Turek Hron
Tutorial 13 - Helmholtz resonator

The user can either create a new project and follow the steps described in the tutorials (recommended), or
load the project file .xfp provided in the Documentation section of the client area in XFlow website (http://
www.xflowcfd.com/index.php/client_area/documentation/view/1).

Please take into account that the tutorials presented in this guide have been set to compute in a short amount
of time. To have more accurate results, you will have to lower the resolution.

Conventions
Several typographical conventions are used in this guide:
Menu options are indicated in orange.
Names of windows are in italics.
Items and options in the project tree are indicated in Verdana font.
Links are underlined in blue colour.
Routes to files are indicated in courier new font.
Keys are indicated in bold blue.
Cascading menus are represented as: Menu1 > Menu2 > Menu3. This means that in Menu1, click on

6 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Using this guide

Menu2. Then, in the Menu2 that comes up, click on Menu3 and so on.
Additional explanations and recommendations are enclosed in a message box.

Tip: Explains an easy way to do a task or just to improve the work flow.

Please note: Contains a brief explanation on what must be taken into account when doing an
specific task.

Units
All units are in the international system (SI).

Measure Symbol Units

Mass kg
Length m
Time t s
Velocity vx , vy , vz m/s
Pressure p Pa
Temperature θ Kelvin
Acceleration m/s 2
Density Kg/m3
Viscosity Pa-s
Thermal Conductivity k W/m-K
Specific Heat CP J/kg-K
Angle degrees
Angular velocity rad/s

Please note: Angles are given in degrees, while angular velocities are given in radians per second.

Coordinate system
Special attention needs to be paid to the coordinate system. In XFlow the Y-axis is assumed to be
vertical instead. The user may have thus to rotate the geometry when importing it from the CAD software.
This can be done either in the CAD or in XFlow.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 7

Conventions

8 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA

0012 airfoil
This first tutorial illustrates the simulation setup, execution, and post-processing of the two-dimensional flow
around a NACA 0012 airfoil at Reynolds number Re = 104 based on the chord length of the airfoil. The angle-of-
attack of the NACA will be 20 degrees.
It is assumed that the user has no experience using XFlow, so every step will be described in detail.

Please note: The aim of this first tutorial is to introduce and illustrate the basic XFlow features to the
user with a NACA 0012 profile. The setup used in this tutorial cannot be considered as a best practice or a
guide to perform accurate validations of the NACA profiles. For any validation purpose, please refer to the
Validation Guide of XFlow where some airfoil profiles are validated and their setup are explained.

This tutorial shows how to:

Create a project
Create a simple geometry
Use XFlow interface
Setup a virtual wind tunnel
Set the fluid properties and boundary conditions
Launch a simulation

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 9

Load simulation data
Do basic post-processing of the results
Refine the resolution
Set a simple moving geometry
Set a simple fluid-structure interaction

Contents
Step 0: Execute XFlow
Step 1: Create geometry
Step 2: Problem setup
Step 3: Run
Step 4: Post-processing
Step 5: Refine the resolution
Step 6: Moving NACA - Enforced motion
Step 7: Moving NACA - Rigid body dynamics

Step 0: Execute XFlow

Execute XFlow through the direct link in your desktop or by double-clicking the XFlow.exe file located in the
installation folder. The application displays the Graphical User Interface with the default layout and the Project
Manager window.

Please note: Linux users should execute xflow.sh

In the Project Manager enter the project name, the project path (you may need to browse to specify the path
or create a new folder) and press the button Create a new project.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Project Manager window

Step 1: Create geometry

1.1 Create a NACA 0012 profile

Create a NACA 0012 airfoil with chord length of 1 m and a width of 1 m, by means of: Main menu >

Geometry > Create object > Create NACA, or in Toolbar Object Creation.

Introduce the geometrical data of the NACA airfoil as in the following dialogue box (Units in SI):

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 11

Step 1: Create geometry

The NACA 0012 airfoil appears as a Shape in Project Tree > Geometry > Entities:

1.2 Check the position of the airfoil with the help of the grid

Go to Main menu > Options > Preferences, or press .

Enable the grid in: Graphic View > Show grid

Preferences > Graphic View > Show grid

The red and green lines indicate the X and Y axis, respectively.
The scale of the grid is displayed at the top left-hand corner of the Graphic View window.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

1.3 Navigate in the Graphic View

Change the view by clicking the following toolbar icons:
Top Bottom Left Right Front Back Perspective Fit all

Navigate in the Graphic View window through the following actions:

Zoom: Move the mouse wheel to zoom step by step, or drag the mouse while pressing Alt and the
right mouse button for a continuous zoom.
Translate view: Drag the mouse while pressing Alt and the middle mouse button to pan the view.
Rotate view: Drag the mouse while pressing Alt and the left mouse button to rotate the view.

Please note: Linux users might need to press Ctrl+Shift instead of Alt. If this is the case, the user
can change the "Movement key" to Alt in the "Window Preferences" of the Linux distribution.

1.4 Select the airfoil

Select the NACA geometry either by:

selecting the View only mode in the Toolbar Selection Filter, and clicking either on the NACA in
the Graphic View or on the word Shape in Project Tree > Geometry > Entities. Once the object
is selected, it is highlighted in blue in the Graphic View.

selecting the Object filter mode in the Toolbar Selection Filter ,and clicking either on the NACA
in the Graphic View or on the word Shape in Project Tree > Geometry > Entities. Once the
object is filtered, it is highlighted in blue and the object Gizmos is automatically shown in the Graphic
View.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 13

Step 1: Create geometry

Selected NACA profile - Gizmos shown

Gizmos allow the user to translate, rotate and scale the geometry. To familiarize yourself with the
Gizmos please perform the following actions:
click on any of the Gizmos axes - the translation dialogue box appears - and enter X = 3 m, Y = 2 m,
Z = 1 m. Observe the new position of the NACA.
click on any of the Gizmos arcs - the rotation dialogue box appears - and enter X = 30 º, Y = 0 º, Z =0
º. Observe the new orientation of the NACA.
click on any the Gizmos axes center - the scale dialogue box appears - and enter 2. Observe the new
size of the NACA (twice the original).

Select the NACA and press Delete to delete the modified object and create the NACA again as
indicated in Section 1.1

1.5 Check the geometrical properties of the airfoil

Select the NACA and measure its dimensions: Main menu > Geometry > Dimensions, or (

Toolbar geometry).
Please note, that the user may need to zoom, translate or rotate the view to see the numbers clearly
(see navigation).

With the airfoil still selected, click on again to hide the dimensions and click the right mouse

button in the Graphic View window to pop-up the contextual menu:

14 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

In this menu, select Set visualisation material to change the colour of the airfoil surface:
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Set
visualisation material > Colour

In the same menu, select the option Visualisation mode and visualise the NACA as shading,
wireframe, bounding box and mesh:
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Visualisation
mode > Shading
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Visualisation
mode > Mesh
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Visualisation
mode > Wireframe
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Visualisation
mode > Bounding box

Now, select the option Show geometrical properties, to get a report of the main geometrical
properties of the NACA:
Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View > Graphic View menu > Show
geometrical properties. Press Accept to close this window.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 15

Step 1: Create geometry

Geometrical properties report of the NACA profile

The surface of the NACA is automatically tessellated by XFlow when it is created. The surface mesh
properties (Polygons and Vertices) are displayed as well as other geometrical properties (area, volume,
etc.). The NACA geometry is generated as a native XFlow mesh format (.nfb) by default.

For parametric geometries (STEP, IGES, etc.), the geometry tessellation is generated by XFlow
automatically and depends on the parameter:
Main menu > Options > Preferences > Graphic View: OpenGL mesh deflection
which varies between 0 and 2. The larger the mesh deflection, the coarser the tessellation will be.

Check: Make sure that OpenGL mesh deflection = 0.1. If that is not the case, please change the
parameter to 0.1, delete the geometry: Select geometry > right mouse button in the Graphic View
> Graphic View menu > Remove selected, and create it again (see above). The geometry has to
be created again in order to take into account the change of the OpenGL mesh deflection value.

16 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Please note: There is no Undo option. Please, save the project frequently: Main menu > File >

Save project or click the toolbar icon

Step 2: Problem setup

For external aerodynamic applications, such as the object of this tutorial, XFlow features a Virtual Wind
Tunnel module that allows to accelerate the setup process.
The setup of the problem is done in the following sections of the Project Tree:
Environment > Engine
Environment > Environment
Materials
Geometry
Simulation

2.1 Engine settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Environment > Engine > as follows:
(a) Kernel : 2d
(b) Flow model: Single phase
(c) Analysis type: External
(d) Thermal model: Isothermal
(e) Turbulence settings:
Turbulence model: Automatic

Project Tree > Environment > Engine

2.2 Environment settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Environment > Environment > as follows:

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 17

Step 2: Problem setup

(a) Global attributes > Domain type: Virtual wind tunnel

(b) Global attributes > Ext. acceleration laws: leave it to zero
(c) Global attributes > Initial conditions: Wind tunnel default
(d) Global attributes > Reference area: Front
(e) Global attributes > Reference velocity: Automatic
(f) Wind tunnel > Position: move the wind tunnel 2 metres in the +X direction
(g) Wind tunnel > Dimensions: 8 metres length (X), 5 metres height (Y) and 1 metre width (Z)
(h) Wind tunnel > Ground wall: Off
(i) Wind tunnel > Boundary conditions: Velocity
(j) Wind tunnel > Boundary conditions > Velocity law: 10 m·s -1 in +X direction. This
boundary condition will be applied on the -X boundary of the wind tunnel (inlet).

Project Tree > Environement > Environment

Please note: The flow in the wind tunnel is by default assumed to move from -X (inlet) to +X (outlet).

Please note: The initial condition Wind tunnel default allows to initialise the flow using the same
wind tunnel conditions.

2.3 Materials settings

18 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

By default in single phase the fluid material is called Material 1, which is initialised with the air
thermophysical properties. To get a Re = 104, given a fluid velocity of 10 m·s -1 and an airfoil chord length

of 1 m, the Material 1 properties have to be modified as:

(a) Project Tree > Materials > Fluid > Density : 1 kg·m -3

(b) Project Tree > Materials > Fluid > Viscosity model: Newtonian
(c) Project Tree > Materials > Fluid > Viscosity model > Dynamic viscosity: 0.001 Pa·s

Project Tree > Materials

2.4 Geometry settings

The geometry (Naca-0012-4Digit) has been previously created. In Project Tree > Geometry, its
behaviour and boundary conditions can be defined as follows:
(a) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Behaviour: Fixed
(b) Leave the Position by default
(c) Change the Orientation of the NACA profile to -20 deg around the Z-axis and check its
orientation in the Graphic View 1. The airfoil will be simulated with an angle of attack of 20
degrees and should now be inclined as per the following picture.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 19

Step 2: Problem setup

NACA 0012 at 20º angle-of-attack in the XFlow Virtual Wind Tunnel

(d) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Boundary
conditions: Wall, with Automatic wall model and zero roughness

Project Tree > Geometry > Entities

2.5 Simulation settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Simulation > as follows:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 1 s
(b) Time > Time step mode: Fixed automatic (i.e. constant time step automatically calculated
by XFlow)
(c) Time > Time step mode > Courant: 1
(d) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.04 m
(e) Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Disabled (i.e. uniform resolution)
(f) Store data > Folder: naca. This is the name of the folder where the simulation data will be

20 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

stored.
(g) Store data > Frames frequency: 100 Hz (which means that a total of 100 frames will be
saved for 1 second of simulation time)
(h) Store data > Numerical data frequency: Solver time step, which means any curve
plotted in the Function Viewer will be updated at the frequency of the solver steps.
(i) Store data > Save averaged fields: Off
(j) Store data > Save resume file: Off. In case you need to stop and resume your simulation
you can switch it to On, however this consumes more hard disk space.
(k) Store data > Compute makers: Off
(l) Store data > Fields to save: Leave On all the fields, which means that all the flow fields will
be saved on the hard disk.

Project Tree > Simulation

At this point the setup has been finished and the computation can be launched.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file naca.xfp in Main menu

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 21

Step 2: Problem setup

> File > Load project or Open an existing project in the Project Manager window that appears
when executing XFlow.

Step 3: Run

3.1 Save project

Save the project before running the computation: Main menu > File > Save project, or in Toolbar
File.
XFlow project files have the extension .xfp.

3.2 Set number of CPUs

Set the number of CPUs, to be used for the calculation, in the preferences of the engine:

Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine, or in Toolbar File.
1 or 2 processors are enough for this tutorial.

3.3 Start the computation

Click the Run button > Start computation

XFlow creates a folder called naca in the same location as the project file. The results data and log files

22 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

are saved in this folder.

As XFlow is calculating, engine messages are shown in the Message View window.
The progress bar moves between 0 and 100%. A new data file (frame) is written when the progress bar
gets to 100%.

3.4 Process Manager

When launching a simulation, the XFlow Process Manager appears in the Windows Taskbar. It allows the
user to monitor and stop the simulations running in a machine.

Note that the Message View window shows the message "Connected to Engine Daemon on port 20225".
The port can be changed in
Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine: Engine Socket Port

Please note: The Graphical User Interface (GUI) can be closed while the simulation is running. The
Process Manager is the minimum interface with your computation. XFlow will reconnect the simulation to
the interface by means of the Process Manager when reopening the project again.

3.5 Message View

Check the Message View window. It is showing all the information XFlow needs to communicate,
including the computation logs.
During the computation, the following messages will appear:

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 23

Step 3: Run

Message View window

Each line corresponds to one time step (solver frequency). For each time step, XFlow outputs:
Sim. time: the total simulation time reached at the current time step
Stability param.: the value of the stability parameter at the current time step, see Step 3: Run
Wall clock time: the total time which has been required to compute the time step
When enough time steps are computed to create a new frame, XFlow will show the message "Saving
data..." and then "[[Data file]] 1 Done!!!" (for the 1st frame). Every time a frame is
computed, the following information is also shown:
Frame wall clock time: total time which has been required to compute the current frame
Overall wall clock time: total time which has been required to compute from frame 0 to the
current frame
Num elements: number of elements in the fluid domain at the current frame

3.6 Stability parameter

When your simulation is running, the user has the possibility to monitor the evolution of the Stability
parameter against the time. This Stability parameter has values between 0 and 1 and provides a
feedback regarding the stability of the numerical scheme, respect of the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL)
condition.

A low stability parameter (< 1) means the stability of the numerical scheme is ensured and the solution
should therefore be consistent. If it is very close to 0, you may increase your time step to save
computation time.
A stability parameter of 1 means the stability of the numerical scheme is not ensured and the simulation

24 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

may diverge. You must therefore decrease your time step to ensure the convergence.
Ideal value would be around 0.2 - 0.4.

The Stability parameter can be monitored in the Function Viewer window. To this end, do right click on
the Function Viewer window and select Stability parameter. In this case we can observe the stability is
stable and within the ideal range.

Stability parameter evolution, monitored in the Function Viewer

Step 4: Post-processing

The post-processing is completely managed from the Post-Processing section of the Project Tree.
If the GUI is left opened during the computation, the resulting numerical data can be post-processed
immediately after their generation (data automatically loaded to the GUI). Otherwise, data has to be loaded
into the GUI from the folder where it is stored:

Main menu > Simulation data > Load simulation data or in Toolbar Data Processing.

Please note: The project has to be saved before you are able to load the data.

4.1 Visualize the velocity field

Create a cutting plane to visualize the velocity field. To proceed, go to Project Tree > Post-
processing and:

(a) Right-click on Cutting planes and select Add cutting plane, or press in the Post-
Processing Toolbar, or go to Main menu > Post-Processing > Create cutting plane

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 25

Step 4: Post-processing

Post-processing > Cutting plane

(b) Cutting plane > Axis: Select Z (The position of the plane cannot be modified, as it is a 2D
simulation)
(c) Cutting plane > Visualisation mode: 3d field
(d) Cutting plane > Visualisation mode > Field: Velocity, to visualise the velocity field on the
cutting plane, at the time (frame) indicated on the timeline.
(e) Switch on the interpolation in General > Interpolation mode: Convolution to interpolate
data and have smoother contours

(f) In the Graphic View window, select view from the right hand side
(g) In the timeline, select the last frame corresponding and observe the velocity field:

Interpolated velocity field at last frame, t = 1 s

Please note: Even if the flow has already stabilised at t = 1 s, the fluctuations of the
wake and the separation of the boundary layer are not captured properly.

(h) Select other visualisation fields, e.g. Static pressure or Vorticity.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

4.2 Use the playback controls to navigate through the transient results
(a) Go to the last calculated frame by clicking on

(b) Go to the first frame (frame 0) by clicking on

(c) Play forward the frame sequence by clicking on

(d) Play backward the frame sequence by clicking on

(e) Move frame by frame by clicking on and

(f) Go to a specific time frame by clicking on its number in the timeline

4.3 Customise the visualisation

(a) In Main menu > Simulation data > Analysis settings or using the toolbar icon
prescribe the velocity legend range to [0,15] m·s-1 by disabling the automatic range and inputting the
minimum and maximum values.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 27

Step 4: Post-processing

An alternative to change the range is to click on the maximum and minimum values of the color bars to
edit them directly:

28 XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL

Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Play the frame sequence again.

(b) Change the background colour to white in Main menu > Options > Preferences or the toolbar icon

In the Preferences window, click on the cross of Graphic View to pull down its options Environment
and Lights. Click on Environment, select One colour background, click on the coloured rectangle at
the right hand side and pick the white colour in the palette.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 29

Step 4: Post-processing

4.4 Explore details of the results

The look up tool displays numerically the value of the visualisation field at the position pointed by
the mouse.
To deactivate this mode, press again the same toolbar icon.

4.5 Create a sensor

Post-Processing > Sensors
(a) Create a sensor: Post-Processing > Right clicking on Sensors > Add sensor
The new sensor is automatically called Sensor 1. Change its position to (1.5, -0.4, 0) to be in the wake
region of the airfoil and set the Field to Velocity.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

(b) Hide Cutting planes > Cutting plane 1 by unchecking the box in front of it and make sure the
checkbox of Sensors > Sensor 1 is checked in order to visualise the location of the sensor in the
Graphic View.
(c) Refresh the sensor: Right click on Post-Processing > Sensors > Sensor 1 > Refresh or click

the icon
(d) Go to the Function Viewer 1 window by switching to the Function Viewer tabulation:

(e) Plot the chosen field at sensor 1: Right click on Function Viewer > Sensors > Sensor 1
(f) You may want to resize the Function Viewer window by dragging its borders, and fit the plot in the
window by clicking on Auto fit to refit in X and Y axis, V. fit to refit in Y-axis only, and H. fit to refit on X-
axis only.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 31

Step 4: Post-processing

Drag the mouse to left and right while pressing Middle mouse button or Scroll in/out to zoom in and
out the graph, and drag the mouse while pressing Left mouse button to pan the graph.

To change the scale of the graph in only in X or Y separately, drag the mouse horizontally or vertically
while pressing Alt + Right mouse button to rescale respectively the X-axis or Y-axis.

(g) Save the sensor data to a text file Right click on Function Viewer > Export current data and give it
a name. The first column in the file represents time (in seconds) and the second column the values of the
field measured by the Sensor 1, i.e. the velocity module (in m·s -1).

4.6 Calculate drag and lift

The drag and lift coefficients are dimensionless parameters that describe the forces acting on a body in a
fluid flow. The drag force is parallel to the airflow, whereas the lift force is perpendicular.

These coefficients and the forces can be plotted in the Function Viewer:
Right click on Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Cx
Right click on Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Cy

The aerodynamic coefficients are calculated based on the reference velocity and area defined in
Environment > Global attributes > Reference area/velocity. If correct values were not set before
the simulation was launched, the coefficients can always be computed from the forces in Newton:
Right click on Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Fx
Right click on Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Fy

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Please note: With such a coarse resolution it is not possible to capture the correct physics and the
numerical results are far from the correct ones. For aerodynamics validations, please check the
Validation Guide.

4.7 Observe the resolution

(a) Show the Cutting plane 1 by checking the its box
(b) In Post Processing > General > Show set the Interpolation mode to Off.
Now the velocity field is displayed as a pixelation, being each "pixel" a cell of the lattice. In this way, you
can distinguish the size of the cells.

Velocity field with interpolation turned off

(c) Disable the Cutting plane 1 and plot the domain structure by checking the box in Post-
Processing > General > Show > Domain structure

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 33

Step 4: Post-processing

Domain structure around the NACA airfoil

The crosses "x" show the distance between each element of the lattice next to the walls and allows to
estimate how fine or coarse is your simulation.
In this case one can realize the resolution used is quite coarse. For this reason the expected behaviour
of the flow is not achieved: the transient behaviour of a flow around a NACA airfoil with an angle of attack
of 20 degrees must show a periodic flow motion developing in the wake region as well as a large
separation of the boundary layer.

The Step 5: Refine the resolution will teach how to refine the solution in order to observe the expected
behaviour in the wake and boundary layer regions.

Step 5: Refine the resolution

We will now run the same simulation using multi-resolution, i.e. a finer resolution close to the NACA airfoil
walls to better resolve the flow velocity gradients. As you have seen in the previous simulation, the flow has
stabilized but the wake and the boundary layer did not develop as expected. Therefore, the goal of this section
is to capture the wake fluctuations and the separation of the boundary layer.

5.1 Refinement algorithm

From the project defined in Step 3, change the following parameters in Project Tree > Simulation:

(a) Time > Simulation time: 1 s (as in the previous case)

(b) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.04 m (as in the previous case)
(c) Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Near static walls
(d) Resolution > Shapes refinement > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Target resolved scale:

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

0.02 m
(e) Resolution > Shapes refinement > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Curvature adapted: Off
(f) Store data > Folder: Change the name of the folder, where the results will be stored, to
"naca_fine"
(g) Store data > Frames frequency: 100 Hz (as in the previous case)
(h) Store data > Fields to save: On, for all the fields

Project Tree > Simulation

5.2 Save the project as a new project file

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 35

Step 5: Refine the resolution

Main menu > File > Save project as or in Toolbar File with a different name.

Tip: It is recommended that you save the project with a different name because the settings have
changed. Name it "naca_fine.xfp" as for the simulation folder.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file naca_fine.xfp in Main
menu > File > Load project or Open an existing project in the Project Manager window that
appears when executing XFlow.

5.3 Run the new refined case

Press the Run button > Start computation

5.4 Post-process the results of the refined case

Display the structure of the multi-resolution:
(a) Locate the time bar on a calculated frame, e.g. frame 100
(b) Uncheck (deactivate) every item of the Post-Processing tab of the Project Tree
(c) Check (activate) Post-Processing > General > Show > Domain structure, to show the domain
structure. This will be similar to that shown in the figure below:

Domain structure at t = 1 s, using the Near static walls refinement

where, x indicates the border between fluid and wall, and + indicates the border of a region with uniform
resolution and also indicates the size of the cells in this region.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Note that the regions around the airfoil walls have been refined. The domain has two levels of refinement
now: h = 0.04 m and h = 0.02 m.

Border between finest lattice level (yellow) and coarser lattice level (blue)

IMPORTANT: Due to the Cartesian structure of the lattice, the choice of the different resolutions
must be related by a factor 2n , n being an integer. Example here with h = 0.04/2^1 = 0.02 m near the
wall.

5.5 Observe the flow separation

(a) Disable the domain structure by unchecking the box: Post-Processing > General > Show >
Domain structure
(b) Show the cutting plane 1 by checking the box: Post-Processing > Cutting planes > Cutting
plane 1, and select:
Axis: Z
Visualisation mode: 3d field
Visualisation mode > Field: Velocity
(c) Load the frame 100 to see the velocity field at time t = 1 s, shown in the figure below:

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 37

Step 5: Refine the resolution

Velocity field showing the fluctuations of the wake and the separation of the boundary layer around the
airfoil at frame 100
The proper separated flow patterns are now observed, the recirculation area is much larger on the upper
side of the NACA.

(d) Switch now the Visualisation mode: Vectors, and set the Arrow density to 0.93 and the Arrow

length to 1. Click the refresh icon .

Zoom in the recirculation area to observe separation of the boundary layer:

Velocity vectors around the NACA profile at t = 1 s

5.6 Create a region of refinement

Now we are going to define a fixed region of refinement to better refine the flow separation around the

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

NACA airfoil.
(a) Time > Simulation time: 1 s
(b) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Near static walls
(c) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Shapes refinement: Naca-0012-4Digit > Target
resolved Scale: 0.02 m
(d) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Regions: Right click and select to Add region
(e) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Regions > Region 1: Rectangular
(d) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Regions > Region 1 > Min: (-0.3, -0.6, -0.5) m
(e) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Regions > Region 1 > Max: (2.5, 0.2, 0.5) m
(f) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution> Regions > Region 1 > Orientation: (0, 0, -20) deg.
This way the refinement region will be aligned with the NACA airfoil that has an angle of attack of 20
degrees.
(g) Project Tree > Simulation > Resolution > Regions > Region 1 > Resolved scale: 0.02 m
(h) Project Tree > Simulation > Store data > Folder: Change the name of the folder, where the
results will be stored, to "naca_region"
(i) Project Tree > Simulation > Store data > Frames frequency: 100 Hz

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 39

Step 5: Refine the resolution

(j) Save the project.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file naca_region.xfp

(k) Run the simulation

(l) Enable the domain structure by checking the box: Post-Processing > General > Show >

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Domain structure
(m) Show the cutting plane 1 by checking the box: Post-Processing > Cutting planes > Cutting
plane 1, and select
Axis: Z
Visualisation mode: 3d field
Visualisation mode > Field: Velocity
(n) Load the frame 100 to see the velocity field at time t = 1 s, shown in the figure below:

Flow with a fixed region of refinement at t = 1 s

The flow in all the region around the airfoil is solved more accuracy with the refinement region. This
makes the flow separation fluctuations larger in this case compared to the case without the refinement
region.

Please note: The gradients in the solution may become smoothed across the border of the
refinement region. Therefore the region should be large enough to contain the relevant flow features. The
next section will present the Adaptive refinement algorithm which allows the dynamic refinement of the
wake.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 41

Step 6: Moving NACA - Enforced motion

Now we are going to prescribe an enforced oscillating motion to the NACA through an analytic function and
see its interaction with the flow.

6.1 Set the shape motion

(a) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Behaviour: Enforced
(b) Let the Position laws by default since the motion will only be a rotation (no translation).
(c) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Behaviour > Angular laws
Z: 45sin(20t) deg

(d) Check the position law in the Function Viewer window by Right clicking on the mentioned law and
selecting: Edit in Function Viewer 1

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

(e) Click Auto fit in the Function Viewer to adjust the scale of the graph to the size of the window. The
position law is plotted below:

You can also check the behaviour of the airfoil if you play the frames timeline.

6.2 Set the refinement algorithm

To enable a refinement algorithm go to Project Tree > Simulation > and do as follows:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 1 s
(b) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.04 m (as in the previous case)
(c) Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Adaptive refinement
(d) Resolution > Shapes refinement > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit > Target resolved scale:
0.02 m
(e) Resolution > Adaptive refinement > Wake resolution: 0.02 m
(f) Resolution > Adaptive refinement > Wake distance control: Off

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 43

Step 6: Moving NACA - Enforced motion

(g) Resolution > Regions: No refinement regions

(h) Store data > Folder: Change the name of the folder to "naca_enforced"
(i) Store data > Frames frequency: 100 Hz

6.3 Save the project as a new project file

Main menu > File > Save project as or in Toolbar File with a different name.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file naca_enforced.xfp

6.4 Run the new refined case

Press the Run button > Start computation

6.5 Post-process the results of the enforced-motion case

Visualize the time evolution of the adaptive domain structure:
(a) Show the domain structure by checking the box: Post-Processing > General > Show >
Domain structure.
(b) Go to the first frame and press play . See that the refinement is dynamically
adapted as a function of time around the airfoil walls and refined some eddies in the highest
vorticity regions:

Visualize the temporal evolution of time dependent variables:

(c) In the Function Viewer window, check that the rotation around Z of the NACA airfoil is the
prescribed one: Right click on the Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Euz.

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Any moving geometry has a new set of numerical data available in the Function Viewer: the position
(Px, Py, Pz), the angular position (Eux, Euy, Euz), the velocity (Vx, Vy, Vz), and the angular velocity
(Wx, Wy, Wz).

(d) Create two additional Function Viewer windows clicking the icon . Click on each window
and drag & drop them below the current Graphic View: the interface automatically adapts the
positions and sizes of each window to fit the Function Viewer in the new location. Align the three
Function Viewers vertically to have their X-axis aligned:

Now plot the three following quantities in the three Function Viewers: Euz, Cx, and Cy of the NACA
geometry:
Right click on the Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Euz
Right click on the Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Cx
Right click on the Function Viewer > Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit > Cy

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 45

Step 6: Moving NACA - Enforced motion

Observe the drag and lift are oscillating as expected: the drag has higher values for +45 and -45
degrees and the lift has higher values for -45 degrees and lower values for +45 degrees.

Step 7: Moving NACA - Rigid body dynamics

We will now allow the NACA airfoil to move vertically under the effect of the vertical force (lift) applied on it by
the fluid. The airfoil movement will simultaneously affect the flow, and this is therefore a Fluid-Structure
Interaction (FSI) analysis.

7.1. Model the airfoil with one degree of freedom in the vertical direction:
Go to Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Naca-0012-4Digit, and set up the tree as
follows:
(a) Behaviour: Rigid body dynamics
(b) Behaviour > Mechanical properties > Inertia tensor: Automatic
(c) Behaviour > Mechanical properties > Inertia tensor > Density: 500 kg·m -3
(d) Behaviour > Interaction properties: Leave the default values
(e) Behaviour > Constraints > Translation (Global): Axis y, the translation in the vertical Y

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

direction will be allowed under the effect of the lift force.

(f) Behaviour > Constraints > Rotation (Local): Fixed, the rotations are not allowed.
(g) Behaviour > Constraints > External force global > Leave the default values
(h) Behaviour > Constraints > External moment global > Leave the default values

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 47

Step 7: Moving NACA - Rigid body dynamics

7.2 Save the project as a new project file

(a) Change the folder name (Simulation > Store data > Folder) to "naca_rbd".

(b) Save the project with a different name: Main menu > File > Save project as or in Toolbar File.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file naca_rbd.xfp

7.3 Run the case

Press the Run button > Start computation

7.4. Post-process the rigid body motion

Once the calculation has finished, visualise the time evolution of the velocity field (see Step 6.5).
Display the vertical displacement of the airfoil:
(a) Do Right click on the Function Viewer window. Chose from the menu: Shapes > Naca-0012-4Digit >
Py ; go to first frame and play forward to refresh the data in the Function Viewer

Evolution of the airfoil elevation in Y direction (Py)

In the Py curve plotted in the Function Viewer, it can be checked that the elevation of the Naca airfoil
under the lift force is around 0.65 m after 1 second of simulation time.
(b) Save the vertical displacement in a file, by Right clicking on the Function Viewer window and
choosing Export current data
(a) Check that the X and Z displacements, and all the rotational Euler angles are constant for the Naca-
0012-4Digit:
Right click on Function Viewer window > Shape > Naca-0012-4Digit > Px
Right click on Function Viewer window > Shape > Naca-0012-4Digit > Pz
Right click on Function Viewer window > Shape > Naca-0012-4Digit > Eux
Right click on Function Viewer window > Shape > Naca-0012-4Digit > Euy

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Tutorial 01 - Flow around a NACA 0012 airfoil

Right click on Function Viewer window > Shape > Naca-0012-4Digit > Euz

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 49

Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

This is the second tutorial of XFlow. It illustrates the setup and solution of the three-dimensional air flow
around a reference vehicle (the ASMO model) and the study of the forces generated by the flow on the vehicle.
This is a typical external aerodynamic case using the virtual wind tunnel.

This tutorial shows how to:

Import a geometry from a CAD file
Check the imported model
Work with the virtual wind tunnel
Explore the log file
Visualise flow variables on the vehicle surface
Visualise isosurfaces and stream lines
Visualise a custom field
Make an animation
Analyse aerodynamic forces on the geometry model

At this point, it is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01. Thus, some steps in the setup and
post-process will not be described in detail.

Before starting the tutorial, please download the project data files from the Documentation section of XFlow
website (http://www.xflowcfd.com/index.php/client_area/documentation/view/1).

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

Contents
Step 1: Import geometry
Step 2: Set up the problem
Step 3: Run
Step 4: Post-processing

Step 1: Import geometry

1.1 Import the geometry

Main menu > Geometry > Import a new geometry (or use the toolbar icon ) and select the file
asmo.nfb. The Model Units window, shown in the figure below, will appear automatically. Select
"Single shape" structure, visualization "Shaded" and press Apply to all.

Import geometry dialog window

The imported geometry will be shown in the Graphic View, and it will appear as a Shape in the
Geometry section of the Project Tree.

Asmo geometry shown in the

Graphic View

Asmo geometry shown in the Geometry tree

1.2 Check the model

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 51

Step 1: Import geometry

(a) Check the orientation of the model in the Graphic View window. Remember that the Y direction is the
height and that the flow in the wind tunnel goes from -X to +X.
(b) Show geometrical information of the model by selecting the geometry, right clicking on the Graphic
View window and choosing in the Graphic View Menu > Show geometrical properties

ASMO: Geometrical properties

Geometry > Dimensions or

Length (X direction): 0.809928 m

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

Height (Y direction): 0.268566 m

Width (Z direction): 0.28709 m

Keep the geometry selected and click again to hide the dimensions.
(d) Check the quality of the surface tessellation. To this end: select the geometry object, right click on
the Graphic View window and choose Graphic View Menu > Visualisation mode > Mesh
(e) Check the surface normals enabling the culling; thus select the geometry object, right click on the
Graphic View window and choose Graphic View Menu > Back-face culling. Now reverse the
orientation of the normals to learn the different representations of the vehicle depending on the normals
orientation: Graphic View Menu > Reverse orientation. Eventually, leave the normals pointing to the
exterior of the vehicle as shown in the figure below on the right.

WRONG: Normals pointing to the interior of the vehicle.

RIGHT: Normals pointing to the exterior of the vehicle. Fluid
Fluid region inside the vehicle
region outside the vehicle.

Please note: It is essential that the surface normals point to the fluid region. You can see where the
normals are pointing by means of the Back-face culling option. If the surface is coloured then its normals
are pointing to the user, but if the surface looks like a wireframe, then the normals are pointing inside the
geometry.

(f) Check that the model is free of holes: Main menu > Geometry > Show/hide holes, while
displaying the geometry in bounding box mode: Graphic View Menu > Visualisation mode >
Bounding Box

Please note: If the model has holes, fluid will leak inside. This fluid inside the geometry is initialised
with the inlet velocity condition as the rest of the fluid but, because it is confined, generates pressure
waves inside of the geometry that lead to wrong forces. Furthermore, closed volumes with a small
opening will equilibrate the interior pressure to the local static pressure at the hole, leading to wrong
overall forces.
Some holes can be directly repaired in XFlow: Main menu > Geometry > Healing. See Tutorial 07 for
more information about the healing feature.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 53

Step 2: Problem setup

2.1 Engine settings

Project Tree > Environment > Engine:
(a) Kernel: 3d
(b) Flow model: Single phase
(c) Analyiss type: External
(d) Thermal model: Isothermal
(e) Turbulence settings > Turbulence model: Automatic

2.2 Environment settings

Project Tree > Environment > Environment:
(a) Global attributes > Domain type: Virtual wind tunnel
(b) Global attributes > Ext. acceleration laws: leave it to zero
(c) Global attributes > Initial conditions: Wind tunnel default

Tip: When using the Wind tunnel default initial condition, XFlow initialises the velocity field
according to the inlet Velocity laws. This is a good practice for external aerodynamic simulations.

(d) Keep Reference area as Front and Reference velocity as Automatic

(e) Wind tunnel > Dimensions: (8, 1.5, 3 ) m. This leads to a blockage ratio - vehicle frontal area (YZ)
divided by the wind tunnel cross-section - of 1.38%
(f) Wind tunnel > Ground wall: On. Ground wall type: Automatic. You could specify a velocity for
a moving ground, but in this example the ground will be fixed (zero velocity law X)
(g) Wind tunnel > Lateral boundaries: Periodic. Symmetric lateral boundaries could be useful to
simulate half vehicle

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

(h) Wind tunnel > Boundary conditions: Velocity. Set the Velocity laws at inlet equal to (50, 0, 0)
m·s-1

2.3 Material settings

Keep the default parameters of Material 1 in Project Tree > Materials.

2.4 Geometry settings

Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: asmo
(a) The asmo geometry should be located just over the ground, leaving some space behind the vehicle for
the wake. So, change the of the object to (Behaviour > Position) (-1, -0.75, 0) m and make sure
that the wheels are touching the ground,
(b) Set the Boundary Conditions to Wall, with Wall model: Automatic and Wall roughness: 0 m.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 55

Step 2: Problem setup

2.5 Simulation settings

Project Tree > Simulation:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 0.15 s
(b) Time > Time step mode: Fixed automatic
(c) Time > Time step mode > Courant : 1
(d) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.2 m (resolution at the far field)
(e) Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Adaptive refinement
(f) Resolution > Shapes refinement > Shape: asmo > Target resolved scale: 0.0125 m (this
represents the near wall resolution) and leave Curvature adapted: Off.
(g) Resolution > Adaptive refinement > Wake resolution: 0.0125 m, equal to the asmo resolution.
Set Wake distance control: On.
Distance : 1 m. Approximately 1 time the characteristic length.

Please note: The wake distance control allows to limit the length of the refined wake in the flow normal
direction starting from the geometry end. It allows to limit the increase of the number of elements in the wake.

Wake refinement control disable(top)/ enable(bottom)

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

Tip: To visualize just one lattice level at the Graphic View: plot the domain structure in Post-
Processing > General > Show > Domain structure, left clicking on the Graphic View and press
+/- buttom to change the lattice level.

IMPORTANT: Due to the Cartesian structure of the lattice, the choice of the different resolutions
must be related by a factor 2n , with n an integer. In this tutorial, n = 4: h = 0.2 / 24 = 0.0125 m near the
wall. The wake is developing only because of the flow surrounding a body, therefore the wake resolution
must be equal or greater than the near wall resolution.

(i) Store data in the Folder "asmo", with a Frames frequency of 200 Hz and Numerical data
frequency to Frames frequency; this will save hard disk space although the curves in the Function
Viewer will have less points than if Solver time step frequency had been chosen.
(g) Leave disabled the computation of averaged fields and markers, as well as resume file. Leave all the
Fields to save: On.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 57

Step 2: Problem setup

Please note: In aerodynamic applications it is essential to properly resolve the turbulent wake. The
Adaptive refinement algorithm is well suited for such applications and one must specify enough
simulation time to let the wake develop: typically 6 or 7 times the length of the vehicle divided by the
velocity.

Please note: The adaptive wake refinement is not yet supported for DMP (MPI) simulations.

Step 3: Run

3.1 Save project

Save the project before running the computation:

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

Main menu > File > Save project, or in Toolbar File.

XFlow project files have the extension .xfp.

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file asmo.xfp

3.2 Set number of CPUs

Set the number of CPUs, to be used for the calculation, in the preferences of the engine:

Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine, or in Toolbar File.
One or two processors are enough for this tutorial.

3.3 Start the computation

Click the Run button > Start computation

XFlow creates a folder called asmo in the same location as the project file. The resulting data and log
files are saved in this folder.
As XFlow is calculating, engine messages are shown in the Message View window and the progress bar
moves between 0 and 100%. A new data file (frame) is written when the progress bar gets to 100%.

3.4 Explore the .log file

The output displayed in the Message View window is also written in a text file called project_name.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 59

Step 3: Run

log in the simulation folder asmo.

The log file contains important information, such as:
Number of CPUs detected
Levels of refinement
Number of active fluid elements in each refinement level
Total number of elements
Reference values (used for calculating aerodynamic coefficients)
Time step size
After a first analysis of the simulation domain, the data file 0 is written and the computation of the flow
starts.
For each time step, XFlow displays the total accumulated simulation time, the Stability parameter, the
wall clock time (in seconds) to compute the current time step, and the number of elements at each time
step. The latter varies as the wake develops as the Refinement algorithm is set to Adaptive refinement
. Each line corresponds to a new solver time step.

Example: .log file output.

Every time a new frame is calculated, XFlow advises you with the following message: [[Data file]] #frame
done!!!; then you can select that frame in the timeline to load its data for post-processing.

Tip: As the calculation progresses, it is possible to post-process the calculated frames even when
the simulation has not reached the final time yet. However, this uses computer resources and therefore
slows down the calculation. It is recommended that you set the timeline to an empty frame when you are

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

not post-processing, as shown below:

Tip: Run the case setting up a different number of CPUs and compare the computation time. The
optimal number may depend on the size of the problem.

Step 4: Post-processing

Main menu > Simulation data > Load simulation data or in Toolbar Data Processing.

4.1 Visualise the solution

4.1.1 Visualise a flow variable on a cutting plane
Create a cutting plane. Go to the Project Tree > Post Processing tab and:

(a) Right-click on Cutting planes > Add cutting plane or press in the Post-Processing toolbar
(b) Plot the Cutting plane with a Z-axis normal, and set its position at the middle of the fluid domain:
Cutting plane 1 > Position: 0.5
(c) Visualise the velocity in the cutting plane by setting: Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode: 3d
field, and choose the Field: Velocity
(d) Activate the interpolation mode: General > Interpolation mode: Convolution

(e) Set the velocity range to [0,60]: Main menu > Simulation data > Analysis settings or press
in Toolbar Data Processing.

(f) Select the right view

(g) Press Play

Note that the internal domain is initialised (frame 0) with the inlet velocity of the virtual wind tunnel.

XFlow 2015 Tutorial Guide © Copyright 2015 Next Limit Dynamics SL 61

Step 4: Post-processing

Velocity field at t = 0.15 s

Go back to point (c) and visualise other quantities such as Vorticity, Static pressure or Turbulence
intensity, which provide meaningful insight about the flow.

4.1.2 Visualize the adaptive wake refinement

Repeat the previous step but now enable the General > Show > Domain structure option to observe
the lattice domain evolution against the time. The wake is now refined dynamically behind the car based
on the vorticity gradients up to 1 m of distance from the car geometry.

Domain structure showing the adaptive wake refinement over a cutting plane of vorticity

4.1.3 Create a custom field

The user can create a custom field for post-processing using the following system variables:
t Time
x Spatial coordinate
y Spatial coordinate
z Spatial coordinate
pi Number π

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

vx(x,y,z) X-component of velocity at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,z)
vy(x,y,z) Y-component of velocity at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,
z)
vz(x,y,z) Z-component of velocity at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,z)
vmod(x,y,z) Velocity magnitude at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,z)
sp(x,y,z) Static pressure at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,z)
u(x,y,z) Temperature at a discrete point of the domain, given by coordinates (x,y,z)
sp Static pressure
rho Reference density defined in the Materials tab
vmod Module of the velocity
vrt Vorticity
cf Skin friction coefficient
ti Turbulence intensity
tp Total pressure
u Temperature
nx X-component of the surface normal
ny Y-component of the surface normal
nz Z-component of the surface normal
(a) To create a custom field go to Project Tree > Post-Processing, do right-click on Custom fields

and choose Add custom field or press in the Post-Processing Toolbar

(b) The user can define the custom field in Custom Fields > Custom field 1 > Expression. For
instance, to define the pressure coefficient Cp: Expression: [sp/(0.5*rho*50^2)] (Vref = Vinlet = 50 m·s -1

)
(c) Switch the visualisation field of the Cutting plane 1 to Field: Custom field 1 to observe the
pressure coefficient on the cutting plane.
(d) Hide the cutting plane by unchecking its box .

4.1.4 Visualise a flow variable on the vehicle surface

Go to Project Tree > Post-Processing > General > Show and:
(a) Surface info: 3d field. A 3d field will be represented on the vehicle surface.
(b) Choose the field, e.g. velocity: Surface info > Field: Velocity
(c) Enable the Surface info by checking the box , to see the projection of the velocity over the vehicle

in the Graphic View:

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Step 4: Post-processing

Velocity field projected on the vehicle surface at t = 0.15 s

(d) Hide the Surface info by unchecking its box

Note, that the following surface quantities can be further visualised in Surface info:
LIC (Line Integral Convolution) of the velocity field
Cp pressure coefficient
Cf skin friction coefficient
Y+ dimensionless distance from the wall
P+ wall pressure
Velocity direction

LIC at t = 0.15 s, Noise size: 10 , Motion blur amount: 0.5

4.1.5 Visualise isosurfaces

Go to Project Tree > Post-Processing > Isosurfaces and:

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Tutorial 02 - Vehicle aerodynamics

(a) Create an isosurface by right-clicking on Isosurfaces > Add isosurface or press in the

Post-Processing Toolbar
(b) Choose a field to be visualised in the isosurface,e.g. the vorticity: Isosurfaces > Isosurface 1 >
Field: Vorticity
(c) Set the Value to 500 s -1. Isosurfaces > Isosurface 1 > Value: 500. XFlow will plot an isosurface
representing all the fluid elements that have a vorticity value of 500 s -1.
(d) The user can colour the isosurface by other fields (e.g. velocity) rather than the isosurface field in:
Isosurfaces > Isosurface 1 > Coloured by field: Velocity
(e) Refresh the isosurface.

Isosurface of vorticity at t = 0.15 s couloured by Velocity field

(f) Go to point (c) and change the Value (between the min and the max values of vorticity colour bar).
Recompute the isosurface by right-clicking on Isosurface 1 and select > Recompute isosurface

or press , which appears next to Isosurface 1. It may take a few seconds to calculate the
isosurface.

(g) Hide the isosurface by unchecking its box

4.1.6 Visualise stream tracers

(a) Create the line, where the stream tracers are released from. Main menu > Geometry > Create

object > Create line or

. Choose From two vertices, where first vertex is (-1.5, -0.65, -0.25) and
the second is given by (-1.5, -0.65, 0.25). The line will appear in the Geometry > Entities section of
the Project Tree.
(b) Let the line Behaviour as Fixed.

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Step 4: Post-processing

choose Add stream tracer or press in the Post-Processing Toolbar

(d) Set the behaviour to Passive and select the geometry shape that is going to be the source of tracers,
Source > Inlet: Line.
(e) Set the other parameters as follows:
Number of tracers: 20
Particles flux rate: 0
Data: Instantaneous
Transient: On
Initial frame: 0
Last frame: 30
Backtracking: Off
Loop: Off

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(e) Right click on Tracer 1 and select Recompute. Save the project. It will take a few minutes.
(f) Note that a second timeline appears in red colour (over the yellow timeline), this is the timeline of to
the stream tracers. Press play and observe the particles trajectory.

(g) Show the streamlines in Post-Processing > Stream tracers: Tracer 1 > Path lines. Set From
frame: 0 and To frame: 30 to indicate the stream tracer frames to use in order to plot the path lines
of the stream tracers. In our case we will draw path lines from the beginning (frame 0) until the end
(frame 30)
(h) Show the streamlines in Post-Processing > Stream tracers: Tracer 1 > Show > Path line:
Line
(i) Right click on Tracer 1 and select Generate path lines to create the streamlines or just press
next to Path lines. The path lines are now visible
(j) Hide the stream tracer by unchecking its box

Please note: See Tutorial 10 for more details on the computation of stream tracers.

4.1.7 Visualise vector field

(a) Activate the Cutting plane 1 again by checking the box
(b) Select Visualisation mode: Vectors

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Step 4: Post-processing

(c) Select Field: Velocity

(h) Adjust the Arrows Density and Arrows length with the slider

4.1.8 Visualise surface field distribution

To project on the vehicle surface the distribution of the pressure coefficient Cp, do:
(a) Switch the cutting plane visualisation mode to Surface field distribution and select Surface
Info: Cp

(b) Note that you can specify on which geometry you will project the field by the option From shape:
asmo.

Surface field distribution of Cp at t = 0.15 s

The Graphic View window will now show the surface distribution as illustrated in the figure above. The four
graphs show the projection of the pressure coefficient Cp on the +Y, -Y, -X and +X side of the geometry.
They can be saved in text files by Main menu > Simulation data > Export data of cutting plane
distribution.
The default names for the files are field_distribution_1_minusY.txt for distribution of Cp at the
bottom of the vehicle (underbody), field_distribution_1_minusX.txt at the front of the vehicle,
field_distribution_1_plusX.txt at the back (base) and field_distribution_1_plusY.

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txt at the top (roof).

4.1.9 Work with averaged data

XFlow can save three types of data: Instantaneous, Averaged and Standard deviation. By default only
Instantaneous is saved. Averaged data can be saved if the following option is enabled: Project Tree >
Simulation > Store data > Save averaged fields
If Save averaged fields is enabled, it is also possible to save standard deviation and RMS data.
To save average or standard deviation and RMS data, the user needs to switch to On this option before
running the calculation. Then, in the post-process, the user will be able to choose the type of data to be
visualised: Post Processing > General > Data: Averaged.

4.2. Analyse aerodynamic forces

The evolution in time of the aerodynamic forces can be observed directly in the Function Viewer.
(a) Do right click on the Function Viewer window, the Function Viewer drop-down menu will appear
(b) Select > Overall forces. The user can choose here among the different aerodynamic coefficients and
forces:
Cx, Cy, Cz Force coefficients in each direction
Fx, Fy, Fz Force in each direction

Please note: The drag coefficient obtained with this coarse resolution is far from the experimental
values 0.153-0.158. You should refine the resolution near the walls and in the wake (e.g. target scale
around 0.0025 m) to properly resolve the turbulent wake and obtain accurate drag values. The verification
of XFlow results for this problem can be found in the Validation Guide.

4.3. Create an animation

The user can create an animation by saving a sequence of images and using an external software to
assemble the images sequence to a video file. The XFlow animation wizard is available in Main menu >

Post-Processing > Animation, or in the Data Processing toolbar.

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Step 4: Post-processing

Basic animation wizard

4.3.1 Basic animation

(a) Main menu > Post-Processing > Animation

(b) Select Setup mode: Basic
(c) Select First frame and Last frame for the sequence, e.g. 0 and 30
(d) Select the Input: "Graphic View 1" for creating images just of the Graphic View, or "GUI view" for
creating images of the entire GUI
(e) Enter an Image base name for the image sequence, the path of the Folder where to save it and
press Create Animation. It will create 30 images in the directory C:/XFlow/Tutorial02/asmo/
img that you can use to make an animation.

Tip: The assemblage of the image sequence to a video file can be done e.g. with the open source
software VirtualDubMod http://virtualdubmod.sourceforge.net :
drag the first image of the sequence into VirtualDubMod, it should find and append the rest of the
image sequence
go to Video > Frame Rate and enter the desired frame rate
choose a processing mode and compression in the Video menu
go to File > Save As

4.3.2 Advanced animation

(a) Main menu > Post-Processing > Animation

(b) Select Setup mode: Advanced
(c) Duration: 1 s, this represents the duration (real time) of the animation

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(d) Image frequency: 100 Hz, frames per second. Since the duration is 1 second, the animation will
consist of a sequence of 100 images.
(e) Animation time: 0.15 s. This implies, that time will be frozen at t = 0.15 s for the animation, thus
only the results of the last frame of the simulation will be shown in the image sequence.
(f) Go to Animated items > Cutting planes and press Add. Select Cutting plane 1.
(g) Leave blank the Visibility law of the Cutting plane 1, this means that the cutting plane will be visible
during the whole animation.
(h) Cutting plane 1 > Position law: t_animation. This variable ranges from 0 to the animation
duration, in this case duration is 1 s. Hence, the Cutting plane will move from Z = 0 to Z = 1 sweeping
the whole spatial domain.
(i) Image properties, leave the default values.
(j) Save > Image base name: Image_advanced
(k) Change the animation folder name to C:/XFlow/Tutorial02/asmo/img_advanced for example
.
(l) Press button Create animation

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Step 4: Post-processing

Advanced animation wizard

(m) Check the new images stored in folder C:/XFlow/Tutorial02/asmo/img_advanced/. The

images sequence shows the velocity contours at the Cutting plane 1 at a given time (0.15 s). The
cutting plane moves from Z = 0 to Z = 1, showing the velocity contours in the whole domain.

(n) Create a text file named "position.txt" in the same folder where you have saved the project file (.xfp)
with the following data:

position.txt
0 0
0.4 0.5
0.6 0.5
1 0
First column indicates t_animation, which ranges from zero to duration, whereas the second
column stands for the normalised position of the Z-plane (0 = -Z; 1 = +Z).

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(o) Go back to point (a) and create a new animation where: Cutting plane 1 > Position law:
tabulardatalinearinterpolated(t_animation, "./position.txt") and click on to check if the data
is read correctly by XFlow:

Note that the cutting plane now moves from Z = 0 to Z = 0.5, it remains there during 0.2 s (real time)
and then goes back to Z = 0.

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Tutorial 03 - Advanced post
processing
This third tutorial illustrates some of the advanced post processing capabilities of XFlow using the results
computed in Tutorial 02. You will explore the powerful post-processing features of XFlow and learn more about
the rendering in XFlow.

This tutorial shows how to:

Change colour of the GUI
Set colours and materials to the geometries
Use the ray-tracing render mode
Set lights and ground wall colour
Set environment textures
Hide the domain box
Visualise the volumetric field
Visualise stream tracers
Use the Discrete Phase Model
Create a camera
Create additional Graphic View windows

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01 and 02. Hence, some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Before starting the tutorial, please download the project data files from the Documentation section of XFlow

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Tutorial 03 - Advanced post processing

website (http://www.xflowcfd.com/index.php/client_area/documentation/view/1).

Contents
Step 1: Advanced post-processing

Advanced post-processing

1.1 Getting started

(a) Execute XFlow. In the Project Manager window click Browse for existing project and search for the
path of the Tutorial-02 project file (e.g. asmo.xfp). XFlow will open and will ask the user whether to load
the data, select Yes.

(b) Save the project with a new name in a new folder by hitting , e.g.
Tutorial03_AdvPostProcessing.xfp

1.2 Change colour of the GUI

XFlow GUI colours can be customised in two styles:
Dark: with dark colours (the default configuration)
Classic: with light colours

Change the GUI style in: Main menu > Options > Preferences, > Application > Application
style: Classic
The user will need to restart XFlow for the changes to be effective. This will be indicated by a warning like
the one shown in the figure below:

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Advanced post-processing

1.3 Import geometry parts and set colours

Once a computation is done, you can superpose another geometry for visualisation purposes.
Here, the user is going to import a geometry of the ASMO where the wheels are separated from the main
body:
(a) Import car.nfb, wheel1.nfb, wheel2.nfb, wheel3.nfb, wheel4.nfb (Main menu > Geometry > Import a

new geometry or use the toolbar icon ) . In the pop-up window, leave the default options and
press OK
(b) Move every new Shape to position (-0.57, -0.63, 0) to make it to coincide with the original geometry
(c) Remove the original geometry "asmo" by selecting the Shape: asmo in the Project Tree >
Geometry > Entities, right clicking in the Graphic View and selecting Remove selected in the
Graphic View menu or just pressing key Del. To permanently remove this geometry, press Ok in the
pop-up window.
(d) Remove the original geometry "Line" by selecting the Shape: Line in the Project Tree >
Geometry > Entities and pressing key Del. To permanently remove this geometry, press Ok in the
pop-up window.

(e) Collapse the subfields of all Shapes in the Project Tree > Geometry by right clicking on the
background a drop-down menu will appear, where the user should select Collapse all
(f) The user can assign different visualisation properties (e.g. colours) to the different parts of the asmo
geometry. To do so, select a Shape, right click in the Graphic View and select > Set visualisation
material in the Graphic View menu.
(g) Click the coloured rectangle, select the desired colour from the palette and press Apply. Repeat the
process to change the colour of every Shape (car and four wheels).

1.4 Set materials and real-time properties

In addition you can set a surface material to the shapes. Each material is displayed depending on its
lighting properties.
(a) Set Plastic material to the wheels and metal to the car. Select a Shape, right click in the Graphic
View and select > Set visualisation material in the Graphic View menu.
(b) Try different materials and different values of the parameters (between 0 and 1) such as the reflection
index in metal or the transparency index in glass
Observe that the metal and glass materials reflect the colour of the ground wall.
One can also change the real-time visualisation properties in: Main menu > Options > Preferences,

> Graphic View > Real-time

Lowering those parameters can speed up the visualisation of the Graphic View, but high parameters

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improve the quality of the rendering. If the configuration of your Graphics Card is not enough good, we
recommend to decrease these parameters, this way, lower graphical resources will be used.

1.5 Ground wall colour and Show wires

Change the colour of the ground wall: Main menu > Options > Preferences, > Graphic View >
Environment > Ground wall colour
Click on the coloured rectangle and select for instance the gray colour.

Disable now the visualisation of the geometries wires: Main menu > Options > Preferences, >
Graphic View > Real time > Show wires: uncheck box

Ground wall shown in gray and geoemtries shown without wires

1.6 Set environment textures

In Tutorial 01 the user has already changed the colour of the background (see step 4). It is also possible
to have a background as a fade between two colours or even have a texture as environment map.

(a) Main menu > Options > Preferences, > Graphic View > Environment: Background
select Two colours and choose them by clicking on the coloured rectangles

(b) Now, Main menu > Options > Preferences, > Graphic View > Environment:
Background select Texture, and browse for a texture image (e.g citysquare.png)

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Advanced post-processing

1.7 Hide the domain box and the ground

To hide the domain box:
(a) Deselect any geometry shape in the Project Tree
(b) Right click in an empty area of the Graphic View window
(c) In the pop-up menu, deactivate Show domain box.

This hides the wireframe of teh domain

To hide the ground wall: Project Tree > Environement > Environement > Wind tunnel > Ground
wall: Off.

1.8 Visualise the volumetric field

Volumetric field shows the chosen visualisation field in the entire domain with an opacity given by a
specified transference law. This law is a function of a (alpha value). a=0 corresponds to the legend
minimum and a=1 to the maximum.
(a) If the Simulation data are not already loaded, browse for the asmo simulation folder of the Tutorial 02

in Project Tree > Simulation > Store data > Folder, save the project file and click on to load
the simulation data.
(b) In Post Processing > General > Show > Volumetric field select the vorticity as visualisation
field

(c) In Main menu > Simulation data > Analysis settings or using the toolbar icon prescribe the
vorticity legend range to [0, 2000] by disabling the automatic range and inputting the minimum and

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maximum values.
(d) Switch off the interpolation Post-Processing > General > Interpolation mode: Off. Otherwise
the render of the volumetric field will be too slow.
(e) Show the volumetric field by ticking the Volumetric field checkbox . By default, the transference

law is a*a, which assigns a higher opacity to the higher vorticity. Try different transference laws, e.g. a
and a*a*a.

Vorticity volumetric field visualisation with transference law [a*a]

1.9 Visualise stream tracers

Stream tracers refer to streamlines of the velocity vector field generated from a collection of source
points. XFlow distinguishes between two cases: (i) when the tracer is massless and therefore has a
passive behaviour, and (ii) when the tracer is a particle with mass, drag and inertia (Discrete Phase
Model, DPM). In this tutorial we are going to calculate a steady passive tracer.
To visualise stream tracers, you need to define a geometry shape that will be the source of stream
tracers. Instead of a line like in tutorial 02, now we will create a surface.

(a) first create a box (Main menu > Geometry > Create object > Create box or just clicking on
in Object Creation toolbar) with lower corner (-3,-0.75,-0.3) and upper corner (-2,-0.4,0.3). Then eliminate

all the box surfaces except the one at x = -2 by selecting the face filter in the toolbar, select each
surface indicated in red wireframe in the image below and remove them by pressing Del

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Advanced post-processing

Face (not to be deleted) highlighted in green

In this way only the surface remaining is the one pointing to the vehicle. In Project Tree > Geometry
> Entities, rename this Shape as "surfstreams" and set its behaviour as Disabled.
(b) Go to Project Tree > Post-Processing > Stream tracers. If Tracer 1 already exists enable it,
otherwise create it by right clicking on Stream tracers and select Add stream tracer. This creates
Tracer 1.
(c) Define Tracer 1 according to the following setup: passive steady tracer consisting of 20 tracers
released from a random but constant position at the shape "surfstreams" and calculated from the results
at frame 25, as indicated in the figure below

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(d) Right click on Tracer 1 and select Recompute or hit next to Tracer 1
(e) To visualise the path lines, right click again on Tracer 1 and select Generate path lines or hit

next to Path lines

(f) Choose Post-Processing > Stream tracers > Tracer 1 > Show > Path line: Line and Size
factor: 1.
Set the velocity legend range to [20, 60] and recompute Tracer 1 (plus regenerate the path lines) to take
effect.
Change Path lines style to Ribbon, Spheres chain and Tube. You may need to adjust the size factor to
visualise these path lines correctly.

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Advanced post-processing

Stream tracers with path line representation

(g) Untick the Tracer 1 checkbox to stop the stream tracer visualisation. The timeline will now be
free.

1.10 Create a camera

When you have played the solution in the previous step, the camera is fixed and defined by the
parameters in Post-Processing > Views > Graphic View 1 > Camera settings > Location:
From describes the position of the camera or eye point.
To describes the position of the target, where the camera is looking at. It is the center of the
view.
Up describes the direction of the vertical axis.
Notice how these parameters change when you navigate in the Graphic View (pan, zoom, rotation).
You can create your own cameras in Post-Processing > Cameras. Right click on Cameras string to

add a new camera or click on . in the Post-Processing toolbar.

For example, define a camera from the top by defining From = (0, 10, 0), To = (0, 0, 0), Up = (1, 0, 0),
behaviour Fixed and perspective On. To activate this camera, go to Post-Processing > Views >
Graphic View 1 > Camera settings > Link to camera and select Camera 1.
To return to the interactive camera, select Link to camera: Graphic View 1.

It is also possible to define a moving camera. Select Enforced behavior. Now the entries for all the
parameters allow the use of functions (it is indicated by the brackets).
(a) Enter the following expressions to describe the camera motion:

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(b) Display the graph of the From X-coordinate in the Function Viewer (you may need to create one) by
right clicking the expression and selecting Edit in Function Viewer 1. Check that it is periodic with a
period of 0.15 s.
(c) Link the Graphic View to Camera 1: Post-processing > Views> Graphic View 1 > Camera
settings > Link to camera: Camera 1.
(d) Play forward the results. The camera follows a loop around the vehicle.

1.11 Create additional Graphic View windows

Each Graphic View can display different fields and can have different cameras.

(a) Create a new Graphic View window by hitting . This creates a new floating window
corresponding to Graphic View 2.
(b) Create a second camera with the following parameters:

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Advanced post-processing

(c) Link the Graphic View 2 to Camera 2. Select Show volumetric field as indicated in step 8 and play
forward the results.

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Tutorial 04 - Dam break

XFlow can also be applied to problems that involve a free surface between a liquid and a gas. Examples of this
type of problem include simulating the waves produced by a ship or the forces exerted by waves that break
against an oil platform.

This tutorial illustrates the setup and solution process of a dam break flow. The problem consists of a
rectangular tank with an obstacle. In the right part of the tank there is a water column that will flow through the
tank due to the effect of gravity and impact against the obstacle.

This tutorial shows how to:

Set a free surface problem
Define liquid regions
Visualise the fluid particles
Create arbitrary cutting planes
Create clipping planes

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorials 01 and 02. Some steps in the setup and post-process
will not be described in detail.

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Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-processing

Step 1: Problem setup

1.1 Engine settings

In Project Tree > Environment> Engine set the following parameters:
(a) Kernel: 3d
(b) Flow model: Free surface
(c) Analysis type: Internal. Now the wind tunnel will disappear and you will have to provide the
geometry of the tank that will contain the fluid
(d) Turbulence settings > Turbulent model: Automatic

1.2 Environment settings

In Project Tree > Environment > Environment set the following parameters:
(a) Global attributes > Ext. acceleration laws: (0, -9.81, 0) m.s-2, to take into account the gravity.
(b) Leave the Initial conditions as User defined, and keep the Initial velocity field as (0, 0 ,0) m.s-1
(c) Liquid regions > Initial liquid function: if (x<0,0,y<0.55), to define the initial water column. This
means that if x < 0 then the liquid region has height 0 m, else (x > 0) the liquid region has height 0.55
m.

1.3 Material settings

In Project Tree > Materials leave the default Material 1 properties. In free-surface simulations, the
default fluid is water.

1.4 Import the geometry

Import the geometry of the tank from the file tank.nfb: Main menu > Geometry > Import a new

geometry or press in toolbar Geometry . In the Import Geometry pop-up window, leave the the
default options and press OK. The geometry is then displayed in the Graphic View 1.

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Tutorial 04 - Dam break

Show the grid (Main menu > Options > Preferences > Graphic View: Show grid) to observe that the
coordinate origin is at the location where the water column begins.

Correct tank orientation (Otherwise, reverse normals)

1.5 Geometry settings

In Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: tank set the following parameters:
(a) Behaviour: Fixed
(b) Boundary conditions: Wall, with Wall model: Free-slip

1.6 Simulation settings

In Project Tree > Simulation set the following parameters:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 3 s
(b) Time > Time step mode: Fixed automatic, with Courant: 1
(c) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.03 m, with the Refinement algorithm: Disabled
(d) Resolution > Options > Seed point: Automatic
(e) Store data > Folder: DamBreak
(f) Store data > Frames frequency: 50 frames per second (Hz)
(g) Leave off Save averaged fields
(h) Enable Compute markers
(i) Leave On all the Fields to save

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file DamBreak.xfp

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Step 1: Problem setup

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

Step 2: Post-processing

2.1 Load data

Load data: Simulation data > Load simulation data or

2.2 Show particles

Tick the checkbox at Post processing > General > Show > Markers

Markers options

(a) To show only the particles at the free surface, select Makers > From: Surface; otherwise, select
All to show the whole domain of fluid
(b) To represent the particles with different shapes, go to the last frame, and select Arrows and Sphere
in Markers > Representation.

(c) Play the simulation by pressing

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Tutorial 04 - Dam break

2.3 Create a clipping plane

Post-Processing > Views > Graphic View 1 > Camera settings > Clipping planes
(a) Right click on Clipping planes and choose Add clipping plane. Plane 1, defined by a Origin
point (0, 0, 0) and a Normal vector (1, 0, 0), will then be created.
(b) Check the box in front of Plane 1 to activate the clipping plane and change the Normal vector to:
(0, 0, -1). Zoom-in to see the details of the flow close to the obstacle.
(c) Change the Origin of the plane, e.g. (0, 0, -0.2) and the Normal vector to (0, 0, 1). Now the other side
of the clipping plane can be visualised.
(d) Disable the clipping plane by unchecking Plane 1

2.4 Create data sensors

Post-Processing > Sensors
(a) To create a sensor, right click on Sensors and choose Add sensor. Create two sensors, one on
the front of the obstacle at position (-1.1675, 0.101, 0) m and other on the top of the obstacle at
position (-1.2685, 0.161, 0) m
(b) Select: Field: Static pressure for both sensors

(c) Refresh the sensors with

(d) Display the Function Viewer window and measure the pressure in both sensors: right click on
Function Viewer 1 to show the Function Viewer menu, then choose Sensors > Sensor 1 and
Sensors > Sensor 2
(e) Save the measurements of both sensors to a text file. To do so, right click on Function Viewer 1 to
show the Function Viewer menu, then Sensors > Export all

Please note: To avoid to have to refresh the sensors, a smart alternative is to use the Probes

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Step 2: Post-processing

instead, Simulation > Store data > Probes. However, the Probes need to be defined before running
your computation.

2.5 Show surface info

Post-Processing > General > Show > Surface info
(a) Select 3d field and a Field: Velocity
(b) Check the box

2.6 Create an isosurface

(a) Create an isosurface Right clicking on Post-Processing > Isosurfaces and Add isosurface with
Field: Volume of liquid phase and Value: 0.5. This way, the isosurface will represent the water free
surface.
(b) Change the visualisation material of the Isosurface to get visual effect similar to water: Select the
Isosurface in the Graphic View 1 > Right click > Set visualisation material. Select the Glass
material type and a blue colour:

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Tutorial 04 - Dam break

Isosurface of Volume of liquid phase

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

This second tutorial on free surface flows consists of traveling water waves approaching a beach.
It is a channel flow where waves will be generated following the linear wave theory. The beach will be modeled
first as impermeable and later as a porous medium. A buoy will be included to track the water movement.

This tutorial shows how to:

Set a free surface external problem
Set progressive waves with the help of the wizard
Set center of gravity for moving objects
Set the gravity as an external acceleration laws or as an external body force derived from a potential
function
Set porous regions

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorials 01, 02 and 04. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-processing
Step 3: Gravitational potential
Step 4: Porous volume

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

Step 1: Problem setup

1.1 Engine settings

In Project Tree > Environment> Engine set the following parameters:
(a) Kernel: 2d
(b) Flow model: Free surface
(c) Analysis type: External. The water channel domain appears.
(d) Turbulence settings > Turbulent model: Automatic

1.2 Import the geometry

(a) Import the geometry of the beach from the file beach.nfb: Main menu > Geometry > Import a

new geometry or . Leave the the default options and press OK

(b) Check the correct orientation of the wedge surface, i.e. make sure the normals are pointing to the
outside. Otherwise, reverse orientation (Select the geometry, right click on the Graphic View window
to show the Graphic View Menu and choose Reverse orientation).

1.3 Environment settings

In Project Tree > Environment > Environment set the following parameters:
(a) Leave the Gravitational potential Off and introduce the external acceleration law (0, -10) m·s-2 to
include the gravity
(b) Initial conditions: Water channel default
(c) With the help of the wizard (Main menu > Options > Setup progressive wave boundary
conditions), define the velocity laws, the water initial surface and the inlet wave function according to
a linear wave given by the following parameters:
dimensions: Length = 240 m, Height = 15 m and Width = 10 m
settings of the waves: Type = Linear, Depth = 5 m, Current velocity = 0 m·s-1, Amplitude = 1
m and Frequency = 0.2 Hz.

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Step 1: Problem setup

Wizard for the setup of progressive wave boundary conditions

Notice that the position of the channel changes automatically to (0, 2.5, 0) m so that the mean free
surface level is located at y = 0 m.
(d) Set the ground wall to automatic type with zero velocity in X-direction

1.4 Material settings

In Project Tree > Materials leave the default Material 1 properties, since these are the water
properties.

1.5 Geometry settings

In Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: beach set the following parameters:
(a) Behaviour: Fixed, located at Position: (-3, -8, -6)
(b) Boundary conditions: Wall (solid impermeable beach), with Wall model: Automatic and
Roughness: 0.5 m

1.6 Simulation settings

In Project Tree > Simulation:
(a) Set the Time > Simulation time: 20 s and the Time > Time step mode to Fixed automatic
with Courant: 1
(b) Set the Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.2 m, with the Refinement algorithm: Disabled
(c) Store data at a Frame frequency of 5 Hz and leave the numerical data frequency by default
(d) Leave off Save averaged fields
(e) Enable Compute markers

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

1.7 Create a cubic buoy

(a) Create a box (Main Menu > Geometry > Create Object > Create box or ) with lower corner
(-1, -1, -1) and upper corner (1, 1, 1)
(c) Move the box to position (-68, 0, 0) m: Geometry > Entities > Shape: Box > Behaviour >
Position

Please note: You could also create the cube directly in the right position, i.e. lower corner (-69, -1, -
1) and upper corner (-67, 1, 1); but observe that then the center of gravity would be in the global origin (0,
0, 0), which would make the simulation to fail. In this case you should move the center CoG to the cube
center: Select the geometry > Right click in Graphic View > Modify CoG/CoR position: X = -68, Y = 0,
Z= 0
(b) To check that the center of gravity is located in the center, select the box and show its local axes:
right click on the Graphic View window to show the Graphic View Menu> Show > Local axes. The
origin of the local axes is the center of gravity and the center of rotation of the object.

Local axes
(d) Hide the local axes: Select the geometry and right click on the Graphic View window and choose >
Show > Local axes
(e) Set the Geometry > Shape: Box > Behaviour to Rigid body dynamics, with a Density of 250
kg·m -3 (i.e. mass = 2000 kg) and leave free the three degrees-of-freedom: displacements in X and Y
and rotation around Z in 2D. Thus set both Constraints > Translation and Constraints > Rotation
to Free, with External force global Y: -20000 N ( gravity*mass). Keep the default wall boundary
conditions.

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Step 1: Problem setup

Buoy properties

1.8 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file BreakingWaves.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

Step 2: Post-processing

2.1 Check pressure initial field

(a) Select frame zero, time zero.
(b) Activate the markers visualisation in Post-Processing > General > Show > Markers.
(c) Set Markers > From: All, to see all the markers in the domain.
(d) Select Markers > Color by field: Static pressure

Markers coloured by the initial static pressure field (time = 0).

Please note: the Initial condition: Water channel default sets to zero the initial static
pressure when Gravitational potential is Off.

2.2 Show particles

(a) Show all particles from the fluid region by ticking the checkbox in Post-Processing > Show >
Markers. By default particles are represented by points and are coloured by the velocity field.

Breaking waves markers

(b) Play forward the results. Observe how the waves accelerate when they arrive at the beach and end

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Step 2: Post-processing

up breaking due to shoaling.

(c) Visualise vorticity and static pressure fields (Post-Processing > Show > Markers > Coloured
by field).
(d) Select the beach and visualise it in wireframe mode (Graphic View Menu > Visualisation Mode >
Wireframe). Observe that there is no fluid inside.

2.3 Track the movement of the buoy

(a) Select the box and play forward the results. Initial position is marked in wireframe.
(b) Create a Function Viewer window and display the evolution of the box position and rotation:
Right click on the Function Viewer window, a drop-down menu appears then select Shapes >
Box > Px
Right click on the Function Viewer window, a drop-down menu appears then select Shapes >
Box > Py
Right click on the Function Viewer window, a drop-down menu appears then select Shapes >
Box > Euz

Step 3: Gravitational potential

For Free surface flows, the feature Gravitational potential allows the user to easily consider external body
forces derived from a potential function. This is the case of the gravity.

In this section, the feature Gravitational potential is used to compute the Breaking waves case.

3.1 Gravitational potential setup

Load the project generated in Step 1, BreakingWaves.xfp, and save it with another name, ,
for example: BreakingWaves_GravitationalPotential.xfp. Modify the Project Tree setup as
follows:

(a) Switch On the Gravitational potential in Environment > Environment > Global attributes. It
should appear a pop-up window like the one shown in the figure below:

This message indicates that the setup contains a non-zero External acceleration law together with
the Gravitational potential, which accounts for the gravity. In this case, the Ext. acceleration

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

laws represent the gravity ((0, -10) m·s -2 ) introduced by hand in Step 1. Since the user only wants to
consider the gravity effects once, press Yes to reset the Ext. acceleration law to zero.

(b) Leave the earth gravity as the Fluid gravity: (0, -9.81, 0) m·s-2
(c) Leave the Gravitational potential > Potential origin: Automatic, which by default sets the
potential origin at the free surface.

3.2 Launch the calculation

(a) Rename the Simulation > Store data > Folder as BreakingWaves_GravitationalPotential

(b) Save changes,

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file
BreakingWaves_GravitationalPotential.xfp

(c) Press Run button > Start computation

3.3 Post-processing

(a) Visualise the initial static pressure field (frame 0). Activate the markers visualisation in Post-
processing > General > Show > Markers by ticking the box .
Set Markers > From: All, to see all the markers in the domain, and select the Static pressure in

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Step 3: Gravitational potential

Markers > Color by field.

Markers coloured by the static pressure field at t = 0 s

Please note: the Gravitational potential: On initialises the static pressure according to the
hydrostatic pressure.

(b) Visualise the free surface by activating the markers visualisation as follows:
Enable Post-processing > General > Show > Markers by ticking the box .
Set Markers > From: Surface
Set Markers > Color by field: Velocity
Press Play
Disable Post-processing > General > Show > Markers.

Free surface represented by markers

(c) Visualise the flow pattern in the breaking waves:

Right click on Post-processing > Cutting planes and select Add cutting plane to create
the Cutting plane 1.
Set Cutting plane 1 > Axis : Z (Position = 0, as it is a 2d case)
Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode: Vectors
Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode > Uniform distribution: Off
Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode > Arrows density: 0.8
Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode > Arrow length: 1
Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode > Field: Velocity

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Tutorial 05 - Breaking waves

Breaking waves visualised with vectors

Step 4: Porous volume

The beach will be now modelled as a porous volume, with a permeability of 10-6 m2.

4.1 Porous region setup

Load the project generated in Step 3, BreakingWaves_GravitationalPotential.xfp, and

save it with another name, , for example: BreakingWaves_Porous.xfp. To define the beach as
a porous volume please proceed as follows:
(a) Set the boundary conditions of the beach, Geometry > Entities > Shape: beach > Boundary
conditions > Others > Porous volume, with Porosity type: Isotropic.
(b) Specify a Permeability coefficient of 1e-6 and zero Ergun coefficient

(c) Modify the initial water surface to leave void part of the beach interior, in Environment > Water
Channel > Water initial surface: if(x<60,y<-sin(0.207303*x),0)

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Step 4: Porous volume

4.2 Launch the calculation

(a) Rename the Simulation > Store data > Flolder as BreakingWaves_GravitationalPotential Save
the project
(b) Save the project
(c) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(d) Press Run button > Start computation

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file BreakingWaves_Porous.
xfp

4.3 Post-processing
(a) Select the beach and display it in wireframe visualisation mode. Observe the different initial
configurations in both cases (1) impervious beach, and (2) porous beach.

Markers coloured by velocity at t = 0 s

(b) Play forward the results and observe how the flow evolves inside the porous region.

Markers coloured by velocity at t = 15 s

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

This tutorial illustrates how to set up a fluid-structure interaction problem, namely the case of a ball check
valve working with a spring. It consists of a valve with inflow and outflow ducts. The inflow duct is blocked by a
sphere mounted on a spring at rest with an extension of l0. When the fluid flows in it pushes the ball and

exerts a force which opposes the spring reaction. If the fluid flow is ceased on the inlet duct the ball goes back
to its original location and seals the passage.

The spring will be modeled by an external force on the sphere acting in the X-direction. The system will be
analysed first without and then with a damping force, in order to simulate different regimes of the spring.

The differential equation that describe the movement of the ball due to the spring is:

The parameter ξ is called the damping ratio and determines the behavior of the system, while k is the spring
constant. This leads to the following expression of the force exerted by the spring on the sphere:

This tutorial shows how to:

Create closing boundary surfaces for single phase internal flow
Impose inlet and outlet boundary conditions on closing surfaces
Model a 1D-freedom constrained system such as a spring-mass system
Model damping effects
Visualise the forces exerted by the fluid on a moving solid

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Visualise the different damping regimes

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02, 03, 04 and 05. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: No damping case
Step 2: Under-damping case
Step 3: Critical-damping case
Step 4: Over-damping case

Step 1: No damping case

In this case no damping will be modeled for the spring. This means ξ will be considered equal to zero.

1.1 Import/Create the geometry

Load and setup the valve geometry as indicated below:

(a) Import the geometry file named Valve.stp . In the Import Geometry pop-up window, leave the
the default options and press OK
(b) In order to orientate the flow from -X to +X, make a rotation of 180 degrees around Y-axis by changing
to (0, 180, 0) the geometry orientation: Geometry > Entities > Shape: Valve > Behavior >
Orientation. The valve is now correctly oriented as shown in the picture below.

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

Valve geometry

(c) Check the orientation of the geometry. Remember that the back-face culling helps to distinguish the
orientation of the normals of a surface (see Tutorial 02, Step 1, 1.2). The normals always have to point
toward the fluid region. To reverse the normals orientation right click on the Graphic View window and
in the Graphic View Menu choose Reverse orientation
(d) You can notice that the valve inlet and outlet surfaces are not defined. Create the inlet boundary

surface: use the "Edge filter" button to select the circular inlet contours of the inlet cylinder as
shown below. Please hold the Ctrl key down to select several edges.

(e) Now click on the "Create surface" button from the Toolbar Object Creation and a new circular
surface will appear in the geometry tree: Geometry > Entities > Shape: Surface.
(f) Repeat steps (d) and (e) at the valve outlet to get the outlet closing surface.
(g) It is recommended to rename the geometries created with more explicit names. Here, for instance, it

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Step 1: No damping case

is suggested to call the surfaces "Inflow" and "Outflow":

Geometry > Geometries > Entities > Shape: Inflow
Geometry > Geometries > Entities > Shape: Outflow

Create the ball:

(a) Create a sphere of radius 0.008 m at the location (0, 0, 0). To do so, Main Menu > Geometry >

Create Object > Create Sphere or press in Toolbar Object Creation.

(b) In Geometry > Entities > Shape: Sphere > Behaviour > Position, move it to the initial position
at rest: (-0.014, 0, 0). Check its orientation to ensure the domain of fluid to be outside the sphere.
(c) Check if the orientation of the normals of the sphere is pointing outside. This means that the fluid will
be outside of the sphere, and not inside.

The final geometry should consist of a valve with Inflow and Outflow surfaces and a ball obstructing the
passage at the inlet, as it is shown in the figure below.

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

Full geometry at initial conditions

1.2 Engine settings

(a) Select the Kernel: 3d
(b) Select the Flow model: Single phase
(c) Select the Analysis type: Internal. In the Graphic View window the wind tunnel disappears and the
user will have to provide the geometry that contains the fluid, the valve.
(d) Leave the Thermal model: Isothermal, since this is an incompressible simulation.
(e) Leave the default Turbulence settings

1.3 Environment settings

Leave the default configuration, this means: (i) no External acceleration laws (0, 0, 0); and (ii) user
defined Initial conditions with zero initial values. The system should be at rest at the first frame.

1.4 Material settings

By default, the Material 1 used for an internal single phase analysis is air. However, in this tutorial the
operating fluid is water. So, change the fluid properties to make the simulation with water:
(a) Name: Water
(b) Reference density: 998 kg·m -3
(c) Operating temperature: 288.15 K
(d) Viscosity model: Newtonian, with Dynamic viscosity: 0.001 Pa·s

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Step 1: No damping case

Project Tree > Materials: Water properties setup

1.5 Geometry settings

The geometries will now be set up to define boundary conditions and constraints.
(a) Valve geometry - Shape: Valve:
Behaviour: Fixed, since this will be the fixed domain outline
The valve will remain fixed at the Position (0, 0, 0) with Orientation (0, 180, 0) (This has been
set up previously).
Boundary conditions: Wall with Automatic Wall model and 0 Wall roughness.

Project Tree > Geometries > Shape : Valve

(b) Inflow surface - Shape: Inflow:

Behaviour: Fixed
Position (0, 0, 0) and Orientation (0, 0, 0) should already be set up correctly.
Define the Inflow surface as a mass flow boundary condition of 0.3 kg·s-1 for t < 0.3 s and 0 after.
Boundary conditions: Inlet > Mass flow with Mass flow law: if(t<0.3,0.3,0) kg·s-1. Leave the
LODI option disabled.

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

Project Tree > Geometries > Shape : Inflow

(c) Outflow surface - Shape: Outflow:

Behaviour: Fixed
Position (0, 0, 0) and Orientation (0, 0, 0) should already be set up correctly.
Set up the Outflow surface to be a pressure outlet condition at atmospheric pressure. Boundary
conditions: Outlet > Gauge pressure outlet with Gauge pressure law: 0 Pa. Leave the
LODI and the Allow backflow option disabled.

Project Tree > Geometries > Shape : Outflow

(d) Ball - Shape: Sphere: set up the Sphere to simulate the spring. In this section the spring is
modeled with no damping:
Behaviour: Rigid body dynamics since we want to apply spring forces on it which is a 1D
constrained movement
Make sure that the Position is still (-0.014, 0, 0) as defined previously. Leave velocity,
orientation, and angular velocity as they are by default (0, 0, 0).
Inertia tensor will be left Automatic, assuming a uniform mass distribution, and Density:

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Step 1: No damping case

11350 kg·m -3, which correspond to the lead density.

Keep the default Interaction properties
Let the sphere translate in X direction by setting the Translation (Global) option to Axis x.
Don't let it rotate by setting Rotation (Local): Fixed.
External force global > X: -150*(px-(-0.014)) N, to simulate a spring with no damping and
with a spring constant of 150 N·m -1
Boundary conditions: Wall with Automatic Wall model and 0 Wall roughness.

Project Tree > Geometries > Shape : Sphere

1.6 Simulation settings

(a) Time > Simulation time: 0.5 s, with a Fixed automatic Time step mode and a Courant number
of 1

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

(b) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.001 m with no refinement (Refinement algorithm: Disabled)
(c) Store data > Frames frequency: 300 Hz
(d) Store data > Folder: BallCheckValve_NoDamping
(e) Leave the Numerical data frequency to Solver time step
(f) Leave the computation of the averaged fields and markers disabled

Please note: The Resolved scale is in fact quite coarse for such a case because the dimensions of
the valve are very small. This choice is made on purpose for this tutorial in order to reduce the calculation
time since it is enough to simulate and show the interaction between the fluid and the sphere for different
damping. Such a coarse resolution should not be used for an accurate analysis of the solution.

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file
BallCheckValve_NoDamping.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

Tip: To accelerate the calculation time you can select an empty frame (the last one for instance).
This way XFlow will not post-process data in real-time which saves the computer resources for the
calculation.

1.8 Load data

If the user has not closed the GUI, the numerical data will be automatically loaded. Otherwise, load the

numerical data

1.9 Post-processing: Vectors

(a) Create a cutting plane by clicking on the icon on the Post-processing toolbar. A Cutting plane
1 will appear in the Post-processing tab. Change its position to 0.5 to visualise the flow at the mid
section of the Valve geometry.
(b) Select Vectors as Visualisation mode of the Cutting plane 1. Adjust Arrows density to 1.000
and Arrows length to 0.8.

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Step 1: No damping case

(c) Change the velocity range to [0; 4.5] by hitting

(d) Set the view to Right view by pressing

(e) Play forward the simulation by pressing

Velocity vectors cutting plane

Observe that the fluid is pushing the sphere and that the sphere has a periodic movement as expected
since, in this case, there is no damping.

1.10 Post-processing: Sphere position

(a) Reset to the first frame by pressing and switch off the Cutting plane 1 with help of its
checkbox
(b) Plot the X-position of the Shape: Sphere by right-click on the Function Viewer, in the drop-down
menu select Shapes > Sphere > Px
(c) Refit the range of view by clicking on Auto fit at the right-top of the Function Viewer
(d) Play the simulation again and observe the evolution of the sphere position in real time

Function Viewer: Visualization of Shape > Sphere > Px

Note that the evolution is periodic until 0.3 seconds when the mass flow goes down to 0 kg·s -1. The
simulation of the non-damping spring is therefore successful.

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

Step 2: Under-damping case

In this case the spring will be modeled with under-damping. The value of the spring constant will be taken as ξ
= 0.5.

2.1 Run the under-damping case

Taking the "No damping" case as reference, modify the following settings:
(a) In Geometry > Entities > Shape: Sphere > Behavior: Rigid body dynamics > Constraints >
External forces replace External force global > X: [-150*(px-(-0.014))] by [-150*(px-(-0.014))-
1.91*vx] N. The new term corresponds to the damping term and depends on the velocity. According to
the equations and taking ξ = 0.5, the calculation leads to 2ξ(km)1/2 = 1.91.
(b) Change the name of the folder in Simulation > Store data > Folder to
BallCheckValve_UnderDamping
(c) Save the case, check the number of CPUs

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file
BallCheckValve_UnderDamping.xfp

(d) Press Run button > Start computation

2.2 Post-process the results

(a) Observe the velocity vectors in the Cutting plane 1 as done in section 1.9. Note that the sphere is
reaching an equilibrium position after few oscillation, due to the damping. The flow is then smoother
until the mass flow stops and the sphere is then going back to its original location

(b) Switch the cutting plane off and rewind

(c) Display the X-position of the sphere as done in section 1.10. Note that the damping of the system is
effective. Observe that the second oscillation is reduced by approximately half of the first which is the

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Step 2: Under-damping case

behavior expected from a spring that has a spring constant of 0.5.

Function Viewer: Visualization of Shape > Sphere > Px

Step 3: Critical-damping case

In this case the spring will be modeled with critical-damping. The value of the spring constant will be taken as
ξ = 1.

3.1 Run the under-damping case

Taking the "Under damping" case as reference, modify the following settings:
(a) In Geometry > Entities > Shape: Sphere > Behavior: Rigid body dynamics > Constraints >
External forces replace External force global > X: [-150*(px-(-0.014))-1.91*vx] by [-150*(px-(-
0.014))-3.82*vx] N. According to the equations and taking ξ = 1, the calculation leads to 2ξ(km)1/2 =
3.82.
(b) Change the name of the folder in Simulation > Store data > Folder to
BallCheckValve_CriticalDamping
(c) Save the case, check the number of CPUs

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file
BallCheckValve_CriticalDamping.xfp

(d) Press Run button > Start computation

3.2 Post-process the results

(a) Observe the velocity vectors in the Cutting plane 1 as done in section 1.9. Note that the sphere is
reaching an equilibrium position directly without completing a full oscillation. The flow is smooth until

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

the mass flow stops and the sphere is then going back to its original location slightly slower than on
the previous cases

(b) Switch the cutting plane off and rewind

(c) Display the X-position of the sphere as done in section 1.10. Note that the damping of the system is
effective. Observe that the first oscillation is not fully completed and the system stabilise directly: this
is the critical damping.

Function Viewer: Visualization of Shape > Sphere > Px

Step 4: Over-damping case

In this case the spring will be modeled with over-damping. The value of the spring constant will be taken as ξ =
6 to show an extreme case.

4.1 Run the over-damping case

Taking the "Critical-damping" case as reference, modify the following settings:
(a) In Geometry > Entities > Shape: Sphere > Behaviour: Rigid body dynamics > Constraints
> External forces replace External force global > X: [-150*(px-(-0.014))-3.82*vx] by [-150*(px-(-
0.014))-22.92*vx] N. According to the equations and taking ξ = 6, the calculation leads to 2ξ(km)1/2 =
22.92.

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Step 4: Over-damping case

(b) Change the name of the folder in Simulation > Store data > Folder to
BallCheckValve_OverDamping
(c) Save the case, check the number of CPUs

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file
BallCheckValve_OverDamping.xfp

(d) Press Run button > Start computation

4.2 Check the numerical stability

(a) Go to the Function Viewer and check the stability parameter by right clicking on the Function Viewer
and selecting Stability Parameter
(b) Observe that the courant number is going over a value of 1 and that the message "Warning! Time
step too big. Please, try to run again the computation with a lower Courant
number!!!" is output in the Message View between 0.015 and 0.025 s. This means the velocities are
too high for the time step and the resolution of the lattice used locally in the domain. The Courant–
Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) condition is therefore not respected, which means the numerical stability is not
ensured.
(c) Adjust the Courant number to 0.7 in the Simulation tree. This will multiply the time step
automatically estimated by XFlow by a factor of 0.7 instead, which will lower the time step.
(d) Press Run button > Start computation

4.3 Post-process the results

(a) Observe the velocity vectors in the Cutting plane 1 as done in section 1.9. Note that the sphere is
reaching an equilibrium position slowly and does not oscillate at all. The flow tends to be smooth later
than in the previous cases since the sphere slowly goes to its maximum X location. When the mass flow
stops the sphere is then going back to its original location much slower than previous cases

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Tutorial 06 - Ball check valve

(b) Switch the cutting plane off and rewind

(c) Display the X-position of the sphere as done in section 1.10. Note that the damping of the system is
effective. Observe that no oscillation occurs: this is the over-damping. The drawback of such an over-
damped system is that the sphere struggles to go back to its original location, and therefore does not
seal the inlet passage properly.

Function Viewer: Visualization of Shape > Sphere > Px

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

This tutorial illustrates the setup and solution of the flow around a wind turbine and its aeroacoustics analysis.
The rotor will rotate first with a prescribed angular velocity and later due to the forces exerted by the flow. The
wind profile is assumed to follow a power-law.

This tutorial shows how to:

Heal a geometry with holes
Set appropriate parameters for importing IGES files
Set enforced and rigid body motions for the rotor
Define a power-law for the inlet velocity
Perform measurements with probes

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02 and 06. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Please note: This tutorial requires several hours of computation and large hard disk resources.

Contents
Step 1: Geometry healing
Step 2: Enforced behaviour - Setup

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

Step 3: Enforced behaviour - Post-processing

Step 4: Rigid body dynamics behaviour

Step 1: Geometry healing

1.1 Import the CAD file blades-to-heal.igs

(a) Set the OpenGL mesh deflection to 1 in; Main menu > Options > Preferences > Graphic View >
OpenGL Mesh Deflection. This parameter (between 0 and 2) determines the size of the automatic
tessellation for parametric geometries
(b) Importing the CAD file blades-to-heal.igs, which is in parametric IGES format
(c) Select the blades and show the tessellation by right clicking in the Graphic View window to show
the Graphic View Menu, then choose: Visualisation mode > Mesh
(d) Show geometrical properties (select the blades, right click in the Graphic View window to show the
Graphic View Menu and choose: Show geometrical properties). Observe that it has around 5800
polygons
(e) Delete this shape, change the OpenGL mesh deflection to 0.1 and import the geometry again.
Observe that now the tessellation is finer, it has around 49000 polygons. Keep this geometry.

1.2 Check the surfaces orientation

Select the blades, right click in the Graphic View window to show the Graphic View Menu and make
sure that Back-face culling is enabled. It can be observed that some surfaces of the geometry have the
normals pointing outwards and others pointing inwards.

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Step 1: Geometry healing

Geometry: blades-to-heal (Shading)

1.3 Show holes

Furthermore, the surfaces (patches) defining the geometry are not sewed, there are gaps between them.
For instance, the blades are not properly joined to the central part. Zoom in to observe that the joint edge
is a double curve.

You can view all the holes in the model by selecting the object, clicking Main menu > Geometry >

Show/hide holes or and visualizing the object in bounding box mode (right click in the Graphic
View window > Visualisation mode > Bounding Box).

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Geometry blades-to-heal (Bounding Box) + Show holes

XFlow allows intersecting surfaces but holes in the model may cause the fluid to enter inside it. The
tolerance is approximately 1% of the finest resolution used in the computation.

Tip: A good practice is to make sure your model is exported as a solid: all the surfaces must be
joined with no naked edges to avoid gaps. XFlow is tolerant to crossing surfaces, but the computation
may encounter problems with surface patches separated by gaps.
To clean the information about the holes, press again Main menu > Geometry > Show/hide holes or

. Return to the Shading visualisation mode.

1.4 Healing
XFlow has some basic healing operations such as fix small lines, fix small faces, remove isolated lines,
or sew faces.
(a) Select the geometry shape and perform the following healing operations (please make sure that the
geometry is selected when performing such operations):
Main menu > Geometry > Healing > Fix small lines
Main menu > Geometry > Healing > Sew faces
Main menu > Geometry > Healing > Complete healing
(b) Check that most of the holes have disappeared after healing.

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Step 1: Geometry healing

Please note: If the geometry has holes, fluid will leak inside and it will be initialised with the inlet
velocity condition as the rest of the fluid but, because it is confined, generates pressure waves inside of
the geometry that lead to wrong forces. Furthermore, closed volumes with a small opening will equilibrate
the interior pressure to the local static pressure at the hole, leading to wrong overall forces.

(c) Remove the geometry: blades-to-heal.

Step 2: Enforced behaviour - Case setup

2.1 Import the geometry

The geometry used in Step 1 will not be used anymore in this tutorial. Now import the geometry files:
tower.nfb and blades.nfb. In model units, select metres and press Apply to all.
The wind turbine consists of a 3-blade rotor with a diameter of 52 metres and a tower of 82 metres height.

2.2 Engine settings

(a) Select the 3d Kernel, the Single phase Flow model, the External Analysis type and I
sothermal for the Thermal model.
(b) Leave the default Turbulence settings

2.3 Environment settings

(a) Set the Domain type to Virtual wind tunnel
(b) Leave to zero the Ext. acceleration laws
(c) Initial conditions: Wind tunnel default
(d) Keep the Front Reference area and the Automatic Reference velocity
(e) Introduce the wind tunnel Dimensions: (500, 200, 200) m. By default the wind tunnel is centered at
(0, 0, 0) m.
(f) Change the wind tunnel Position to (75, 25, 0) m. This sets the ground at Y = -75 m. You may
check it with the help of the grid (Main Menu > Options > Preferences > Graphic View > Show
grid: On).
(g) Enable the Ground wall, with Automatic Ground wall type and Ground wall velocity law X: 0
m·s-1
(h) Set the Lateral boundaries to Periodic and the inlet Boundary conditions as Velocity defined
by the following power-law profile

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with reference height yref = 50 m, velocity at the reference height uref = 10 m·s-1, ground height y0 = -

75 m and coefficient α = 0.143 corresponding to neutral conditions. The XFlow input is 10((y+75)/50)
^0.143 m·s-1

(i) Display the graph of the X-velocity law in the Function Viewer by right clicking the expression and
selecting Edit in Function Viewer 1. Check the exponential shape of the wind profile. At height 50
m (y = -25) the wind velocity is 10 m·s -1. To adjust the range of the Function Viewer:
Zoom: middle (wheel) mouse button + drag or roll wheel
Pan: left mouse button + drag

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Step 2: Enforced behaviour - Case setup

Wind velocity profile at inlet

2.4 Material settings

Keep the default parameters of Material 1, which by default correspond to those of air.

2.5 Geometry settings

In Step 2, the blades are modeled so that they rotate at a constant speed of 15 rpm. To this end,
proceed with the following setup:
(a) Geometry > Entities > Shape: tower > Behaviour > Fixed and Boundary conditions: Wall
with Automatic Wall model and 0 Wall roughness.
(b) Geometry > Entities > Shape: blades: Behaviour: Enforced
(c) Check the local axes of the blades by selecting the geometry, right clicking in the Graphic View
window and enabling Show > Local axes. Observe that the local X-axis corresponds to the rotation
axis.
(d) Geometry > Entities > Shape: blades: set the Angular law for the X-axis to [-90t] deg (15 rpm =
90 deg·s -1)

(e) Check the enforced motion of the blades by pressing or dragging the current frame along the
timebar

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2.6 Simulation settings

(a) Set the Simulation time to 12 s
(b) Time step mode will be Fixed automatic with Courant: 1
(c) Set 8 m for the Resolved scale (far field resolution)
(d) Select Refinement algorithm: Adaptive refinement
(e) Set 0.5 m as target resolution for the wake, tower and blades (Wake resolution; Shape: blades >
Target resolved scale; Shape: tower > Target resolved scale)
(f) Store data with a Frames frequency of 25 Hz and set the Numerical data frequency to Solver
time step.
(g) Set the Store data > Folder: to WindTurbine
(h) Leave Save averaged fields and Compute markers disabled

2.7 Probes
Probes are predefined points where data (velocity, pressure, etc.) are measured and saved during
computation. They allow to save this data at the solver time step frequency instead of the frames
frequency as with the sensors, and therefore provide better measurements.
(a) Create a probe by right clicking the string Probes and choose Add probe
(b) Set Probe 1 > Position to (50, -10, 0) m
(c) Create two additional probes at locations:
Probe 2 > Position: (15, 10, 0) m
Probe 3 > Position: (15, -20, 0) m
(d) Show the probes position by selecting them in the Project Tree

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Step 2: Enforced behaviour - Case setup

Probes location

2.8 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file WindTurbine.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

Tip: During the calculation it is recommended that you set the timeline to an empty frame not to
slow down the XFlow performance.

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

Step 3: Enforced behaviour - Post-processing

3.1 Monitor the evolution of the number of active particles

The refinement adapted to the wake causes the number of active particles to change during the
computation.
Load the frames 10, 100 and 200 and check the number of particles in the Message View.

Frame 10 Frame 100 Frame 200

Level 0 38016 37434 36652
Level 1 7691 9728 12072
Level 2 17389 24426 35673
Level 3 41509 91725 168305
Level 4 174044 662876 1333372
Total 278649 826189 1586074

In the Message View, the number of particles in the domain can also be checked at each iteration by
looking at "Num elems [xxx]" during the computation.

3.2 Visualise surface info

(a) Enable Post-processing > Show > Surface info: 3d field and choose Velocity as Field
(b) The wind velocity at hub is u(y=0) = 10.6 m.s -1. Adjust the velocity range (Main menu > Simulation
data > Analysis settings) to [0, 20] and navigate through different frames.

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Step 3: Enforced behaviour - Post-processing

Surface velocity at t = 10 s

(c) Show the pressure coefficient (Show > Surface info: Cp). Adjust the range to [-5, 5] in Main
menu > Simulation data > Analysis settings > Surface info.

3.3 Probes measurements

(a) Monitor the evolution of the static pressure at the probes:
right click in Function Viewer > Probes > Probe 1 > Static pressure
right click in Function Viewer > Probes > Probe 2 > Static pressure
right click in Function Viewer > Probes > Probe 3 > Static pressure

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

Static pressure at probe 1

(b) You can export the data of the probe right clicking in Function Viewer > Export all. A pop-up
window appears and asks you to select which fields and which probes would you like to export. Selct the
following options:
Fields: Velocity and Static pressure
Store: From index:1, To index: 3. This means that you will export the data of the Probe1,
Probe 2 and Probe 3.
Enable the "Save probes in separated files" option. This means that the data of each probe will
be exported in separated files called "probe_1.txt", "probe_2.txt" and "probe_3.txt"
containing the velocity and static pressure measurements.
Select the folder where you want to save the files

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Step 3: Enforced behaviour - Post-processing

separated files" option unchecked:

XFlow will export the Velocity measurements of the three probes to one file called "probe_1_3.txt
".

Please note: The Probes are working in a similar way as the Sensors (used in the Tutorial 04 for
example). The main difference is that Probes can measure the information at the numerical data
frequency instead of the frames frequency as for the sensors.Therefore, the Probes need to be defined
before running the calculation. Furthermore, Probes do not need to refresh at every frame in order to load
the data as with Sensors, reducing time for post-processing when it is known in advance where to probe.

Step 4: Rigid body dynamics behaviour

4.1 Case setup

Now the rotor will be free to rotate due to the forces exerted by the wind.
(a) In Geometry > Shape: blades set the Behaviour to Rigid body dynamics, with:
Density: 45.5895 kg·m -3 which corresponds to a mass of 10000 kg
Translation (global): Fixed, Rotation (local): Axis x

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

Please note: The automatic inertia tensor calculation is done assuming a uniform mass distribution.

(b) In Simulation, set the Simulation time to 30 s

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Step 4: Rigid body dynamics behaviour

(d) In this case, a frequency of 10 Hz will be enough

(e) Remove all the probes by right clicking the Probe # and selecting Remove probe
(f) Save the project as WindTurbine_RBD and run the calculation

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file WindTurbine_RBD.xfp

4.2 Post Processing

(a) Play the simulation from the first frame to see how the blades start to rotate
(b) Choose the Vorticity in General > Show > Volumetric field > Visualisation field, adjust its
range to [0, 20], disable General > Interpolation mode and show the volumetric field with
Transference law: a*a

3D vorticity field at t = 30 s

(c) Display in the Function Viewer the X-angular displacement of the blades
right click in the Function Viewer > Shapes > blades > Eux

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Tutorial 07 - Wind turbine

Shapes > blades > Eux

(d) Display in the Function Viewer the X-angular velocity of the blades
right click in the Function Viewer > Shapes > blades > Wx

Shapes > blades > Wx

Observe that the blades achieve a uniform rotational speed of approximately 2 rad/s = 19 rpm

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

This tutorial illustrates the setup and solution of a conjugate heat transfer problem, where both solid
conduction and fluid convection are solved simultaneously.
It consists of a square cavity with differentially heated vertical walls and adiabatic horizontal walls. The cavity
is filled with air and a solid box is placed in its center. Fluid convection is driven by buoyancy forces, which
are modeled using the Boussinesq approximation:
= 0[1- (θ-θ0)]

where is the thermal expansion coefficient, θ0 a reference temperature and 0

= (θ0).

The Rayleigh number of the flow is Ra~106, leading to strong convection. At the initial time instant, the solid is
at a temperature of 400 K and it will be cooled by the surrounding fluid.

For radiative heat transfer, see Tutorial 09.

This tutorial shows how to:

Create simple geometries, such as boxes
Apply boundary conditions to faces
Use the single phase internal flow model
Use the segregated energy thermal model

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

Enable the viscous term in the energy equation

Use the Boussinesq state equation
Set conjugate heat transfer problems
Compute particles in single phase flows
Visualise heat flux and results on a line
Export cutting plane data to raw format

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01 and 02. Some steps in the setup and post-process
will not be described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-processing

Step 1: Problem setup

1.1 Create the geometry

(a) Create the cavity as a box ( ) with lower corner (-1.5, -1.5, -1.5) and upper corner (1.5, 1.5, 1.5).
Check with the help of the Back-face culling that the box normals are orientated towards the interior
and rename this Shape as Cavity.
(b) Create the inner solid as a box with lower corner (-0.5, -0.5, -0.5) and upper corner (0.5,0.5, 0.5).
Check that the box normals are orientated to the exterior.

Remember: Back-face culling helps to distinguish the orientation of the normals of a surface (see
Tutorial 02, step 1). To reverse the orientation: Select the geometry > Right click in Graphic View >
Reverse orientation

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Step 1: Problem setup

Shapes

1.2 Engine settings

(a) Switch to the Expert mode in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Application > Application

mode: Expert, or in Toolbar menu, and restart XFlow.

(b) Select the Kernel: 2d
(c) Select the Flow model: Single phase
(d) Select the Analysis type: Internal
(e) Select the Thermal model: Segregated energy. Leave Disabled the Radiation model, as
radiation is not of significance in this example.
(f) Leave the default Turbulence settings, Acoustics analysis, Passive scalar transport and
Advanced options. Note that Advanced options > Viscous term in energy equation is
enabled by default.

The effect of viscous dissipation in natural convection is appreciable only when the induced kinetic
energy becomes comparable to the amount of heat transferred, and this occurs when either the
buoyancy force is large or when the convection region is extensive. Viscous heat dissipation will not be
relevant in this example. You may test both cases, with the viscous term enabled and disabled.

1.3 Environment settings

Keep the default settings except:
(a) To model the buoyancy effects, set the gravity (-9.81 m·s-2) as the External acceleration laws in Y
direction.

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

(b) Set the Initial temperature field to 350 K

Project Tree > Environment

1.4 Material settings

(a) Set the Material 1 State equation to Boussinesq, with Density: 1 kg·m -3 and Thermal
expansion coefficient: 0.1 K-1
(b) Set the Newtonian Dynamic viscosity to 1e-5 Pa ·s, the Thermal conductivity to 10 W·(m·K)-1

and the Specific heat capacity to 200 J·(kg·K)-1

1.5 Geometry settings

It is required to apply different conditions to each face of the cavity. This is done in the following way:

(a) Choose the selection mode "Face filter" in the toolbar . Select a vertical face of the Shape:
Cavity (it highlights), do right click on the Graphic View and choose Apply boundary conditions to
faces from the contextual menu
(b) In the Geometry > Entities section of the Project Tree, check that two surfaces appear in the
Cavity Shape: "surface 1" is the one you have selected and "surface 0" contains the rest of the cavity
surfaces

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Step 1: Problem setup

(c) Select the opposite face, right click in the Graphic View, and choose Apply boundary conditions
to faces
(d) Check that a new surface called "surface 2" appears in the Project Tree
(e) Rename "surface 0" to "walls", "surface 1" to "hot-wall" and "surface 2" to "cold-wall"

(f) Return to the View only selection mode by choosing in the toolbar
(g) Set all surfaces to Wall Boundary conditions, with Automatic Wall model and zero Wall
roughness
(h) Let the Conjugate heat transfer option switched Off
(i) Set the Thermal boundary conditions of the cavity's hot-wall to a prescribed Temperature of 600
K, the cold-wall to a prescribed Temperature of 300 K and the rest ("walls") to Adiabatic

Project Tree > Geometry > Cavity

About the boundary conditions for the Shape: Box:

(a) Set the whole Shape to Wall Boundary conditions, with Automatic Wall model and zero Wall
roughness
(b) Switch On the Conjugate heat transfer option, with a Thermal conductivity of 100 W·(m·K)-1 ,

Initial temperature law: 600 K, Specific heat capacity: 20 J·(kg·K)-1 and Density: 983 kg·m -3

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

Project Tree > Geometry > Box

1.6 Simulation settings

(a) Set the Simulation time to 3 s and keep Courant to 1
(b) Set the Resolved scale to 0.05 m
(c) Enable the Refinement algorithm: Near static walls with a Target resolved scale of 0.025 m
for all the shapes.
(d) Store data > Folder: HeatTransfer
(e) Set the Frame frequency to 50 Hz and leave the Numerical data frequency by default
(f) Enable Compute markers (passive particles that advect with the flow). They will be used just for
post-processing purposes.

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file HeatTransfer.xfp
(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

Step 2: Post-processing

Load the results data by: Main menu > Simulation data > Load simulation data or

2.1 Temperature field analysis

(a) Post-Processing > Cutting planes. Create a cutting plane on the Z axis and visualise the

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Step 2: Post-processing

Temperature

(b) Adjust the the temperature range to be [300, 600] K

(c) Select the solid box and change its viusalisation mode to Wireframe to be able to visualise the results
inside it: Select the Box in Graphic View > Right click > Visualisation mode > Wireframe. Play
forward the results and observe the influence of the solid's temperature in the overall solution.

Velocity field in inside the the Cavity and the Box at t = 3 s

(d) Create a second cutting plane and display the temperature distribution along the Box walls by
selecting Post-Processing > Cutting planes > Cutting plane 2 > Visualisation mode:
Surface field distribution

Please note: This is the temperature of the fluid in contact with the box walls, not the walls
temperature.

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

You should see the superposition of the two cutting planes, showing the graphs of the temperature
fields along the Box as well as the temperature contours inside the Cavity and the Box.

Temperature distribution on the Box geometry at frame t = 3 s

The figure above shows the temperature field and distribution along the Box surfaces at frame 150 (t =
3 s).
You can now switch off the temperature distribution by unticking the Cutting plane 2 checkbox.
(e) Show the isocontours: Post-Processing > General > Show > Isocontours with Number: 5
(f) Go to frame 150 (t = 3 s) and create a line graph by right clicking on Plot lines and selecting Add
plot line. Set Vertex 1: (0, -1.5, 0) and Vertex 2: (0, 1.5, 0) and observe its location on the
Graphic View 1. Choose the Temperature as the Field to be visualised over the line.

(g) Refresh the Plot lines > Right click on Line 1 > Refresh or click on . Then, in the Function
Viewer do right click and choose Plot lines > Line 1 to display the temperature along the line. In the
Function Viewer graph: X-coordinate is length from Vertex 1 to Vertex 2 and Y-coordinate is

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Step 2: Post-processing

temperature. Click Auto fit and adjust the scale of the graph to [0, 3] in the X-coordinate and [300,
650] in the Y-coordinate. To do so, remember that:

To zoom: Middle (wheel) mouse button + drag or scroll up/down

To pan: Left mouse button + drag
To adjust the X and Y axis:
Alt + right mouse button + drag rightward Horizontal zoom in
Alt + right mouse button + drag leftward Horizontal zoom out
Alt + right mouse button + drag upward Vertical zoom in
Alt + right mouse button + drag downward Vertical zoom out

You should see something as shown below:

Function Viewer > Plot Lines > Line 1 (Temperature) at t = 3 s

(f) Export the data from the plot line to a file: Right click in Function Viewer > Export current data
(e) Enable only the Cutting plane 1 with the temperature field selected. Then export the temperature
results at the cutting plane by Main menu > Simulation data > Export cutting plane data to raw
format. This creates the file currentCuttingPlane0.txt in the project directory with the (non-
interpolated) temperature value at the center of every cell. It contains four columns: position X, position
Y, position Z and temperature value in K, and can be processed with spreadsheet software. Compare
the data plot line values with those of the current cutting plane at X = 0.

2.2 Heat flux analysis

(a) Disable the Cutting plane 1 and show the heat flux at the walls Post-Processing > General >
Show > Surface info: Heat flux

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Tutorial 08 - Heat transfer

(b) Change the visulisation mode of the Box to Shading: Select the Box in Graphic View > Right click >
Visualisation mode > Shading
(c) Note that the flux is constant at the top and bottom walls of the Cavity. Check that it is zero, as
corresponds to an adiabatic wall.
(d) Adjust the legend range to distinguish the heat flux variation along the box walls Main menu >

Simulation data > Analysis settings: Surface info or for example, min -10000 and max 0.
(e) In the Function Viewer, display the evolution of the overall heat flux at the box. Right click in Function
Viewer > Shapes > Box > Heat

2.3 Velocity field analysis

(a) Enable again the Cutting plane 1, choose the Velocity as Visualisation field and show it as
particles in: Post-Processing > Cutting planes > Cutting plane 1 > Visualisation mode:
Markers
Play the results forward to see the movement of the particles. Observe the forced convection induces a
recirculation of the flow in the clockwise direction.

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Tutorial 09 - Radiation

This tutorial illustrates the setup and solution of a radiation problem. It consists of a heat source at 400 K
surrounded by two obstacles at 0 and 200 K and an outer wall at 0 K. The temperature of the wall behind the
obstacles will be lower than the other part of the wall since the obstacles block the heat radiation energy.
XFlow simulates the reflection and absorption of heat radiation energy at the surfaces.

This tutorial shows how to:

Create simple geometry such as a cylinder
Use the Montecarlo radiation model
Analyse the heat flux at the surfaces

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02 and 08. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-processing

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Tutorial 09 - Radiation

Step 1: Problem setup

1.1 Create the geometry

(a) Create the outer walls as a box (toolbar icon ) with lower corner (-1, 0, -1) and upper corner (1, 1,
1). Check that the box is orientated to the interior and rename it as OuterWall.
(b) Create the obstacles also as boxes. Obstacle1 with lower corner (-0.6, 0.25, -0.25) and upper corner
(-0.5, 0.75, 0.25), Obstacle2 defined by lower corner (0.5, 0.25, -0.25) and upper corner (0.6, 0.75,
0.25). Check their orientation and rename the shapes.

(c) Create the heat source as a cylinder (toolbar icon ) with centre at (0, 0.4, 0), direction (0, 1, 0),
radius 0.15 m and height 0.2 m. Notice that the cylinder is closed, it has lids.
(d) Check that the orientation of the cylinder is to outside and rename it as HeatSource. Remember that
the culling helps to distinguish the orientation of the normals of a surface. The normals have to point
always to the fluid region, see figure in the previous page. To reverse the orientation (if required):
Select the geometry > Right click in Graphic View > Reverse orientation

1.2 Engine settings

(a) Select the 3d Kernel
(b) Select the Flow model: Single phase
(c) Select the Analysis type: Internal
(d) Select the Thermal model Segregated energy
(e) Select the Radiation: Montecarlo, with Ray density: 200 ray·m -2 and Number of iterations: 1
(f) Leave the default Turbulence settings.

1.3 Environment settings

Keep the default settings except the Initial temperature field, which will be set to 250 K.

1.4 Material settings

Keep the Material 1 settings to their default values.

1.5 Geometry settings

(a) Set HeatSource to Fixed Behaviour, Wall Boundary conditions with Automatic Wall model,
Emissivity coefficient: 0.5, Thermal boundary conditions with prescribed Temperature at 400
K and the Conjugate heat transfer option to Off.

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Step 1: Problem setup

(b) Set OuterWall and Obstacle1 to the same boundary conditions than the HeatSource but
prescribed temperature to 0 K
(c) Set Obstacle2 to the same boundary conditions than the HeatSource but prescribed temperature to
200 K

1.6 Simulation settings

(a) Set the Simulation time to 0.0002 s (it is enough to calculate just few time steps) and Time step
mode: Fixed automatic with Courant to 1
(b) Set the Resolved scale to 0.04 m, with the Refinement algorithm: Near static walls and
Target resolved scale: 0.02 m for all the shapes.
(c) Store data > Folder: Radiation
(d) Set the Frames frequency to 10000 frames per second and leave the Numerical data frequency
by default
(e) Leave the computation of averaged fields and markers disabled

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file Radiation.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

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Tutorial 09 - Radiation

Step 2: Post-processing

In this problem the fluid is static (no forced flow nor natural convection) because the goal is to analyse the
capabilities of the radiation solver in XFlow.

2.1 Read the Message View output

When you launch the simulation, XFlow discretises the domain (in this example, the full domain has
345332 elements in two levels of refinement), estimates the time step (= 0.00005 seconds at level 0) and
generates the irradiance map to calculate the heat flux at each point. Due to the facts that heat source
has constant temperature along time and the gas is non-absorbing, the irradiance map is calculated only
once and the radiative heat flux remains constant. Therefore, in this case it is enough to calculate just
one time step.
Message View:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Full domain has 345332 elements.
Equivalent single-resolution domain has 584064
Equivalent single-resolution domain size is ( 104 x 54 x 104 )
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---

Computing boundary conditions map!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Coarsest resolved length: 0.04
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
WARNING::No reference velocity defined in the simulation setup. The
reference velocity is set to 1 m/s by default, please set a custom
reference velocity if required.
WARNING::Reference pressure undefined!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Thermodynamic speed of sound: 340.112
Reference area: 1 m^2
Reference velocity: 1 m/s
Time step (level 0): 0.0001 s
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Generating irradiance map...
Iteration: 1 / 1
Processing Level: 1 / 2
Processing Level: 2 / 2
Progress: 0%
Progress: 42%
Progress: 53%

Progress: 64%
Irradiance map generated!
Saving data...

2.2 Analyse the heat flux at the surfaces

(a) Go to frame 0 and show the total heat flux at the surfaces: Post-Processing > General > Show >
Surface info: Heat flux

The heat flux with Obstacle2 should be smaller because it is at a higher temperature (200 K).
(b) Now set the Surface info range to [0, 50] and observe the solution at the walls. Notice that on the
surface of the OuterWall behind Obstacle1, the heat flux is smaller than behind Obstacle2.

Heat flux at frame 0 showing pure radiative heat transfer

Heat flux at frame 0 is pure radiative, while in frames 1 and 2 the heat flux has also contributions from the
energy equation (diffusion + convection).

The farther from the source and with less visibility, the noisier is the solution. This is due to the
stochastic nature of the Montecarlo model. Increase the ray density and/or number of iterations and
observe the improvement of the solution.

If you analyse the temperature at the surfaces (choose Show > Surface info: 3d field with Field:
Temperature), in frame 0 the temperature is constant to 250 K on all surfaces. Remember that this is
the temperature of the fluid touching the walls, not the temperature of the solid objects. Solids must have
conjugate heat transfer thermal boundary conditions (see Tutorial 08) to be able to display their
temperature.

Refine the resolution to achieve better results, remember to adjust the simulation time depending on the
time step size.

This tutorial illustrates the setup and post-processing of a cyclone flow. Cyclones are used in many industrial
applications, specially in separation processes such as dust from a gas stream.
Dust particles can be modeled in XFlow with the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), which represents solid
spherical particles with physical properties (inertia, drag and gravity).

The inflowing fluid rotates inside the chamber and is constrained to follow a swirling flow path. In cyclones of
this type the larger suspended particles move outwards to the chamber wall where they travel in a downward
spiral to the base. The smaller particles move slowly and therefore their distribution across the flow changes
little. Those in the center are captured in the upward flow and exit the chamber through the upper outlet.
Cyclones are commonly used when the density of the inflowing fluid (the carrier phase) is less than that of the
suspended phase.

This tutorial shows how to:

Calculate passive stream tracers

Calculate Discrete Phase Model stream tracers

Show the path lines
Monitor the number of particles through the outlets

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02 and 03. Some steps in the setup will not be
described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-process
Step 3: Run

Step 1: Problem setup

1.1 Engine settings

(a) Select the 3d Kernel
(b) Select the Flow model Single phase
(c) Select the Analysis type: Internal. Now the wind tunnel will disappear and you will have to provide
the geometry of the chamber that will contain the fluid
(d) Leave the default options for Thermal model and Turbulence settings

1.2 Import the geometry

(a) Import the geometry of the chamber from the file CycloneChamber.stp (Main menu > Geometry

> Import a new geometry or ). Note that the vertical direction of the chamber, when it is
imported, is in the Z-axis.
(b) Rotate the chamber so that the vertical direction is parallel to Y-axis: Geometry > Entities >
Shape: CycloneChamber > Orientation: (-90, 0, 0) deg

region with fluid. If required, select the geometry and do right click in Graphic View > Reverse
orientation. The geometry should look as follwoing:

Shape-CycloneChamber with correct normals orientation:

pointing inside

1.3 Environment settings

(a) Keep the External acceleration laws and User defined Initial conditions (velocity field and
gauge pressure field) to zero
(b) Keep the Reference area to Front and Reference velocity to Automatic

1.4 Material settings

Leave the default Material 1 properties which is air.

1.5 Geometry settings

(a) Set the CycloneChamber Behaviour as Fixed
(b) Set the inlet and outlet boundary conditions:

Choose the "Face filter" mode in the toolbar.

Select the inlet surface as indicated the picture below and right clicking on the Graphic View,
choose Apply boundary conditions to faces from the contextual menu

Boundaries schematic

Check that in the Geometry section of the Project Tree, two surfaces appear in the
CycloneChamber shape: "surface 1" is the one you have selected and "surface 0" contains the
rest of the chamber surfaces
Select the outlet surface, right click in the Graphic View, and choose Apply boundary
conditions to faces
Check that a new surface called "surface 2" appears in the Project Tree
Rename "surface 0" to "chamber", "surface 1" to "inlet" and "surface 2" to "outlet"

Return to the "View only" mode by choosing in the toolbar

(c) Leave the Wall Boundary condition at the CycloneChamber with an Automatic Wall model
(d) Set the Boundary condition > Inlet > Mass flow to the inlet surface. It will be assumed that
the air inflow rate is 0.08 m3·s -1. This is equivalent to a Mass flow law of (air density)*(volumetric flow
rate) = 0.0964 kg·s-1
(e) Set the Gauge pressure outlet to the outlet surface, with Gauge pressure law: 0 Pa, and both
Allow backflow and LODI options switched Off

1.6 Simulation settings

(a) Set the Simulation time to 1 s, Time step mode: Fixed automatic and Courant to 1
(b) Set the Resolved scale to 0.005 m, with the Refinement algorithm: Disabled
(c) Store data > Folder: Cyclone
(d) Set the Frames frequency to store data to 200 frames per second
(e) Switch on Save averaged fields with Initial time for averaging: 0.3 s. This will filter out the
transient period of the flow before starting the averaging.
(f) Set Save standard deviation and RMS fields: On

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file CycloneChamber.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation

Please note: Depending on your hardware, the computation of this tutorial may take a few hours

and around 5 GB of hard disk.

Step 2: Post-processing

2.1 Visualize the velocity field on a cutting plane

In Post Processing > Cutting planes
(a) Create a Cutting plane 1 on the Z axis and adjust its Position to 0.2
(b) Choose Visualisation mode: 3d field
(c) Choose Field: Velocity
(d) Set the General > Interpolation mode: Convolution

(e) Select view from right

(f) Choose General > Data: Averaged
(g) Adjust the legend range of velocity to [0, 50] m·s-1 (Main menu > Simulation data > Analysis

settings or )

(h) Press play and note that there is no data before t = 0.3 s as we specified for the averaging
initial time

Averaged velocity field on cutting plane 1

at t = 1 s

(h) Change to Instantaneous data and play forward the results. Observe the differences with the
averaged data for the same frame.

Instantaneous velocity field on cutting plane 1 at t

=1s
(i) Show also static pressure, vorticity, Vy, Vz and turbulence intensity fields. For each field, switch
between Instantaneous and Averaged, Standard deviation and RMS data in order to check the
difference. You may need to adjust the legend ranges.

2.2 Visualize the velocity vector field on a cutting plane

In Post-Processing > Cutting planes > Cutting plane 1

(a) Go the the last frame available

(e) Select view from right

(f) Change between Instantaneous and Averaged and refresh the cutting plane with the icon

Averaged velocity vectors field

2.3 Measure velocity field along a line

(a) Create a plot line right clicking on Post-Processing > Plot lines and selecting Add plot line
(b) Line goes from Vertex 1: (-0.1, -0.3, 0) to Vertex 2: (0.1, -0.3, 0)
(c) Set the Number of samples to 1000. This is the number of points used to draw the curve, therefore
the higher is this number, the smoother is the curve.
(d) Select the Velocity field and Averaged data, with interpolation On
(e) Right click in Function Viewer > Plot lines > Line 1 to display the evolution of the averaged velocity
field along the line:

Averaged velocity field profile across cyclone chamber at time t = 1 s

2.4 Visualize the vorticity volumetric field

(a) Deactivate any cutting plane or plot line
(b) Set the Interpolation mode to Off

(d) Set the vorticity range to [0, 1000] (Main menu > Simulation data > Analysis settings or )

(e) Set Post-Processing > General > Data: Instantaneous

(f) Enable the visualisation of the Volumetric field and visualise the Vorticity field with a transference
law: a*a
(g) Press play

(h) Change the Transference law to a. You will see that the low vorticity values are more visible now.

Volumetric rendering of instantaneous vorticity at t = 1 s with a

transference law [a]

Step 3: Stream tracers

Stream tracers integrate the streamlines in the velocity field and so allow to track the trajectory of Lagrangian
particles along the flow.
The particles can be massless (passive) particles advected by the fluid, or solid spherical particles (discrete
phase model) with physical properties (inertia, drag and gravity).

3.1 Create the surface source of the tracers

The source of stream tracers is a geometry Shape, usually a line or plane. We will create a surface
similar to the inlet for the source.

(a) Choose "Face filter" mode in the toolbar and select the surface corresponding to the inlet
(b) Duplicate the inlet surface with Main menu > Geometry > Duplicate

(c) The new surface (called "CycloneChamber-Duplicated") appears as a Shape in the Geometry
section of the Project Tree. Rename it to "Surface" and move it 1 cm to the interior (-Z direction).
(d) Set the surface Behaviour to Disabled to avoid that it affects the stream tracers. If the behaviour
would be fixed/enforced/rigid-body-dynamics, the surface could act as a wall for the stream tracers

(e) Return to the "View only" selction mode by choosing in the toolbar

3.2 Passive stream tracers

3.2.1 Steady tracer
(a) Create a stream tracer field by right clicking the string Stream tracers > Add stream tracer. The
new stream tracer is automatically called Tracer 1.
(b) Select Behavior Passive
(c) In Source > Inlet, select the geometry shape that is going to be the source of tracers, in our case
Inlet: Surface
(d) Set the other parameters to:
Number of tracers: 1 (Only one particle)
Particles flux rate: 0 particles·s-1

Data: Averaged
Turbulent dispersion: Off
Transient: Off
Reference frame: 200
Time: 2 s
Frequency: 200 Hz
Backtracking: Off

(d) Right click on Tracer 1 and select Recompute or

Observe that appears a second timeline (in red colour) related to the stream tracers, and that the
frame 200 is locked. To unlock the visualization of the Tracer 1, you must untick its checkbox.
(e) Choose Tracer > Show > Current marker: Point and press play to see the motion of the

passive particle.
(f) Once the stream tracers have been computed, it is possible to generate the path lines of the stream
tracers to see the associated streamlines. Set Path lines > From frame: 0 and Path lines > To

frame: 400 and refresh the Path lines by the refresh icon or by Right clicking on Tracer 1

and Generate path lines

(g) When the generation finishes, display the line Post-Processing > Stream Tracers > Tracer 1 >
Show > Path line: Line . You can also choose Ribbon, Sphere chain or Tube. You may need to
adjust the size factor to visualize these path lines correctly.

You can observe the streamline of one particle which goes to the outlet after a while.
(h) Right click on the Function Viewer and select Stream tracers > Tracer 1 > Active particles and
refresh the Tracer 1. The function viewer will show the number of particles in the domain as a
function of time. In this case, there is only one particle in the domain from time 0 s to 1.2 s, at this
moment this particle exits the domain through the outlet and no particles remain

Function Viewer > Stream tracers > Tracer 1 > Active particles

(i) Untick the checkbox of Tracer 1 to disable its visualisation and leave the timeline free

3.2.2 Transient tracer

(a) Create a new stream tracer (right click Stream tracers > Add stream tracer). It is called Tracer
2.
(b) Set the same parameters than before except
Data: Instantaneous
Transient: On
Initial frame: 0
Last frame: 50
In transient tracers makes more sense to use instantaneous data.
(c) Right click on Tracer 2 and select Recompute. Now the computation of the stream tracer
integrates the instantaneous velocity vector field from frame 0 to 50.
(d) Again right click on Tracer 2 and select Generate path lines. From frame: 0 and To frame: 50
(e) Show the line and the marker
Post-Processing > Stream tracers > Tracer 2 > Show > Path line: Tube
Post-Processing > Stream tracers > Tracer 2 > Show > Current marker: Sphere
Post-Processing > Stream tracers > Tracer 2 > Show > Size factor: 0.05

Observe that now second timeline is placed on top of the simulation timeline and that the path line
is rougher due to the fact that the computation uses less data than before. The frames frequency is

200 Hz against a frequency of 1000 Hz in section 3.2.1.

(f) Press play to see the motion of the passive particle

3.3 Discrete Phase Model

DPM models particles with physical properties such as density and diameter.
For stream tracers with more than one particle, it is possible to specify a standard deviation in the
diameter size.
Restitution coefficient refers to the collision of particles with the surfaces. Restitution coefficient = 1
means perfectly elastic collision, Restitution coefficient = 0 means perfectly inelastic. There is no
particle-particle collision.
Turbulent dispersion can be taken into account only when using averaged data.
In the initial velocity and acceleration, laws it is possible to use the following variables related to the
particle and to the fluid fields:

particle_x, particle_y, particle_z

(particle position) fluid_px, fluid_py, fluid_pz (fluid position)
particle_vx, particle_vy, particle_vz
(particle velocity) fluid_vx, fluid_vy, fluid_vz (fluid velocity)
particle_t (particle time) fluid_sp (fluid static pressure)
fluid_vrt (fluid vorticity)

3.3.1 Big particle

Let us model a big particle of density 1000 kg·m -3 and 1 mm of diameter, initialised with the fluid
velocities and subject to gravity forces.
(a) Create a new stream tracer (right click Stream tracers > Add stream tracer). It is called Tracer
3.
(b) Set the following parameters

(c) Right click on Tracer 3 and select Recompute

(d) Again right click on Tracer 3 and select Generate path lines from frame 0 to 800.
(e) Show the line and the marker
(f) Press play to see the motion of the passive particle. Now the DPM particle moves downward to

the chamber base and deposits.

DPM with diameter = 1e-3 m

3.3.2 Other cases

Taking the previous case as basis:
(a) Vary the Diameter of the particle to 1e-7 m and compute tracer and path line. Observe that now the
particle does not reach the bottom.

DPM with diameter = 1e-7 m

(b) Vary the Restitution coefficient: 1 and recompute. The collision is perfectly elastic. If the particle
happens to be caught in the inner cyclone, it will exit the chamber by the outlet.
(c) Vary the Restitution coefficient to 0, increase the Frequency to 500 Hz and recompute. The
collision is perfectly inelastic (the particle does not bounce off the wall and sticks to it)
(d) Vary the Number of tracers to 4 and the Standard deviation (in diameter size) to 0.005. Now 4
tracers will be created at the source surface and at the initial time. The particle sizes follow a normal
distribution with mean diameter 0.001 m and Standard deviation: 0.005. Therefore each particle
has a different diameter. Show the current marker as a point and play to see the motion of the
particles.
(e) Vary the Number of tracers to 0 and Particles flux rate to 4. Now particles will be created at a
rate of 4 particles per second from random positions at the source surface.
(f) Set Turbulent dispersion: On to take into account the fluctuations in the velocity field due to
turbulence

Tutorial 11 - FMI standard

co-simulation: OpenModelica
Pendulum
This tutorial addresses a pendulum modeling by coupling OpenModelica and XFlow through Standard FMI.
OpenModelica gives the angular position via the pendulum equation, using the forces calculated by XFlow.

FMI Standard works with the master-slave concept: the slaves simulate sub-problems whereas the master is
responsible for both coordinating the overall simulation as well as transferring data. XFlow works just as a
slave, so it can be connect to external software defined as a master.
OpenModelica is an open-source Modelica-based modeling and simulation environment intended for industrial
and academic usage. It is able to work as master so the coupling with XFlow is possible.

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorials 01, 02 and 06. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.
This tutorial shows how to:

Export to FMI Standard

Please note: This tutorial requires having activated the Labs mode. The Labs mode can be activated in:
Main menu > Options > Preferences > Application mode

Please note: The version used of OpenModelica is 1.9.1 (r22929) available online.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup - XFlow
Step 2: Set FMI standard in XFlow
Step 3: Problem setup - OpenModelica
Step 4: Execution of Co-simulation
Step 5: Post-processing

Step 1: Problem setup - XFlow

1.1 Import pendulum

Import a pendulum geometry by means of:

Main menu > Geometry > Import a new geometry (or use the toolbar icon ) and select the file
Pendulum.nfb. Select "Single shape" structure, visualization "Shaded" and press Ok.
The imported geometry will be shown in the Graphic View, and it will appear as a Shape in Project
Tree > Geometry > Entities:
The local axis are centered at the top extremity with the global axis orientation, it belongs with the axis
rotation.

Pendulum geometry

Project Tree > Geometry > Entities

1.2 Engine settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Environment > Engine > as follows:
(a) Kernel : 2d
(b) Flow model: Single phase
(c) Analysis type: External
(d) Thermal model: Isothermal

(e) Turbulence settings:

Turbulence model: Automatic

Project Tree > Environment > Engine

1.3 Environment settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Environment > Environment > as follows:
(a) Global attributes > Domain type: Virtual wind tunnel
(b) Global attributes > Ext. acceleration laws: leave it to 0 (gravity is included in the
OpenModelica pendulum equation).
(c) Global attributes > Initial conditions: Wind tunnel default
(d) Global attributes > Reference area: Front
(e) Global attributes > Reference velocity: Automatic
(f) Wind tunnel > Position: leave it to 0, 0, 0.
(g) Wind tunnel > Dimensions: 20 metres length (X), 20 metres height (Y) and 1 metre width
(Z).
(h) Wind tunnel > Ground wall: Off
(i) Wind tunnel > Boundary conditions: Velocity
(j) Wind tunnel > Boundary conditions > Velocity law: leave it to 0, 0.

Project Tree > Environment > Environment

1.4 Materials settings

By default in single phase the fluid material is called Material 1, which is initialised with the air
thermophysical properties.

Project Tree > Materials

1.5 Geometry settings

The geometry (Pendulum) has been previously imported. In Project Tree > Geometry, its behaviour
and boundary conditions can be defined as follows:
(a) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Pendulum > Behaviour: Enforced, leave
blank position and angular laws.
(b) Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: Pendulum > Boundary conditions: Wall,
with Automatic wall model and zero roughness

Please note: Currently XFlow only is able to simulate geometries with Enforced behaviour.

Project Tree > Geometry > Entities

2.5 Simulation settings

Configure the section Project Tree > Simulation > as follows:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 10 s
(b) Time > Time step mode: Fixed Custom
(c) Time > Time step mode > Time step: 0.002 s
(d) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.1 m
(e) Resolution > Refinement algorithm: Near static walls
(f) Resolution > Shapes refinement > Shape: Pendulum > Target resolved scale: 0.05
m
(g) Resolution > Region: Rectangular > Min:(-3,-3,0) ; Max: (3,3,1) ; Resolved scale:
0.05 m
(h) Store data > Folder: Pendulum. This is the name of the folder where the numerical data will
be stored.
(i) Store data > Frames frequency: 15 Hz (i.e. a total of 150 frames will be saved for the 10
seconds of simulation time)
(j) Store data > Numerical data frequency: Solver time step, which means any curve
plotted in the Function Viewer will be updated at the frequency of the solver steps.
(k) Store data > Save averaged fields: Off
(l) Store data > Save resume file: Off. In case you need to stop and resume your simulation

you can switch it to On, however this consumes more hard disk space.
(m) Store data > Compute makers: Off
(n) Store data > Fields to save: Leave On all the fields, which means that all the flow fields will
be saved on the hard disc.

Project Tree > Simulation

Region refinement

At this point the setup is finished and the FMI Standard has to be exported.

Step 2: Set FMI standard in XFlow

2.1 Export FMI Standard

Please note: Before executing the Export to FMI standard command it is necessary to generate
the binary files to create the folder where XFlow saves the FMI standard files.
Main menu > Simulation data > Generate binary files
This last command is available only in Expert or Labs mode.

Export FMI Standard file which contains the input/output variables to communicate with OpenModelica :
Main menu > Options > Export to FMI standard
The Pendulum modeling needs an angular position as input and the internal forces (Fx and Fy) as output.

Select "Pendulum.Angular laws Z" FMI input and press .Select "Pendulum.Fx" and "Pendulum.

Fy" FMI outputs and press . Finally press Accept and the file xflowFMI.fmu is created in the

simulation folder. It will be used by OpenModelica for the co-simulation.

Please note: Currently XFlow is only able to use the geometry translational and angular positions
as FMI inputs, and any variable stored in the numerical data as FMI outputs.

FMI outputs and inputs

Step 3: Problem setup - OpenModelica

The user needs to install OpenModelica in its computer.

Please note: The version used of OpenModelica is 1.9.1 (r22929) available online.

3.1 Create new Modelica Class

Execute OpenModelica through the direct link in your desktop or by double-clicking the OMEdit.exe file
located in the installation folder. The application displays the Graphical User Interface.
Create a new Modelica Class Main menu > File > New Modelica Class , enter the name
"Pendulum_Coupling_XFlow_Openmodelica" and press Ok.

Main menu > File > New Modelica Class

In the Libraries tree (left) a new Modelica Class has appeared, called
"Pendulum_Coupling_XFlow_Openmodelica".

3.2 Import FMU

Import the file xflowFMI.fmu created by XFlow to OpenModelica Main menu > FMI > Import FMU.

Main menu > FMI > Import FMI

3.3 Set pendulum equation

In this simulation the Pedulum equation is going to be introduced as an extern library. It contains the
following code:

Pendulum equation code

Open the file Pendulum_equation.mo which contains the equation of the pendulum behavior Main
menu > File > Open Model/Library file(s).

It appears in the Libraries tree:

Libraries tree

3.4 Modeling
Open in the libraries tree the "Pendulum_Coupling_XFlow_Openmodelica" by double clicking the left
mouse button, then pick and drag the "xflowFMI_cs_st_FMU" and "Pendulum_equation" libraries on the
Diagram view. Connect the inputs (blue arrows) and the output (white arrows) between them through
wires as following:

Diagram OpenModelica

3.5 Simulation settings

Configure the "xflowFMI_cs_st_FMU" parameter by double clicking the left mouse button on the
"xflowFMI_cs_st_FMU" box in the Diagram view to open the setup. Configure the section Paramenters >
FMI as follows:

(a) StartTime: 0 s
(b) StopTime: 10 s.
(c) communicationStepSize: 0.002 s.

Please note: These values should match with the XFlow values.

xflowFMI_cs_st_FMU parameters

Configure the "Pendulum_equation" simulation parameter by selecting the Simulation setup icon

in the main menu bar.

Configure the section Simulation > General as follows:

(d) StartTime: 0 s.
(e) StopTime: 10 s.

Configure the section Simulation > Output as follows:

(f) Number of interations: 5000

which is the result of the current operation(StopTime - StartTime ) / communicationStepSize.

Configure the section Simulation > Simulation Flags as follows:

(g) Initialization Method: none.

Pendulum_equation simulation parameters

Leave the remaining parameters to the default value.

Step 4: Exectution of Co-simulation

4.1 Save project and generate binary files

Save the project before running the computation: Main menu > File > Save project, or in Toolbar
File.
XFlow project files have the extension .xfp.
If user has change some simulation parameter in XFlow has to generate binary files: Main menu >
Simulation data > Generate binary files

4.2 Start FMU computation in XFlow

Click the Run button > Start FMU computation

XFlow waits until the master start the computations.

Message View:
Full domain has 50800 elements.
Equivalent single-resolution domain has 160000

Equivalent single-resolution domain size is ( 400 x 400 x 1 )

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Computing boundary conditions map!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Coarsest resolved length: 0.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
WARNING::No reference velocity defined in the simulation setup. The
reference velocity is set to 1 m/s by default, please set a custom
reference velocity if required.
Thermodynamic speed of sound: 340.112
Reference area: 0.22 m^2
Reference velocity: 1 m/s
Time step (level 0): 0.004 s
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Waiting FMU initialization...

4.3 Start simulation in OpenModelica

Run the simulation in the "Pendulum_equation" simulation parameter by selecting the Simulation

setup icon in the main menu bar and press Simulate. Save the file
Pendulum_Coupling_XFlow_Openmodelica.mo in the Pendulum folder generate by XFlow.

4.4 Message View

Check the Message View window. It is showing all the information XFlow needs to communicate,
including the computation logs.
During the computation, the following messages will appear:

Message View:
FMU simulation start time: 0 stop time: 1.79769e+308
Waiting first FMU DoStep...
Saving data...

[[Data file]] 0 done!!! | Frame wall clock time[0]s | Overall wall clock
time[0]s | Num elements[50800]
Sim. time [4.000000e-003]s | Stability param. [1.734903e-004] | Wall clock
time [2.810000e-001]s
Sim. time [8.000000e-003]s | Stability param. [1.734903e-004] | Wall clock
time [4.060000e-001]s
Sim. time [1.200000e-002]s | Stability param. [2.347426e-003] | Wall clock
time [4.520000e-001]s
Sim. time [1.600000e-002]s | Stability param. [7.856966e-003] | Wall clock
time [3.740000e-001]s
Sim. time [2.000000e-002]s | Stability param. [1.385617e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.370000e-001]s
Sim. time [2.400000e-002]s | Stability param. [2.012526e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.840000e-001]s
Sim. time [2.800000e-002]s | Stability param. [2.625810e-002] | Wall clock
time [3.900000e-001]s
Sim. time [3.200000e-002]s | Stability param. [3.169038e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.210000e-001]s
Sim. time [3.600000e-002]s | Stability param. [3.618427e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.370000e-001]s
Sim. time [4.000000e-002]s | Stability param. [3.939046e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.840000e-001]s
Saving data...
[[Data file]] 1 done!!! | Frame wall clock time[4.213000e+000]s | Overall
wall clock time[4.213000e+000]s | Num elements[50800]
Sim. time [4.400000e-002]s | Stability param. [4.137910e-002] | Wall clock
time [5.930000e-001]s
Sim. time [4.800000e-002]s | Stability param. [4.209257e-002] | Wall clock
time [3.590000e-001]s
Sim. time [5.200000e-002]s | Stability param. [4.167101e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.520000e-001]s
Sim. time [5.600000e-002]s | Stability param. [4.090447e-002] | Wall clock
time [4.680000e-001]s
...

Please note: The stop time 1.79769e+308 in the log is given by OpenModelica ignoring the value
fixed in the Simulation parameters. The effect that this behavior produces is that XFlow's simulation
could get to the last frame but do not stop, it does not affects the simulation's results.

Step 5: Post-processing

The post-processing is possible to in XFlow completely managed from the Post-Processing section of the
Project Tree and OpenModelica allows to do a similar Post-processing adding the calculated variables by the
Pendulum equation.

5.1 XFlow post-processing

Create a cutting plane to visualise the vorticity field which it shows the vortex detached by Pendulum
movement. To do so, please go to Project Tree > Post-processing > Cutting planes:

Field vorticity at t=4.4s

5.2 OpenModelica post-processing

In OpenModelica will appear a post processing window once the simulation ends. The user have access the
variables of both XFlow and OpenModelica in the Variable Browser (right).

Activate the XFlow variables Fx, Fy and Angular_laws_Z in the Variable Browser. It can be observed how the
sign of the forces changes when the Pedulum passes over the equilibrium position.

OpenModelica postprocessing

Tutorial 12 - MSC Nastran

co-simulation: Turek Hron
This tutorial illustrates how to set up and run an XFlow / MSC Nastran coupled simulation. The specific case
here illustrated is the Turek-Hron FSI (Fluid-Structure Interaction) benchmark, available in literature ["Proposal
for Numerical Benchmark ing of Fluid-Structure Interaction between an Elastic Object and Laminar
Incompressible Flow" in Lecture Notes in Computational Science and Engineering, Turek Stefan and Hron
Jaroslav, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2006, pp. 371-385].

This tutorial shows how to:

Setup a MSC Nastran simulation in SimXpert which will be used in a FSI simulation with XFlow
Setup the correspondent XFlow simulation
Run the co-simulation and analyse the results
It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02 and 03. Some steps in the setup will not be
described in detail.

Please note: This tutorial requires having activated the Labs mode. The Labs mode can be activated in:
Main menu > Options > Preferences > Application mode

Please note: Check that OpenFSI is installed in your computer. Please see the "XFlow User Guide"
section Co-simulation > MSC Nastran > XFlow OpenFSI Service Installation.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup - SimXpert
Step 2: Problem setup - XFlow
Step 3: Execution of Co-simulation
Step 4: Post-processing

Step 1: Problem setup - SimXpert

The first step of the tutorial is the setup of the MSC Nastran structural analysis. The MSC SimXpert pre-
processing software is here used to setup the case and generate the MSC Nastran analysis file (.bdf).

1.1 Definition of the Setup Geometry

The Turek Hron benchmark consists of a solid cylinder and an attached elastic bar submerged in a channel
flow, as illustrated in the following figure. The characteristics of the solid and fluid materials, as well as the
inlet velocity, are chosen so that self-induced oscillations in the fluid and the deformable part of the structure
are obtained. In this analysis the fluid is considered to be incompressible and in the laminar regime.

Solid cylinder and flexible bar setup

The dimension of the external domain are:

L = 2.5 [m]
H = 0.41 [m]

The cylinder and bar geometries are defined by the following geometrical quantities:

C = (0.2,0.2) [m]
r = 0.05 [m]
l = 0.35 [m]
h = 0.02 [m]

1.2 Creation of the Geometry in SimXpert

a) Set the unit to [m] in Tools > Options > Units Manager > Length: m

In the Geometry tab:

b) Create the cylinder geometry with the Arc command and using the settings:

Creation of the cylinder perimeter

c) Create a surface of the Cylinder. Select the Cylinder perimeter and use the filler command :

Creation of the cylinder surface

d) Create the Bar geometry using the planar command and the settings:

Creation of the bar surface

The resulting geometry should look like:

Cylinder and Bar geometries

1.3 Generation of the Structural Mesh

In the Meshing tab:

a) Generate a mesh of the Cylinder and Bar surfaces using the Surface command and the
settings shown below:

Cylinder Surface Meshing

Bar Surface Meshing

The resulting mesh should look like:

b) Detach the created mesh from the geometry, using the command Detach Mesh and selecting the two
geometries (Cylinder and Bar):

Detach Mesh from Geometry

In the Nodes/Elements tab:

c) Match the Cylinder and Bar Meshes using the equivalence command , leaving the default
Settings:

Settings for the Equivalence of the Cylinder and Bar Meshes

The mesh of the Cylinder and Bar should now match at the interface, as shown below:

Before Equivalence

After Equivalence

In the Meshing tab:

d) Extrude the surface mesh in the z-axis to create 3D solid elements using the normal command .
Select all the 2D elements and input the values shown in the image below:

Extruding Surface elements to generate 3D Solid ones

e) Create a new Part named MESH. Select only 3D solid elements as visible in the graphic viewer, (icon

). Select all elements in the GUI and move them to the newly generated MESH part by right-click
Assign Part...
f) Delete the original Part.

1.4 Definition of Material, Elements Properties and Boundary Conditions

In the Material and Properties tab:

a) Define an isotropic material , with the following elastic characteristics:

Isotropic Material Definition

b) Apply Material and Properties to the 3D Solid Elements using the command Solid . Select all

the 3D Solid elements:

Applying Material Properties to 3D Solid Elements

In the LBCs tab:

c) Apply Boundary Conditions. We are going to fix the cylinder's nodes, selecting them in the viewer and

using the fixed BC . Also, we are allowing only the X and Y translation and Z rotation of the Bar

nodes, setting a General Constraint BC :

General Constraint BC applied on the Bar nodes

The applied Boundary Conditions should look as below, where the green nodes are Fixed and the grey ones
are allowed only XY plane movements (the colors shown are not the default ones).

Constraints visualization on Mesh

1.5 Creation of XFlowOpenFSI Server

In the User Services tab:

a) Create an OpenFSI server, under User Services , using the settings below indicated. If the

User Services tab is not visible, please make sure you are in Structures mode

Creation of XFlowOpneFSI Server

In the LBCs tab:

b) Create the Wetted Surface which will be exchanging the load and displacement information with XFlow.

From thew LBCs tab use the OpeFSI command :

Definition of Wetted Surface

In order to select all the 3D Solid faces please select the Element Faces filter ONLY in the Wetted Surface

dropdown list: .

1.6 Creation of MSC Nastran job

a) Create a Nastran Job by right clicking the top branch of the project tree (FileSet) and selecting Create
new Nastran job command. Select General Nonlinear Analysis (SOL 400) as Solution Type and
deselect the Create Default Job Layout option.

Create new Nastran job

b) In the project tree Simulations > Turek Hron > Solver Control, right click and select Properties.
Under the Analysis Option tab select Large Displacement and Follower Force to model the Large
Displacement Effects and Apply.
c) Right click on Load cases and create a new Loadcase selecting Create Loadcase.

Create Loadcase

d) Right click on Simulations > Turek Hron > Load Cases > Coupling > Load Case Control and set
the following parameters under Generic Control:
a. Total Time: 20 (s)
b. Minimum Iterations for each Increment: 6
c. Maximum Iterations for each Increment: 25

Please note: The Total Time parameter set in MSC Nastran will override the XFlow Simulation time.

e) Right click Output Requests and select Nodal Output Requests > Create Displacement output
request. Leave the Default values.
f) Right click Output Requests and select Nodal Output Requests > Create Applied Load output
request. Leave the Default values.
g) Right click in LBC Container > Select LBc Set and select the default boundary condition set
DefaultLbcSet.
h) Export the Nastran Turek_Hron.bdf job from File>Export > Nastran Model

Step 2: Problem setup - XFlow

The second step of the tutorial is the setup of the simulation in XFlow. A 2D simulation will be setup, using
glycerine as fluid and setting the input parabolic velocity profile as specified in the Turek-Hron benchmark
case:

The velocity profile results in zero velocity at the boundary of the domain, and a maximum value at the center,
as illustrated in the picture below.

Inlet velocity profile, velocity vs Y values plot.

The velocity is initialized to zero in the entire domain and a ramp-up function is used to slowly increase it to its
maximum value:

Velocity ramp-up from t=0 to t=2 s

1.1 Environment
a) Open a new XFlow window and create a new project called Turek_Hron.xfp.
b) In Project Tree > Environment> Engine set the following parameters:
(a) Kernel: 2d
(b) Advanced Options > Structural Analysis: Nastran
c) In Project Tree > Environment> Environment set the following parameters:
(a) Domain type: Generic rectangular domain
(b) Position: (1.25,0.205,0.005)
(c) Dimension: (2.5,0.41,0.15)
(d) X periodic: Off
a. -X Boundary condition: Inlet > Velocity
Velocity laws
X: [(t<2)((1.5*2*4/0.1681*y*(0.41-y))*(1-cos(pi*t/2))/2)+(t>2)(1.5*2*4/0.1681*y*(0.41-y))] ms
-1

b. +X Boundary condition: Outlet > Gauge pressure outlet

(e) Y periodic: Off
c. -X Boundary condition: Wall
Wall model: Automatic
d. +X Boundary condition: Wall
Wall model: Automatic

Please note: The Structural Analysis option is only available in Labs mode.

1.2 Materials
d) In Project Tree > Materials set the following parameters for the Fluid material:
(a) Molecular weight: 92.09
(b) Reference density: 1000
(c) Viscosity model: Newtonian
Dynamic viscosity: 1 Pa s

1.3 Geometry
e) In Project Tree > Geometry import the geometry using the command Geometry > Import a new
geometry and selecting the MSC Nastran Turek_Hron.bdf file generated in Step 1 of this tutorial.
f) Fix the normals orientation of the imported geometry by selecting it and using the command Geometry >
Reorientate normals

Inconsistent normals orientation

Consistent normal orientation, but pointing inward

g) Reverse the normals so that they point outward by selecting the geometry, right click with the mouse and
selecting Reverse orientation

Outward pointing and consistent normals

h) Set the following parameters:

(a) Behaviour: Structural

(b) Boundary conditions: Wall

Geometry Settings in XFlow

1.4 Simulation
i) In Project Tree > Simulation set the following parameters
(a) Simulation time: 20 s
(b) Time step: 1.5e-4 s
(c) Resolved scale: 0.005 m
(d) Folder: Turek_Hron
(e) Frames frequency: 10 Hz

The resulting setup should look like this:

XFlow Turek-Hron benchmark setup

Step 3: Execution of Co-simulation

Once the setup of the simulation in SimXpert and XFlow are completed it is possible to run the coupled
simulation.

a) Start XFlow simulation by selecting Run > Start computation

Start XFlow simulation

XFlow's Message View will prompt the "Waiting for initial sync point with Nastran"
message.

XFlow Message View

a) Start MSC Nastran simulation by executing MSC Nastran and selecting the Nastran Turek_Hron.bdf file

Execution of MSC Nastran simulation

c) The co-simulation will start and the two software will synchronize at each timestep to exchange loads and
deformations, as indicated in XFlow's Message View.

XFlow Message View showing the progress of the coupled simulation

Please note: When launching a simulation in a folder containing previously generated MSC Nastran
output files, pleas do delete those (.op4, .op6. .DBALL, etc...) before running the new Nastran-XFlow co-
simulation.

Step 4: Post processing

As with any XFlow simulation it is possible to perform the post-processing on the fly (while the co-simulation
is running on the background).

1. Post-process the co-simulation

a) In Project Tree > Environment> Engine generate a cutting plane in the Z axis and use Velocity as field
to visualize.

Cutting plane at t=20 s showing the Velocity contours.

It is possible to see how the beam deforms under the effects of the fluid loads, but as well the influence of the
beam deformation on the way the vortices are shed.

Tutorial 13 - Helmholtz resonator

This tutorial illustrates the setup and solution of an internal flow inside a flute and its acoustics analysis. The
flow impacts in the mouth of the flute generating an air resonance. It is produced by the interaction
aerodynamic and acoustic phenomenon, well know as Helmholtz resonance.

This tutorial shows how to:

Run an acoustic analysis.
Observe the compressible unsteady pressure waves naturally captured by XFlow.
Process the pressure signal to get the resonance frequency and the sound pressure level in frequency
space.

It is assumed that the reader has completed Tutorial 01, 02 and 07. Some steps in the setup and post-
process will not be described in detail.

Contents
Step 1: Problem setup
Step 2: Post-processing

Step 1: Problem setup

In order to access the acoustic analysis, the application mode must be set to Expert. Please make sure you

are in Expert mode through the preferences options : Options > Preferences > Application >
Application mode: Expert.

1.1 Engine settings

In Project Tree > Environment > Engine set the following parameters:
(a) Kernel: 3d
(b) Flow model: Single phase
(c) Analysis type: Internal. Now the wind tunnel will disappear and you will have to provide the
geometry of the geometry that will bound the fluid domain.
(d) Turbulence settings > Turbulent model: Automatic
(e) Acoustics analysis: On.
The lattice-Boltzmann method is inherently compressible and unsteady, and thus physically deals
with the sound pressure waves. The speed at which the pressure waves travel in the simulation is

named the numerical speed of sound and is defined by the relation: , where dx

and dt are the resolution and time step locally.

Since the resolution is an input from the user, the time step can be adjusted in order to get the
desired speed of sound. This is what happens when one switches on the acoustic mode: XFlow
adjusts the time step in order to have the pressure waves to travel at the thermodynamic speed of
sound.
The thermodynamical speed of sound is defined by the ideal gas relation:

. Therefore, once the acoustic mode is enabled, XFlow will force

the time step to be defined such as:

(f) Acoustics analysis > Refractive index: 1.0

The refractive index can be useful if the speed of sound is not constant within a media, and can be a
law of the spatial variables (x,y,z). In this tutorial, the media is air at 25ºC and therefore the speed of
sound is constant within the domain.

1.2 Import the geometry

Import the geometry of the flute from the files flute.nfb, inlet.nfb and outlet.nfb: Main

menu > Geometry > Import a new geometry or press in Toolbar Geometry . In the Import
Geometry pop-up window, leave the the default options and press OK. The geometry is then displayed in
the Graphic View 1.

Correct flute orientation (Otherwise, reverse normals)

1.3 Environment settings

In Project Tree > Environment > Environment set the following parameters:
(a) Global attributes > Ext. acceleration laws: (0, 0, 0) m.s-2
(b) Leave the Initial conditions as User defined, and keep the Initial velocity field as (0, 0, 0) m.s-1.

1.4 Material settings

In Project Tree > Materials leave the default Material 1 properties. In single phase simulations, the
default fluid is air.

1.5 Geometry settings

In Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: flute set the following parameters:
(a) Behaviour: Fixed
(b) Boundary conditions: Wall, with Wall model: Automatic

In Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: inlet set the following parameters:
(c) Behaviour: Fixed
(d) Boundary conditions: Velocity, with Velocity laws as (7.76, 0, 0) m.s-1

In Project Tree > Geometry > Entities > Shape: outlet set the following parameters:
(e) Behaviour: Fixed
(f) Boundary conditions: Gauge pressure outlet, with Gauge pressure law as 0 Pa.

1.6 Simulation settings

In Project Tree > Simulation set the following parameters:
(a) Time > Simulation time: 0.02 s
(b) Time > Time step mode: Fixed automatic. Note the time step cannot be adjusted since it is
unique when the acoustic mode is enabled due to the reasons explained in section 1.1.
(c) Resolution > Resolved scale: 0.00022 m, with the Refinement algorithm: Disabled
In acoustics analysis, it is recommended to use a uniform resolution or use the less possible lattice
levels between the acoustic source and the area of measurement as long as this is possible. This
prevents from dissipation or reflections of the pressure waves when they go through lattice levels
transition between two levels of the lattice. In this example, the simulation is internal and the volume is
relatively small, therefore a uniform resolution is affordable and recommended.
(d) Resolution > Options > Seed point: Automatic
(e) Store data > Folder: helmholtz_resonator
(f) Store data > Frames frequency: 5000 frames per second (Hz)
XFlow will adjust this frequency to 4995.69 Hz in order to get an integer number of time steps between
each frame. The time step is computed with the relation defined in section 1.1:

In this case the dx = 0.00022 m, and Cthermody namic = 340.112 m/s. Hence dt = 3.73456e-7 s.

Therefore using f = 4995.69 Hz provides 536 time steps every frame.

(g) Store data > Numerical data frequency: Solver time step
(h) Leave Off Save averaged fields
(i) Leave On all the Fields to save
(j) Set Probe 1 > Position to (0.074, -0.003, 0) m. This probe will be used to measure the pressure
fluctuations inside the flute.

1.7 Launch the calculation

(a) Save the project

Tip: You can directly load the setup of this problem from the project file helmholtz_resonator.xfp

(b) Set the number of CPUs in Main menu > Options > Preferences > Engine
(c) Press Run button > Start computation.

Step 2: Post-processing
2.1 Flow visualisation
(a) Select the Vorticity field in General > Show > Volumetric field > Visualisation field, adjust its
range to [0, 15000], disable General > Interpolation mode and show the volumetric field with
Transference law: a

3D vorticity field at frame 29

(b) In order to see the the reflections of the pressure waves inside the flute cavity, create a cutting plane
of static pressure: Right click on Post-Processing > Cutting planes and Add cutting plane with
Field: Static pressure. Adjust the colour bar legend to [-50, 80] Pa.Then play backward the time control
bar in order to visualize the reflections of the pressure waves in function of time.

2.2 Acoustic post-processing

2.2.1 Spectral analysis

The purpose of this acoustic post-processing is to measure the resonance frequency of the flute and
compare it with the theoretical value provided by the Helmholtz theory: 1197 Hz.

(a) Monitor the evolution in time of the static pressure at the probe location:
right click in Function Viewer > Probes > Probe 1 > Static pressure

Static pressure at Probe 1

In this plot, we can see the periodic fluctuations of the pressure field inside the flute. These fluctuations
have a main frequency that can be measured using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).

(b) In order to apply the FFT on the time pressure signal measured at Probe 1, right click in Function
Viewer with the Static pressure of Probe 1 displayed > Data management > Set graph to [Frequency
space] mode. In the Signal filtering window, let all the options by default and press Accept.
Doing zoom at low frequencies, between 0 Pa and 10000 Pa, the main harmonics can be observed.

Static pressure signal in frequency space (Hz)

Moving the pointer to the higher peak, one can check that its frequency is 1100 Hz. This
corresponds to the resonance frequency of the flute obtained by XFlow.

2.2.2 Windowing
In spectral analysis, the Fourier transform can be multiplied by a window function which is a
mathematical function that is zero-valued outside of some chosen interval. It is useful to filter out
spurious frequencies due to applying the Fourier transform to a non-periodic signal.
Furthermore, the window function can be applied in the relevant time range. For instance, the
temporal pressure signal shows a transient regime where the pressure signal is not clear before
0.01 s, therefore it is convenient to apply the FFT and the window function from 0.01 s to 0.02 s. To
proceed, please follow the steps:
(c) Apply the FFT again on the probe signal: Right click in Function Viewer > Data management >
Set graph to [Frequency space] mode.
The Signal filtering window, shown below, will appear automatically. Select "Hamming" window
type for example. Then select the time range from 0.01 s to 0.02 s in order to remove the transient
part of the signal and press Accept.

Signal filtering window

As you can see in the following plot, the obtained FFT is cleaner after applying the window filter.
Some high frequencies due to the transient period have been reduced and the main frequency
appears clearly now:

Static pressure signal in Frequency space applying Hamming window (t from 0.01 s to 0.02 s)

(d) Try to change the window type, with the same time range from 0.01 s to 0.02 s, and check the
difference.

Please note: The window type affects the signal treated due to the distribution function used. For more
information about these windows types and their formulations is available in the User Guide section Post-
processing > Function viewer > Data management .

2.2.3 Signal filters

It is possible in XFlow to filter, partially or completely, the curves plotted in the Function viewer using
Finite Element Response (FIR) filters. This allows to remove from the signal of interest all the non-desired
frequencies, the numerical noise and any other interferences.
In this resonator case, we will try to filter the pressure signal to keep only the resonance frequency.

(e) Apply a filter to signal:

Plot the Static pressure signal measure by Probe 1 in time space, and right click in Function
Viewer > Data management > Apply signal to signal.
The Signal filtering window, shown in the figure below, will appear automatically. Select "Band-
pass" filter type since we would like to keep only the resonance frequency and remove all the other
frequencies. Therefore, set the frequency range from 1050 Hz to 1150 Hz in order to keep the
resonance frequency 1100 Hz. Set the Order to 20000 and Window type "Hamming". Finally press
Accept to apply the filter.

Please note: The higher is the order and the longer the computation of the filter, therefore it may take a
while before you can apply higher order filters.

Once the filter is applied, you can see that the time evolution of the static pressure is cleaner and
only contains 1 frequency (the main frequency). All the other frequencies has been removed.

You can also check it in the Frequency Space (Right click in Function Viewer > Data
management > Set graph to [Frequency space] mode), where the main harmonic is
represented filtering all the other harmonics:

Please note: For more information about the filters formulations, please check the User Guide section
Post-processing > Function viewer > Data management.

2.2.4 Sound Pressure Level

In acoustics it is more relevant to work with Sound Pressure Level rather than with pressure in
Pascal to measure the level of noise. The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is un decibels (dB) unit and it
is defined by the following relation:

where pref is the reference pressure equal to 2.10-5 Pa (i.e. threshold of human hearing).

To plot the SPL in frequency space one must:

a) Plot a temporal pressure signal such as the pressure read at probe: Right click in Function Viewer >
Probes > Probe 1 > Static Pressure.
b) Apply FFT and compute SPL: Right click in Function Viewer > Data management > Set graph to
[SPL vs freq] mode.
c) Leave the window type to none and the time range from 0 to 0.02 s, and click Accept.
d) Zoom in the frequency range [0; 20000] Hz which is the audible range and rescale the Y axis.

The Function Viewer will plot the following graph:

Sound Pressure Level (dB) applied to from 0.0 s to 0.02 s

The mean harmonic peak at 1100 Hz is clearly shown and reaches an amplitude of noise of 130 dB
approximately. Other harmonics seem to appear as well at higher frequencies. Mean noise seems
around 90-100 dB.
As shown above, the pressure signal present a transient period from 0 to 0.01 s and periodic
oscillations after 0.01 s. For a better signal processing, it is recommended to remove this transient
period as it may generate additional spurious noise and only consider the periodic part of the signal.
e) Plot again the SPL graph to show the window type and time range to apply to the temporal signal
again: Right click in Function Viewer > Data management > Set graph to [SPL vs freq] mode.
f) Change now the parameter "From time" to 0.01 s instead of 0.0 s. Click Accept.

The SPL is similar to the previous one, but some of the secondary peaks have lowered in intensity
and the signal is more consistent. Mean noise is now lower and seems around 80-90 dB.

Sound Pressure Level (dB) applied to from 0.01 s to 0.02 s

Please note: For more explanations about this case, please check the Validation Guide, section
Helmholtz resonator: Flute.

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