Workshop 8.

4
3D Elbow Part
14.5 Release

Introduction to ANSYS
ICEM CFD
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 1 Release 14.5
 3D Elbow Part
 3D Elbow Junction
– This is a simplified model of
an exhaust or intake port
which passes over a valve
stem
 This tutorial demonstrates
– Two uses of O-grid
– One to capture geometry
– The other to fix corner
mesh in cylindrical tube
geometry
– Use of various vertex
movement techniques to fit
blocking to the geometry
and improve mesh quality
– Scan plane
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 2 Release 14.5
 Set Working Directory
 Set Working Directory
– Select File > Change Working Dir…
– This will pop up a directory selection
window. Select the 3DElbowPart
directory where the geometry exists.
• All output files will be saved in
this working folder
• Opening any files will default to
this working directory

 Opening a project or
creating a new project is not
necessary
 You can open and save files
independently (geometry (*.tin),
blocking (*.blk), mesh (*.uns),
etc…)
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 3 Release 14.5
 Open Geometry
 Open Geometry
– File > Geometry > Open Geometry
– Choose “geometry.tin” file
– Click Open

Or
use
quick
icon
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 4 Release 14.5
 Part Creation
 Turn on Geometry >
Surfaces in the model tree
INLET
 Right-click on Parts in the
tree and select Create Part
 Enter INLET as the Part
name CYL
 Select Create Part by
Selection
– Select the surface
at the min-x end of
the pipe and middle
click to accept
 Repeat with different
ELBOW
names for the other parts
as shown
 Middle click when done
 Right-click on Parts in the
OUTLET
tree and select “Good”
colors
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 5 Release 14.5
 Save Geometry
 File > Geometry > Save Geometry
As…
– The part changes will be saved to
the geometry
– It’s good practice to save to a new
name instead of overwriting

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 6 Release 14.5

 Decide on Topology
 Tubes are normally one-block topologies
– Splits are added later where tubes bend a lot

 But because of the valve stem hole, we must choose a less-

desired L-shaped topology
– This makes it possible to align grid lines with the valve stem

Grid line
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 7
alignment Release 14.5
 Initialize Blocking
 Select Blocking > Create Block > Initialize
Blocks
– Enter FLUID for the Part
#1 – Set Type to 3D Bounding Box (default)
– Click Apply
– This creates one block which encloses the
entire geometry
– Curves automatically change color (colored
#2 separately instead of by part) to allow you to
see the ends of curves
#3

If no geometry is
selected, the
block will be
around
everything

#4

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 8 Release 14.5

 Split to Create Topology
 Split the block at 2 locations
– Select Blocking > Split Block > Split Block
– Split Method is Screen select
#1
• Left click and hold on the edge to split
• The new edge will be normal to the edge
that you select
#2
• Hold left mouse button and drag the split to
desired location
• Middle mouse to complete

Split this edge

for the vertical
split
#3

Split this edge for

the horizontal
split
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 9 Release 14.5
 Delete Blocks  Delete Block
– Select Blocking > Delete Block
– Select bottom left corner block as
#1
shown
– Apply or middle mouse
– Middle mouse again to exit selection
– This doesn’t actually delete the blocks.
It moves them to the part, VORFN, so
they can be used again, if desired
– To actually delete the blocks, select
Delete permanently (changes indices)
– By default VORFN part is always off

Delete
block

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 10 Release 14.5

 Associate Edges to Curves
 Associate Edges
– Select Blocking > Associate > Associate Edge to
Curve
#1
– Enable Project vertices
• This will automatically project vertices on associated
curves after completion of the operation.
#2
– Select the 4 edges bounding one end of the
elbow, then the 4 curves at the same end
– Repeat for the other end of the elbow

#3
#4

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 11 Release 14.5

 Move Vertices
 Blocking > Associate > Snap Project Vertices
– With All Visible toggled on, press Apply
#1
– All vertices will move to the nearest location on
their assign geometry entity
– All external vertices and edges (black or white)
are, by default, assigned to the NEAREST
ACTIVE (in model tree) surface

#2

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 12 Release 14.5

 Move Vertices – Multiple Method
 Blocking > Move vertex > Move Vertex
– Set Method to Multiple
– Fix Z
#1 – Select the Z axis at the lower right
– Press the select vert(s) button
#2
– Left click, drag and release to draw a box and
select 2 vertices within that box
– Middle click, hold and drag the vertices as
#3 shown below for 3 locations
– There needs to be room for the vertical grid lines
to terminate on the right of the port tube
#5

#4

L-grids are best with angle slightly less than 90o Release 14.5
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 13
 Create First O-Grid
 First snap project vertices since
they were moved slightly off
geometry from previous operation
#1
 O-Grid Creation
– Select Split Block > OGrid block
#2 • Select highlighted 2 blocks and
middle click to confirm.
#3
• Select top and bottom faces as
shown to pass O-grid through these
faces. Middle click to confirm.
#4
– Click Apply

#5

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 14 Release 14.5

 Move Blocks to Different Part
#2

#1

#3

 Turn off ELBOW, INLET, and OUTLET

 Right click on Blocking in the model
tree and select Index Control
#4
 Set the O3 index (the O-grid direction)
from 1 to 1
 Right Click on Parts > Create Part
 Enter DEAD for the part name
 Select Blocking Material, Add Blocks
to Part
 Press ‘v’ on the keyboard for all
#5 visible blocks, middle click
 Note the edges turn from blue
(internal) to white (or black) when they
become external or between parts
 Vertices and edges between different
parts default to surface association
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 15 Release 14.5
 Move Vertices
 Blocking > Associate > Snap Project Vertices
– With All Visible toggled on, press Apply
#1
– All the visible vertices, which are surface
associated due to the previous block movement
to another part will move to a surface
– It is very important to note these vertices move
to the NEAREST ACTIVE surface. If the ELBOW
part were left active, some of the vertices would
#2
jump to the outer surfaces

#3

This happens if the other parts are left active

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 16 Release 14.5
 Edge Associations
 Select Blocking > Associate > Associate
Edge to Curve
#1
– Turn on Project vertices
• Select the 4 edges and related curves(s)
at each end of the cylinder
#2
• With Project vertices ON, it does the
snap project immediately for the selected
vertices

#3

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 17 Release 14.5

 Move Vertices – Align Vertices
 Blocking > Move Vertex > Align Vertices
– Select one of the edges along the length of the
#1
cylinder
– Select any vertex at the OUTLET end
– Set Move in plane to XZ
– Apply
#2  Blocking > Associate > Snap Project Vertices

#3

#4
“Align vertices”
Edge matches up 2
#6
coordinates within
a plane for
Vertex multiple vertices
#5 Release 14.5
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 18
 Move Vertices – Set Location
 Blocking > Move Vertex > Set Location
– Set Method to Set Position
#1
– For Reference From, choose Screen
– For Ref. Location, press the Select Location(s)
button and then Toggle allow on Mesh/Block
#2 selection button #6

#3 – Select roughly the middle of the edge shown. You’ll

need to zoom in. Middle click. (Turn surfaces off)
– Turn on Modify Y
#4
– For Vertices to Set, Select the Select vert(s) button,
#5
and select the 4 vertices just up from OUTLET.
Middle click
– Apply
#7

#8 “Set location” sets

coordinates to one
specific value
#9

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 19 Release 14.5

 #1

Create Second O-Grid

#2
 First press Reset, then Done in the index control
#3
– Reset shows the full blocking
 Blocking > Split Block > O-grid Block
#4
– Press the Select block(s) button and add all the
#5 blocks by typing ‘v’ or box selecting everything
– Press the Select face(s) button and select 1 face
at the inlet and 5 faces at the outlet. Middle click.
#6
– Set Offset to 0.6 (Every O-grid radial edge will be 0.6
of its original length)
– Apply
#7

#8

View OUTLET
faces down
the edge and
box select
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 20 Release 14.5
 Surface Mesh Sizes
 Mesh > Part Mesh
Setup
#1
– Set sizes as indicated
– Apply and Dismiss
 Blocking > Pre-Mesh
Params > Update Sizes
#2
– Accept defaults and
Apply
– This transfers surface
#3 and curve sizes to the
blocking edges
 Turn off DEAD part
 Turn on Pre-Mesh in the
tree and say Yes to
recompute #6
 Right-click on Pre-mesh
and select Solid & Wire Block parts will not
#5
have mesh computed
#4  Turn on ELBOW, INLET,
if off during the
and OUTLET compute pre-mesh
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 21 Release 14.5
 Pre-Mesh Quality
#1  First turn off Pre-mesh
 Blocking > Pre-Mesh Quality Histograms
– Set Criterion to Determinant 2x2x2
#2 – Apply
– Click on the first few histogram bars to display the
elements (< 0.3)

#3

– Set Criterion to Angle and do similar

• Below 18 degrees

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 22 Release 14.5

 Projected Shape of Edges
 Sometimes it’s hard to see which block the bad
elements are in. Viewing the edges with their
projected shape along with the elements may
make this apparent
 In the model tree, right click on Edges >
Projected Mesh Shape
#1 – Each time a change is made to the blocking, it will
constantly ask to recompute the mesh, so use this
tool only for inspection, then turn OFF when done.
– The bad determinants will be in the inside block

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 23 Release 14.5

 Scan Plane
 If you can’t make out what is wrong
when viewing the bad elements, then
view a scan plane through the elements
 Pre-mesh > Scan planes in model tree
#3 – Press Select button #1

– Select one of the edges running in the

z-direction as shown below
– The scan plane will be normal to the
selected edge
Select this – This will turn on #2 dimension
edge
– Check ON Solid
#2 – The Grid Index arrows will allow you to
scroll through mesh layers

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 24 Release 14.5

 Improving Quality
 Blocking > Move Vertex > Move Vertex
– Set Method to Single
– Turn off Fix Z
#1
– Improve angles by moving the indicated
internal/un-projected vertices toward the elbow
surface
– Left-click and hold CLOSE to one vertex, ON THE
#2
EDGE (which highlights red) extending to the
surface. Move it slightly outward, and release. It
#3
will constrain to moving along the red edge
– Repeat for the other vertex
– Middle click when done
Bad angle

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 25 Release 14.5

 Improving Quality
 Blocking > Move Vertex > Move Vertex
– Improve angles by moving the indicated vertices on
the cylinder down
#1
– Left-click, hold, and drag each vertex down, one at a
time
– Surface associated vertices will slide along the
#2 NEAREST ACTIVE surface
Angle is greatly
improved

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 26 Release 14.5

 Pre-Mesh Quality
 Blocking > Pre-Mesh Params > Update Sizes
– Accept defaults and Apply
– Turn on Pre-Mesh in the tree and say Yes to
recompute
– Right-click on Pre-Mesh and select Solid & Wire
– Re-check quality for Angle and Determinant 2x2x2
– Further adjustments may be necessary
– Move vertices, split edges, adjust node
distribution, etc.

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 27 Release 14.5

 Save Blocking
 File > Blocking > Save Blocking As…
– It’s good practice to save blockings
frequently, incrementing a number
(1,2,3…) each time so that you can go
back to a previous point, in case you
find out a topological strategy will not
work

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2013 28 Release 14.5