I queried the CFDSUPPORT ChatBot on this question and it's suggestion didn't work, I saw no option to delete a patch.

So, how does one delete a patch from a component? I've tried deleting the .stl from the component directory, then reimporting the geometry, but that had no effect. It's still there.

Hi contributors,

I sincerely appreciate your team's efforts in making your work publicly available online—it has been immensely helpful for OpenFOAM users and developers alike. After reading your article (Node266 - CFD SUPPORT), I followed the provided instructions to configure OpenFOAM to generate a cellZone using snappyHexMesh.

Unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful. The number of cells in both the cellZone and faceZones files turned out to be zero, and checkMesh.log confirms this issue. When I check the result via paraFoam, I also find that net0 ~ net4 contain no mesh—they are empty. This is not only contrary to my expectations, but also differs from the result described in the article.

I am using OpenFOAM v2012, and the net0 section in my snappyHexMeshDict was set up following the example from your webpage.

I’ve uploaded the relevant case below. I would greatly appreciate any guidance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

snappyhexmeshdict:

/*--------------------------------*- C++ -*----------------------------------*\
| =========                 |                                                 |
| \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox           |
|  \\    /   O peration     | Version:  v2012                                 |
|   \\  /    A nd           | Website:  www.openfoam.com                      |
|    \\/     M anipulation  |                                                 |
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
FoamFile
{
    version     2.0;
    format      ascii;
    class       dictionary;
    object      snappyHexMeshDict;
}
// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
#include "../varsSettings" //Include global variables
castellatedMesh true;
snap            true;
addLayers       false;//true;
geometry
{
    floater
    {
        type 	triSurfaceMesh;
        file 	"DeepCwindPlatform_heave.stl";
    }
    
    net1
    {
        type 	triSurfaceMesh;
        file 	"Net1_improved_heave.stl";
    }
    
    net2
    {
        type 	triSurfaceMesh;
        file 	"Net2_improved_heave.stl";
    }
    
    net3
    {
        type 	triSurfaceMesh;
        file 	"Net3_improved_heave.stl";
    }
    
    net4
    {
        type 	triSurfaceMesh;
        file 	"Net4_improved_heave.stl";
    }
    
    net0
    {
    	type	searchableBox;
    	min		(-100	-50	-120);
    	max		(100	50	-80);
    }
    
    refineFreeSurface_L1
    {
        type searchableBox;
        min ($minX  $minY -10);
        max ($maxX  $maxY  10); 
    }
    
    refineFreeSurface_L2
    {
        type searchableBox;
        min (#calc "$minX+$inLen+20"  -70 -8);
        max (#calc "$maxX-$outLen-20"  70  8); 
    }
    
    refineFloater_L1
    {
        type searchableBox;
        min (-51  -49	#calc "-30 + $decay_z + $offset_z");
        max ( 37   49 	#calc "22 + $decay_z + $offset_z"); 
    }
};
castellatedMeshControls
{
    maxLocalCells 100000;
    maxGlobalCells 2000000;
    minRefinementCells 0;
    maxLoadUnbalance 0.10;
    nCellsBetweenLevels 1;
    features
    (
        {
        	file    "DeepCwindPlatform_heave.eMesh";
            level   4;
        }
        
		{
        	file	"Net1_improved_heave.eMesh";
        	level	4;
		}
		
		{
        	file	"Net2_improved_heave.eMesh";
        	level	4;
		}
		
		{
        	file	"Net3_improved_heave.eMesh";
        	level	4;
		}
		
		{
        	file	"Net4_improved_heave.eMesh";
        	level	4;
		}
    );
    refinementSurfaces
    {
		floater
		{
			level (4 4);//(5 5);
			patchInfo
        	{
          		type wall;
 
          		// Optional group
          		// inGroups (meshedWalls);
        	}
		}
          
		net1
    	{
			level (4 4);
			cellZone net1Zone;
/*			cellZoneInside inside;*/
			faceZones net1fZone;
    	}
    	net2
    	{
        	level (4 4);
			cellZone net2Zone;
/*			cellZoneInside inside;*/
			faceZones net2fZone;
    	}
    	net3
    	{
        	level (4 4);
			cellZone net3Zone;
/*			cellZoneInside inside;*/
			faceZones net3fZone;
		}
    	net4
    	{
        	level (4 4);
			cellZone net4Zone;
/*			cellZoneInside inside;*/
			faceZones net4fZone;
    	}
    	
    	net0
    	{
        	level (4 4);
			cellZone net0Zone;
/*			cellZoneInside inside;*/
			faceZones net0fZone;
    	}
    }
    resolveFeatureAngle 45;//30;
    planarAngle 30;
    refinementRegions
    {
        refineFreeSurface_L1
        {
            mode inside;
            levels ((1e-5 1)); //First entry here is distance, which will be ignored unless mode = distance
        }
        
        refineFreeSurface_L2
        {
            mode inside;
            levels ((1e-5 2)); //First entry here is distance, which will be ignored unless mode = distance
        }
        
        refineFloater_L1
        {
            mode inside;
            levels ((1e-5 2)); //First entry here is distance, which will be ignored unless mode = distance
        }
        
/*        net1*/
/*        {*/
/*            mode inside;*/
/*            levels ((1e-5 3));  // STL 内部 refinement 到 level 4*/
/*        }*/
/*        net2*/
/*        {*/
/*            mode inside;*/
/*            levels ((1e-5 3));*/
/*        }*/
/*        net3*/
/*        {*/
/*            mode inside;*/
/*            levels ((1e-5 3));*/
/*        }*/
/*        net4*/
/*        {*/
/*            mode inside;*/
/*            levels ((1e-5 3));*/
/*        }*/
    }
    limitRegions
    {
    }
        locationInMesh (-150 0 0);
        allowFreeStandingZoneFaces true;//false;
        faceZoneControls
        {
        }
    locationsOutsideMesh ((100 100 100));
}
snapControls
{
    nSmoothPatch 5;//3
    tolerance 2.0;
    nSolveIter 50;//30;
    nRelaxIter 10;//5;
        nFeatureSnapIter 20;//10;
        implicitFeatureSnap false;//true;
        explicitFeatureSnap true;//false;
        multiRegionFeatureSnap false;
}
addLayersControls
{
    relativeSizes true;
        expansionRatio 1.25;
        finalLayerThickness 0.64;
    	minThickness 0.1;
    layers
    {
		floater
		{
			nSurfaceLayers    2;//3;
		}
    }
    nGrow 0;
        featureAngle 180;//180;
        maxFaceThicknessRatio 0.5;//0.5;
        nSmoothSurfaceNormals 1;
        nSmoothThickness 10;
        minMedialAxisAngle 90;
        maxThicknessToMedialRatio 0.3;
        nSmoothNormals 3;
        slipFeatureAngle 30;
        nRelaxIter 5;
        nBufferCellsNoExtrude 0;
        nLayerIter 50;
        nRelaxedIter 20;
}
meshQualityControls
{
    #include "meshQualityDict"
    relaxed
    {
        maxNonOrtho 75;
    }
        nSmoothScale 4;
        errorReduction 0.75;
}
mergeTolerance 1e-6;
// ************************************************************************* //

Thank you very much in advance!

Best regards,

Liu Jiaming

The instructions are as follows:

To create two meridional slices, one for each fan in TCAE, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Load the Simulation Results: Open your TCAE project and load the results of your simulation for the fans.

2. Select the First Fan:

   • In the Pipeline Browser, select the mesh or results corresponding to the first fan.

3. Add a Meridional Average Filter:

   • Go to the Filters menu.
   • Select "Turbomachinery" and then choose "Meridional Average."

I am not presently seeing any geometry in the Pipeline Browser, so, I tried double-clicking the individual STLs making up the component in CFD Mesh, (later realizing selecting multiple elements is not supported) then going to the Filters menu, selecting Turbomachinery,  the option "Meridional Average."  is greyed out, please see image.

I'm still at the beginning setup phase; loading geometry and tweaking types and interfaces. I have no results of any simulation to load. I have not tried to create a mesh yet. Is that (or something else) I need to do first besides read the manual?

Thanks in advance

David

Mesh for component 1 was created incorrectly.

The patch(es) "1:Part_Studio_1_-_Outlet" has/have not been found in just created mesh.

There might be two reasons for that:

- Either the patch is so small, so the it was not possible to properly mesh it.

Check the patch visually, and also its meshing parameters.

- Second reason might be, that this patch is located outside the meshed geometry, and therefore cannot be meshed.

Again check the patch visually.

CFD meshing failed

I originally had this error on the Inlet patch, I don't know what I changed to correct that (nothing I believe)

The patch is not small, it appears water tight. It comes from a watertight model.

The patch is within the meshed geometry.

I've not had this error before, I've not struggled with meshing previously.

Hi,

I have a problem with report at the end?

Program made all 3000 iteration ( about 1.200.000 pcs), but at the end is allways problem with the report: (see picture below).

Thanks.

Hi,

I have a problem with report at the end?

Program made all 3000 iteration ( about 1.200.000 pcs), but at the end is allways problem with the report: (see picture below).

Thanks.

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Hello,

I found you have changed the Spitfire TCFD example few versions ago so as it applies 1.5AoA - or -1.5 It does not matter actually in this scope - by rotating velocity vector and aiming to get it rotated as expected by setting forces axes rotated in Runtime evaluated quantities, so this should apply to the final report. I've simplified the example - to get faster results - and found that in the report forces are never rotated as expected despite that Coefficients are rotated, you can test this by changing the Forces in Runtime evaluated quantities to 0,0,1,1,0,0 in the example and see that only Coefficients are changed in the report.

Tested on TCAE 25.03v1

CFD stands for Computational Fluid Dynamics. It's a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems involving fluid flows. CFD is commonly used in engineering and physics to simulate the behavior of gases and liquids and their interactions with surfaces.

Applications of CFD:

Aerospace Engineering: Simulating airflow over aircraft designs to optimize aerodynamics.

Automotive Industry: Improving vehicle performance by analyzing drag, airflow, and cooling systems.

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Energy Sector: Modeling flows in pipelines, turbines, and nuclear reactors.

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It involves solving complex equations like the Navier-Stokes equations, which describe the motion of fluid substances.

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Each piece of software has its pros and cons. Usage of any of them depends on the particular project needs and many other circumstances (Physics, resources, skills, experience, …).

Please contact us if you find new open-source software to complete this list or broken link or any inaccuracy. We’ll be happy to fix it.

May you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Best Regards,

Team CFD SUPPORT

Hi! I'm a beginner CFD user, and I've encountered a strange bug with my mesh. When I reduce the firstLayerThickness to a smaller value, the mesh stops working. The layer doesn't generate properly, and I get an error saying my refineBox isn't inside my blockMesh, which is incorrect.

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I am looking to simulate the power output of an in pipe axial turbine, I don't have any experience in CFD simulations and I've decided to brake down the project into 3 parts, first I am going to simulate just the pipe in which the turbine is going to be housed, then a static state with the turbine in the pipe, and finally setup the rotation of the turbine.

I've made a quick 3D model of the pipe and I tried copying the setup from the pipe example, I ran into a problem where the mesher consumes all the available RAM on the computer and locks it up, I assume the STL mesh has a hole somewhere but I couldn't find it, I've had issues before with glitches in STL meshes made in Rhinoceros 3D, the modeling program I used, so I decided to recreate the pipe example with the STLs from the example, and that meshed successfully, but I got an error in the TCFD part "TCFD calculation failed. Please consult the chapter 'Rescue list' in the TCAE Manual for possible reasons of the failure.", I couldn't find the Rescue list chapter in the manual online.

Also the TCAE Output gives this error:
"Application decomposePar failed.
For detailed information check error log at: "C:\Users\Name\Desktop\CFD Test\CFD_test\simulationRun1\TCFD\logRun\solve-err-decomposePar-stationary-1.log"".

And in that log file is:
"--> FOAM FATAL IO ERROR:
Cannot find patchField entry for Co1_pipe-wall_wall

file: C:/Users/Name/Desktop/CFD Test/CFD_test/simulationRun1/TCFD/stationary/0/nut/boundaryField from line 32 to line 54.

    From function void Foam::GeometricField<Type, PatchField, GeoMesh>::Boundary::readField(const Foam::DimensionedField<TypeR, GeoMesh>&, const Foam::dictionary&) [with Type = double; PatchField = Foam::fvPatchField; GeoMesh = Foam::volMesh]
    in file /opt/OpenFOAM-dev/src/OpenFOAM/lnInclude/GeometricBoundaryField.C at line 184.

FOAM exiting"

Attached is a rough diagram of how will the setup work.

I don't have an idea what to try next, and would be thankful for any assistance.