MECH3780

Fluid Mechanics 2 and CFD

Computation Fluid
Dynamics (CFD)
Lecture 1 - CFD Engineering
Reference: CFD Lecture Notes by Assoc Prof Dr Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
Objectives

• To introduce CFD as a tool to solve fluid flow

problems
• To share information on how CFD can be
applied on various fields
• To fill a gap between novice CFD users and the
fundamentalist
• To allow participants to have hands-on
experience in commercial CFD software
Introduction

Why is CFD important?

1. CFD may be less expensive than experiments.
2. CFD may be performed quicker than experiments.
3. CFD models can be generated at the correct scale.
4. CFD is non-intrusive.
5. CFD can provide more data than experiments.
6. CFD can “reach parts” experiments can’t.
7. CFD can be integrated with other analysis tools.
Introduction

• Fluid dynamics is the science of fluid motion.

• Fluid flow is commonly studied in one of three
ways:
– Experimental fluid dynamics.
– Theoretical fluid dynamics.
– Numerically: computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Introduction
Is CFD is a silver bullet?
1. Errors may arise due to:
 Inappropriate selection of modelling level
 Failure of turbulence model to model physics
 Poor mesh construction
 Numerical problems with the discretisation
2. But for all that you still obtain a “solution”.
3. Physical insight and modelling experience are
essential.
 Fluid Dynamics History
Focus on waterworks: aqueducts, canals,
harbors, bathhouses.
One key figure was Archimedes - Greece
(287-212 BC). He initiated the fields of static
mechanics, hydrostatics, and pycnometry
(how to measure densities and volumes of
objects).
Fluid Dynamics History
 Fluid Dynamics History
• Leonardo da Vinci - Italy (1452-1519)
 Fluid Dynamics History
Isaac Newton - England (1643-1727)
 One of the most important figures in science.
 Most well known for his three laws of motion.
 His key contributions to fluid mechanics include:
 The second law: F=m.a.
 The concept of Newtonian viscosity in which stress and the rate of strain
vary linearly.
 The reciprocity principle: the force applied upon a stationary object by a
moving fluid is equal to the change in momentum of the fluid as it deflects
around the front of the object.
 Relationship between the speed of waves at a liquid surface and the
wavelength.
 Fluid Dynamics History
18th and 19th century
 During this period, significant work was done trying to
mathematically describe the motion of fluids.
 Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782) derived Bernoulli’s equation.
 Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) proposed the Euler equations, which
describe conservation of momentum for an inviscid fluid, and
conservation of mass. He also proposed the velocity potential
theory.
 Claude Louis Marie Henry Navier (1785-1836) and George Gabriel
Stokes (1819-1903) introduced viscous transport into the Euler
equations, which resulted in the Navier-Stokes equation. This forms
the basis of modern day CFD.
 Other key figures were Jean Le Rond d’Alembert, Siméon-Denis
Poisson, Joseph Louis Lagrange, Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille, John
William Rayleigh, M. Maurice Couette, and Pierre Simon de Laplace.
 Fluid Dynamics History
• Osborne Reynolds – England (1842-1912)
• Reynolds was a prolific writer who
published almost 70 papers during
his lifetime on a wide variety of
science and engineering related
topics.
• He is most well-known for the
Reynolds number, which is the ratio
between inertial and viscous forces
in a fluid. This governs the transition
from laminar to turbulent flow.
 Fluid Dynamics History

• First part of the 20th century

• Much work was done on refining theories of boundary layers and turbulence.
• Ludwig Prandtl (1875-1953): boundary layer theory, the mixing length
concept, compressible flows, the Prandtl number, and more.
• Theodore von Karman (1881-1963) analyzed what is now known as the von
Karman vortex street.
• Geoffrey Ingram Taylor (1886-1975): statistical theory of turbulence and the
Taylor microscale.
• Andrey Nikolaevich Kolmogorov (1903-1987): the Kolmogorov scales and the
universal energy spectrum.
• George Keith Batchelor (1920-2000): contributions to the theory of
homogeneous turbulence.
 Fluid Dynamics History
1980s and 1990s
Previously, CFD was performed using academic,
research and in-house codes. When one wanted to
perform a CFD calculation, one had to write a program.
This is the period during which most commercial CFD
codes originated that are available today:
 Fluent (UK and US).
 CFX (UK and Canada).
 Fidap (US).
 Polyflow (Belgium).
 Phoenix (UK).
 Star CD (UK).
 Flow 3d (US).
 ESI/CFDRC (US). and more, see
 SCRYU (Japan).
www.cfdreview.com.
 What is CFD?
 Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the science of predicting
fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, chemical reactions, and
related phenomena by solving the mathematical equations
which govern these processes using a numerical process.
 The result of CFD analyses is relevant engineering data used in:
Conceptual studies of new designs.
Detailed product development.
Troubleshooting.
Redesign.
 CFD analysis complements testing and experimentation.
Reduces the total effort required in the laboratory.
Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

• CFD is the analysis of systems involving fluid

flow, heat transfer and associated phenomena
such as chemical reactions by means of
computer-based simulation.
• The technique is very powerful and spans a wide
range of industrial and non-industrial
application areas.

Reference: Versteeg, H. K., & Malalasekera, W. (2007). An

introduction to computational fluid dynamics: The finite volume
method. Harlow, England: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
 CFD - how it works
• Analysis begins with a mathematical
model of a physical problem.
• Conservation of matter, momentum,
and energy must be satisfied
throughout the region of interest.
• Fluid properties are modeled
empirically.
• Simplifying assumptions are made in
order to make the problem tractable
(e.g., steady-state, incompressible,
inviscid, two-dimensional).
• Provide appropriate initial and
boundary conditions for the problem.
 CFD - how it works (2)
 CFD applies numerical methods (called discretization) to
develop approximations of the governing equations of
fluid mechanics in the fluid region of interest.
 Governing differential equations: algebraic.
 The collection of cells is called the grid.
 The set of algebraic equations are solved numerically
(on a computer) for the flow field variables at each
node or cell.
 System of equations are solved simultaneously to
provide solution.
 The solution is post-processed to extract quantities of
interest (e.g. lift, drag, torque, heat transfer, separation,
pressure loss, etc.).
Define the aim of your modeling
What results (parameter) that you are looking on?
Velocity, pressure drop, heat transfer coefficient,
mass flow rate?
What modeling option that you need?
Inviscid, laminar, turbulence, radiation,
compressible?
 What level of accuracy that you want?
When do you want the results?
 Discretization
• Domain is discretized into a finite
set of control volumes
or cells. The discretized domain is Fluid region
called the “grid” or the “mesh.” of pipe flow
discretized
• General conservation (transport) into finite set
equations for mass, momentum, of control
volumes
energy, etc., are discretized into (mesh).
algebraic equations.
• All algebraic equations are solved to Eqn.

render flow field. continuity

x-mom. φ
1
u
y-mom. v
∂
∂t V∫
ρφdV + ∫ ρφV ⋅ dA = ∫ Γ∇φ ⋅ dA + ∫ Sφ dV energy h
A A V

unsteady convection diffusion generation

 Design and create the grid
• Should you use a quad/hex grid, a
tri/tet grid, a hybrid grid, or a
non-conformal grid?
• What degree of grid resolution is
required in each region of the
domain?
• How many cells are required for
the problem?
• Will you use adaption to add
resolution?
• Do you have sufficient computer
memory?
 Tri/tet vs. quad/hex meshes
• For simple geometries,
quad/hex meshes can provide
high-quality solutions with
fewer cells than a comparable
tri/tet mesh.

• For complex geometries,

quad/hex meshes show no
numerical advantage, and you
can save meshing effort by
using a tri/tet mesh.
Dinosaur mesh example
Reproduced from André
Bakker & FLUENT INC

Prepared by Dr Kamarul Arifin Ahmad

 Velocity vectors around a dinosaur

Reproduced from
Prepared
André by Dr Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
Bakker & FLUENT INC
 Velocity magnitude (0-6 m/s) on a dinosaur

Reproduced from André

Prepared by Dr Kamarul Arifin Ahmad
Bakker & FLUENT INC
CFD Process
 Introduction
CFD in practice

Pre-processing

Solver

Post-processing
 Pre-processor
• Definition of the geometry of the region of
interest: the computational domain.
• Grid generation: Splitting the computational
domain into a number of smaller, non-
overlapping domain.
• Specifying appropriate boundary conditions at
the domain boundary.
 Solver
• Approximation of the unknown flow variables
by means of simple function
• Discretisation by substitution of the
approximations into the governing flow
equations and subsequent mathematical
manipulations
• Solution of the algebraic equations
 Solver

• Transport Equations
– Mass  Physical Model
– Momentum  Turbulence
– Energy model
– Equation of State  Combustion
– Supporting physical model  Radiation
 Multiphase
 Phase Change
 Material Properties  Moving Zones
 Boundary Conditions  Moving Mesh
 Initial Condition
 Post-processor
• To validate results
– Comparison with experimental data
• To visualise the results
– Domain geometry, grid display, vector plots, line
and shaded contour plots, 2D/3D surface plots,
particle tracking, colour postscript output
 CFD in practice
Pre-processing Post-processing

Geometry Creation Optimisation

Meshing Domain comparison

Boundary Conditions setup Results (Visualisations)

Case Setup Computing (iterations)

Solver
 Areas of CFD Applications
Aerospace Engineering
 Flow around aircraft, spacecraft, gas turbines, compressors, inlets, rocket nozzles

Automotive
 external car aerodynamics, climate control, engine cooling, combustion engines

Architecture
 Flow around building

Medical Engineering
 Blood flows

Electronics
 Semiconductors – chips design
Example 1: Aerodynamic Objects
Example 2: Whole Aircraft
Example 3: Design Optimization
Example 4: Acoustic prediction
Example 5: Combustion & Emissions
Example 6 : Two-phase Flow
Example 7: Enviromental Flow
Example 8: Bio-fluid Mechanics
Example 9: Sports
Example 10: Spacecraft
CFD as a complementary
Experiments CFD

Physical Understanding

Theory
CFD to Solve Fluid Flow Problems
Prerequisites as a CFD user
Fully aware of identification and formulation of
the flow problem
Whether can be made 2D or 3D
To exclude the effects of ambient
pressure/temp
Neglect viscosity, etc
Good understanding of numerical solution
algorithm
Convergence, consistency, and stability
Good modeling skills
The level of accuracy is depends on its user
Assumptions to reduce the complexity
 CFD Literature
• General CFD
– Computational Fluid Dynamics: The Basics with
Applications, John David Anderson , ISBN: 0070016852
– Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics, Joel H.
Ferziger and Milovan Peric, ISBN: 3540653732
• Basic CFD
– Album of Fluid Motion, Milton Van Dykem, ISBN:
0915760037
– Turbulence Modeling for CFD, David C. Wilcox, ISBN:
0963605151
– “An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics – The
Finite Volume Method”, Versteeg. H.K. & Malalasakera
W., Addison Wesley Longman, Limited, England, 1999
– www.cfd-online.com
E-Books:
• Tu, J., Yeoh, G. H., & Liu, C. (2018). Computational fluid dynamics: A
practical approach. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780081011270/computational-
fluid-dynamics#book-info
• Blazek, J. (n.d.). Computational fluid dynamics: Principles and
applications (third edition). Butterworth-Heinemann.
Link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780080999951/computational-
fluid-dynamics-principles-and-applications
Reading/Reference Books:
• Chung, T.J. Computational Fluid Dynamics, 2nd Editions, Cambridge
University Press, New York, 2010
• Kundu, P.K. and Cohen, I.M. Fluid mechanics, 4th Editions, Academic
Press, Burlington, MA, 2008
• Schobeiri, M.T. Fluid Mechanics for Engineers: A Graduate Textbook,
Springer-Verlag Berlin 2010
• Tu, J., Yeoh, G.H. and Liu, C, Computational Fluid Dynamics: A
Practical Approach, Butterworth-Heinemann, Burlington, MA, 2008
• Wendt, J.F. and Anderson, J.D. Computational Fluid Dynamics: An
Introduction, Springer-Verlag Berlin, 2009