My model do not use aluminum as solid. So, in Material panel of FLUENT, having generated several other solid materials, I try to delete aluminum. However, a dialog appear, and the solver said that:

Error: delete-material: still in use as porous material by gas1. Error Object: aluminum

where gas1 is the fluid name

I do not meet such problem when deleting "air".

Aluminium is a dafault material used in Porous Zone - so if You want to delete it from your model, you have to change material in Porous Zone in Fluid Domain B.C. (Fluid Porosity - Solid Material Name)...

Michal, thanks for your informing me. However, I have not defined any Porous Zone in my model. Would you tell me more?

It doesn't matter because at Fluid Domain Panel (in Boundary Condition) you can activate Porouse Zone or not... If you don't activate Porouse Zone then this "porosity" won't has any influence on your model...

You can operate only with materials that are copied from Data Base, so if You want delete Aluminium (a default solid material in program)- You have to delete it from every place in Fluent, because program remember its default setting.

Thanks. I'm clear about it now.

[Светлана]

I don't understand Michal's answer. I have porous model turned off and face this problem. How does Michal suggest to solve it?

[Bionico]

Hello Светлана,
in Boundary Condition Menu you can find a Material panel in every wall: you have to change aluminium (default) with another material.
I don't know why Fluent always asks for a Material in Boundary Condition: only in few cases we need it (for instance when shell conduction is activated).

Regards

[gunjan]

Hey,its very easy.
Go to cell zone condition-->select zone-->edit>enable porous >in porous defining bar...change the solide material type.....after changing..disable the porous zone.
you have to repeat this action for all cell zone.

Then,

Come to boundary condition----select individual zones one by one> edit>thermal tab> change the material type.You have to repeat this for all zones.

After that you can delete Aluminium from list.

[macfly]

Originally Posted by gunjan

Hey,its very easy.
Go to cell zone condition-->select zone-->edit>enable porous >in porous defining bar...change the solide material type.....after changing..disable the porous zone.
you have to repeat this action for all cell zone.

Then,

Come to boundary condition----select individual zones one by one> edit>thermal tab> change the material type.You have to repeat this for all zones.

After that you can delete Aluminium from list.

Anyone found a faster way to do this? Because it's a painstaking process when there are tens of zones and boundaries.

[pilakin]

Originally Posted by macfly

Anyone found a faster way to do this? Because it's a painstaking process when there are tens of zones and boundaries.

if those zones/walls are identical in settings you can set up one zone/wall as you need and then copy these settings to other zones. check the "copy" button in the cell zone conditons and boundary conditions for this.

[macfly]

Originally Posted by pilakin

if those zones/walls are identical in settings

that's the problem, they're not identical

IMHO, Ansys should modify this aspect of the GUI. When you want to get rid of a material, Fluent should just get rid of it and assign another solid to the porous zones or whatever zones. If there is no solid material available for the porous zones or whatever zones, then display a message saying that you should 1st add another solid material before getting rid of the material. (hope I'm clear, I speak french..)

[ShanaSanders]

If you're wondering why you can't delete aluminum in the Material panel, it may be due to the inherent properties and limitations of the material itself. Aluminum is often chosen for its durability, lightweight nature, and resistance to corrosion, making it a popular choice for various applications, including windows in Philadelphia. However, if you're looking to change or remove aluminum from the Material panel, it's essential to consider the implications and alternatives carefully. Consulting with experts or exploring different materials may offer insights and solutions to achieve your desired outcome while ensuring functionality and aesthetic appeal are maintained.