Mesh around a sail with zero thickness

ole_lindberg · April 25, 2008, 14:55

I am trying to simulate the flow around at sail.
I think of a sail as a surface with zero thickness.
In Gmsh I tried to make a 2D mesh inside a rectangular "windtunnel" with the sail placed inside the rectangle, but I haven't succeded in generating a mesh on both sides of the sail. In Gmsh the 2D sail is a Line made by a collection of Points. Is it possible to generate tetrahedron/prism/hexahedron meshes around a sail with zero thickness in Gmsh.
Right now I have given the sail a thickness of 1 mm, then i can remove the "inside" of the sail from the mesh like a hole in the domain. This is quite trivial.
If I would only work in 2D I could use another 2D mesh generator like Triangle or DistMesh, but the thing is that I would like to make a 3D simulation of the sail, therefore I need a good 3D mesh generator. Specifically one that can make make a mesh on both sides of an surface with zero thickness. Any recommendations?

ericnutsch · January 6, 2010, 19:08

I think you need to split your mesh in half at the sail. Mesh one half as one volume then mesh the other.

Not for certain this will work, but its worth a shot...

April 25, 2008, 14:55	I am trying to simulate the fl	#1
ole_lindberg New Member Ole Lindberg Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	I am trying to simulate the flow around at sail. I think of a sail as a surface with zero thickness. In Gmsh I tried to make a 2D mesh inside a rectangular "windtunnel" with the sail placed inside the rectangle, but I haven't succeded in generating a mesh on both sides of the sail. In Gmsh the 2D sail is a Line made by a collection of Points. Is it possible to generate tetrahedron/prism/hexahedron meshes around a sail with zero thickness in Gmsh. Right now I have given the sail a thickness of 1 mm, then i can remove the "inside" of the sail from the mesh like a hole in the domain. This is quite trivial. If I would only work in 2D I could use another 2D mesh generator like Triangle or DistMesh, but the thing is that I would like to make a 3D simulation of the sail, therefore I need a good 3D mesh generator. Specifically one that can make make a mesh on both sides of an surface with zero thickness. Any recommendations?

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January 6, 2010, 19:08		#2
ericnutsch Senior Member Eric Nutsch Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Eugene, Oregon USA Posts: 112 Rep Power: 5	I think you need to split your mesh in half at the sail. Mesh one half as one volume then mesh the other. Not for certain this will work, but its worth a shot...