Need help filling an autoclave with material in fluent and meshing the inside of it!

calkobtawy · April 11, 2018, 00:04

Hello, I am currently working on my master's project, and I am simulating an autoclave used for composite manufacturing. Honestly, this is the first time I ever do CFD, and I've never worked with Fluent before. I've attached a photo of the autoclave I've drawn. I made it a surface and then thickened it to become a body. It is empty from the inside but there is supposed to be air inside, so I know that I have to fill it with material so I can mesh the inside, which is all I want to study (I do not care about the surfaces). But I am having trouble filling it; I don't know what's the problem. I am using Ansys 18. I am also thinking about making the outer body an enclosure and subtracting it because all I need to study is the inside. I would really appreciate any input or help with this problem.

deepaksaagar · April 11, 2018, 18:18

If you have SpaceClaim, you can just use 'Volume Extract' to invert the geometry. It will give you only the air-domain, which you can then mesh.

The same can be done in Design Modeler too, using 'Fill by Cap' method.

calkobtawy · April 11, 2018, 18:54

Alright, I used the fill by cap in design modeler and it worked. I was wondering If I want to model only the interior, should I make a boolean subtract and subtract the outer body? this way I would have only for the boundary conditions the inlet, outlet and interior (without walls)? and with this method, will the fluid still follow the shape of the boundaries of the model even if I am not modeling them?

deepaksaagar · April 11, 2018, 19:28

Your question is very confusing. Yes. You can do the boolean subtract. it should give you the same internal geometry. The walls will still be there.

Basically, the outer surface of the internal geometry, which borders the solid body, act as the wall, in your extracted volume.

calkobtawy · April 11, 2018, 19:59

Yes I admit my question was confusing, I am sorry. But you answered exactly with what I wanted to know! Thank you so much sir.

On one of the faces, which is circular, I want part of it (a centered square) to be the outlet, not the whole face. I tried trimming the square from the body but I faced problems with filling it. How can I assign the outlet to a section of the face? Can you please help me with some methods to do it? Again I am sorry if my questions are vague and confusing this is literally the first time I do this. (Physically it's the air going out through a radiator built in the rear wall of the autoclave).

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April 11, 2018, 18:18		#2
deepaksaagar New Member Deepak Saagar Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 6 Rep Power: 12	If you have SpaceClaim, you can just use 'Volume Extract' to invert the geometry. It will give you only the air-domain, which you can then mesh. The same can be done in Design Modeler too, using 'Fill by Cap' method.

April 11, 2018, 18:54		#3
calkobtawy New Member Charbel Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 8	Alright, I used the fill by cap in design modeler and it worked. I was wondering If I want to model only the interior, should I make a boolean subtract and subtract the outer body? this way I would have only for the boundary conditions the inlet, outlet and interior (without walls)? and with this method, will the fluid still follow the shape of the boundaries of the model even if I am not modeling them?

April 11, 2018, 19:28		#4
deepaksaagar New Member Deepak Saagar Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 6 Rep Power: 12	Your question is very confusing. Yes. You can do the boolean subtract. it should give you the same internal geometry. The walls will still be there. Basically, the outer surface of the internal geometry, which borders the solid body, act as the wall, in your extracted volume.

April 11, 2018, 19:59		#5
calkobtawy New Member Charbel Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 8	Yes I admit my question was confusing, I am sorry. But you answered exactly with what I wanted to know! Thank you so much sir. On one of the faces, which is circular, I want part of it (a centered square) to be the outlet, not the whole face. I tried trimming the square from the body but I faced problems with filling it. How can I assign the outlet to a section of the face? Can you please help me with some methods to do it? Again I am sorry if my questions are vague and confusing this is literally the first time I do this. (Physically it's the air going out through a radiator built in the rear wall of the autoclave).