[DL598]

Hello everyone,

i have two relatively simple question regarding fluent, that i sadly have not found an answer to so far.

Firstly the cases I'm working with:

I'm simulating different versions of aerodynamic packages of a racecar using Ansys 2019R3 Fluent, I make the geometry in Creo 6.0 and import it into Spaceclaim as a STEP file where I create the Enclosure, minor Geometry adjustments and different BOI's.

Firstly:

I have several similar but geometrically not identical cases, that i want to simulate to compare the different geometries. Now I am as lazy as one gets so i don't want to create the scoped sizing (BOI's, Curvatures, Proximities, etc.) parameters every time I want to simulate a new geometry. I prepare my geometry in Spaceclaim and have different groups that have the same name on every model I use, so I can apply the meshing parameters I want and the boundary conditions are applied automatically without me having to set them every time by hand. Now is there a way to transfer the meshing settings for the surface mesh so I don't have to input it every time by hand? I tried using a size-field file on geometry import but that only works good enough when there is a minimal amount of change in the geometry. If anything moves more than a few mm the mesh is just really messy and it seems like the meshing settings are not applied properly.

Secondly:

After running a simulation I often use Surface Sweeps to postprocess the results. Is there an easy way to export these as a video file? So far I have been exporting single snapshots every few cm and stichting these image files together into videos, but that is a lot of labor. So far when I try to create a Surface Sweep I can look at the contours in the window but it doesn't seem to be created in the "model tree" for a lack of a better term. So I have to create them newley every time I want to look at it.

I'm looking forward to your answers and thank you for your help.

[LuckyTran]

I don't get it. So are you having trouble with Fluent or what? These questions have nothing to do with Fluent. Did you buy Fluent by mistake and want to be refunded for your Fluent purchase or something?

[DL598]

No that's not at all what I'm playing at. I'm part of a student team that builds a formula style racecar for a competition known as FSAE in America and as Formula Student in Europe. We get our licenses for the Ansys product suite as part of a sponsorship deal. So there really isn't anything to refund.
However because of the nature of this, we are all students in our team that aren't formally trained in using fluent. So we have to go of what we can find online. That's why I'm asking here.
My question merely is a question of optimisation/automisation. I want to speed up the meshing process and the process of post processing. I apologize if I didn't make that clear enough. I'm not a native speaker so I apologize for any communication errors.
Basically I want to automize the meshing process somewhat, since it takes a long time to input all the settings for the creation of the surface mesh in fluent. I mean the parameters like Curvature, BOI, Proximity, Hard, Soft in the scoped sizing window which i use after importing the geometry to set the parameters for the surface mesh.
My other question is regarding the post processing of the simulation within fluent. There the Sweep Surface tool is really handy for me. The only thing that I haven't figured out using that tool is how to export a video file of this animation to use in other applications (like for example a powerpoint presentation) or just to save it to compare it to other surface sweeps generated from other simulations of different geometries.
I hope this explains my questions better.

[vinerm]

As far as meshing is concerned, you might be able to maintain everything in Meshing as it is if you bring named selection from SCDM or DM, whichever tool you are using for CAD. Yes, the mesh might change a lot but that depends on the settings you choose. Somebody in Meshing forum might help you better.

As far as postprocessing is concerned, you cannot record a video based on sweep surface. You can do that using CFDPost though. In Fluent, you can create keyframes, one showing the first position of the surface and second showing the last position. Use 50-100 frames in between and then record the video.

[DL598]

Originally Posted by vinerm

As far as meshing is concerned, you might be able to maintain everything in Meshing as it is if you bring named selection from SCDM or DM, whichever tool you are using for CAD. Yes, the mesh might change a lot but that depends on the settings you choose. Somebody in Meshing forum might help you better.

Then I'll try asking over there, thank you!

Originally Posted by vinerm

As far as postprocessing is concerned, you cannot record a video based on sweep surface. You can do that using CFDPost though. In Fluent, you can create keyframes, one showing the first position of the surface and second showing the last position. Use 50-100 frames in between and then record the video.

I tried setting up Keyframes within Fluent and CFD-Post but when I start the animation it doesn't create the Frames in between the starting Keyframe and the ending one. The Animation Starts at the Starting one and remains there over all Frames but the last where it just jumps to the ending Keyframe. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong here as I used the Process described in the Ansys Help.

[vinerm]

In that case, I'd recommend using CFDPost for the sweep surface. In there, you can directly record animation with surface sweep. Just create a plane, display what you wish to display on the plane, go to animation, and animate the plane.

[DL598]

Sadly I'm having the issue in Fluent and CFD-Post. Clearly I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what. Within CFD-Post I create 2 YZ-Planes at Different X-Positions. Then I add a Contour to each Plane, set the scale the same on both. I then go to the Animation tool. There I add the first contour as the first Keyframe, specify the number of Frames I want and add the second contour as the second keyframe. Then I press the play button to preview the Animation on an infinite loop but it only does the jumping animation I described earlier. I reall don't know what I'm doing wrong here.

[vinerm]

You do not need to use keyframes in CFDPost for this. Just go to quick animation. This will show the planes listed. Select one of these, and click on animate.

[DL598]

That worked for me.
Thank you very much!