General meshing-question for simple (thermal) problem
 

Hello, i'm really new at cfd, so i've a general questions about meshing.

(I'm working with salome.)

I wanna simulate a simple thermal problem: a solid cube with a heat-source in a bigger cube, the bigger cube should be a fluid (e.g. simple air)

My idea is, that i create two cubes and each cube has an 3D-Mesh. Both are volume- solids in salome, the smaller one should be a real solid and the other one should be later declared in OF as fluid.

Is it the right way?

Thanks.


PS: How can I create the inner cube without overlapping with the mesh of the "air"-cube? Creating the little cube using the cutting-function to cut the form out of the bigger cube and then creating a new small cube, or is there an easier way?

i believe the easiest way to do this would be to just use the blockmesh tool within OpenFOAM. Take a look at the chtMultiRegionFoam tutorial cases. change the initial blockmesh boundary file to correspond with your larger box (the air) and change the setset file to make the inside box (your solid). you will then have to go through and correct all the boundary conditions. Once you gemoetries increase in complexity you will probably have to switch to the snappyhexmesh tool or import meshes from other software packages.

as for importing multiple meshes from salome i think you are on the right path with creating two separate meshes. if you mesh the contacting surfaces (2-D sub-mesh) first i believe that the two surface meshes will align to each other. you will then have to suck the two files into one openfoam case. I am currently attempting to do this and will post my results if i am successful. if anyone has any step-by-step processes for this it would be very helpful to see.

thanks
tom

suitup:
 

suitup: have a look at the *.setSet file in chtMultiRegionSimpleFoam tutorial...it may answer your question...not sure myself