scholarly journals Optimising the computational domain size in CFD simulations of tall buildings

Heliyon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e06723
Author(s):  
Yousef Abu-Zidan ◽  
Priyan Mendis ◽  
Tharaka Gunawardena
Author(s):  
Diego Micheli ◽  
Valentino Pediroda ◽  
Stefano Pieri

An automatic approach for the multi-objective shape optimization of microgas turbine heat exchangers is presented. According to the concept of multidisciplinary optimization, the methodology integrates a CAD parametric model of the heat transfer surfaces, a three-dimensional meshing tool, and a CFD solver, all managed by a design optimization platform. The repetitive pattern of the surface geometry has been exploited to reduce the computational domain size, and the constant flux boundary conditions have been imposed to better suit the real operative conditions. A new approach that couples cold and warm fluids in a periodic unitary cell is introduced. The effectiveness of the numerical procedure was verified comparing the numerical results with available literature data. The optimization objectives are maximizing the heat transfer rate and minimizing both friction factor and heat transfer surface. The paper presents the results of the optimization of a 50kWMGT recuperator. The design procedure can be effectively extended and applied to any industrial heat exchanger application.


2014 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. 426-430
Author(s):  
Sufiah Mohd Salleh ◽  
Mohamed Sukri Mat Ali ◽  
Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Shaikh Salim ◽  
Sallehuddin Muhamad ◽  
Muhammad Iyas Mahzan

Flow structure over bluff bodies is more complex in wake. The wake is characterized by the unsteady behavior of the flow, large scale turbulent structure and strong recirculation region. For the case of high speed train, wake can be observed at the gap between the coaches and also on the rear coach. Wakes formation of high speed train are generated by free shear layer that is originated from the flow separation due to the sudden change in geometry. RANS and LES turbulent models are used in this paper to stimulate the formation of wakes and behavior of the flow over a simplified high speed train model. This model consists of two coaches with the gap between them is 0.5D. A total of four simulations have been made to study the effect of computational domain size and grid resolution on wake profiles of a simplified high speed train. The result shows that the computational domain can be reduced by decreasing the ground distance to 1.5D without affecting the magnitude of the wake profile. Both RANS and LES can capture the formation of the wake, but LES requires further grid refinement as the results between the two grid resolutions are grid dependent.


Author(s):  
A.C. Benim ◽  
K. Ozkan ◽  
M. Cagan ◽  
D. Gunes

PurposeThe main purpose of the paper is the validation of a broad range of RANS turbulence models, for the prediction of flow and heat transfer, for a broad range of boundary conditions and geometrical configurations, for this class of problems.Design/methodology/approachTwo‐ and three‐dimensional computations are performed using a general‐purpose CFD code based on a finite volume method and a pressure‐correction formulation. Special attention is paid to achieve a high numerical accuracy by applying second order discretization schemes and stringent convergence criteria, as well as performing sensitivity studies with respect to the grid resolution, computational domain size and boundary conditions. Results are assessed by comparing the predictions with the measurements available in the literature.FindingsA rather unsatisfactory performance of the Reynolds stress model is observed, in general, although the contrary has been expected in this rotating flow, exhibiting a predominantly non‐isotropic turbulence structure. The best overall agreement with the experiments is obtained by the k‐ω model, where the SST model is also observed to provide a quite good performance, which is close to that of the k‐ω model, for most of the investigated cases.Originality/valueTo date, computational investigation of turbulent jet impinging on to “rotating” disk has not received much attention. To the best of the authors' knowledge, a thorough numerical analysis of the generic problem comparable with present study has not yet been attempted.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankan Kumar ◽  
Sandip Mazumder

Many reacting flow applications mandate coupled solution of the species conservation equations. A low-memory coupled solver was developed to solve the species transport equations on an unstructured mesh with implicit spatial as well as species-to-species coupling. First, the computational domain was decomposed into sub-domains comprised of geometrically contiguous cells—a process termed internal domain decomposition (IDD). This was done using the binary spatial partitioning (BSP) algorithm. Following this step, for each sub-domain, the discretized equations were developed using the finite-volume method, written in block implicit form, and solved using an iterative solver based on Krylov sub-space iterations, i.e., the Generalized Minimum Residual (GMRES) solver. Overall (outer) iterations were then performed to treat explicitness at sub-domain interfaces and non-linearities in the governing equations. The solver is demonstrated for a laminar ethane-air flame calculation with five species and a single reaction step, and for a catalytic methane-air combustion case with 19 species and 22 reaction steps. It was found that the best performance is manifested for sub-domain size of about 1000 cells, the exact number depending on the problem at hand. The overall gain in computational efficiency was found to be a factor of 2–5 over the block Gauss-Seidel procedure.


Author(s):  
Henry Bandringa ◽  
Joop A. Helder

To assess the integrity and safety of structures offshore, prediction of run-up, green water, and impact loads needs to be made during the structure’s design. For predicting these highly non-linear phenomena, most of the offshore industry relies on detailed model testing. In the last couple of years however, CFD simulations have shown more and more promising results in predicting these events, see for instance [1]–[4]. To obtain confidence in the accuracy of CFD simulations in the challenging field of extreme wave impacts, a proper validation of such CFD tools is essential. In this paper two CFD tools are considered for the simulation of a deterministic breaking wave impact on a fixed semi submersible, resulting in flow phenomena like wave run-up, horizontal wave impact and deck impacts. Hereby, one of the CFD tools applies an unstructured gridding approach and implicit free-surface reconstruction, and uses an implicit time integration with a fixed time step. The other CFD tool explicitly reconstructs the free surface on a structured grid and integrates the free surface explicitly in time, using a variable time step. The presented simulations use a compact computational domain with wave absorbing boundary conditions and local grid refinement to reduce CPU time. Besides a typical verification and validation of the results, for one of the CFD tools a sensitivity study is performed in which the influence of small variations in the incoming breaking wave on the overall results is assessed. Such an analysis should provide the industry more insight in the to-be-expected sensitivity (and hence uncertainty) of CFD simulations for these type of applications. Experiments carried out by MARIN are used to validate all the presented simulation results.


Author(s):  
A. Namet-Allah ◽  
A. M. Birk

The current paper presents a cold flow simulation study of a low Mach number air-air ejector with a four ring entraining diffuser that is used in a variety of applications including infrared (IR) suppression of exhaust from helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. The main objectives of this investigation were to identify key issues that must be addressed in successful CFD modelling of such devices, and recognize opportunities to improve the performance of these devices. Two-dimensional CFD simulations were carried out using commercial software, Ansys14. Studies of mesh and domain size sensitivity were made to ensure the CFD results were independent of both factors. A turbulence model independence study using k-ε, k-ω and RSM turbulence models was performed to figure out the appropriate turbulence model that produced the best agreement with the experimental data for several of ejector performance criteria. The measured flow properties in the annulus were used as input boundary conditions for the CFD simulations. However, in the comprehensive turbulence model study, the measured flow parameters at the nozzle exit were also applied as inlet boundary conditions for the CFD simulations. The measured flow velocity at the nozzle exit, at one centerline section inside the mixing tube and at the diffuser exit and the system pressure recovery were compared with the CFD predictions. The ejector pumping ratios, back pressure coefficient and diffuser gap velocities were also compared. It was found that the RANS-based CFD predictions were sensitive to the changes in the ejector domain size, mesh refinement and inlet boundary condition locations. With the annulus inlet boundary conditions, the tested turbulence models under predicted the size of the core separation downstream of the system, back pressure, pumping ratio and pressure recovery in the mixing tube and diffuser. However, the ability of the RNG turbulence model to predict the ejector performance parameters was better than that of the other turbulence models at all inlet flow conditions. Nevertheless, applying the inlet boundary conditions at the nozzle exit enhanced the capability of the RANS-based turbulence model particularly in predicting the ejector pumping ratios, pressure recovery and the size of the core separation. Finally, the acceptable agreement between the experimental data and the CFD predictions provides a valid tool to continue improving these devices using CFD techniques.


2015 ◽  
Vol 142 (2) ◽  
pp. 024503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gota Kikugawa ◽  
Shotaro Ando ◽  
Jo Suzuki ◽  
Yoichi Naruke ◽  
Takeo Nakano ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Bülent Düz ◽  
Jule Scharnke ◽  
Rink Hallmann ◽  
Jan Tukker ◽  
Siddhant Khurana ◽  
...  

Abstract The kinematics under spilling and plunging breakers are investigated using both experimental and numerical methods. In a modular laboratory flume, the breakers were generated using dispersive focusing, and the kinematics underneath them were measured utilizing the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. Using the state-of-art high-speed video cameras and lasers, the kinematics were measured at a high sampling rate without needing phase-locked averaging. Afterwards, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out for comparison purposes. These simulations were run in single-phase using a finite-volume based Navier-Stokes solver with a piecewise-linear interface reconstruction scheme. The spilling and plunging breakers from the measurements were reconstructed in the computational domain using an iterative scheme. As a result a good match with the measured waves was obtained in the simulations. Results indicate that even though measured kinematics are somewhat higher than the simulated ones especially in the spilling and overturning regions, the CFD simulations can accurately capture the relevant details of the flow and produce reasonably accurate kinematics in comparison with the PIV results.


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