What are the advantages of different FEM solvers?

mdornfe1 · August 26, 2014, 18:02

So the problem I'm working on is as follows. I have fluid flowing through a pipe. The radius of the inlet is less than the radius of the pipe. I want be able to vary 2 parameters as the simulation progresses. The radius of the inlet, and the pressure at the inlet. Is there a specific FEM solver anyone would recommend for this problem? I started working with SfePy, and it seems to work okay, but I want to see if anyone has any other suggestions. Here is the output for one time step in my SfePy simulation http://imgur.com/vkTiObk. The left cylinder shows the pressure and the right shows the velocity. I'm still trying to figure out why the velocity vectors flair out on the edges of the left side.

Simbelmynë · August 27, 2014, 06:26

Without looking at the figure (just because I hold a certain degree of skepticism to clicking links of posters with only one post), it sounds like the problem is a basic one that could be solved analytically given that the flow is laminar and that the pipe expansion is smooth. If it is not then a CFD code could do the job and I do not think you need to worry about which code is better if your investigation is of engineering character. The one you suggested is probably fine (I have never heard of it). If you still have doubts then browse cases in the open literature where the code have been validated and decide from that.

Cheers!

mdornfe1 · August 27, 2014, 16:56

The flow is not laminar. I'm interested in how perturbation in the jet grow and die off. What do you mean by "of an engineering character"?

August 26, 2014, 18:02	What are the advantages of different FEM solvers?	#1
mdornfe1 New Member Matthew Dornfeld Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 12	So the problem I'm working on is as follows. I have fluid flowing through a pipe. The radius of the inlet is less than the radius of the pipe. I want be able to vary 2 parameters as the simulation progresses. The radius of the inlet, and the pressure at the inlet. Is there a specific FEM solver anyone would recommend for this problem? I started working with SfePy, and it seems to work okay, but I want to see if anyone has any other suggestions. Here is the output for one time step in my SfePy simulation http://imgur.com/vkTiObk. The left cylinder shows the pressure and the right shows the velocity. I'm still trying to figure out why the velocity vectors flair out on the edges of the left side.

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August 27, 2014, 06:26		#2
Simbelmynë Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 551 Rep Power: 16	Without looking at the figure (just because I hold a certain degree of skepticism to clicking links of posters with only one post), it sounds like the problem is a basic one that could be solved analytically given that the flow is laminar and that the pipe expansion is smooth. If it is not then a CFD code could do the job and I do not think you need to worry about which code is better if your investigation is of engineering character. The one you suggested is probably fine (I have never heard of it). If you still have doubts then browse cases in the open literature where the code have been validated and decide from that. Cheers!

August 27, 2014, 16:56		#3
mdornfe1 New Member Matthew Dornfeld Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 12	The flow is not laminar. I'm interested in how perturbation in the jet grow and die off. What do you mean by "of an engineering character"?