Appropriate code for coupled flow and heat transfer

Roi · October 23, 2015, 04:22

Hi,
I need to solve a strongly coupled flow and heat transport problem, which include natural convection and highly temperature dependent fluid density.

Which codes/software can solve such a problem best?

p.s- I got the impression some codes can't get to convergence in such strongly coupled problems.

Thanks,
Roi

klaasnievaak · October 23, 2015, 10:40

To me, a strong coupled flow and a natural convection problem together sound a little contradictory.

And modelling natural convection is pretty much always slow, also depending on your desired results and type simulation e.g., laminar or turbulent flow, steady or unsteady states.

Concerning the software, if you are able to use commercial packages, COMSOL is pretty accessible and you would able to get quick results. Fluent is a little harder in mesh generation, but might give you some better results.

Roi · October 23, 2015, 11:32

Thanks,

("strongly coupled flow and heat transport problem, which include natural convection")

More specifically: the problem is transient and include conjugate heat transfer. I don't know yet if flow is laminar or turbulent.

From previous experience, I suspect COMSOL would have convergence problems and I'm looking for robust code.

How is chtMultiRegionFoam?

Best Regards
Roi

PhilipS · October 24, 2015, 13:57

Hi Roi,

I am building a multi-physics CFD code that could possibly do the job. It has geometry building, meshing & postprocess functionality (a kind of Comsol Light). The solver itself is 2D and 3D, unstructured and fully parallelized. If you are interested to give it a try, please let me know at philip.simons@sjubb.com.

best regards,
Philip

LuckyTran · October 24, 2015, 15:51

From a software standpoint, this doesn't sound challenging at all. Fluent, OpenFoam, Star-CCM can handle coupled problems very well. I'm not a user of CFX but it can probably do it too. Even among these three/four codes it's mainly a personal preference for the individual features. Coupled flow and heat transport is the bread and butter of CFD (primarily thermo-fluids heat transfer) and doesn't even reach the realm of multiphysics.

It's much more likely that a user is using a crappy mesh with skewed cells, is unable to obtain convergence, and then they blame it on the code.

Roi · October 27, 2015, 12:14

Thanks, very helpful!

Sarang V · October 27, 2015, 16:37

Can you provide more information regarding your geometry ?

Roi · October 27, 2015, 22:32

very basic one. a horizontal wall were heat flow goes upward, through the wall to the air above.

Sarang V · November 2, 2015, 12:06

I would think that any commercial CFD code would be able to do the job fairly easily. Now if the geometry is complex and moving then it would an extremely challenging problem.

October 23, 2015, 04:22	Appropriate code for coupled flow and heat transfer	#1
Roi New Member Roi Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 11	Hi, I need to solve a strongly coupled flow and heat transport problem, which include natural convection and highly temperature dependent fluid density. Which codes/software can solve such a problem best? p.s- I got the impression some codes can't get to convergence in such strongly coupled problems. Thanks, Roi

October 24, 2015, 15:51		#5
LuckyTran Senior Member Lucky Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Orlando, FL USA Posts: 5,762 Rep Power: 66	From a software standpoint, this doesn't sound challenging at all. Fluent, OpenFoam, Star-CCM can handle coupled problems very well. I'm not a user of CFX but it can probably do it too. Even among these three/four codes it's mainly a personal preference for the individual features. Coupled flow and heat transport is the bread and butter of CFD (primarily thermo-fluids heat transfer) and doesn't even reach the realm of multiphysics. It's much more likely that a user is using a crappy mesh with skewed cells, is unable to obtain convergence, and then they blame it on the code. Last edited by LuckyTran; October 27, 2015 at 12:25.

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October 23, 2015, 10:40		#2
klaasnievaak New Member Marcel Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 11	To me, a strong coupled flow and a natural convection problem together sound a little contradictory. And modelling natural convection is pretty much always slow, also depending on your desired results and type simulation e.g., laminar or turbulent flow, steady or unsteady states. Concerning the software, if you are able to use commercial packages, COMSOL is pretty accessible and you would able to get quick results. Fluent is a little harder in mesh generation, but might give you some better results.

October 23, 2015, 11:32		#3
Roi New Member Roi Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 11	Thanks, ("strongly coupled flow and heat transport problem, which include natural convection") More specifically: the problem is transient and include conjugate heat transfer. I don't know yet if flow is laminar or turbulent. From previous experience, I suspect COMSOL would have convergence problems and I'm looking for robust code. How is chtMultiRegionFoam? Best Regards Roi

October 24, 2015, 13:57		#4
PhilipS New Member Nederland Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 11	Hi Roi, I am building a multi-physics CFD code that could possibly do the job. It has geometry building, meshing & postprocess functionality (a kind of Comsol Light). The solver itself is 2D and 3D, unstructured and fully parallelized. If you are interested to give it a try, please let me know at philip.simons@sjubb.com. best regards, Philip

October 27, 2015, 12:14		#6
Roi New Member Roi Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 11	Thanks, very helpful!

October 27, 2015, 16:37		#7
Sarang V New Member Sarang Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 22 Rep Power: 11	Can you provide more information regarding your geometry ?

October 27, 2015, 22:32		#8
Roi New Member Roi Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 11	very basic one. a horizontal wall were heat flow goes upward, through the wall to the air above.

November 2, 2015, 12:06		#9
Sarang V New Member Sarang Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 22 Rep Power: 11	I would think that any commercial CFD code would be able to do the job fairly easily. Now if the geometry is complex and moving then it would an extremely challenging problem.