[fatirishman53]

I am replicating a backward step model from a technical paper and would appreciate some help with Salome and OpenFOAM processes.

I have the backward step modeled up as three STEP files: the inlet section, the initial section after the step, and a buffer section.

The only way I could seem to create a uniform grid was by using the "Body Fitting" mesh in Salome. Granted, I could easily do this with a blockMeshDict, but I'm trying to incorporate Salome for more complicated meshes, for use in a classroom setting.

The problem with "body fitting" is that I cannot do "Create Group from Geometry" using groups created from the "Geometry" module. For some reason, it creates the groups, but they are empty and have a warning symbol on them. Unfortunately, this is the only way I know how to set up the Salome mesh for use with OpenFOAM's "ideasUnvToFoam".

I tried doing "Create Boundary Elements", then creating a group using a filter for "Lying on Geometry". However, instead of getting a 2D mesh on the independent face used for the filter, it includes all 3D elements touching that face. Since the mesh is not discretized in the direction normal to the face, I essentially get a result that includes all of the original elements.

I would appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

[elvis]

Hi,
there are two threads at salome forum
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...3165#686106236
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...6311#767196430
you are not limited to use OpenFOAM's "ideasUnvToFoam"

[fatirishman53]

Originally Posted by elvis

Hi,
there are two threads at salome forum
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...3165#686106236
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...6311#767196430
you are not limited to use OpenFOAM's "ideasUnvToFoam"

Thank you very much! I'll try these out!

[fatirishman53]

Originally Posted by elvis

Hi,
there are two threads at salome forum
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...3165#686106236
http://www.salome-platform.org/forum...6311#767196430
you are not limited to use OpenFOAM's "ideasUnvToFoam"

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but after going through the study dumps and the script code, it looks like Nicholas's script requires the boundary meshes to be already in groups. This is where my whole problem lies. With the "body fitting" mesh, using pre-defined face groups to "Create Group from Geometry" does not work. Any other method I have tried results in groups of complete 3D elements, rather than cell faces lying on the pre-defined boundary faces.

Then again, I could be interpreting the process incorrectly

[chriss85]

Were you able to solve this problem? I'm seeing the same issue.

[Mehrez]

Hi,

Did you solve this problem ?
Thank you,
Mhrz

[opedrofunk]

Hi,
Salome is great, but if you're looking for something that is free, simple to use and quick, that also handles complex geometry easily, I might suggest you have a look at the SketchUp Meshkit extension.

I developed this extension and have used it to set up some very geometrically complex industrial OpenFOAM calculations over the past year. I know that others are using this in a classroom setting, as well.

Extension Page: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/co...y-tetgen-tools
Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/On3tg4kCchw

Anyway, I hope this helps!

Kind regards,
Peter

[Mehrez]

Hi,
Thank you for your answer.
I see that the SketchUp Meshkit extension creates finite element mesh. Can this mesh be used to perform simulations using OpenFOAM (FVM) ?
Thank you.

Mhrz

Originally Posted by opedrofunk

Hi,
Salome is great, but if you're looking for something that is free, simple to use and quick, that also handles complex geometry easily, I might suggest you have a look at the SketchUp Meshkit extension.

I developed this extension and have used it to set up some very geometrically complex industrial OpenFOAM calculations over the past year. I know that others are using this in a classroom setting, as well.

Extension Page: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/co...y-tetgen-tools
Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/On3tg4kCchw

Anyway, I hope this helps!

Kind regards,
Peter

[opedrofunk]

Hi Mehrez,
Yes, absolutely!

I do 90% of my simulation work with OpenFOAM using SketchUp Meshkit to set them up. Meshkit basically provides a really easy way to use SketchUp (free) to draw/import/modify 3D geometry, set up boundary conditions, mesh refinement, patch names, etc... and export to the native meshing format of number of different free, opensource and commercial meshers. Right now you can use Gmsh (my personal preference since you can easily create boundary layers, generate hex meshes, etc.), TetGen, Netgen, and FRGEN3D native formats.

All of these meshers can be used with OpenFOAM (or any finite volume code)! In fact, OpenFOAM comes standard with utilities to import meshes from these generators (gmshToFoam, tetgenToFoam, etc...).

Anyway, I made this tool to support the kind of simulations I do (large scale engineering simulations (500M+ cells) with complex geometries and limited setup time).

I hope it will be useful to others too!

Kind regards,
Peter

[samisafarini]

I was able to solve the issue by first using Modification > Create boundary elements . Followed by Mesh>Create groups from geometry.