OpenFOAM Solver/BC usage description

murrayjc · August 17, 2009, 18:12

Hi all,
I am brand new to OpenFOAM (I have experience with FLUENT) and I have been working my way through the User Guide and tutorials. I noticed that there doesn't appear to be a full description of the usage of each solver in the user guide. Since the case setup procedure involves editing input files manually, it would be useful to have, for each solver application, a list of all fields and properties (pressure, velocity, viscosity coefficient, etc...) used by the solver along with the word names that should be used to reference these fields/properties when writing input files. Does this exist anywhere? I guess I am looking for something like an interface document for each solver, written at the detail level necessary for a general user to be able to write input files...

Also useful would be a similar document listing the keyword entries necessary for all the BC types. I see a few referenced in section 5.2 of the User Guide, but its a small list. I also find a few instances of BC's being used in tutorials with different usage than provided in section 5.2 (ex. the totalPressure BC on pressure in the case: rhoCentralFoam/LadenburgJet60psi/). Is the complete usage for each BC documented anywhere?

I found the 3 tutorials described in the User Guide sufficient to get at the basic usage for the solver applications (icoFoam etc...) and BC's used for those tutorials, but that appears to be a small subset of the whole of OpenFOAM. If anyone knows of other documentation that would be helpful. Thanks,

Jon

Julian K. · August 21, 2009, 06:02

An 'interface document' does, as far as I know, not exist, but I think a detailed description of the possible settings for each Solver/BC/Turbulence Model/etc. would make the work with OF easier and more efficient. Of cause, writing these documents and keeping them up-to-date is a tedious work.

Until now, you have to refer to the User Guide, the Programmer's Guide, the tutorial cases and this forum in order to find the correct setting. Sometimes, I found some good explanations on the internet.

Bye,

Julian

wbetz · August 22, 2009, 08:12

Speaking of the User Guide and boundary conditions: in my opinion there are some bugs in tables 5.3 (primitive patch field types) and 5.4 (derived patch field types) in version 1.6 (24th July 2009) - e.g. directionMixed (compare the code with the description).

cwang5 · August 25, 2009, 05:48

A comprehensive guide does not exist, although a search on the forum would give you most of the information you'll need. Not that it'd help much in 1.6, since so many commands have been changed. It'd be rather nice if there's a wiki page people can update as they progress, or have a version tag attached to the forum topics, though.

August 17, 2009, 18:12	OpenFOAM Solver/BC usage description	#1
murrayjc New Member Jon Murray Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Hi all, I am brand new to OpenFOAM (I have experience with FLUENT) and I have been working my way through the User Guide and tutorials. I noticed that there doesn't appear to be a full description of the usage of each solver in the user guide. Since the case setup procedure involves editing input files manually, it would be useful to have, for each solver application, a list of all fields and properties (pressure, velocity, viscosity coefficient, etc...) used by the solver along with the word names that should be used to reference these fields/properties when writing input files. Does this exist anywhere? I guess I am looking for something like an interface document for each solver, written at the detail level necessary for a general user to be able to write input files... Also useful would be a similar document listing the keyword entries necessary for all the BC types. I see a few referenced in section 5.2 of the User Guide, but its a small list. I also find a few instances of BC's being used in tutorials with different usage than provided in section 5.2 (ex. the totalPressure BC on pressure in the case: rhoCentralFoam/LadenburgJet60psi/). Is the complete usage for each BC documented anywhere? I found the 3 tutorials described in the User Guide sufficient to get at the basic usage for the solver applications (icoFoam etc...) and BC's used for those tutorials, but that appears to be a small subset of the whole of OpenFOAM. If anyone knows of other documentation that would be helpful. Thanks, Jon

August 21, 2009, 06:02		#2
Julian K. Member Julian Krick Join Date: May 2009 Location: Guelph Posts: 88 Rep Power: 17	An 'interface document' does, as far as I know, not exist, but I think a detailed description of the possible settings for each Solver/BC/Turbulence Model/etc. would make the work with OF easier and more efficient. Of cause, writing these documents and keeping them up-to-date is a tedious work. Until now, you have to refer to the User Guide, the Programmer's Guide, the tutorial cases and this forum in order to find the correct setting. Sometimes, I found some good explanations on the internet. Bye, Julian __________________ grid generation: ICEM CFD 13.0 solver: CFX 13.0

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August 22, 2009, 08:12		#3
wbetz New Member Wolfgang Betz Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 17	Speaking of the User Guide and boundary conditions: in my opinion there are some bugs in tables 5.3 (primitive patch field types) and 5.4 (derived patch field types) in version 1.6 (24th July 2009) - e.g. directionMixed (compare the code with the description).

August 25, 2009, 05:48		#4
cwang5 Member John Wang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Singapore Posts: 73 Rep Power: 17	A comprehensive guide does not exist, although a search on the forum would give you most of the information you'll need. Not that it'd help much in 1.6, since so many commands have been changed. It'd be rather nice if there's a wiki page people can update as they progress, or have a version tag attached to the forum topics, though.