POLITECNICO

DI MILANO

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Department of Energy

Numerical modeling techniques for fluid machines modeling

Course introduction: CFD application examples

http://www.engines.polimi.it

Gianluca Montenegro

Something about me at Politecnico di Milano

Degree in Mechanical Engineering with specalization in Energy

PhD in Energy Engineering
Research stay at Imperial College of London
Assistant professor since 2006, teaching Thermal Machine and
Energy Systems and TMMF
Phone: 8639
office 2.49

Research and teaching on the following topics:

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Powerplants and energy systems

Combustion
Internal combustion engines
Turbomachinery
Fuel cells
Thermodynamics
After-treatment systems
Acoustics
Nuclear energy

http://www.engines.polimi.it
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Something about me at Politecnico di Milano

Staff
Angelo Onorati, Full Professor
Gianluca DErrico, Associate Professor
Gianluca Montenegro, Assistant Professor
Federico Piscaglia, Assistant Professor
Tommaso Lucchini, Assistant Professor

Research grants (assegnisti)

Tarcisio Cerri, post-doc researcher
Marco Fiocco, MSc, researcher
Andrea Montorfano, post-doc researcher
Augusto Della Torre, post-doc researcher

PhD students
Luca Cornolti, MSc
Roberto Torelli, MSc

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Visiting PhD
Aalto , Sidney, Chalmers,
Freiberg, Valencia, etc.,

MSc students
15 per year

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Advanced combustion
process (HCCI)

Downsizing,
Supercharging

Alternative fuels
for I.C. engines

Exhaust gas
after-treatment

Current and future key issues:

Advanced CFD
Low temperature combustion modelling
Gaseous fuels for spark ignition engines (CNG and hydrogen)
Innovative after-treatment systems (SCR, DPF, deNOx).
Downsized turbocharged engines
VVA systems, long-route EGR, actuation systems

http://www.engines.polimi.it

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Something about me at Politecnico di Milano

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Fundamental studies: to improve the understanding of physical

and chemical process occurring in an internal combustion engine.

Applied research: to provide computational tools which can help

the designer in the development of future engines.

Throttle valves
to actuate the VIS

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P
(chemical
probe)

Something about me at Politecnico di Milano

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Combustion
Intake system

Air injection system

Exhaust
manifold

Turbocharger

Silencers
Noise

Exhaust after-treatment system: SCR,

TWC, DOC, DPF, DeNOx

1D-3D
thermo-fluid
dynamic
modeling
(GASDYN-OpenFOAM/Lib-ICE) of S.I. engines (gasoline, natural
gas, hydrogen) and C.I. engines (Diesel, HCCI).
Simulation of wave motion and chemical species transport, with
reactions in the gas and solid phase along the exhaust ducts.
Integrated modeling of the main after-treatment devices: 3W
catalyst, DPF, DOC, SCR, deNOx trap, secondary air
injection, etc..

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Something about me at Politecnico di Milano

AVL
GAMMA TECH.
LMS-IMAGINE

LIEBHERR
LAMBORGHINI
NISSAN
MVAGUSTA
PIAGGIO-APRILIA
SEATEK

CATERPILLAR
new atomization systems for Diesel engines
CONTINENTAL
3D modeling of direct injection/combustion
FAURECIA
1D-3D modeling of exhaust system
MAGNETI MARELLI
3D modeling of direct injection/combustion
MARKIV
1D-3D modeling of intake system

IFP
ENI

S.I. engine emissions/ acoustics

coupling of GTPower-OpenFOAM
1D modelling, know-how

3D simulation of Diesel combustion/aftertr.

10V and 12V engine, 1D-3D simulation
spark plug ignition mechanism
1D-3D simulation of motorcycle engines
1D-3D simulation of motorcycle engines
1D-3D simulation of marine Diesel engines

LESSCCV FP7 project, 1D-3D coupling (GASDYN-AVBP)

1D/CFD modeling of S.I. engine combustion process/ CFD of shale rocks

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POLITECNICO
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Academic collaborations
Chalmers University
IM-CNR Naples
Ohio State University
University of Bologna
University of Genova
University of Louvain
University of New South Wales of Sydney
University of Valencia
University of Wisconsin
University of Zagreb
University of Exeter

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What is CFD?

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From Versteeg and Malalasekera, An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics :

Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD is the analysis of

systems involving fluid flow, heat transfer and associated
phenomena such as chemical reactions by means of
computer-based simulation.
CFD is a subset of Computational Continuum Mechanics, which
includes:
- Numerical stress analysis
- Electromagnetics, including low- and high-frequency phenomena
- Weather prediction and global oceanic/atmosphere circulation model
- Large scale systems: galactic dynamics and star formation
- Complex heat and mass transfer systems
- Fluid-structure interaction and similar coupled systems

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What is CFD?

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From Versteeg and Malalasekera, An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics :

Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD is the analysis of

systems involving fluid flow, heat transfer and associated
phenomena such as chemical reactions by means of
computer-based simulation.
CFD is a subset of Computational Continuum Mechanics, which
includes:
- Numerical stress analysis
- Electromagnetics, including low- and high-frequency phenomena
- Weather prediction and global oceanic/atmosphere circulation model
- Large scale systems: galactic dynamics and star formation
- Complex heat and mass transfer systems
- Fluid-structure interaction and similar coupled systems

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What is CFD?

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Simpler and short answer:

solving the Navier-Stokes equations with the help of a computer
The governing laws of fluid dynamics are computed numerically.
The complex set of partial differential equations are solved on a
geometrical domain divided into small volumes, commonly known as
a mesh (or grid);
CFD enables to simulate and understand fluid flows without the help of
instruments for measuring various flow variables at desired locations;
Other way of interpreting the acronym CFD: Colorful Fluid Dynamics
or Curve Fitting until Doomsday

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CFD history

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Aerospace industry is the first and most prevalent in the use of

numerical techniques, including CFD
Early beginning of CFD in early 1960's
First successes came to prominence in the 1970's
Creation of the CFD-service industry started in the 1980's
The CFD industry expanded significantly in the 1990's
In 1990-s CFD spreads into automotive industry, power generation,
electronic cooling and chemical processing
In 2000s, CFD is moving away from traditional physics of fluid flow
and structural analysis to complex, coupled and non-linear equation
sets
Next challenge: integration into a CAD-based engineering process

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CFD Today

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State of the Art

Numerical modeling part of product design
Improvements in computer performance
Improved physical modeling and numerics
Sufficient validation and experience
Two-fold requirements
Models for wide area of physics + coupling
Complex geometry, high-performance computing,
automatic meshing etc.

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CFD Today
Requirements on Software Design
Industrial Environment
Integration into CAD-based process
Complex geometry and automatic meshing
Robust, fast and accurate solvers
Research Organizations
Quick and reliable model implementation
Experimentation with various model forms
Separation between physics and numerics

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Working with CFD

Work load: time spent in the different parts

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CFD in Aerospace Industry

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Simple, mainly smooth geometry in clear air with few moving parts
Relatively simple flows, well controlled boundary conditions, clear
design parameters, e.g. lift and drag, stall conditions

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1
7

CFD in Automotive Industry

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Automobile provides a much wider spectrum of CFD

simulations: inside and outside of the vehicle, engine simulation,
passenger comfort, aerodynamic noise, vehicle soiling
simulations
Current generation of automobile is a complex aerodynamic
device in proximity to the ground: difficult to analyse and
optimize
Incompressible flow is only a part of CFD problems in an
automobile: optimization of automotive components by
experimentation is expensive and time-consuming

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CFD in Automotive Industry

Single-Phase Incompressible Flow:
External aerodynamics: drag and lift/down-force
Flow stability and component interaction
Under-hood compartment flow and thermal
management
Passenger compartment flow

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CFD in Automotive Industry

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Internal Combustion Engine Simulations:

Rich and complex simulation environment, inside and outside of the cylinder
In-cylinder flow involves complexity from several sources:
- Compressible fluid flow, transonic on opening of exhaust valve
- Turbulence and instability, energy release from chemical reactions
- Large-scale flow features controlling fuel-air mixing
- Complex geometry, moving boundaries, opening and closing valves
- Diesel spray modelling: injection spray dynamics, evaporation,
combustion, spray-wall interaction, wall film formation
- Ignition, chemical reactions, pollutant formation and transport

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2
0

Setting up a CFD case

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Mesh generation
Boundary conditions set up
Choice of the discretization schemes
Set up the control parameters (Courant number, deltaT,)
Running the case
Visualization of the results (CFD: Colorful Fluid Dynamics);
Analysis of the results, comparison with experimental data
(CFD: Curve Fitting until Doomsday)

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CFD Resources: mesh generators

OPEN-SOURCE
GMSH
Netgen
Salome
Tetgen
COMMERCIAL
AVL Fire
Gambit
Pointwise
Harpoon
Icem-CFD
STAR-CD
Vectis

http://www.engines.polimi.it

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2
2

CFD Resources: solvers

OPEN-SOURCE
Code_saturne
KIVA-3V
OpenFOAM
COMMERCIAL
AVL Fire
Ansys Fluent
Ansys CFX
Star-CD
Ricardo Vectis

http://www.engines.polimi.it

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2
3

CFD Resources: visualization

OPEN-SOURCE
Paraview
OpenDX
Visit
COMMERCIAL
Ansys CFX
Ansys Fluent
Fire
Ensight
Star-CD

http://www.engines.polimi.it

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Current generation of CFD codes

Need to cover a wide range of applications.
Very big size and complexity.
New models always required.
Numerical models increasing the accuracy.
Physical models increasing the predictive capability.

Requirements
University
Advanced physical and numerical models.
Possibility to customize the code to study new problems.
Industry
Automatic meshing, easy pre- and post-processing,
parallelization

http://www.engines.polimi.it

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Current generation of CFD codes

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Implementing new models in an existing CFD code

Developer engineer
It has access to the whole source code
Since the code is complex, 6-12 months are generally spent to
understand how the code works.
Once the model was implemented, most of the time is spent in
testing and validation:
Model-to-model interaction. Global data can be corrupted by
introducing new functionalities
Common users
UDF (user defined functions): They allow to implement some
models and to introduce them in the code.
The user does not know the underlying code structure and how it
interacts with the new added model.

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OpenFOAM

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OpenFOAM is and open source, freely available CFD

toolbox, licensed under the GNU General Public Licence,
written in and highly efficient C++ object-oriented
programming.

It uses finite volume numerics to

solve systems of partial differential
equations ascribed on any 3D
unstructured mesh of
polyhedral cells.

http://www.engines.polimi.it

OpenFOAM

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Free-to-use means using the software without paying for license and support,
including massively parallel computers: free 1000-CPU CFD license!
Software under active development, capabilities mirror those of commercial CFD
Possibility of extension to non-traditional, complex or coupled physics:
fluid-structure interaction, complex heat/mass transfer, complex chemistry,
internal combustion engines, nuclear engineering, acoustics etc.

Main Components
Discretisation: Polyhedral Finite Volume Method, second order in space and time
Lagrangian particle tracking
Finite Area Method: 2-D FVM on curved surface in 3-D
Automatic mesh motion (FEM), support for topological changes
Massive parallelism in domain decomposition mode
Physics model implementation through equation mimicking

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OpenFOAM: history

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Early 90s: the research code FOAM was created by Henry Weller
and Hrvoje Jasak at Imperial College of London under the
supervision of prof. David Gosman. Objective of the work: create an
object-oriented platform where it was possible to efficenctly
implement and test numerical and physical models.
1995-2000: The number of FOAM developers increased (H. Rusche,
N. Nordin, F. Juretic, G. Tabor, C. Fureby).
2000-2004: FOAM becomes a commercial code (open-source),
commercialized by Nabla Ltd. The code had limited success.
December 2004: FOAM becomes OpenFOAM and is released
under the GPL License. Number of user and developers rapidly
increased (>20000). Now it is widely adopted both for research and
industrial applications

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OpenFOAM

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For complex and new research projects, proprietary

implementation can be a limiting factor because of the closed
software architecture
The increasing complexity of physical models through
equation mimicking
Layered software development as a collaboration platform
The high complexity of the physical and chemical models and
the existing interrelations make the numerical solution
methodology play a role of equal importance as the
mathematical modeling.

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OpenFOAM: equation mimicking

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Its highly object-oriented programming is the best way to handle

complex continuum models
Natural language of continuum mechanics: partial differential equations
Example: turbulence kinetic energy equation

Objective: represent differential equations in their natural language

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OpenFOAM
Object Orientation
Recognize main objects from
the numerical modeling
viewpoint
Objects consist of data they
encapsulate
and functions which operate
on the data

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OpenFOAM
Object Orientation example

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OpenFOAM: object orientation

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Basic Components
Scalars, vectors and tensors with algebra
Computational mesh: mesh motion, adaptive refinement, topological
changes
Fields (scalar, vector, tensor) and boundary conditions: Dirichlet, Neumann,
Sparse matrix support with linear solver technology
Discretisation Classes
Implemented as interpolation, differentiation and discretisation operators
All discretisation methods use identical basic components (common mesh
and matrix support. Better testing and more compact software
implementation)
Physical Modelling Libraries and Top-Level Solvers
Libraries encapsulate interchangeable models answering to a common
interfaces
Models implement the interface functions, isolated with run-time selection
Custom-written and optimised top-level solvers for class of physics

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OpenFOAM: object orientation

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Top-Level Solvers
Libraries encapsulate interchangeable models with run-time selection
New models provide functionality by adhering to a common interface
Custom-written and optimised top-level solvers written for a class of
physics (compressible combusting LES or VOF free-surface flow,)
Code clarity is paramount: existing solvers act as examples for further
development or customisation
Utilities
Pre-processing, data manipulation, mesh-to-mesh mapping etc.
Mesh import and export, mesh generation and manipulation
Parallel processing tools: decomposition and reconstruction
Post processor hook-up (reader module) and data export
A-posteriori error estimation and solution analysis

http://www.engines.polimi.it

3
5

The OpenFOAM code

Top-Level Solvers
Basic: Laplace, potential flow, transport
Incompressible flow, compressible flow
Heat transfer: buoyancy-driven flows
Multiphase: Euler-Euler, surface capturing and tracking
DNS and LES turbulent flows
Combustion, spray and in-cylinder flows
Stress analysis, electromagnetics,

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3
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The OpenFOAM code

Layered Development
Design encourages code re-use: shared tools
Code developed and tested in isolation
Vectors, tensors and field algebra
Mesh handling, refinement, topo changes
Discretization, boundary conditions
Matrices and solver technology
Physics by segment
Custom applications

Ultimate user-coding capabilities!

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3
7

The OpenFOAM code

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Implemented Capabilities
Discretisation
Polyhedral Finite Volume Method with moving mesh
support (second and fourth-order)
Finite Element Method on polyhedral cells
Finite Area Method (2-D FVM on a surface)
Lagrangian particle tracking model
Ordinary differential equation solver

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3
8

The OpenFOAM code

Implemented Capabilities
Model and Utility Libraries
Thermo-physical models (liquids and gasses)
Chemical properties
Non-Newtonian viscosity models
Turbulence models (RANS and LES)
Dynamic mesh and topology changes
A-posteriori error estimation
Diesel spray (atomization, dispersion, heat transfer,
evaporation, spray-wall etc.)

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OpenFOAM: post-processing

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ParaView
Graphical post-processing is performed by using the open-source platform
ParaView. The data exploration can be done interactively in 3D or
programmatically using ParaView's batch processing capabilities.
paraFOAM converts OpenFOAM data into ParaView format on-the-fly.

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OpenFOAM: code organization

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Structure of the code

OpenFOAM

applications

Solvers, utilties, test

doc

Doxygen documentation

user

User-defined cases and applications

src

OpenFOAM library implementation

tutorials

Tutorial cases

wmake

Compiler options

Applications: wide range of solvers available for the most common

CFD problems, example of how to use the OpenFOAM library

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4
1

The OpenFOAM code

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Summary on fundamentals
Object-oriented approach facilitates model implementation: layered design
+ re-use
Equation mimicking opens new CCM grounds
Extensive capabilities already implemented
Open design for easy user customisation
Further Info
For more info on OpenFOAM, please visit http://www.openfoam.org
OpenFOAM resources: http://www.foamcfd.org
OpenFOAM User Group: http://openfoam.cfd-online.com
OpenFOAM Workshops and Seminars

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4
2

Advanced CFD examples

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Fluid-Structure Interaction
Solution Techniques for Coupled Problems
Partitioned approach: Picard iterations
- Optimal for weakly coupled FSI problems
- Separate mathematical model for fluid and solid continua
- Shared or different discretisation method: FVM and FEM
- Coupling achieved by enforcing the kinematic and dynamic conditions
on the fluid-solid interface
- Strong coupling by additional iteration loop over partial solvers
Monolithic approach: Simultaneous solution
- Appropriate when fluid-structure interaction is very strong
- Good stability and convergence properties
- In some cases may lead to ill-conditioned matrices or sub-optimal
discretisation or solution procedure in fluid or solid region

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4
3

Advanced CFD examples

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Fluid-Structure Interaction
Levels of Fluid-Structure Coupling
- Unified mathematical model: single equation set
- Unified discretisation method and boundary coupling consistency
- Unified solution procedure: fluid + structure matrix solved in a single solver

Data Transfer
- Data transfer and coupling significantly easier: both domains and
- Equations sets are implemented in the same solver
- Data interpolation routines already available: patch-to-patch interpolation

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OpenFOAM advanced applications

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Ship-hydrodynamics
Research group of Prof. Eric Patterson from Penn-State University.
Simulation of multiphase flows for ship hydrodynamics
Surface-piercing foil
and breaking waves

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LES of sub-merged
near-Surface jets

OpenFOAM advanced applications

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Detached Eddy Simulation for External Aerodynamics

Pushing state-of-the-art by applying Detached Eddy Simulation (DES)
to full car body external aerodynamics
Increase in simulation cost over transient RANS is over 1 order of
magnitude!
Automated meshing and simulation environment, from STL surface of
the car body to averaged DES results and forces
Hex-core mesher with near-wall layers and local refinement: mesh is
designed to make it good for second-order LES numerics

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OpenFOAM advanced applications

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Detached Eddy Simulation for External Aerodynamics

No parallel license cost of CFD solver: simulations run on 200 CPUs

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UDeNS: cold flow

Numerical schemes accuracy:

Time: second order
Space: third order

Pressure

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TKE spectrum

OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

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1D-3D couping: Lamborghini V10 Engine

5 into 1 junction of the exhaust system

3D junction
with
OpenFOAM
http://www.engines.polimi.it

Whole engine model with GASDYN

OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

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1D-3D couping: Lamborghini V10 Engine

5 into 1 junction of the exhaust system: comparison between experimental
and computed data of pressure waves in the exhaust system.

Pressure pulses at 7000 rpm

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OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

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1D-3D couping: Other applications

Intake plenums

Complex silencers

Computed pressure wave propagation

during one engine cycle

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Pressure waves in a reverse chamber

OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

Simulation of liquid film formation in a PFI engine
Naber-Rutland model to describe
droplet-wall interactions (stick,
spread, splash, rebound). Film
evaporation model included
Finite-area method to solve the
liquid-film equations on the mesh
surface.
Movie: spray + liquid film formation
and evaporation + isosurfaces of fuel
mass fraction.

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OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

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OpenFOAM example

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OpenFOAM at Politecnico di Milano

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OpenFOAM events

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OpenFOAM workshop:
1st Workshop: Zagreb, January 2006
2nd Workshop: Zagreb, June 2007
3rd Workshop: Milan, July 2008 (more than 250 participants!)
4th Workshop: Montreal, June 2009
5th Workshop: Goteborg, June 2010
6th Workshop: Penn State University, June 2011
OpenSource CFD conference
1st Conference: London, December 2007
2nd Conference: Berlin, December 2008
3rd Conference: Barcellona, November 2009.

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OpenFOAM resources

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http://www.opencfd.co.uk : Download of the official version (binary

and source code) of OpenFOAM. Link provided to the discussion
group.
http://www.foamcfd.org : Page maintained by Hrvoje Jasak.
Examples of OpenFOAM capabilities, overview of the main
development projects, slides, papers and phd theses with
OpenFOAM
http://www.openfoamwiki.net: OpenFOAM wiki. Information about
the OpenFOAM code and Special Interest Groups (SIG) are
provided in these pages.
http://openfoam-extend.wiki.sourceforge.net : Download of the
OpenFOAM-dev version.

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