FONG JIN HIUNG LAB ASSIGNMENT 1 2D BACKWARD-FACING STEP

MA14116

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

BMM 4783 COMPUTATIONAL FLUID

DYNAMICS

LAB ASSIGNMENT 1
2D BACKWARD-FACING STEP

Submitted to DR. AHMED NURYE OUMER

Name FONG JIN HIUNG
Matrix ID MA14116
Email fongtobyhiung@gmail.com
Submit Date 27/10/2017
FONG JIN HIUNG LAB ASSIGNMENT 1 2D BACKWARD-FACING STEP
MA14116

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NO Titles Page

1.0 Introduction 1

2.0 Test and Simulation Design 2

3.0 CFD Process 2

4.0 Data Analysis and Discussion 8

5.0 Conclusions 16

6.0 Appendix 17
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses

numerical analysis, applied mathematics and physics to enable quick, efficient simulation of
fluid flow and heat transfer. Fluid flows gas or liquid, are governed by partial differential
equations which represent conservation laws for the mass, momentum and energy. CFD acts
as a tool to replace the partial differential equations systems by a set of algebraic equations
which can be solved using computers.

In this study, fluid flow simulation on 2D backward-facing step will be discussed. The
flow behind the backward-facing step (BFS) is complex and involves various instability
mechanism. There are shear layer, vortex merging, separation, reattachment zone, etc. in the
BFS flow as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Flow characteristic of BFS

The general characteristic of a BFS flow begin with an upstream boundary layer
separating at the step edge due to the adverse pressure gradient that develops into a thin shear
layer. As the flow progresses downstream, the shear layer grows in size with the amalgamation
of turbulent structures contained within. The turbulent structures in the shear layer entrain
rotational fluid from the non-turbulent region outside the shear layer. This flow entrainment

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causes the formation of a low velocity region outside the shear layer. This flow entrainment
causes the formation of a low velocity recirculation in the region which is located between the
shear layer and the adjacent wall. Due to favourable pressure gradient created by fluid
entrained, the shear layer eventually curves down towards the wall and impinges at a location
known as the reattachment point.

The behaviour of flows over this backward-facing step will be studied by using CFD
software, ANSYS. Three types of meshing unstructured, structured and block mesh, with
course, medium and fine are conducted to analyse the flow simulation. Results of contours of
pressure and velocity as well as graph of velocity are obtained to do for data analysis.

2.0 TEST AND SIMULATION DESIGN

The objective of this study is to conduct 2D simulation of flow through a backward-

facing step. It is also aimed to create the computational domain and to generate good quality
mesh for the simulation. After meshing, it is required to carry out a solution in fluent to run
calculation and lastly to analyse the numerical results.

3.0 CFD PROCESS

There are three processes involved from drawing the geometry, meshing the geometry,
running calculation to obtaining results in order to conduct the flow simulation flow analysis.
Generally, the processes are classified into pre-processing, solving and post-processing. Since
the analysis in this study is concerned on the air flow in the backward-facing step, fluid flow
(fluent) module will be selected from the toolbox under analysis system type in ANSYS. The
module consists of geometry, mesh, setup, solution and results. Each of the module components
have their own setting and configuration. The design of the module as shown in Figure 2. The
discussion on the setting and configuration will be further discussed in section below.

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Figure 2: Fluid flow (fluent) module for unstructured, structured and block mesh from course
to fine

3.1 PRE-PROCESSING

In pre-processing, there two steps which are geometry and mesh. Before starting any
simulation, a geometry of the analysis needed to be created. The geometry of backward-facing
step are drawn in ANSYS using Design Modeller. Since this study focuses on 2D, in the
properties of schematic geometry, set the analysis type to 2D. Double click the geometry to
open design modeller to draw the geometry. The dimension of the backward-facing step is
shown in Figure 3.

1000mm

45mm
20mm

100mm

Figure 3: Schematic of a 2D backward-facing step geometry

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For unstructured and structured, the way to create the geometry are the same. Using
polyline to draw out the backward-facing step with the dimension given as in Figure 4. Under
concept click on surfaces from sketches to create a surface for the geometry. For block mesh,
the geometry is same but only divide into three surfaces by using split edge to separate the
certain dimension of the edge on the outlet and the edge of the top wall. Then line from points
feature to create a line from the points that have split. Projection is then used to create the line
surfaces. The line body that created are then suppressed. The geometry for unstructured,
structured and block mesh are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 4: Geometry sketches of backward-facing step

(a)

(b)

Figure 5: (a) Geometry in unstructured and structured, (b) Geometry in block mesh

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After creating geometry, meshing is done by categorising into coarse, medium and fine
for the three meshing types. For unstructured, refinement are put at the four walls from 1 for
coarse to 3 for fine. For structured, edge sizing with bias are focused on the four walls as for
this study the walls are more concerned. To get a uniformly mesh size, the division by N under
edge sizing used are according to the dimension of the geometry. Edge split are applied at the
outlet and the upper wall at location 20mm and 100mm from the axis respectively. With this
edge split, the number of division can be applied easily without causing the meshing not
uniform as in Figure 6. Face meshing is also used to make a uniform meshing. Bias factor set
for this study is 5. For block meshing, surface refinement is used to make the mesh size smaller
for the whole body. Figure 7 below shows some of the meshing.

Figure 6: Bias meshing of structured mesh; the split edge are to make each edges of the
geometry to have equal dimension so that the sizing input can be the same for same edges

(a) nodes: 485, elements: 380, orthogonal quality: 0.98, maximum aspect ratio: 1.73

(b) nodes: 8846, elements: 8600, orthogonal quality: 1.0, maximum aspect ratio: 25.26; bias
at top wall, inlet wall, step wall and bottom wall
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(c) nodes: 7229, elements: 6880, orthogonal quality: 1.0, maximum aspect ratio: 1.41
Figure 7: Detail of the some meshing (a) unstructured coarse mesh, (b) structured fine mesh,
(c) coarse block mesh

3.2 SOLVING

After meshing the geometry, the boundary conditions needed to be set. For inlet, the
velocity specification method is set to components and input 0.5m/s for X-velocity and 0 for
Y-velocity. While outlet is set to pressure outlet and input 0 for gauge pressure. The rest would
be set as wall. After that, under initialization, select standard initialization and input X velocity.
This value can be any value as it is for initialization only. After that go to run calculation and
set the number of iterations to 1000. The software will run to 1000 iteration if the solution is
not convergence.

3.3 POST-PROCESSING

After finishing the solution step, the result can be obtained. Under graphics and
animation, double click on the contours and select filled then press the save/display button to
view the simulation as in Figure 8. To view velocity flow, the contour of will be set to velocity
and select velocity magnitude then press save/display button again.

Figure 8: Pressure contour

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Under plots, select XY Plot in order to plot a graph. A line is created at the centre of
the geometry to view the velocity plot. The location of the line is as shown in Figure 9. The
graph that have plotted is shown in Figure 10.

Figure 9: The distance of the line from x-axis is set at 325mm

Figure 10: Structured coarse mesh at centre location

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4.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

The results taken to study are pressure and velocity for all the three types of meshing.
The variable is the inlet velocity which initially set at 0.5m/s and then increased to 0.75m/s,
1m/s and 2m/s total of four inlet velocity data.

4.1 PRESSURE

The contour pressure of unstructured mesh for coarse, medium and fine of velocity
0.5m/s will be compared. The pressure distribution of backward-facing step as can be seen,
neat the step, the wall pressure is negative, small and approximately constant. It rises gradually
downstream to achieve a positive near the reattachment point where the velocity at the
boundary changes where before falling gradually to zero far downstream. From Figure 11, the
pressure distribution of coarse meshing is less detail compared to the medium and fine. As the
meshing is better finer meshing at the wall, the distribution of the pressure is more detailed.
Having smaller maximum face size in fine compared to course, the results are better in fine
meshing.

(a) coarse

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(b) medium

(c) fine

Figure 11: Comparison of contours pressure distribution of coarse, medium and fine

Since the fine meshing results are better, the types of meshing, unstructured, structured
and block mesh will be compared. As seen in Figure 12, block mesh has better detail of pressure
distribution compared to structured mesh follow by unstructured mesh. For the block mesh, the
whole surface are uniformly mesh with nodes and elements more than structured mesh. The

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more the number of nodes and elements, the better the mesh. However, it might take a long
time which consume a lot of computer memory to run the simulation.

(a) unstructured mesh (b) structured mesh

(c) block mesh

Figure 12: Comparison of contours pressure for three different types of meshing (fine)

In addition to the primary recirculation zone, there exists a secondary recirculation zone
near the upper wall when the velocity increases. The adverse pressure gradient due to the
sudden expansion at the edge of the step induces this separated flow. As can be seen in Figure
13, from inlet velocity 0.5m/s, 0.75m/s, 1m/s to 2m/s, the recirculation zone are more obvious
in higher velocity. For 0.5m/s, only one recirculation zone can be seen which is located at the
step wall. With the increasing velocity, secondary recirculation zone occur at upper wall. As at
inlet velocity 2m/s, a few recirculation zone occurs.

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(a) 0.5m/s (b) 0.75m/s

(c) 1m/s (d) 2m/s

Figure 13: Comparison of different inlet velocity on contour pressure

4.2 VELOCITY

Contour velocity for block mesh of inlet velocity 0.5m/s as shown in Figure 14. The
velocity distribution overall is quite evenly spread along the geometry. There are separation
regions at the step wall, around the top wall and some insignificant at around the bottom wall.
The velocity distribution in backward-facing step for low Reynold number supposed to have
only one separation region which occurs at the step wall. The results seem like the separation
region is quite long from the step wall. However, as compared to 0.75m/s, 1m/s and 2m/s, the
results seem to be logic as more and more separation regions occur at the top wall and bottom
wall along the geometry when the inlet velocity increases.

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Figure 14: Contour velocity for block mesh of 0.5m/s

(a) velocity streamline

(b) velocity contour

Figure 15: Comparison of 0.5m/s inlet velocity

(a) velocity streamline

(b) velocity contour

Figure 16: Comparison of 0.75m/s inlet velocity

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(a) velocity streamline

(b) velocity contour

Figure 17: Comparison 1m/s inlet velocity

(a) velocity streamline

(b) velocity contour

Figure 18: Comparison 2m/s inlet velocity

The separation region in Figure15 (a) is longer compare to other velocity inlet. As the
inlet velocity increases the separation decreases and more significant separation region occur
along the geometry. The increase velocity causes the flow becomes more unstable and
separated.

XY Plot is plotted for the velocity. The 0.5m/s inlet velocity is selected to compare the
result of each meshing from coarse, medium and fine. The unstructured mesh and structured
mesh showing better result for medium and fine as compared to coarse. The graph of coarse in
both mesh are a quite distracted away from the other. The graph of medium and fine are quite
close to each other as in Figure 19 (a) and Figure 19 (b). However, for block mesh, the graph
of coarse, medium and fine are almost similar and close to each other in Figure 19 (b).

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Unstructured Mesh Size

0.7
0.6

Velocity,v (m/s)
0.5
0.4
Coarse
0.3
Medium
0.2
0.1 Fine

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Distance, x (m)

(a) unstructured mesh size for coarse, medium and fine

Structured Mesh Size

0.7
0.6
Velocity, V (m/s)

0.5
0.4
Coarse
0.3
0.2 Medium
0.1 Fine
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Distance, x (m)

(b) structured mesh size for coarse, medium and fine

Block Mesh Size

0.7
0.6
Velocity, v (m/s)

0.5
0.4
Coarse
0.3
Medium
0.2
0.1 Fine
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Distance, x (m)

(c) block mesh size for coarse, medium and fine

Figure 19: Comparison of 0.5m/s inlet velocity for coarse, medium and fine mesh size for
unstructured mesh, structured mesh and block mesh

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In order to find out the best meshing types, 0.5m/s inlet velocity selected for
unstructured mesh fine, structured mesh fine and block mesh fine to do the comparison. Graph
of three different meshing types are plotted as in Figure 20. Unstructured mesh is out way out
of closeness to the structured mesh and block mesh. This may due to uniform mesh of the
unstructured meshing. For structured mesh and block mesh the graph seem like close to each
other. The pattern of the graph for both of the meshing are quite similar. However, the graph
of block mesh seen to have more fluctuation compare to the structured mesh. The block mesh
is better meshing types since the graph shows more detail of the velocity compared to the other
two types of meshing.

Meshing Types
0.7

0.6

0.5
Velocity, v (m/s)

0.4
Unstructured Mesh
0.3
Structured Mesh
0.2
Block Mesh
0.1

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Distance, x (m)

Figure 20: Comparison of different meshing types at 0.5m/s inlet velocity

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5.0 CONCLUSIONS

This study conducts a flow fluid simulation on the backward-facing step by using
ANSYS software to understand the flow behaviour and characteristic of it for 0.5m/s, 0.75m/s,
1m/s and 2m/s. As the velocity increases, the flow of backward-facing step shows more
significant separation region. The velocity distribution are also not stable along the geometry.
Three types of meshing unstructured mesh, structured mesh and block mesh, are also created
to study which types of meshing are better. Graph of velocity for 0.5m/s are plotted for the
three types of meshing. The results show that unstructured mesh graph are quite away from the
structured mesh and block mesh. While for block mesh graph shows more detail fluctuation
velocity compared to structured mesh. It means that block mesh has better quality of meshing
and smaller nodes size. However, the time taken for block mesh simulation takes longer than
the other two meshing.

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APPENDIX
Unstructured Pressure Contour at 1m/s

Coarse Medium

Fine
Structured Velocity Contour at 2m/s

Coarse Medium

Fine

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Comparison of different meshing types at 1m/s inlet velocity (fine)

Meshing Types
1.4

1.2

1
Velocity, v (m/s)

0.8
Unstructured Mesh
0.6
Structured Mesh
0.4
Block Mesh
0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Distance, x (m)

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