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The purpose of this paper is to present an automatic approach for mesh sizing field generation of complicated  computer-aided design (CAD) models.

In this paper, the authors present an automatic approach for mesh sizing field generation. First, a source point extraction algorithm is applied to capture curvature and proximity features of CAD models. Second, according to the distribution of feature source points, an octree background mesh is constructed for storing element size value. Third, mesh size value on each node of background mesh is calculated by interpolating the local feature size of the nearby source points, and then, an initial mesh sizing field is obtained. Finally, a theoretically guaranteed smoothing algorithm is developed to restrict the gradient of the mesh sizing field.

To achieve high performance, the proposed approach has been implemented in multithreaded parallel using OpenMP. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach is remarkably efficient to construct reasonable mesh sizing field for complicated CAD models and applicable for generating geometrically adaptive triangle/tetrahedral meshes. Moreover, since the mesh sizing field is defined on an octree background mesh, high-efficiency query of local size value could be achieved in the following mesh generation procedure.

How to determine a reasonable mesh size for complicated CAD models is often a bottleneck of mesh generation. For the complicated models with thousands or even ten thousands of geometric entities, it is time-consuming to construct an appropriate mesh sizing field for generating high-quality mesh. A parallel algorithm of mesh sizing field generation with low computational complexity is presented in this paper, and its usability and efficiency have been verified.

Hexahedral meshing is one of the most important steps in performing an accurate simulation using the finite element analysis (FEA). However, the current hexahedral meshing method in the industry is a nonautomatic and inefficient method, i.e. manually decomposing the model into suitable blocks and obtaining the hexahedral mesh from these blocks by mapping or sweeping algorithms. The purpose of this paper is to propose an almost automatic decomposition algorithm based on the 3D frame field and model features to replace the traditional time-consuming and laborious manual decomposition method.

The proposed algorithm is based on the 3D frame field and features, where features are used to construct feature-cutting surfaces and the 3D frame field is used to construct singular-cutting surfaces. The feature-cutting surfaces constructed from concave features first reduce the complexity of the model and decompose it into some coarse blocks. Then, an improved 3D frame field algorithm is performed on these coarse blocks to extract the singular structure and construct singular-cutting surfaces to further decompose the coarse blocks. In most modeling examples, the proposed algorithm uses both types of cutting surfaces to decompose models fully automatically. In a few examples with special requirements for hexahedral meshes, the algorithm requires manual input of some user-defined cutting surfaces and constructs different singular-cutting surfaces to ensure the effectiveness of the decomposition.

Benefiting from the feature decomposition and the 3D frame field algorithm, the output blocks of the proposed algorithm have no inner singular structure and are suitable for the mapping or sweeping algorithm. The introduction of internal constraints makes 3D frame field generation more robust in this paper, and it can automatically correct some invalid 3–5 singular structures. In a few examples with special requirements, the proposed algorithm successfully generates valid blocks even though the singular structure of the model is modified by user-defined cutting surfaces.

The proposed algorithm takes the advantage of feature decomposition and the 3D frame field to generate suitable blocks for a mapping or sweeping algorithm, which saves a lot of simulation time and requires less experience. The user-defined cutting surfaces enable the creation of special hexahedral meshes, which was difficult with previous algorithms. An improved 3D frame field generation method is proposed to correct some invalid singular structures and improve the robustness of the previous methods.

This study aims to assess the robustness and accuracy of the face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method for the simulation of compressible laminar flows in different regimes, using numerical benchmarks.

The work presents a detailed comparison with reference solutions published in the literature –when available– and numerical results computed using a commercial cell-centred finite volume software.

The FCFV scheme provides first-order accurate approximations of the viscous stress tensor and the heat flux, insensitively to cell distortion or stretching. The strategy demonstrates its efficiency in inviscid and viscous flows, for a wide range of Mach numbers, also in the incompressible limit. In purely inviscid flows, non-oscillatory approximations are obtained in the presence of shock waves. In the incompressible limit, accurate solutions are computed without pressure correction algorithms. The method shows its superior performance for viscous high Mach number flows, achieving physically admissible solutions without carbuncle effect and predictions of quantities of interest with errors below 5%.

The FCFV method accurately evaluates, for a wide range of compressible laminar flows, quantities of engineering interest, such as drag, lift and heat transfer coefficients, on unstructured meshes featuring distorted and highly stretched cells, with an aspect ratio up to ten thousand. The method is suitable to simulate industrial flows on complex geometries, relaxing the requirements on mesh quality introduced by existing finite volume solvers and alleviating the need for time-consuming manual procedures for mesh generation to be performed by specialised technicians.

Pores and shrink holes are unavoidable defects in the die-casting mass production process which may significantly influence the strength, fatigue and fracture behaviour as well as the life span of structures, especially if they are subjected to high static and dynamic loads. Such defects should be considered during the design process or after production, where the defects could be detected with the help of computed tomography (CT) measurements. However, this is usually not done in today's mass production environments. This paper deals with the stress analysis of die-cast structural parts with pores found from CT measurements or that are artificially placed within a structure.

In this paper the authors illustrate two general methodologies to take into account the porosity of die-cast components in the stress analysis. The detailed geometry of a die-cast part including all discontinuities such as pores and shrink holes can be included via STL data provided by CT measurements. The first approach is a combination of the finite element method (FEM) and the finite cell method (FCM), which extends the FEM if the real geometry cuts finite elements. The FCM is only applied in regions with pores. This procedure has the advantage that all simulations with different pore distributions, real or artificial, can be calculated without changing the base finite element mesh. The second approach includes the pore information as STL data into the original CAD model and creates a new adapted finite element mesh for the simulation. Both methods are compared and evaluated for an industrial problem.

The STL data of defects which the authors received from CT measurements could not be directly applied without repairing them. Therefore, for FEM applications an appropriate repair procedure is proposed. The first approach, which combines the FEM with the FCM, the authors have realized within the commercial software tool Abaqus. This combination performs well, which is demonstrated for test examples, and is also applied for a complex industrial project. The developed in-house code still has some limitations which restrict broader application in industry. The second pure FEM-based approach works well without limitations but requires increasing computational effort if many different pore distributions are to be investigated.

A new simulation approach which combines the FEM with the FCM has been developed and implemented into the commercial Abaqus FEM software. This approach the authors have applied to simulate a real engineering die-cast structure with pores. This approach could become a preferred way to consider pores in practical applications, where the porosity can be derived either from CT measurements or are artificially adopted for design purposes. The authors have also shown how pores can be considered in the standard FEM analysis as well.

The purpose of this study is to propose a precise and standardized strategy for numerically simulating vehicle aerodynamics.

Error sources in computational fluid dynamics were analyzed. Additionally, controllable experiential and discretization errors, which significantly influence the calculated results, are expounded upon. Considering the airflow mechanism around a vehicle, the computational efficiency and accuracy of each solution strategy were compared and analyzed through numerous computational cases. Finally, the most suitable numerical strategy, including the turbulence model, simplified vehicle model, calculation domain, boundary conditions, grids and discretization scheme, was identified. Two simplified vehicle models were introduced, and relevant wind tunnel tests were performed to validate the selected strategy.

Errors in vehicle computational aerodynamics mainly stem from the unreasonable simplification of the vehicle model, calculation domain, definite solution conditions, grid strategy and discretization schemes. Using the proposed standardized numerical strategy, the simulated steady and transient aerodynamic characteristics agreed well with the experimental results.

Building upon the modified Low-Reynolds Number k-e model and Scale Adaptive Simulation model, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, a precise and standardized numerical simulation strategy for vehicle aerodynamics is proposed for the first time, which can be integrated into vehicle research and design.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of enclosure shape on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) nanofluidic flow, heat transfer and irreversibility in square, trapezoidal and triangular thermal systems under fluid volume constraints, with the aim of optimizing thermal behavior in diverse applications.

The study uses numerical simulations based on a finite element-based technique to analyze the effects of the Rayleigh number (Ra), Hartmann number (Ha), magnetic field orientation (γ) and nanoparticle concentration (ζ) on heat transfer characteristics and thermodynamic entropy production.

The key findings reveal that the geometrical design significantly influences fluid velocity, heat transfer and irreversibility. Trapezoidal thermal systems outperform square systems, while triangular systems achieve optimal enhancement. Nanoparticle concentration enhances heat transfer and flow strength at higher Rayleigh numbers. The magnetic field intensity has a significant impact on fluid flow and heat transport in natural convection, with higher Hartmann numbers resulting in reduced flow strength and heat transfer. The study also highlights the influence of various parameters on thermodynamic entropy production.

Further research can explore additional geometries, parameters and boundary conditions to expand the understanding of enclosure shape effects on MHD nanofluidic flow and heat transfer. Experimental validation can complement the numerical simulations presented in this study.

This study provides valuable insights into the impact of enclosure shape on heat transfer performance in MHD nanofluid flow systems. The findings contribute to the optimization of thermal behavior in applications such as electronics cooling and energy systems. The comparison of different enclosure shapes and the analysis of thermodynamic entropy production add novelty to the study.

The purpose of this paper is to present the freely available finite element simulation software Pyrit.

In a first step, the design principles and the objective of the software project are defined. Then, the software’s structure is established: The software is organized in packages for which an overview is given. The structure is based on the typical steps of a simulation workflow, i.e., problem definition, problem-solving and post-processing. State-of-the-art software engineering principles are applied to ensure a high code quality at all times. Finally, the modeling and simulation workflow of Pyrit is demonstrated by three examples.

Pyrit is a field simulation software based on the finite element method written in Python to solve coupled systems of partial differential equations. It is designed as a modular software that is easily modifiable and extendable. The framework can, therefore, be adapted to various activities, i.e., research, education and industry collaboration.

The focus of Pyrit are static and quasistatic electromagnetic problems as well as (coupled) heat conduction problems. It allows for both time domain and frequency domain simulations.

In research, problem-specific modifications and direct access to the source code of simulation tools are essential. With Pyrit, the authors present a computationally efficient and platform-independent simulation software for various electromagnetic and thermal field problems.

The purpose of this study is to numerically and experimentally survey the thermal efficiency of a block-type heat exchanger operated in different working conditions by using pure water and two nanofluids as heat transfer fluids.

An aluminum block-type heat exchanger integrated with Peltier thermoelectric element was designed and installed to operate in a cycle, and the thermal performance of the heat exchanger, heat transfer rate, Nusselt and heat transfer coefficient variations were examined at different bath water temperatures by using recycled nanofluids. New generation surface-modified Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-mix-(CH₂)₃Cl@Imidazol/water nanofluid was used as heat transfer fluid in the cycle. In addition, CFD simulation was performed using ANSYS/Fluent to investigate the temperature distribution and fluid flow structure in the used heat exchanger.

Experiments were carried out by using numerical and experimental methods. In the experiments, the operating conditions such as flow rate, volume fraction of the nanofluid and water bath temperature were changed to find the effect of each parameter on the thermal efficiency. The Reynolds number varied depending on the test conditions, which was calculated in the range of approximately 100 < Re < 350. In addition, Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient of test fluids were very close to each other. For 0.4% nanofluid, the maximum h value was obtained as 3837.1, when the Reynolds number was measured as 314.4.

In the scientific articles published in the field of heat exchangers operated by nanofluids, little attention has been paid to the stability of the nanofluids and sedimentation of particles in the base fluids. In addition, in most cases, experiments were implemented using an electrical resistance as a heat source. In this research, stable surface-modified nanofluids were used as heat transfer fluids, and it was found that the Peltier thermoelectric can be used as heat sources with acceptable efficiency in flat-type heat exchangers and even non-circular channels.

Modeling of material behavior by physically or microstructure-based models helps in understanding the relationships between its properties and microstructure. However, the majority of the numerical investigations on the prediction of the deformation behavior of AA2024 alloy are limited to the use of phenomenological or empirical constitutive models, which fail to take into account the actual microscopic-level mechanisms (i.e. crystallographic slip) causing plastic deformation. In order to achieve accurate predictions, the microstructure-based constitutive models involving the underlying physical deformation mechanisms are more reliable. Therefore, the aim of this work is to predict the mechanical response of AA2024-T3 alloy subjected to uniaxial tension at different strain rates, using a dislocation density-based crystal plasticity model in conjunction with computational homogenization.

A dislocation density-based crystal plasticity (CP) model along with computational homogenization is presented here for predicting the mechanical behavior of aluminium alloy AA2024-T3 under uniaxial tension at different strain rates. A representative volume element (RVE) containing 400 grains subjected to periodic boundary conditions has been used for simulations. The effect of mesh discretization on the mechanical response is investigated by considering different meshing resolutions for the RVE. Material parameters of the CP model have been calibrated by fitting the experimental data. Along with the CP model, Johnson–Cook (JC) model is also used for examining the stress-strain behavior of the alloy at various strain rates. Validation of the predictions of CP and JC models is done with the experimental results where the CP model has more accurately captured the deformation behavior of the aluminium alloy.

The CP model is able to predict the mechanical response of AA2024-T3 alloy over a wide range of strain rates with a single set of material parameters. Furthermore, it is observed that the inhomogeneity in stress-strain fields at the grain level is linked to both the orientation of the grains as well as their interactions with one another. The flow and hardening rule parameters influencing the stress-strain curve and capturing the strain rate dependency are also identified.

Computational homogenization-based CP modeling and simulation of deformation behavior of polycrystalline alloy AA2024-T3 alloy at various strain rates is not available in the literature. Therefore, the present computational homogenization-based CP model can be used for predicting the deformation behavior of AA2024-T3 alloy more accurately at both micro and macro scales, under different strain rates.

Topology optimization of structures under self-weight loading is a challenging problem which has received increasing attention in the past years. The use of standard formulations based on compliance minimization under volume constraint suffers from numerous difficulties for self-weight dominant scenarios, such as non-monotonic behaviour of the compliance, possible unconstrained character of the optimum and parasitic effects for low densities in density-based approaches. This paper aims to propose an alternative approach for dealing with topology design optimization of structures into three spatial dimensions subject to self-weight loading.

In order to overcome the above first two issues, a regularized formulation of the classical compliance minimization problem under volume constraint is adopted, which enjoys two important features: (a) it allows for imposing any feasible volume constraint and (b) the standard (original) formulation is recovered once the regularizing parameter vanishes. The resulting topology optimization problem is solved with the help of the topological derivative method, which naturally overcomes the above last issue since no intermediate densities (grey-scale) approach is necessary.

A novel and simple approach for dealing with topology design optimization of structures into three spatial dimensions subject to self-weight loading is proposed. A set of benchmark examples is presented, showing not only the effectiveness of the proposed approach but also highlighting the role of the self-weight loading in the final design, which are: (1) a bridge structure is subject to pure self-weight loading; (2) a truss-like structure is submitted to an external horizontal force (free of self-weight loading) and also to the combination of self-weight and the external horizontal loading; and (3) a tower structure is under dominant self-weight loading.

An alternative regularized formulation of the compliance minimization problem that naturally overcomes the difficulties of dealing with self-weight dominant scenarios; a rigorous derivation of the associated topological derivative; computational aspects of a simple FreeFEM implementation; and three-dimensional numerical benchmarks of bridge, truss-like and tower structures.