RBF Morph Tutorial 09

Tutorial 9: Stator
RBF Morph for FLUENT

Current Release: V1.5
Last updated March 2014
RBF Morph Tutorials www.rbf-morph.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................3
2. Prerequisites .....................................................................................................................................3
3. Problem description ...........................................................................................................................3
4. First solution: blade bottom edge rotation ..........................................................................................5
4.1 First step .....................................................................................................................................5
4.1.1 Preparation ........................................................................................................................5
4.1.2 Source points definition......................................................................................................5
4.1.3 Generating the solution ....................................................................................................11
4.1.4 Saving the solution ..........................................................................................................13
4.2 Second step..............................................................................................................................13
4.2.1 Preparation ......................................................................................................................13
4.2.2 Source points definition and preview................................................................................14
4.2.3 Generating the solution ....................................................................................................15
4.2.4 Morph testing ...................................................................................................................18
5. Second solution: blade twisting .......................................................................................................20
5.1 Adjusting the set-up of the first step solution .............................................................................20
5.1.1 Preparation ......................................................................................................................20
5.1.2 Source points generation .................................................................................................20
5.1.3 Generating and previewing the solution ...........................................................................22
5.2 Adjusting the set-up of the second step solution .......................................................................24
5.2.1 Preparation ......................................................................................................................24
5.2.2 Source point generation ...................................................................................................24
5.2.3 Previewing the solution ....................................................................................................24
5.2.4 Morph testing ...................................................................................................................27
6. Combining different solutions to gain blade rotation ........................................................................27
6.1 Preparation ...............................................................................................................................28
6.2 Set-up of a multi-morph case ....................................................................................................28
6.3 Previewing the combination ......................................................................................................29
7. Summary .........................................................................................................................................31
8. References ......................................................................................................................................31
Tutorial 9: Stator 2
1. Introduction
This RBF-Morph tutorial is termed "Stator" and has the main scope to illustrate the application of the two
steps procedure of RBF-Morph [R 1] in order to generate a rigid rotation of both extreme edges of a
blade around the same predefined axis.
As described in one of the previous tutorials, the two steps solution procedure consists of the generation
of a morphing solution using, as prescribed motion, another morphing solution.
2. Prerequisites
Requirements for working this tutorial:
1. you are working in the directory where the tutorial problem resides;
2. you have just started the Fluent-GUI application;
3. you have trained and properly understood the previous tutorials.
3. Problem description
The model of this tutorial is a stator and its constituting surfaces, shown in Figure 1, are called inlet,
symmetry-9, shroud, outlet, blade, hub, and periodic.
Figure 1: Surfaces defining the stator tutorial computational model

The objective of this tutorial is to morph the blade surface by rotating its extreme edges. These shape
modifiers, together with rotation axis, are respectively shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3.
In particular, Figure 2 depicts the effect that the first shape modifier is expected to perform, namely the
rigid rotation of the bottom boundary edge of the blade around a rotation axis parallel to the y-axis. This
solution will be achieved acting on this specific edge of the blade and will be set up by means of the
features supplied by the Surfs and Encaps panels adopting the two steps procedure of RFB-Morph
tool.
Figure 2: The first shape modifier of the tutorial

Similar procedure will be employed for the second shape modifier but the edge that, in this case, is the
upper one. As a matter of fact, the wanted effect is the twist of the blade.
Figure 3: The second shape modifier of the tutorial

For both cases, the morph solution is obtained adopting the two steps approach allowing the
achievement of an accurate control of the blade shape and an appropriate smoothing of the volume
mesh.
The generation of the afore-defined shape modifiers will be described in the following paragraphs
respectively.
4. First solution: blade bottom edge rotation

The first step of the procedure foresees the creation of two surface sets both coupled with a selection
encap to select the nodes of the bottom and top boundary edge of the blade respectively. As far as the
motion is concerned, a rotation of 1 deg is applied to the bottom boundary edge, whereas the top one is
maintained fixed.
In the second step of the procedure, the solution gained in the first step is assigned as constraint
configuration for the generation of the morphing solution.
The operations needed for the achievement of the objective of the tutorial are described in the following
paragraphs.
4.1 First step

4.1.1 Preparation
After starting Fluent from the directory containing the tutorial file:
 read the test case stator.cas.gz;
 open the RBF Morph GUI via the menu Define -> RBF-Morph;
 load the library by clicking on Enable RBF Model.
Once the library is completely loaded, the panel illustrated in Figure 4 should appear.
Figure 4: Config panel
4.1.2 Source points definition

As previously stated, the definition of source points is performed through the use of the Surfs and
Encaps panels only. According to this strategy, start the set-up switching to the Surfs panel in the Main
sidebar as depicted in the Figure 5.
Two surface sets are needed and, accordingly, the set-up can proceed as follows:
 define two surface sets by acting on the arrows of the Number of Sets field;
 select the blade surface in the Select Surface Borders list as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Surf panel for the surface set 1

To prescribe the rotation of 1 deg around the rotation axis parallel to y-axis (positive versus), do the
following actions:
 click on the Set M button and the Set Motion panel will be opened as shown in Figure 6. Impose
the rigid option for Motion Type;
 set the @ (deg) value to 1;
 set the A1X (m) value to -0.006;
 set the A1Z (m) value to -0.006;
 set the A2X (m) value to -0.006
 set the A2Y (m) value to 1;
 set the A2Z (m) value to -0.006;
 confirm the choice by pressing the Set button;
The Set Motion Panel should appear as that reported in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Set Motion panel for the rotation axis set-up

To visualize the position of the rotation axis press the Display Axis button and what is depicted in Figure
7 should be visualised on the screen (in the Mesh Display panel (Display -> Mesh...) select blade and
hub surfaces in the Surfaces list and enable the Faces option only in the Options sub-panel).
Figure 7: Rotation axis position with respect to the blade

Close the Set Motion panel by clicking on the OK button and then accept the set-up performed so far by pressing
the Set button.
To select only the nodes of the bottom boundary edge (in fact both the bottom and top are included in
the surface set 1 for now) a selection encap is required. To do that, enable Encap option in the current
surface set (surface set 1), select box as Type, select blade in the Select Parts list and click the Setup
From Parts button. Then set 0.01 for DX (m), DY (m), and DZ (m) and press once the + button. Finally
change the Y (m) field value of Point Max window with 0.12. The panel now should appear as that
illustrated in Figure 8.
Figure 8: Encaps panel set-up for the box-shaped selection encap of the surface set 1
To visualize the position of the box-shaped selection encap click the Disp button (see Figure 9).
Figure 9: Surface set 1 box-shaped selection encap position with respect to the blade
Accept the set-up by pressing the Set button.
Now select the surface set 2, select blade surface in the Select Surface Borders list as shown in Figure
10.
Figure 10: Surf panel for the surface set 2

Now to force the top edge of the blade to be fixed, do the following actions. Leave the default set-up for
the Set Motion panel to impose the null movement, enable the Encap option, select box as Type,
select blade in the Select Parts list and click the Setup From Parts button. Then set 0.01 for DX (m),
DY (m), and DZ (m) and press once the + button. Finally change the Y (m) field value of Point Min
window with 0.12. The panel now should appear as that illustrated in Figure 11.
Figure 11: Encaps panel set-up for the box-shaped selection encap for the surface set 2
To visualize the position of the box-shaped selection encap click the Disp button (see Figure 12).
Figure 12: Surface set 2 box-shaped selection encap position with respect to the blade
Accept the set-up of the Encaps panel by pressing the Set button.
Accept the whole set-up by pressing the Set button. To visualize the source nodes of the shape modifier
that has been just created, press in sequence the Finalize and the DispPts button. What is depicted in
Figure 13 should be displayed.
Figure 13: Source nodes of the current shape modifier

All settings for the solution generation of the solution of the first step of the shape modifier are ready.
4.1.3 Generating the solution

Once all settings of the solution set-up are completed, switch to the solution panel by selecting Solve in
the Main Sidebar. The panel shown in Figure 14 appears. Press the Source Points button and then the
Solution button to generate the first solution step of the shape modifier 1.
Figure 14: Solve panel

In order to preview in detail the actual effect on the mesh caused by the application of the first shape
modifier, select the Preview item in the Main Sidebar. Successively, select blade in the Preview
Surfaces list, press the Sync-> button, and set 10 in the Amplification field. The panel should appear
as reported in Figure 15.
Figure 15: Preview panel

Then click the Preview button. Some information are reported as on the screen (in this case, the
maximum displacement value of is 0.00652, and the maximum Face Normalized Equiangular Skewness
is 3.37 E-01). Moreover, what shown will be visualized in sequence as depicted in Figure 16
Figure 16: Preview of the morphing action with Amplitude 10
4.1.4 Saving the solution

After the solution has been previewed, this can be saved in the Solve panel by specifying the file name
bottom-edge-rot-first-step in the File field and by clicking on the Write button (the file name has to be
specified without any extension as shown in Figure 17).

Consequently, two files will be created in the working directory, the bottom-edge-rot-first-step.sol and
bottom-edge-rot-first-step.rbf.
4.2 Second step

In the second step, two surface sets are created. The first one keeps the surfaces not adjacent to the
blade surface fixed, whereas the second one involves only the blade surface to which, according to the
two steps procedure of the RBF-Morph, the morphing solution gained at the end of the first step is
applied.
The afore-summarized operations are described in the following paragraphs.
4.2.1 Preparation
Before preparing the new solution set-up, reset the solution by clicking on the Reset button in the Config
panel already shown in Figure 4 and accepting by pressing OK button in the warning panel shown in
Figure 18.
Figure 18: Warning panel
4.2.2 Source points definition and preview

Start the set-up switching to the Surfs panel in the Main Sidebar, set 2 in the Number of Sets field. In
the first surface set (Set 1), select in the Select Surface list inlet, outlet, periodic, and symmetry-9
surface (Figure 19). Leave the default set-up for Set Motion panel (remind that that is equivalent to keep
the surfaces fixed) and press the Set button.
Figure 19: Surfs panel for surface set 1

Then select the surface set 2 and the blade surface in the Select Surface list as illustrated in Figure 19,
and then click the Set M button.
Figure 20: Surfs panel for surface set 2

In the Set Motion panel, select rbf-sol in the Motion Type selections and then write bottom-edge-rot-
first-step in the Solution field, leave the default value for Amplification field, and press the Set button to
accept the set-up. The Set Motion panel should appear as that illustrated in Figure 21. Press the OK
button to close the panel.
Figure 21: Set Motion panel for the surface set 2

Finally, in view of accepting the set-up established so far, press the Set button.
4.2.3 Generating the solution

To generate the solution of the second step, switch to the solution panel by selecting Solve in the Main
Sidebar (see Figure 22). Then press in sequence the Source Points and the Solution button to
generate the morphing solution.

In order to preview in detail the actual effect on the mesh, create an animation. To this purpose, select
the Preview item in the Main Sidebar. Successively, select blade in the Preview Surfaces list, write in
the Sequence field range 0 30 6. The panel should appear as reported in Figure 23.

Then click the Init button and confirm the sequence set-up by clicking on Yes in the Question panel that
appears.
To start the animation click the Play button automatically enabled once the sequence has been executed
and stored. All recorded frames will be visualized in sequence as depicted in Figure 16.
Figure 24: Preview animation sequence

To save the animation frames, write bottom-edge-rotation in the Basename field as reported in Figure
25, click on the Setup button to open the Save Picture panel as shown Figure 26.
Figure 25: Animation set-to in the Preview panel for the bottom edge rotation
In this panel, select PNG in Format field, Color in Coloring field, and unselect White Background in
options field. Then click on Apply and Close button in sequence.
Figure 26: Save Picture panel

Finally click on the Save button in the Preview panel. Files referring to frames will be saved in the
working directory.
4.2.4 Morph testing

To run the morph testing, enable the Morph item in the Main Sidebar as illustrated in Figure 27.
Figure 27: Morph panel

In the Morph panel, enable the Auto Refresh option and then perform morphing with Amplification 0,
5, and 10 properly using the Morph/Undo sequence. To gain the quality of the mesh after morphing, in
this case it is necessary to recur to the standard quality query of Fluent by selecting in the main menu:
Mesh-> Info-> Quality.
For the present tutorial, some results in terms of Minimum Orthogonal Quality and Maximum Aspect
Ratio are collected in the following table.
Table 1: Mesh quality depending on amplification value
Minimum Maximum Aspect
Amplification
Orthogonal Quality Ratio
A=0.0 (baseline mesh) 2.15 e-01 5.75 e+01
A=5 1.58 e-01 6.71 e+01
Negative volume Negative volume
A=10
detected detected

After the solution has been previewed and checked, this can be saved in the Solve panel by specifying
the file name bottom-edge-rot-second-step in the File field and by clicking on the Write button (see
Figure 28).

Consequently, two files will be created in the working directory, which are the bottom-edge-rot-second-
step.sol and bottom-edge-rot-second-step.rbf.
5. Second solution: blade twisting

The second solution (blade twisting), namely the rotation of the top edge of the blade (second case), can
be set up by carrying out slight modifications to the previous one defining the rotation of the bottom edge
of the blade (first case). These modifications deal with both the first and second step solution of the first
case as follows.
Since the rotation axis and angle are the same for both cases, the first step solution of the second case
can be obtained from the corresponding one of the first case, by just switching the motions prescribed for
the two surface sets.
Once the first step solution for the second case has been saved with a different name, the second step
solution of the second case can be obtained by loading the second step solution of the first solution and,
accordingly, updating the name of the first step solution.
The modifications afore-identified are described in the following paragraphs.
5.1 Adjusting the set-up of the first step solution

5.1.1 Preparation
Continue from the previous session, switch to the Config panel, press the Select button, in the Select
File window choose the bottom-edge-rot-first-step.rbf file, press the OK button and then press the Read
button. Press OK in the Warning Panel that appears.
5.1.2 Source points generation

The reverse of the conditions regarding the motion applied to the two surface sets, can be just performed
by properly modifying the y coordinates of the selection encaps.
To do that, enable the Surfs panel, select the set 1, press the Encap button, set 0.12 and 0.16 in the Y
(m) of the Point Min and Point Max subpanel respectively (see Figure 29), and press the Set button to
confirm the set-up.
Figure 29: Set 1 selection box-shaped encap set-up after the modifications
Successively, select the set 2, press the Encap button, set 0.08 and 0.12 in the Y (m) of the Point Min
and Point Max subpanl respectively (see Figure 30), and press the Set button to confirm the set-up.
Figure 30: Set 2 selection box-shaped encap set-up after the modifications
To visualize the source nodes of the shape modifier that has been just created, press in sequence the
Finalize and the DispPts button. What is depicted in Figure 31 should be displayed.
Figure 31: Source nodes of the current shape modifier

Press the Set button to confirm the set-up carried out so far.
All settings for the generation of the first step solution of the second shape modifier are ready.
5.1.3 Generating and previewing the solution

To generate the solution of the first step of the second case, switch to the Solve panel and press, in
sequence, the Source Points and Solution button. Then switch to the Preview panel to verify the
proper achievement of the applied modifications. Select the blade surface in the Preview Surfaces list,
set the Amplification value 10, press the Sync-> button, and finally press the Preview button. What is
depicted in should appear on the Viewport.
Figure 32: Preview of the first step solution of the blade twisting
The maximum displacement is 0.006528, whereas the maximum Face Normalized Equiangular
Skewness is 2.26 E-01.

After the solution has been previewed, this can be saved in the Solve panel by specifying the file name
top-edge-rot-first-step in the File field and by clicking on the Write button (see Figure 17).

Consequently, the top-edge-rot-first-step.sol and top-edge-rot-first-step.rbf files are generated in the

working directory.
5.2 Adjusting the set-up of the second step solution

5.2.1 Preparation
Continue from the previous session, switch to the Config panel, press the Select button, in the Select
File window choose the bottom-edge-rot-second-step.rbf file, press the OK button and then press the
Read button. Press OK in the Warning Panel that appears.
5.2.2 Source point generation

Switch to the Surfs panel, select the surface set 2, press the Set M button. In the Solution field of Set
Motion panel change the file name with top-edge-rot-first-step as shown in Figure 34. Then press the Set
button to confirm the set-up and the OK button to close the panel.
Figure 34: Set Motion panel

Finally, press the Set button to confirm the updated set-up of the second step solution for blade twisting.
5.2.3 Previewing the solution

Once all settings of the solution set-up are completed, switch to the solution panel by selecting Solve in
the Main Sidebar. Change the name in the Solution File with top-edge-rot-second-step as shown in
Figure 35, and press in sequence the Source Points and the Solution button to generate the morphing
shape.

In order to preview in detail the actual effect on the mesh, create an animation. To this purpose, select
the Preview item in the Main Sidebar. Successively, select blade in the Preview Surfaces list, write in
the Sequence field range 0 30 6. The panel should appear as reported in Figure 36.

Then click the Init button and confirm the sequence set-up by clicking on Yes in the Question panel that
appears.
To start the animation click the Play button automatically enabled once the sequence has been executed
and stored. All recorded frames will be visualized in sequence as depicted in Figure 38.
Figure 37: Preview animation sequence of effects of the blade top edge rotation
To save the animation frames, change the Basename field with top-edge-rotation as reported in Figure
38.

Finally click the Save button.
5.2.4 Morph testing

To run the morph testing, enable the Morph item in the Main Sidebar as previously illustrated in Figure
27.
In the Morph panel, enable the Auto Refresh option and then perform morphing with Amplification 0,
5, and 30 properly using the Morph/Undo sequence (to gain the quality of the mesh after morphing see
what described for the first case). In this case, some results in terms of Minimum Orthogonal Quality and
Maximum Aspect Ratio are collected in Table 2.
Table 2: Mesh quality depending on amplification value
Minimum Maximum Aspect
Amplification
Orthogonal Quality Ratio
A=0.0 (baseline mesh) 2.15 e-01 5.75 e+01
A=5 2.13 e-01 5.92 e+01
A=10 2.10 e-01 6.16 e+01

After the solution has been previewed, this can be saved in the Solve by clicking on the Write button.
Consequently, two files will be created in the working directory: top-edge-rot-second-step.sol and top-
edge-rot-second-step.rbf.
6. Combining different solutions to gain blade rotation

Multi-Sol can be used to generate a combination of the achieved solutions. In particular, the rotation of
5° to the entire blade will be imposed using both solutions assigning the same value for the amplitude.
6.1 Preparation
Reset the solution by means of the Reset button in the Config panel. The working directory, apart from
those referring to animations, should now contain 9 files:
 bottom-edge-rot-first-step.rbf;
 bottom-edge-rot-first-step.sol;
 top-edge-rot-first-step.rbf;
 top-edge-rot-first-step.sol;
 bottom-edge-rot-second-step.rbf;
 bottom-edge-rot-second-step.sol;
 top-edge-rot-second-step.rbf;
 top-edge-rot-second-step.sol;
 stator.cas.gz.
6.2 Set-up of a multi-morph case

Activate the multi-solution panel by checking the Multi-Sol option in the Main Sidebar and by selecting
the Multi-Sol as type of execution as depicted in Figure 39.
Figure 39: Multi-sol panel

Then the first two solutions have to be activated by specifying their names and amplification values in the
proper fields. As stated, the desired rotation can be gained enabling both solutions (bottom-edge-rot-
second-step and top-edge-rot-second-step) with the same value of 5 for the corresponding amplification
as depicted in Figure 40.
Figure 40: Multi-solution panel set-up for blade rotation

Finally, press the Set button to confirm the settings.
6.3 Previewing the combination

Press the Preview in the Main Sidebar to be redirected to the Preview panel. Select blade and hub
surfaces in the Preview Surfaces list and click the Preview button.

The combined effect is reported in Figure 42. The maximum displacement is 0.003279 and the maximum
Face Normalized Equiangular Skewness is 6.83 E-01.
Figure 42: Morphing preview of the first multi-solution (5° rotation)

The rotation value can be varied. Figure 43 shows the configuration gained assigning the value of 10 for
both values of the solution in the Multi-Sol panel.
Figure 43: Morphing preview of the second multi-solution (10° rotation)

In this case, the maximum element is displacement is 0.006557, whereas the maximum Face
Normalized Equiangular Skewness is 8.933285e-01.
7. Summary
This tutorial demonstrated the guidelines for setting up and solving a morph study though the two steps
procedure of RBF-Morph. This strategy foresees to generate a solution using as prescribed motion the
solution gained at the end of a previous morphing computing.
Another scope of the tutorial was to show how creating a shape modifier using a selection of the edges
of a computational model surface.
8. References
R 1. Biancolini M. E., Mesh Morphing and Smoothing by Means of Radial Basis Functions
(RBF): A Practical Example Using Fluent and RBF Morph, Handbook of Research on
Computational Science and Engineering: Theory and Practice, 2 vol. pages 347-380,
2012.

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Tutorial 9: Stator

RBF Morph for FLUENT

Figure 1: Surfaces defining the stator tutorial computational model

Figure 2: The first shape modifier of the tutorial

Figure 3: The second shape modifier of the tutorial

4. First solution: blade bottom edge rotation

4.1 First step

Figure 4: Config panel

4.1.2 Source points definition

Figure 5: Surf panel for the surface set 1

The Set Motion Panel should appear as that reported in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Set Motion panel for the rotation axis set-up

Figure 7: Rotation axis position with respect to the blade

Figure 10: Surf panel for the surface set 2

Figure 13: Source nodes of the current shape modifier

4.1.3 Generating the solution

Figure 14: Solve panel

Figure 15: Preview panel

Figure 16: Preview of the morphing action with Amplitude 10

4.1.4 Saving the solution

Figure 17: Solve panel

4.2 Second step

Figure 18: Warning panel

4.2.2 Source points definition and preview

Figure 19: Surfs panel for surface set 1

Figure 20: Surfs panel for surface set 2

Figure 21: Set Motion panel for the surface set 2

4.2.3 Generating the solution

Figure 22: Solve panel

Figure 23: Preview panel

Figure 24: Preview animation sequence

Figure 26: Save Picture panel

4.2.4 Morph testing

Figure 27: Morph panel

4.2.5 Saving the solution

Figure 28: Solve panel

5. Second solution: blade twisting

5.1 Adjusting the set-up of the first step solution

5.1.2 Source points generation

Figure 31: Source nodes of the current shape modifier

5.1.3 Generating and previewing the solution

5.1.4 Saving the solution

Figure 33: Solve panel

Consequently, the top-edge-rot-first-step.sol and top-edge-rot-first-step.rbf files are generated in the

5.2 Adjusting the set-up of the second step solution

5.2.2 Source point generation

Figure 34: Set Motion panel

5.2.3 Previewing the solution

Figure 35: Solve panel

Figure 36: Preview panel

Figure 38: Preview panel

5.2.4 Morph testing

5.2.5 Saving the solution

6. Combining different solutions to gain blade rotation

6.2 Set-up of a multi-morph case

Figure 39: Multi-sol panel

Figure 40: Multi-solution panel set-up for blade rotation

6.3 Previewing the combination

Figure 41: Preview panel