03 Meshing Methods
03 Meshing Methods
03 Meshing Methods
Meshing Methods
DSTO Training
Why Multiple Methods? High aspect ratio cells Cells refined around
(Inflation) near wall to small geometric
• Choice can depend on; capture boundary layer details and complex
– Physics gradients flow
– Geometry
– Resources
• Mesh could require just one or a
combination of methods.
• Example – Typical mesh design
based on geometric, physics and
resource considerations.
Method Behavior
• Generates tetrahedral elements - two algorithms are
available:
• Patch Conforming
• Patch Independent
Access
• Insert Method and set to Tetrahedrons
– Additional drop down box for algorithm choice
appears - Set to Patch Conforming
Patch Conforming
• Sizing
– Mesh sizing for the Patch Conforming algorithm
is defined by Global & Local Controls
– Automatic refinement based on curvature
and/or proximity accessible in Global Controls
• Details of Global & Local Controls covered in
separate lectures
– Choice of surface mesher algorithm in global
controls
Proximity
Curvature
Patch Independent
• Sizing
– Sizing for the Patch Independent algorithm
defined in Patch Independent Details
– Automatic curvature & proximity refinement
option
Patch Independent
• Defeaturing Control
– Set Mesh Based Defeaturing On
– Set Defeaturing Tolerance
– Assign Named Selections to
selectively preserve geometry
Transition
• Effect of Smooth Transition
• Smooth transition uses advanced
front meshing technique
Methods Available
• Sweep
• MultiZone Sweep Mesh
Rotational Sweeping
• Sweep meshes can also be
created by sweeping a Source
around an axis Target Source
Face Face
• Example: Src/Trg Selection -
Rotational sweep for sector
geometry
– Rotational sweeping requires
both Source & Target to be
selected
Sweep
Path
• For both rotational and axial Manual Source &
sweeping Source & Target faces Target Selection
are color coded when selected
Sweep Mesh: Wedge
and Hex elements
Example 2
T Junction Geometry
Unsweepable
Decomposed in
CAD/DM
Sweepable!
Example 1
• Single body automatically decomposed into three blocks
• Src/Trg Selection – Automatic
• Results in all hex mesh
• Equivalent to manually decomposing by slicing off upper
and lower cylinders to produce three bodies and
applying sweep methods
Example 2
• Blend on central body, Multizone no longer able to
create structured block
– Filled according to Free Mesh setting
• Tetra, Hexa Core, Hexa Dominant
• Can specify type of surface mesh using Mapped
Mesh Type (Hexa, Hexa/Prism, Prism)
Multizone Multizone
Quad/Tri Quad
Local meshing
• Mesh or clear meshes on individual bodies
• Subsequent bodies will use the attached face
mesh
• The meshing results (cell types) will depend on
the meshing order
• Adjust/add controls – able to remesh only
affected body
• Select body(s) right click for context menu
Meshing first the pipe then the block Meshing first the block then the pipe
Behavior
• Meshes an entire model as single
process
– Mesh Methods covered so far are
part or body based methods
– Not compatible with part/body
methods
• Two Algorithms available
– CutCell & Tetrahedrons
Access
• Assembly Meshing is accessible only
when Physics and Solver Preferences
are set to CFD and Fluent respectively
• To activate, replace None by Cutcell
or Tetrahedrons
Note that some global and local controls are CutCell Assembly Mesh
not available for Assembly Meshing (eg.
Match Control)
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. 9/14/23 39 Release 14.5
Assembly Meshing - CutCell
CutCell Behavior
• Cartesian meshing method designed
for the ANSYS FLUENT solver
• Generates a majority of hex cells
– Some wedges, tets and pyramids at
boundaries to capture geometry
– During transfer to Fluent hexa cells
at size transition are converted into
Polyhedra
• Supports Inflation
– Post-inflation (TGrid algorithm)
• Inflation on zero thickness baffles
not supported
• Thick inflation layers may fail
– Cutcell mesh generated first,
inflation generated second (Post)
• ANSYS Meshing Gives the Warning: “The tolerance of the geometry is larger
than the applied tessellation refinement tolerance. This might lead to an
uneven mesh and/or to poor geometric accuracy of the mesh.”
• Background: For assembly meshing a tessellated version of the geometry is
generated and passed to TGrid libraries where the mesh is generated. This
is very much like an STL representation.
• Meaning of warning: In certain models, some CAD curves may not
accurately follow the topologically connected surface(s). The warning above
happens when the tolerance describing the mismatch between curves and
surfaces is greater than the refinement tolerance. This mismatch can lead to
holes being created in the faceting.
• A post-tessellation refinement “hole-fixing algorithm” subsequently tries to
patch any holes created with an algorithm but hole closing itself can lead to
poor representation of the geometry. Hole closing can also fail, leading to
leakage in the Assembly Meshing algorithms (cutcell and tetrahedra) inside
ANSYS Meshing.
• Example given on next slide.