The majority of input parameters now support automatic unit conversion.
Units are specified within square brackets, either before or after the
value. Primitive parameters (e.g., scalars, vectors, tensors, ...),
dimensioned types, fields, Function1-s and Function2-s all support unit
conversion in this way.
Unit conversion occurs on input only. OpenFOAM writes out all fields and
parameters in standard units. It is recommended to use '.orig' files in
the 0 directory to preserve user-readable input if those files are being
modified by pre-processing applications (e.g., setFields).
For example, to specify a volumetric flow rate inlet boundary in litres
per second [l/s], rather than metres-cubed per second [m^3/s], in 0/U:
boundaryField
{
inlet
{
type flowRateInletVelocity;
volumetricFlowRate 0.1 [l/s];
value $internalField;
}
...
}
Or, to specify the pressure field in bar, in 0/p:
internalField uniform 1 [bar];
Or, to convert the parameters of an Arrhenius reaction rate from a
cm-mol-kcal unit system, in constant/chemistryProperties:
reactions
{
methaneReaction
{
type irreversibleArrhenius;
reaction "CH4^0.2 + 2O2^1.3 = CO2 + 2H2O";
A 6.7e12 [(mol/cm^3)^-0.5/s];
beta 0;
Ea 48.4 [kcal/mol];
}
}
Or, to define a time-varying outlet pressure using a CSV file in which
the pressure column is in mega-pascals [MPa], in 0/p:
boundaryField
{
outlet
{
type uniformFixedValue;
value
{
type table;
format csv;
nHeaderLine 1;
units ([s] [MPa]); // <-- new units entry
columns (0 1);
mergeSeparators no;
file "data/pressure.csv";
outOfBounds clamp;
interpolationScheme linear;
}
}
...
}
(Note also that a new 'columns' entry replaces the old 'refColumn' and
'componentColumns'. This is is considered to be more intuitive, and has
a consistent syntax with the new 'units' entry. 'columns' and
'componentColumns' have been retained for backwards compatibility and
will continue to work for the time being.)
Unit definitions can be added in the global or case controlDict files.
See UnitConversions in $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/controlDict for examples.
Currently available units include:
Standard: kg m s K kmol A Cd
Derived: Hz N Pa J W g um mm cm km l ml us ms min hr mol
rpm bar atm kPa MPa cal kcal cSt cP % rad rot deg
A user-time unit is also provided if user-time is in operation. This
allows it to be specified locally whether a parameter relates to
real-time or to user-time. For example, to define a mass source that
ramps up from a given engine-time (in crank-angle-degrees [CAD]) over a
duration in real-time, in constant/fvModels:
massSource1
{
type massSource;
points ((1 2 3));
massFlowRate
{
type scale;
scale linearRamp;
start 20 [CAD];
duration 50 [ms];
value 0.1 [g/s];
}
}
Specified units will be checked against the parameter's dimensions where
possible, and an error generated if they are not consistent. For the
dimensions to be available for this check, the code requires
modification, and work propagating this change across OpenFOAM is
ongoing. Unit conversions are still possible without these changes, but
the validity of such conversions will not be checked.
Units are no longer permitted in 'dimensions' entries in field files.
These 'dimensions' entries can now, instead, take the names of
dimensions. The names of the available dimensions are:
Standard: mass length time temperature
moles current luminousIntensity
Derived: area volume rate velocity momentum acceleration density
force energy power pressure kinematicPressure
compressibility gasConstant specificHeatCapacity
kinematicViscosity dynamicViscosity thermalConductivity
volumetricFlux massFlux
So, for example, a 0/epsilon file might specify the dimensions as
follows:
dimensions [energy/mass/time];
And a 0/alphat file might have:
dimensions [thermalConductivity/specificHeatCapacity];
*** Development Notes ***
A unit conversion can construct trivially from a dimension set,
resulting in a "standard" unit with a conversion factor of one. This
means the functions which perform unit conversion on read can be
provided dimension sets or unit conversion objects interchangeably.
A basic `dict.lookup<vector>("Umean")` call will do unit conversion, but
it does not know the parameter's dimensions, so it cannot check the
validity of the supplied units. A corresponding lookup function has been
added in which the dimensions or units can be provided; in this case the
corresponding call would be `dict.lookup<vector>("Umean", dimVelocity)`.
This function enables additional checking and should be used wherever
possible.
Function1-s and Function2-s have had their constructors and selectors
changed so that dimensions/units must be specified by calling code. In
the case of Function1, two unit arguments must be given; one for the
x-axis and one for the value-axis. For Function2-s, three must be
provided.
In some cases, it is desirable (or at least established practice), that
a given non-standard unit be used in the absence of specific
user-defined units. Commonly this includes reading angles in degrees
(rather than radians) and reading times in user-time (rather than
real-time). The primitive lookup functions and Function1 and Function2
selectors both support specifying a non-standard default unit. For
example, `theta_ = dict.lookup<scalar>("theta", unitDegrees)` will read
an angle in degrees by default. If this is done within a model which
also supports writing then the write call must be modified accordingly
so that the data is also written out in degrees. Overloads of writeEntry
have been created for this purpose. In this case, the angle theta should
be written out with `writeEntry(os, "theta", unitDegrees, theta_)`.
Function1-s and Function2-s behave similarly, but with greater numbers
of dimensions/units arguments as before.
The non-standard user-time unit can be accessed by a `userUnits()`
method that has been added to Time. Use of this user-time unit in the
construction of Function1-s should prevent the need for explicit
user-time conversion in boundary conditions and sub-models and similar.
Some models might contain non-typed stream-based lookups of the form
`dict.lookup("p0") >> p0_` (e.g., in a re-read method), or
`Umean_(dict.lookup("Umean"))` (e.g., in an initialiser list). These
calls cannot facilitate unit conversion and are therefore discouraged.
They should be replaced with
`p0_ = dict.lookup<scalar>("p0", dimPressure)` and
`Umean_(dict.lookup<vector>("Umean", dimVelocity))` and similar whenever
they are found.
The syntax of this model has changed to permit transfers of species in
either direction. A list of transferring species is now given for each
phase, rather than identifying a single reacting phase. For example:
phaseTransfer
(
vapour_particles
{
type reactionDriven;
// TiO2 and TiO2_s are created by reactions in the vapour
// and are then transferred to the particles
species.vapour (TiO2 TiO2_s);
// H2O is created by reactions in the particles and is then
// transferred to the vapour
species.particles (H2O);
}
);
When an fvModel source introduces fluid into a simulation it should also
create a corresponding source term for all properties transported into
the domain by that injection. The source is, effectively, an alternative
form of inlet boundary, on which all transported properties need an
inlet value specified.
These values are now specified in the property field files. The
following is an example of a 0/U file in which the velocity of fluid
introduced by a fvModel source called "injection1" is set to a fixed
value of (-1 0 0):
dimensions [0 1 -1 0 0 0 0];
internalField uniform (0 0 0);
boundaryField
{
#includeEtc "caseDicts/setConstraintTypes"
wall
{
type noSlip;
}
atmosphere
{
type pressureInletOutletVelocity;
value $internalField;
}
}
// *** NEW ***
sources
{
injection1
{
type uniformFixedValue;
uniformValue (-1 0 0);
}
}
And the following entry in the 0/k file specifies the turbulent kinetic
energy introduced as a fraction of the mean flow kinetic energy:
sources
{
injection1
{
type turbulentIntensityKineticEnergy;
intensity 0.05;
}
}
The specification is directly analogous to boundary conditions. The
conditions are run-time selectable and can be concisely implemented.
They can access each other and be inter-dependent (e.g., the above,
where turbulent kinetic energy depends on velocity). The syntax keeps
field data localised and makes the source model (e.g., massSource,
volumeSource, ...) specification independent from what other models and
fields are present in the simulation. The 'fieldValues' entry previously
required by source models is now no longer required.
If source values need specifying and no source condition has been
supplied in the relevant field file then an error will be generated.
This error is similar to that generated for missing boundary conditions.
This replaces the behaviour where sources such as these would introduce
a value of zero, either silently or with a warning. This is now
considered unacceptable. Zero might be a tolerable default for certain
fields (U, k), but is wholly inappropriate for others (T, epsilon, rho).
This change additionally makes it possible to inject fluid into a
multicomponent solver with a specified temperature. Previously, it was
not possible to do this as there was no means of evaluating the energy
of fluid with the injected composition.
for thermophysical transport within stationary solid phases. This provides a
consistent interface to heat transport within solids for single and now
multiphase solvers so that for example the wallHeatFlux functionObject can now
be used with multiphaseEuler, see tutorials/multiphaseEuler/boilingBed.
Also this development supports anisotropic thermal conductivity within the
stationary solid regions which was not possible previously.
The tutorials/multiphaseEuler/bed and tutorials/multiphaseEuler/boilingBed
tutorial cases have been updated for phaseSolidThermophysicalTransportModel by
changing the thermo type in physicalProperties.solid to heSolidThermo. This
change will need to be made to all multiphaseEuler cases involving stationary
phases.
This tutorial serves as an example of a boiling transfer between two
phases, which occurs on the surface of a third stationary phase. See
commit 32edc48d for details of this modelling and its specification.
Patch contributed by Juho Peltola, VTT.
This change makes multiphaseEuler more consistent with other modules and
makes its sub-libraries less inter-dependent. Some left-over references
to multiphaseEulerFoam have also been removed.
Population balance size-group fraction 'f<index>.<phase>' fields are now
read from an 'fDefault.<phase>' field if they are not provided
explicitly. This is the same process as is applied to species fractions
or fvDOM rays. The sum-of-fs field 'f.<phase>' is no longer required.
The value of a fraction field and its boundary conditions must now be
specified in the corresponding field file. Value entries are no longer
given in the size group dictionaries in the constant/phaseProperties
file, and an error message will be generated if a value entry is found.
The fraction fields are now numbered programatically, rather than being
named. So, the size-group dictionaries do not require a name any more.
All of the above is also true for any 'kappa<index>.<phase>' fields that
are constructed and solved for as part of a fractal shape model.
The following is an example of a specification of a population balance
with two phases in it:
populationBalances (bubbles);
air1
{
type pureIsothermalPhaseModel;
diameterModel velocityGroup;
velocityGroupCoeffs
{
populationBalance bubbles;
shapeModel spherical;
sizeGroups
(
{ dSph 1e-3; } // Size-group #0: Fraction field f0.air1
{ dSph 2e-3; } // ...
{ dSph 3e-3; }
{ dSph 4e-3; }
{ dSph 5e-3; }
);
}
residualAlpha 1e-6;
}
air2
{
type pureIsothermalPhaseModel;
diameterModel velocityGroup;
velocityGroupCoeffs
{
populationBalance bubbles;
shapeModel spherical;
sizeGroups
(
{ dSph 6e-3; } // Size-group #5: Fraction field f5.air2
{ dSph 7e-3; } // ...
{ dSph 8e-3; }
{ dSph 9e-3; }
{ dSph 10e-3; }
{ dSph 11e-3; }
{ dSph 12e-3; }
);
}
residualAlpha 1e-6;
}
Previously a fraction field was constructed automatically using the
boundary condition types from the sum-of-fs field, and the value of both
the internal and boundary field was then overridden by the value setting
provided for the size-group. This procedure doesn't generalise to
boundary conditions other than basic types that store no additional
data, like zeroGradient and fixedValue. More complex boundary conditions
such as inletOutlet and uniformFixedValue are incompatible with this
approach.
This is arguably less convenient than the previous specification, where
the sizes and fractions appeared together in a table-like list in the
sizeGroups entry. In the event that a substantial proportion of the
size-groups have a non-zero initial fraction, writing out all the field
files manually is extremely tedious. To mitigate this somewhat, a
packaged function has been added to initialise the fields given a file
containing a size distribution (see the pipeBend tutorial for an example
of its usage). This function has the same limitations as the previous
code in that it requires all boundary conditions to be default
constructable.
Ultimately, the "correct" fix for the issue of how to set the boundary
conditions conveniently is to create customised inlet-outlet boundary
conditions that determine their field's position within the population
balance and evaluate a distribution to determine the appropriate inlet
value. This work is pending funding.
The momentum equation central coefficient and drag matrix is formulated,
inverted and used to eliminate the drag terms from each of the phase momentum
equations which are combined for formulate a drag-implicit pressure equation.
This eliminates the lagged drag terms from the previous formulation which
significantly improves convergence for small particle and Euler-VoF high-drag
cases.
It would also be possible to refactor the virtual-mass terms and include the
central coefficients of the phase acceleration terms in the drag matrix before
inversion to further improve the implicitness of the phase momentum-pressure
coupling for bubbly flows. This work is pending funding.
for the multiphaseEuler solver module, replacing the more specific
uniformFixedMultiphaseHeatFluxFvPatchScalarField as it provide equivalent
functionality if the heat-flux q is specified.
multiphaseExternalTemperatureFvPatchScalarField is derived from the refactored
and generalised externalTemperatureFvPatchScalarField, overriding the
getKappa member function to provide the multiphase equivalents of kappa and
other heat transfer properties. All controls for
multiphaseExternalTemperatureFvPatchScalarField are the same as for
externalTemperatureFvPatchScalarField:
Class
Foam::externalTemperatureFvPatchScalarField
Description
This boundary condition applies a heat flux condition to temperature
on an external wall. Heat flux can be specified in the following ways:
- Fixed power: requires \c Q
- Fixed heat flux: requires \c q
- Fixed heat transfer coefficient: requires \c h and \c Ta
where:
\vartable
Q | Power Function1 of time [W]
q | Heat flux Function1 of time [W/m^2]
h | Heat transfer coefficient Function1 of time [W/m^2/K]
Ta | Ambient temperature Function1 of time [K]
\endvartable
Only one of \c Q or \c q may be specified, if \c h and \c Ta are also
specified the corresponding heat-flux is added.
If the heat transfer coefficient \c h is specified an optional thin thermal
layer resistances can also be specified through thicknessLayers and
kappaLayers entries.
The patch thermal conductivity \c kappa is obtained from the region
thermophysicalTransportModel so that this boundary condition can be applied
directly to either fluid or solid regions.
Usage
\table
Property | Description | Required | Default value
Q | Power [W] | no |
q | Heat flux [W/m^2] | no |
h | Heat transfer coefficient [W/m^2/K] | no |
Ta | Ambient temperature [K] | if h is given |
thicknessLayers | Layer thicknesses [m] | no |
kappaLayers | Layer thermal conductivities [W/m/K] | no |
relaxation | Relaxation for the wall temperature | no | 1
emissivity | Surface emissivity for radiative flux to ambient | no | 0
qr | Name of the radiative field | no | none
qrRelaxation | Relaxation factor for radiative field | no | 1
\endtable
Example of the boundary condition specification:
\verbatim
<patchName>
{
type externalTemperature;
Ta constant 300.0;
h uniform 10.0;
thicknessLayers (0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4);
kappaLayers (1 2 3 4);
value $internalField;
}
\endverbatim
See also
Foam::mixedFvPatchScalarField
Foam::Function1
This provides a smooth solution but it is not clear if this is more accurate
than running the cellMomentum p-U algorithm which generates complex transients
in the solution.
Simplifications have been made where possible, as permitted by the new
$<type>var syntax. Duplication has been reduced in similar blockMesh
files (e.g., sloshingTank cases). Settings that cannot practically be
changed have been hard-coded (e.g., angle in the mixerVessel2D
blockMeshDict). The rotor2D blockMeshDict has been centralised and
extended to work with an arbitrary number of rotor blades.
If the libs entry is not provided and the name of the library containing the
functionObject, fvModel or fvConstraint corresponds to the type specified the
corresponding library is automatically loaded, e.g. to apply the
VoFTurbulenceDamping fvModel to an incompressibleVoF simulation the following
will load the libVoFTurbulenceDamping.so library automatically and instantiate
the fvModel:
turbulenceDamping
{
type VoFTurbulenceDamping;
delta 1e-4;
}
