Various minor changes to tutorial scripts. In particular, ensuring that
they all change to the containing directory so that batches of tutorials
can be run easily from the root of the installation.
A new nonConformalMappedWall patch type has been added which can couple
between different regions of a multi-region simulation. This patch type
uses the same intersection algorithm as the nonConformalCyclic patch,
which is used for coupling sections of a mesh within the same region.
The nonConformalMappedWall provides some advantages over the existing
mappedWall patches:
- The connection it creates is not interpolative. It creates a pair of
coupled finite-volume faces wherever two opposing faces overlap.
There is therefore no interpolation error associated with mapping
values across the coupling.
- Faces (or parts of faces) which do not overlap are not normalised
away by an interpolation or averaging process. Instead, they are
assigned an alternative boundary condition; e.g., an external
constraint, or even another non-conformal cyclic or mapped wall.
This makes the system able to construct partially-overlapping
couplings.
- The direct non-interpolative transfer of values between the patches
makes the method equivalent to a conformal coupling. Properties of
the solution algorithm, such as conservation and boundedness, are
retained regardless of the non-conformance of the boundary meshes.
- All constructed finite volume faces have accurate centre points.
This makes the method second order accurate in space.
Usage:
Non-conformal mapped wall couplings are constructed as the last stage of
a multi-region meshing process. First, a multi-region mesh is
constructed in one of the usual ways, but with the boundaries specified
as standard non-coupled walls instead of a special mapped type. Then,
createNonConformalCouples is called to construct non-conformal mapped
patches that couple overlapping parts of these non-coupled walls. This
process is very similar to the construction of non-conformal cyclics.
createNonConformalCouples requires a
system/createNonConformalCouplesDict in order to construct non-conformal
mapped walls. Each coupling is specified in its own sub-dictionary, and
a "regions" entry is used to specify the pair of regions that the
non-conformal mapped wall will couple. Non-conformal cyclics can also be
created using the same dictionary, and will be assumed if the two
specified regions are the same, or if a single "region" entry is
specified. For example:
// Do not modify the fields
fields no;
// List of non-conformal couplings
nonConformalCouples
{
// Non-conformal cyclic interface. Only one region is specified.
fluidFluid
{
region fluid;
originalPatches (nonCoupleRotating nonCoupleStationary);
}
// Non-conformal mapped wall interface. Two different regions
// have been specified.
fluidSolid
{
regions (fluid solid);
originalPatches (nonCoupleRotating nonCoupleStationary);
}
}
After this step, a case should execute with foamMultiRun and decompose
and reconstruct and post-process normally.
One additional restriction for parallelised workflows is that
decomposition and reconstruction must be done with the -allRegions
option, so that the both sides of the coupling are available to the
decomposition/reconstruction algorithm.
Tutorials:
Two tutorials have been added to demonstrate use of this new
functionality:
- The multiRegion/CHT/misalignedDuct case provides a simple visual
confirmation that the patches are working (the exposed corners of
the solid will be hot if the non-conformal mapped walls are active),
and it demonstrates createNonConformalCouples's ability to add
boundary conditions to existing fields.
- The multiRegion/CHT/notchedRoller case demonstrates use of
non-conformal mapped walls with a moving mesh, and also provides an
example of parallelised usage.
Notes for Developers:
A coupled boundary condition now uses a new class,
mappedFvPatchBaseBase, in order to perform a transfer of values to or
from the neighbouring patch. For example:
// Cast the patch type to it's underlying mapping engine
const mappedFvPatchBaseBase& mapper =
mappedFvPatchBaseBase::getMap(patch());
// Lookup a field on the neighbouring patch
const fvPatchScalarField& nbrTn =
mapper.nbrFvPatch().lookupPatchField<volScalarField, scalar>("T");
// Map the values to this patch
const scalarField Tn(mapper.fromNeighbour(nbrTn));
For this to work, the fvPatch should be of an appropriate mapped type
which derives from mappedFvPatchBaseBase. This mappedFvPatchBaseBase
class provides an interface to to both conformal/interpolative and
non-conformal mapping procedures. This means that a coupled boundary
condition implemented in the manner above will work with either
conformal/interpolative or non-conformal mapped patch types.
Previously, coupled boundary conditions would access a mappedPatchBase
base class of the associated polyPatch, and use that to transfer values
between the patches. This direct dependence on the polyPatch's mapping
engine meant that only conformal/interpolative fvPatch fields that
corresponded to the polyPatch's geometry could be mapped.
