When an OpenFOAM simulation runs in parallel, the data for decomposed fields and
mesh(es) has historically been stored in multiple files within separate
directories for each processor. Processor directories are named 'processorN',
where N is the processor number.
This commit introduces an alternative "collated" file format where the data for
each decomposed field (and mesh) is collated into a single file, which is
written and read on the master processor. The files are stored in a single
directory named 'processors'.
The new format produces significantly fewer files - one per field, instead of N
per field. For large parallel cases, this avoids the restriction on the number
of open files imposed by the operating system limits.
The file writing can be threaded allowing the simulation to continue running
while the data is being written to file. NFS (Network File System) is not
needed when using the the collated format and additionally, there is an option
to run without NFS with the original uncollated approach, known as
"masterUncollated".
The controls for the file handling are in the OptimisationSwitches of
etc/controlDict:
OptimisationSwitches
{
...
//- Parallel IO file handler
// uncollated (default), collated or masterUncollated
fileHandler uncollated;
//- collated: thread buffer size for queued file writes.
// If set to 0 or not sufficient for the file size threading is not used.
// Default: 2e9
maxThreadFileBufferSize 2e9;
//- masterUncollated: non-blocking buffer size.
// If the file exceeds this buffer size scheduled transfer is used.
// Default: 2e9
maxMasterFileBufferSize 2e9;
}
When using the collated file handling, memory is allocated for the data in the
thread. maxThreadFileBufferSize sets the maximum size of memory in bytes that
is allocated. If the data exceeds this size, the write does not use threading.
When using the masterUncollated file handling, non-blocking MPI communication
requires a sufficiently large memory buffer on the master node.
maxMasterFileBufferSize sets the maximum size in bytes of the buffer. If the
data exceeds this size, the system uses scheduled communication.
The installation defaults for the fileHandler choice, maxThreadFileBufferSize
and maxMasterFileBufferSize (set in etc/controlDict) can be over-ridden within
the case controlDict file, like other parameters. Additionally the fileHandler
can be set by:
- the "-fileHandler" command line argument;
- a FOAM_FILEHANDLER environment variable.
A foamFormatConvert utility allows users to convert files between the collated
and uncollated formats, e.g.
mpirun -np 2 foamFormatConvert -parallel -fileHandler uncollated
An example case demonstrating the file handling methods is provided in:
$FOAM_TUTORIALS/IO/fileHandling
The work was undertaken by Mattijs Janssens, in collaboration with Henry Weller.
Temporal variation of Ta is generally more useful than spatial variation but
a run-time switch between the two modes of operation could be implemented in
needed.
These models have been particularly designed for use in the VoF solvers, both
incompressible and compressible. Currently constant and temperature dependent
surface tension models are provided but it easy to write models in which the
surface tension is evaluated from any fields held by the mesh database.
For example in the potentialFreeSurfaceFoam/oscillatingBox tutorial it is
cleaner to apply the "linearRamp" function to the "sine" function rather than
using an amplitude table:
floatingObject
{
type fixedNormalInletOutletVelocity;
fixTangentialInflow false;
normalVelocity
{
type uniformFixedValue;
uniformValue
{
type scale;
value
{
type sine;
frequency 1;
amplitude 0.025;
scale (0 1 0);
level (0 0 0);
}
scale
{
type linearRamp;
duration 10;
}
}
}
value uniform (0 0 0);
}
Description
Ramp function base class for the set of scalar functions starting from 0 and
increasing monotonically to 1 from \c start over the \c duration and
remaining at 1 thereafter.
Usage:
\verbatim
<entryName> <rampFunction>;
<entryName>Coeffs
{
start 10;
duration 20;
}
\endverbatim
or
\verbatim
<entryName>
{
type <rampFunction>;
start 10;
duration 20;
}
\endverbatim
Where:
\table
Property | Description | Required | Default value
start | Start time | no | 0
duration | Duration | yes |
\endtable
The following common ramp functions are provided: linear, quadratic, halfCosine,
quarterCosine and quaterSine, others can easily be added and registered to the run-time
selection system.
e.g.
ramp
{
type quadratic;
start 200;
duration 1.6;
}
but the old format is supported for backward compatibility:
ramp linear;
rampCoeffs
{
start 200;
duration 1.6;
}
e.g. in tutorials/heatTransfer/buoyantSimpleFoam/externalCoupledCavity/0/T
hot
{
type externalCoupledTemperature;
commsDir "${FOAM_CASE}/comms";
file "data";
initByExternal yes;
log true;
value uniform 307.75; // 34.6 degC
}
Previously both 'file' and 'fileName' were used inconsistently in different
classes and given that there is no confusion or ambiguity introduced by using
the simpler 'file' rather than 'fileName' this change simplifies the use and
maintenance of OpenFOAM.
This change requires that the de-reference operator '()' returns a
const-reference to the object stored irrespective of the const-ness of
object stored and the new member function 'ref()' is provided to return
an non-const reference to stored object which throws a fatal error if the
stored object is const.
In order to smooth the transition to this new safer 'tmp' the now
deprecated and unsafe non-const de-reference operator '()' is still
provided by default but may be switched-off with the compilation switch
'CONST_TMP'.
The main OpenFOAM library has already been upgraded and '-DCONST_TMP'
option specified in the 'options' file to switch to the new 'tmp'
behavior. The rest of OpenFOAM-dev will be upgraded over the following
few weeks.
Henry G. Weller
CFD Direct
with optional specification of the mark/space ratio
Templated square-wave function with support for an offset level.
\f[
a square(f (t - t_0)) s + l
\f]
where
\f$ square(t) \f$ is the square-wave function in range \f$ [-1, 1] \f$
with a mark/space ratio of \f$ r \f$
\vartable
symbol | Description | Data type | Default
a | Amplitude | Function1<scalar> |
f | Frequency [1/s] | Function1<scalar> |
s | Type scale factor | Function1<Type> |
l | Type offset level | Function1<Type> |
t_0 | Start time [s] | scalar | 0
r | mark/space ratio | scalar | 1
t | Time [s] | scalar
\endvartable
Example for a scalar:
\verbatim
<entryName> square;
<entryName>Coeffs
{
frequency 10;
amplitude 0.1;
scale 2e-6;
level 2e-6;
}
\endverbatim
Templated sine function with support for an offset level.
\f[
a sin(2 \pi f (t - t_0)) s + l
\f]
where
\vartable
symbol | Description | Data type
a | Amplitude | Function1<scalar>
f | Frequency [1/s] | Function1<scalar>
s | Type scale factor | Function1<Type>
l | Type offset level | Function1<Type>
t_0 | Start time [s] | scalar
t | Time [s] | scalar
\endvartable
Function1 is an abstract base-class of run-time selectable unary
functions which may be composed of other Function1's allowing the user
to specify complex functions of a single scalar variable, e.g. time.
The implementations need not be a simple or continuous functions;
interpolated tables and polynomials are also supported. In fact form of
mapping between a single scalar input and a single primitive type output
is supportable.
The primary application of Function1 is in time-varying boundary
conditions, it also used for other functions of time, e.g. injected mass
is spray simulations but is not limited to functions of time.
