CFD fluid flow issues

[drunkmunky]

I'm trying to prescribe an air fluid to pass over several masses.

My model has 4 tetrahedron masses with a concrete material.

I am using analysis type : steady coupled fluid flow and thermal

The issue is that I don't want to prescribe thermal conditions, but, when using "fluid flow", it does not allow me to prescribe a material to these 4 masses.

When using steady coupled fluid flow and thermal, i don't know how to prescribe the proper thermal conditions, with the analysis resulting in ERROR with the temperature valves.

I need help and there doesn't seem to be a tutorial available for this.

Thanks

- Billy

[drunkmunky]

Providing more information:

I have A fluid generation mass around the 4 masses identified as air.

With this air mass I have a fan surface with External Intake and a fixed flow rate @ 0.325 m3/s

I've prescribed the opposing end of the mass as an inlet/outlet

I've generated my mesh, and checked the mesh.

SO i'm kind of lost as to what i'm missing for the thermal component.

[drunkmunky]

my error message is:

Thermal Conductivity must be > 1.0e-09

Conductivity of air and my materials were default when I prescribed my materials.

[John_Holtz]

Billy,

Please check the material properties. Not all materials in the Algor library have all of the material properties that may be necessary.

For the thermal conditions, you need to apply the conditions that exist in reality -- except for the convection from the solids to the air. For example, are one or more of the parts generating heat? If so, select the parts and apply an internal heat generation. Is the sun shining on the components and therefore adding heat? If so, select the surface and add a heat flux. Normally, the air inlet temperature is known, so add an Applied Temperature to the inlet face.

Also, the following page in the documentation ("Help > Contents") is an example for transient coupled fluid and thermal which is similar enough to be used for the steady state.

Autodesk Algor Simulation > Examples > Introduction > Multiphysics > Transient Coupled Analysis of Jacketed Pipe

[drunkmunky]

I was unable to Load > Archive > Retrieve  the Jacketted Pipe file so I followed the tutorial.

I was notified: "The license key required to use the control was not found or is invalid"

My current license key is a time limited student account.

This resulted in "Unable to complete archive retrieval, the archive was extracted but no files were found open.

After following the tutorial side and taking note as to your comments, here are some changes I've done.

On the top surface of the four masses I have added a heat flux of 157.7

I have also added a consistent part/mass temperature @ 30 C

On the External Intake Fan Surface, I have an applied inlet temperature of 20 C

I've changed the materal of the mass to Glass from Concrete, giving it a Thermal Conductivity Value

I've also prescribed Fluid and Thermal parameters as addressed by the tutorial.

When attempting a new analysis, I received the following error:

ERROR: Failed in invoking the process:  C:\Program~1 etc etc.

Please advise.

- Billy

[drunkmunky]

I looked back in the forum and noticed another member with the same issue as I do and a response. but to be honest. I don't understand the answer that was given.

I have since address the temperature of the air for the Media Part, applying a temperature to the air.

I have no luck opening the archive as well as operating this simulation exemplar.

[John_Holtz]

Billy,

You may have a couple of different, unrelated problems.

For the Archive utility,

1. Use Windows Explorer to view the folder where Algor was installed. (Normally something like "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Algor Simulation 2011")
2. Locate the file "regall.bat".
3. For Windows XP, simply double-click on the file. For Vista and Windows 7, right-click on the file and choose "Run as administrator".
4. regall.bat will show a black command window while it runs.
5. After the command window disappears, start Algor and try to "File > Archive > Retrieve".
6. If the above does not work, change the extension of the archive from .ACH to .ZIP and use your normal program to unzip compressed files.

I am not clear if the error message from post 5, "ERROR: Failed in invoking the process", occurred while running your analysis using the "Steady Coupled Fluid Flow and Thermal", or if you are using "Transient Coupled Fluid Flow and Thermal" and the tutorial. If performing a "Transient Coupled" analysis, be sure that you have MPICH installed as described on this page in the Help documentation: "Autodesk Algor Simulation > Installation Guide > Windows Installation > MPICH on Windows".

If you are still having problems after following the above steps, it would be nice to get an archive of the "real" model. If the archive utility now works, you can use "File > Archive > Create" and choose the option for "Model Only". If the archive utility still is not working, then use Windows Explorer to view the folder containing the model. Zip the file "mymodelname.fem" and the folder "mymodelname.ds_data". You can then attached the file to the forum.

P.S. I looked at the previous thread that had the same error message. His error occurred in one of his earlier posts. They got around the problem somehow and encountered a different error message, and the reply was related to their different error message.

[drunkmunky]

I have successfully reactivated the archive ability for algor.

I have been running "Steady Coupled Fluid Flow and Thermal"

Why is it that I would need MPICH installed to run Algor?

The parameters and programs needed for MPICH require me to purchase other software...

They also go into coding and C++ references from which I have no experience.

[drunkmunky]

please see the attached model file.

[drunkmunky]

help please

Thanks

- Billy

[drunkmunky]

I was hoping to get some assistance to learn and work through the problems I've encountered with this program.

I've provided all of the information that I can.

When can you autodesk guru's get back to me with a response? I'd like to progress beyond this point.

Thank you for your time.

- Billy

[Joey.X]

"Steady Coupled Fluid Flow and Thermal" does not need MPICH installed, but "Transient Coupled Fluid Flow and Thermal" does.

Please refer to ALGOR's document MPICH installation details.

BTW, No C++ programming needed for MPICH installatiion.

Thanks,

jianhui

Jianhui Xie , Ph.D
Sr. Software Engineer
Autodesk, Inc.
150 Beta Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15238

[drunkmunky]

I continue to wait for assistance in this matter?

Is there no technician that can help me surpass this issue?

[John_Holtz]

DM,

The model that you attached is not a complete model, so it does not contain the information that we need. But here's another thing you can do to make the archive as small as possible.

1. Open the model that has the problem.
2. Save it to a different name.
3. Delete all design scenarios except for the one of interest.
4. Exit from the software.
5. Using Windows Explorer (My Computer, Computer, depending on operating system), browse to the location of the model.
6. Browse into the folder "filename.ds_data\#".
7. Delete everything except for the ds.mod folder and the file "ds.asd".
8. Browse into the ds.mod folder.
9. Delete everything except for the files "model.cdx", "model.dbf", and "model.ftp".
10. Start the software again.
11. Open the model.
12. Create the archive "File > Archive > Create". Hopefully the resulting .ach file will be small enough to post.

Then, please take some screen captures (Alt+Print Screen) and paste them into a Word doc. The screen captures should show the browser/tree and the analysis type being performed, and any messages that appear when you try to run the analysis. As indicated, the Steady Coupled analysis does not require MPICH, so if you are still getting message related to that, the messages are unrelated to the analysis. (Does that make sense?).

Also, right-click on the "My Computer" or "Computer" icon and choose properties. Create a screen capture of the tab or dialog that gives the computer specs (which version of windows, amount of memory, etc.)

Then go to the Windows "Start" button and enter this command in the Search or Run field (again, it depends on the version of windows). The first command opens a command/dos window, and the second command puts all of your environment variables into a text file "SETTINGS.TXT" located in the root folder of the C: drive.

CMD

SET > C:\SETTINGS.TXT

Attach the archive, Word document with the screen captures, and text file with environment settings. Maybe someone on the list will be able to make sense of your problem.

FInally, if you have an active subscription, then you can contact the technical support directly. See "Help > Contents > Autodesk Algor Simulation > Getting Started > Using Autodesk Algor Simulation > How To Get Help" if you are not familiar with the support channel. (Most of the people replying here are just bored members of the Autodesk extended family looking to kill some time. Right. 😉