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[brayden.york]

Hi All,

Im setting up a flow simulation for Fluent. Im doing the geometry creation in SpaceClaim and the meshing in Meshing Mechanical. I have several thin solid bodies (sheet metal) that I would like to represent as 2D surfaces. Some of the surfaces are completey encapsulated by the 3D fluid bodies. When I load the geometry into meshing with topology shared, the surfaces do not import. When topology is not shared, I can not get a conformed mesh bwteween the body and the surface. I have set up a simplified case to illustrate my issues (since I can't share my actual model).

What is the recommened way to set up this case? Should the surface and the body remain unshared with mesh controls to force conforming, or should they be combined somehow in SpaceClaim prior to importing to meshing?

Any recommendations is greatly appreciated, and please let me know if any further information is needed!

Example geometry:

 

Non-Conformal Mesh (Shared topology set to "Shared" in SC) - Solid and surface both show as individual parts in meshing.

 

Conformal mesh (Shared topology set to "Merge" in SC) only a single body imported to meshing. Not useful since real case has several bodies that I do not want merged.

[Keyur Kanade]

You need to use share topology in SpaceClaim. 

Please create a Named Selection in SpaceClaim. That will come in Meshing. Once meshing is completed, you will be able to see that surface mesh. You can also see that surface mesh in Fluent after reading it in Fluent. 

Please go through help manual for more details 

Please go through help manual for more details 
Regards,
Keyur
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[brayden.york]

I have been using the SpaceClaim to attempt to share the topology in the previous message, using the geometry property to share/merge dropdown. SpaceClaim is unable to share the topology. There are no coincident faces since the surface is completely enveloped in the solid body. I have created named selections, which do persist in meshing and fluent, however this does not affect the conformity of the mesh.

Is there an option to share topology without coincident faces?

Is there an alternate way to define the connection/contact in meshing?

[Keyur Kanade]

Does Fluent create wall and wall shadow for that particular Named Selection?

[brayden.york]

Hi Keyur,

No, when imported to fluent only the 3D body appears. All zones/boundaries are "fluid_body", none are "surface_wall". Showing zones/boundaries individually confirms the surface was not imported.

[Keyur Kanade]

In SpaceClaim, you will need to use Workbench -> Share option for Share Topology. Please use this and check. 

[brayden.york]

Hey Keyur,

I'm afraid I've tried that, I illustrated it in my first two messages as well. 

[Keyur Kanade]

See below. Use these options. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brayden.york]

I've discovered a few things using your method:

1: This will only work with a planar 2D surface, not the curved surface I had used previously. Share topology does not recognize the curves surface.

2: After setting the Share Topology option to "None", and then sharing the baffle topology using Workbench -> Share Topology option as you did, the Share topology dropdown changes to "Merge". This may work in this instance, but with a larger multibody part it will not as the bodies need to remain seperate.

[Keyur Kanade]

No problem with curved surface. 

[Keyur Kanade]

I have tested with curved surface. It is successful.

[brayden.york]

Sorry to reopen this. I was able to get the surface that you showed here. I now have an issue with a similar geometry:
When the edge of the surface intersects and is coincident wih the outer face of the body, the share topology option only highlights the intersecting edge, rather than the entire baffle. Is there a workaround for this to have the baffle shared?

[Keyur Kanade]

That is correct. It will highlight only edge. It is ok It will create mesh for that baffle.