Learning Forum

[jimbo]

Dear Fluent and TFSI experts,

I am currently working on a thermal-fluid-structure interaction (TFSI) simulation and would like to clarify several questions regarding the setup process. I would greatly appreciate any guidance or suggestions from experienced users:

1. Domain Suppression:
   In a TFSI setup, is it necessary to suppress the fluid domain in the structural environment and likewise suppress the structural domain in the fluid environment? Or is there a recommended best practice?

2. Shared Topology and Mesh Interfaces:
   If shared topology is used in SpaceClaim or DesignModeler to ensure conformal contact between fluid and solid regions, is it still necessary to define a mesh interface manually in Fluent?

3. Boolean Operations:
   Are Boolean operations (such as body subtraction or union) required when preparing geometry for TFSI simulations? Or can separate bodies with shared topology suffice?

4. Module Selection:
   I am currently using Fluent + Transient Structural + System Coupling for this simulation. Is this the correct setup for a TFSI problem?

5. Energy Equation Only:
   If only the energy equation is activated in Fluent (without solving for momentum equations), can the results still be considered valid for thermal coupling with structural deformation?

Any insights or advice from those with experience in similar simulations would be highly appreciated. Thank you for your time and support!

Best regards,

[Rahul]

1. To simulate only the fluid part in Ansys Fluent, you can suppress the solid part. Ansys Fluent is also capable of solving conjugate heat transfer. In the structural domain, you should suppress the fluid domain.
2. If shared topology is used in SpaceClaim, Discovery, or DesignModeler, you don't need to define mesh interfaces. Separate bodies with shared topology will also work.
3. For Fluid-Thermal-Structure Interaction (FTSI) cases, you can use Fluent + Transient Structural + System Coupling or Fluent + Coupled Field Transient + System Coupling.
4. If you're interested in structural deformation due to thermal boundary conditions, consider setting it up with Transient Thermal + Transient Structural or Coupled Field Transient.