Flow over backward facing step

Compute the laminar flow over a backward facing step.

3H
H
outlet
inlet
Re
H
= U
max
H =!"#
U
max
= maximum velocit$ at inlet %U = Umax&%$'H(&%3H'$(H
)
(
!( Compose the geometr$ in gambit.
)( *ake a couple of grids %e.g. e+uidistant in the $'direction(. ,tretched in the x'direction in
such a wa$ that s+uare cells are obtained at the step and rectangular cells are obtained at
inlet and outlet %max. aspect ratio of rectangles is about "(.
-he number of cells is e.g. !") x ./0 12 x ).0 3/ x !). 3ive the right lower wall a different
name when appl$ing the boundar$ conditions %inlet0 outlet0 wall(. ,ave the grids as gambit
files %&.dbs( and export the grids to a msh file.
3( 4ppl$ a parabolic inlet profile. Compute and anal$5e the flow field %recirculation length( on
the different grids0 with different discreti5ation methods %!st order0 )nd order upwind0
+uick0 6(.
.( 7isuali5ation8
' contours of streamlines %manual range8 put a negative value as minimum value in order
to find the recirculation 5one(
' contours of pressure %tr$ to understand(.
' verif$ with a velocit$ vector plot whether the inlet profile is parabolic.
"( Compute the recirculation length from a 9:'plot of the wall shear stress %x'component( as
a function of the grid densit$ and the discreti5ation method. ;rite the data to a file0 import
the file in excel and compute the recirculation length accuratel$ as a function of grid si5e
and the different discreti5ation methods.
<arabolic inlet profile can be specified with profiles or with a user defined function8 %Use a
user defined function8 define ' user'defined ' functions ' interpreted ' select the file with the
udf source code(.
=oundar$ profiles8 see user>s guide0 section 1.)2.
Format8 ((profile1-name point|line|radial n) e.g. ((inlet point 3)
(field1-name a1 a2 ... an) e.g. (x 0 0 0)
(field2-name b1 b2 ... bn) e.g. (y 1 2 3)
.
(fieldf-name f1 f2 ... fn)) e.g. (u 0 150 0))
User defined function8 see udf manual0 section /.)
Format8
#include "udf."
!"#$%"&'()#$*"(inlet&x&+elocity, tread, po-ition)
.
real x/%!&%!01 23 ti- 4ill old te po-ition +ector 32
real y1 23 %!&%! 4ill be definded by #luent, 2! or 3! 32
face&t f1

begin&f&loop(f, tread) 23 loop o+er te face- 32
.
#&5"%6()$!(x,f,tread)1 23 centroid of face i- -tored in x 32
y 7 x/101 23 -econd component of x-array 32
#&'()#$*"(f, tread, po-ition) 7 81 23 ere u(y) 32
9
end&f&loop(f, tread)
9