Lecture 11

Solver Settings and Output File

14. 5 Release

Introduction to ANSYS
CFD Professional
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Introduction
CFX requires inputs (solver settings) which tell it how to calculate the
solution. By introducing the concepts of accuracy, stability and
convergence, the purpose of each setting can be understood. Emphasis
will be placed on convergence, which is critical for the CFD simulation

We will cover:

How to select the timestep and the convergence criteria

Solution Initialization
Using the Solver Manager
How to monitor and judge the solution convergence and accuracy
Specifying the output options for the run
Using the Output file

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Initialization

Initial values must be provided for all solution variables

A good initial guess can reduce the solution time
A poor initial guess may lead to a failure in the first few iterations

The initial values can be set in 3 ways:

Solver automatically calculates the initial values

Initial values are entered by the user
Initial values are obtained from a previous solution

Initial values can be set on a per-domain basis or globally for all domains

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Initialization Setting Initial Values

Automatic: the CFX-Solver calculates an
initial value for the solved variable unless a
previous results file is provided

Automatic with Value: the specified value

will be used unless a previous results file is
provided

To use a previous solution as the initial guess

enable the Initial Values Specification
toggle when launching the Solver

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Solver Control
The Solver Control panel
contains various controls
that influence the
behaviour of the solver

These controls are

important for the accuracy
of the solution, the stability
of the solver and the length
of time it takes to obtain a
solution

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Solver Control Advection Scheme

The Advection Scheme refers to the way the
advection term in the transport equations is
modeled numerically

i.e. the term that accounts for bulk fluid motion

Often the dominant term

1
Unsteady

Advection

Diffusion

Generation

Three schemes are available: High Resolution,

Upwind and Specified Blend

0
Theory

Upwind, diffusive

Rarely need to change from the default High

Resolution scheme as it keeps the solution as
close to 2nd order as possible without going
unbounded
Blend Factor = 1, unbounded
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

High Resolution
Release 14.5

Convergence Control
1

The Solver will finish when it reaches Max.

Iterations unless convergence is achieved

sooner

If Max. Iterations is reached, you may not have a

converged solution
Can be useful to set Max. Iterations to a large
number

When the Solver finishes you should always

check why it finished

Fluid Timescale Control sets the timescale in a

steady-state simulation

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Timescale Background
ANSYS CFX employs the so-called False Transient

A timescale is used to move the solution towards the final answer

Converged solution is independent of the timescale used

Choice of timescale is important in obtaining convergence

Timescale too small: Convergence

Timescale too large: Convergence

will be very slow

becomes bouncy. Solver might fail

For advection-dominated flow, a fraction of the fluid residence time is often a

good estimate
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Timescale Control
Timescale Control can be Auto Timescale, Physical Timescale or Local Timescale
1
Factor
0

Physical Timescale
Specify the timescale. Usually a constant but can also be
variable via an expression

Auto Timescale
The Solver calculates a timescale based on boundary /

initial conditions or current solution and domain length

scale
Tends to be conservative

Local Timescale Factor

Multiplies the local timescale (local mesh

lengthscale/local velocity scale

Useful when vastly different local velocity scales exist
Never use as final solution; always finish with constant
timescale
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Release 14.5

Convergence Criteria
Convergence Criteria settings determine
when the solution is considered converged
and hence when the Solver will stop

1
0

Assuming Max. Iterations is not reached

Residuals are a measure of how accurately

the set of equations have been solved

Lower residuals mean a more accurate solution

to the set of equations

Residuals are just one measure of accuracy and
should be combined with monitor points and
imbalances

Residual Target
For reasonable convergence MAX residuals
should be below 1.0E-3 and RMS should be less
than 1.0E-4. In fact target RMS values might
need to be 1.0E-5 or 1.0E-6.

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

10

Release 14.5

Conservation Target
The Conservation Target sets a target for the
global imbalances
% Imbalance

Flux In Flux Out

Maximum Flux

Its good practice to set a Conservation Target and/or monitor the imbalances
during the run

Set a target of 0.01 (1%) or less

Flux In Flux Out < 1% ( for some applications < 0.01%)

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

11

Release 14.5

Solid Timescale Control

Timescale for solution in a solid domain

The Solid Timescale should be MUCH larger than the fluid timescale
(100 times larger is typical)

the energy equation is usually very stable in the solid zone

solid timescales are typically much larger than fluid timescales

The solid timescale is automatically calculated as a function of the length

scale, thermal conductivity, density and specific heat capacity

Or you can choose the Physical Timescale option and provide a timescale directly

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

12

Release 14.5

Output Control Results

The Output Control settings control the
output produced by the Solver

The Results tab controls the final .res file

Generally do not use the Selected Variables (or
None) option since it probably wont contain
enough information to restart the run later
Output Equation Residuals is useful if you need
to check where convergence problems
are occurring
Extra Output Variables List
contains variables that are not
written to the standard results
file
E.g. vorticity

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

13

Release 14.5

Output Control Backup

The Backup tab controls if and when
backup results files are automatically
written by the Solver

Recommended for long Solver runs in case

of power failure, network interruptions, etc

Option:
Standard: Like a full results file
Essential: Allows a clean solver restart
Smallest: Can restart the solver, but there will

be a jump in the residuals

Selected Variables: Not recommended

Can also manually request a backup file

from the CFX Solver Manager at any time
Frequency of output can be adjusted

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

14

Release 14.5

Output Control Monitor

The Monitor tab allows you to create the Monitor
Points

These are used to track values of interest as the Solver

runs

The Cartesian Coordinates option, is used to track

the value of a variable at a specific X,Y, Z location

The Expression Option is used to monitor the

values of a CEL expression:

E.g. Calculate the area average of Cp at the inlet

boundary: areaAve(Cp)@inlet

You should create monitor points for quantities of

interest

One measure of convergence is when these values are

no longer changing

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

15

Release 14.5

Solver Manager
The CFX-Solver Manager is a graphical user
interface used to:

Define a run
Control the CFX-Solver

interactively
View information about the
emerging solution
Export data

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

16

Release 14.5

Defining a Run
Define a new Solver run
Solver Input File should be the .def file

Can pick a .res or .bak file to continue a previous run

To make a physics change and restart a solution, create
a new .def file and select the .res or .bak file in the
Initial Values Specification section
To interpolate solution in initial values file on to the
mesh in the def file, set Use Mesh From to Solver Input
File
Double Precision
The solver uses more significant figures
Reduce round-off error when small variations in a
variable are important, where small is relative to
the global range of that variable
Increases solver memory & CPU requirements

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

17

Release 14.5

Defining a Parallel Run

By default the Solver will run in serial
A single solver process runs on the local machine

Set the Run Mode to one of the parallel options

to make use of multiple cores/processors

Requires parallel licenses

Allows you to divide a large CFD problem into smaller
partitions
Faster solution times
Solve larger problems by making use of memory
(RAM) on multiple machines

The Local Parallel options are used when running

on a single machine

The Distributed Parallel options are used when

running across multiple machines

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

18

Release 14.5

Advanced Controls
On the Solver tab you adjust Solver Memory
settings

The Solver estimates its memory requirements

Memory Alloc Factor is a multiplier for this estimate
Use when the solver stops with an Insufficient
Memory Allocated error
Can provide individual factors for each stack

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

19

Release 14.5

Interactive Solver Control

During a solution, Edit Run in Progress lets you make changes on the fly
Models generally cannot be changed, but numeric values can

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

20

Release 14.5

Additional Solution Monitors

By default, monitor plots
are created showing the
RMS residuals for each
equation solved, plus one
plot for any monitor
points

New
Monitor

Right-click to switch
between RMS and MAX

Additional monitors can

be selected showing:

Imbalances
Boundary fluxes (FLOW)
Boundary forces

Tangential (viscous)
Normal (pressure)
Source terms

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

Right-click

Monitor Plot

21

.out file

Release 14.5

Additional Icons
By dragging the cursor over any icon, the feature description will appear
Start a new
Simulation
Monitor
Finished Run

Stop Current
Run

Monitor Run
in Progress
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

Switch
Residual Plot
between
RMS and
MAX

Back up
Current Run
December 12, 2013

22

Release 14.5

Solver Output File

Produced by the ANSYS CFX-Solver and contains information about your
simulation:

Model setup
The state of the solution during the run
Job statistics for the particular run
.cfx, .def, .res

CFX-Pre

.cfx

.def

CFX-Solver

.out

.res

CFX-Post

.gtm, .def

Now lets take a look at an out file..

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

23

Release 14.5

Model Setup

Physics definition
CFX Command Language (CCL)

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

24

Release 14.5

Solver

The start of the Solver

process
Memory requirements
shown here are for
the Solver. If memory
errors occur check if
its the Interpolator,
Partitioner or Solver
process

188 MB of
RAM
allocated

Mesh quality
checks, mesh
statistics and GGI
intersection details
are shown here
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

25

Release 14.5

State of the Solution

Diagnostics shown as the solver iterates towards a solution

Upper case OK is good. Lower case ok

means youre on the limit. F means failed
to solve the equation. Reducing the
timestep may help avoid ok and F. The
first few iterations may show ok and F
and can be ignored as long as they go away
2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

26

Release 14.5

Final Imbalances
When the solution finishes, the Imbalances are shown

Equation Imbalance in domain

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

27

Release 14.5

Summary
This section has covered the following important points:
Initialization is key to providing a stable solution, especially for complex
physics or flows with high solution gradients

Convergence is one important part of judging solution progress.

Dont forget that the solver will terminate when the Max Iterations has been
reached, regardless of solution convergence levels

Output Control:
Always monitor imbalances to ensure conservation
Use backups so that data can be rescued if the solver/hardware fails
Monitor quantities of interest as an additional aid when judging steady-state
behaviour

The output file gives important information about the physics, resource
usage and solution progress

2013 ANSYS, Inc.

December 12, 2013

28

Release 14.5