CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

High-level programming in OpenFOAM

and a first glance at C++

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Solving PDEs with OpenFOAM

The PDEs we wish to solve involve derivatives of tensor fields with
respect to time and space
The PDEs must be discretized in time and space before we solve
them

We will start by having a look at algebra of tensors in OpenFOAM

at a single point
We will then have a look at how to generate tensor fields from
tensors
Finally we will see how to discretize PDEs and how to set boundary
conditions using high-level coding in OpenFOAM

For further details, see the ProgrammersGuide

We will use 2.4.x, since we will use the test directory

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Basic tensor classes in OpenFOAM

Pre-defined classes for tensors of rank 0-3, but may be extended indefinitely
Rank Common name Basic name Access function
0
Scalar
scalar
1
Vector
vector
x(), y(), z()
Tensor
tensor
xx(), xy(), xz(), ...
2

Example:

11 12 13
A tensor T = 21 22 23 is defined line-by-line:
31 32 33
tensor T( 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33);
Info << "Txz = " << T.xz() << endl;
Outputs to the screen:
Txz = 13

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Algebraic tensor operations in OpenFOAM

Tensor operations operate on the entire tensor entity instead of a
series of operations on its components
The OpenFOAM syntax closely mimics the syntax used in written mathematics,
using descriptive functions or symbolic operators
Examples:
Operation

Comment

Mathematical
description
Addition
a+b
Outer product
Rank a, b 1 ab
Inner product
Rank a, b 1 a b
Cross product
Rank a, b = 1 a b
Operations exclusive to tensors of rank 2
Transpose
TT
Determinant
detT
Operations exclusive to scalars
Positive (boolean)
s0
Hyperbolic arc sine
asinh s

Description
in OpenFOAM
a+b
a*b
a&b
ab
T.T()
det(T)
pos(s)
asinh(s)

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Examples of the use of some tensor classes

In $FOAM_APP/test we can find examples of the use of some classes.
Tensor class examples:
run
cp -r $FOAM_APP/test .
cd test/tensor
wmake
Test-tensor >& log
Have a look inside Test-tensor.C to see the high-level code.
You see that tensor.H is included, which is located in
$FOAM_SRC/OpenFOAM/primitives/Tensor/tensor. This defines how to compute eigenvalues.
In tensor.H, Tensor.H is included (located in
$FOAM_SRC/OpenFOAM/primitives/Tensor), which defines the
access functions and includes TensorI.H, which defines the tensor operations. The capital T means that it is a template class. The
tensor class is simply typedef Tensor<scalar> tensor;
See also vector, symmTensorField, sphericalTensorField
and many other examples.

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Dimensional units in OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM checks the dimensional consistency
Declaration of a tensor with dimensions:
dimensionedTensor sigma
(
"sigma",
dimensionSet( 1, -1, -2, 0, 0, 0, 0),
tensor( 1e6, 0, 0, 0, 1e6, 0, 0, 0, 1e6)
);
The values of dimensionSet correspond to the powers of each SI unit:
No. Property
Unit
Symbol
1 Mass
kilogram kg
2 Length
metre
m
3 Time
second
s
4 Temperature
Kelvin
K
5 Quantity
moles
mol
6 Current
ampere A
7 Luminous intensity candela cd


2
sigma then has the dimension kg/ms

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Dimensional units in OpenFOAM

Add the following to Test-tensor.C:
Before main():
#include "dimensionedTensor.H"
Before return(0):
dimensionedTensor sigma
(
"sigma",
dimensionSet( 1, -1, -2, 0, 0, 0, 0),
tensor( 1e6, 0, 0, 0, 1e6, 0, 0, 0, 1e6)
);
Info<< "Sigma: " << sigma << endl;
Compile, run again, and you will get:
Sigma: sigma [1 -1 -2 0 0 0 0] (1e+06 0 0 0 1e+06 0 0 0 1e+06)
You see that the object sigma that belongs to the dimensionedTensor class
contains both the name, the dimensions and values.
See $FOAM_SRC/OpenFOAM/dimensionedTypes/dimensionedTensor

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Dimensional units in OpenFOAM

Try some member functions of the dimensionedTensor class:
Info<< "Sigma name: " << sigma.name() << endl;
Info<< "Sigma dimensions: " << sigma.dimensions() << endl;
Info<< "Sigma value: " << sigma.value() << endl;
You now also get:
Sigma name: sigma
Sigma dimensions: [1 -1 -2 0 0 0 0]
Sigma value: (1e+06 0 0 0 1e+06 0 0 0 1e+06)
Extract one of the values:
Info<< "Sigma yy value: " << sigma.value().yy() << endl;
Note here that the value() member function first converts the expression to a
tensor, which has a yy() member function. The dimensionedTensor class
does not have a yy() member function, so it is not possible to do sigma.yy().

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Construction of a tensor field in OpenFOAM

A tensor field is a list of tensors
The use of typedef in OpenFOAM yields readable type definitions:
scalarField, vectorField, tensorField, symmTensorField, ...
Algebraic operations can be performed between different fields,
and between a field and a single tensor, e.g. Field U, scalar 2.0:
U = 2.0 * U;
Add the following to Test-tensor:
Before main():
#include "tensorField.H"
Before return(0):
tensorField tf1(2, tensor::one);
Info<< "tf1: " << tf1 << endl;
tf1[0] = tensor(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9);
Info<< "tf1: " << tf1 << endl;
Info<< "2.0*tf1: " << 2.0*tf1 << endl;

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Discretization of a tensor field in OpenFOAM

FVM (Finite Volume Method)
No limitations on the number of faces bounding each cell
No restriction on the alignment of each face
The mesh class polyMesh can be used to construct a polyhedral
mesh using the minimum information required
The fvMesh class extends the polyMesh class to include additional
data needed for the FV discretization (see test/mesh)
The geometricField class relates a tensor field to an fvMesh (can
also be typedef volField, surfaceField, pointField)
A geometricField inherits all the tensor algebra of its corresponding field, has dimension checking, and can be subjected to specific
discretization procedures

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

10

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Examine an fvMesh
Let us examine an fvMesh:
run
rm -rf cavity
cp -r $FOAM_TUTORIALS/incompressible/icoFoam/cavity .
cd cavity
sed -i s/"20 20 1"/"2 2 1"/g constant/polyMesh/blockMeshDict
blockMesh
Run Test-mesh (first compile it: wmake $FOAM_RUN/test/mesh)
C() gives the center of all cells and boundary faces.
V() gives the volume of all the cells.
Cf() gives the center of all the faces.
Try also adding in Test-mesh.C, before return(0):
Info<< mesh.C().internalField()[1][1] << endl;
Info<< mesh.boundaryMesh()[0].name() << endl;
See $FOAM_SRC/finiteVolume/fvMesh

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

11

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Examine a volScalarField
Read a volScalarField that corresponds to the mesh. Add in Test-mesh.C,
before return(0):
volScalarField p
(
IOobject
(
"p",
runTime.timeName(),
mesh,
IOobject::MUST_READ,
IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
),
mesh
);
Info<< p << endl;
Info<< p.boundaryField()[0] << endl;

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

12

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Equation discretization in OpenFOAM

Converts the PDEs into a set of linear algebraic equations, Ax=b, where x and b are volFields
(geometricFields). A is an fvMatrix, which is created by a discretization of a geometricField and
inherits the algebra of its corresponding field, and it supports many of the standard algebraic
matrix operations
The fvm (Finite Volume Method) and fvc (Finite Volume Calculus) classes contain static functions for the differential operators, and discretize any geometricField. fvm returns an fvMatrix,
and fvc returns a geometricField (see $FOAM_SRC/finiteVolume/finiteVolume/fvc
and fvm)
Examples:
Term description Mathematical expression
Laplacian

Time derivative /t
/t
Convection
()
()

fvm::/fvc:: functions
laplacian(Gamma,phi)
ddt(phi)
ddt(rho, phi)
div(psi, scheme)
div(psi, phi, word)
div(psi, phi)
Source

Sp(rho, phi)
SuSp(rho, phi)
: vol<type>Field, : scalar, volScalarField, : surfaceScalarField

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

13

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Example
A call for solving the equation
~
U
~ U
~ = p
+ U
t
has the OpenFOAM representation
solve
(
fvm::ddt(rho, U)
+ fvm::div(phi, U)
- fvm::laplacian(mu, U)
==
- fvc::grad(p)
)

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

14

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Example: laplacianFoam, the source code

Solves T /t kT = 0 (see $FOAM_SOLVERS/basic/laplacianFoam)
#include "fvCFD.H" // Include the class declarations
#include "simpleControl.H" // Prepare to read the SIMPLE sub-dictionary
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
#
include "setRootCase.H" // Set the correct path
#
include "createTime.H" // Create the time
#
include "createMesh.H" // Create the mesh
#
include "createFields.H" // Temperature field T and diffusivity DT
simpleControl simple(mesh); Read the SIMPLE sub-dictionary
while (simple.loop()) // SIMPLE loop
{
while (simple.correctNonOrthogonal())
{
solve( fvm::ddt(T) - fvm::laplacian(DT, T) ); // Solve eq.
}
#
include "write.H" // Write out results at specified time instances}
}
return 0; // End with 'ok' signal
}

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

15

CFD with OpenSource Software, 2015

Example: laplacianFoam, discretization and boundary conditions

See $FOAM_TUTORIALS/basic/laplacianFoam/flange
Discretization:
dictionary fvSchemes, read from file:
ddtSchemes
{
default Euler;
}
laplacianSchemes
{
default
laplacian(DT,T)
}

none;
Gauss linear corrected;

Boundary conditions:
Part of class volScalarField object T, read from file:
boundaryField{
patch1{ type zeroGradient;}
patch2{ type fixedValue; value uniform 273;}}

Hkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Applied Mechanics / Fluid Dynamics

16