Mesh Generation

In this case again the mesh will be generated automatically.

Size assignment

We will generate a relatively coarse mesh, but it is chosen in order to minimise the number of nodes and to be able to calculate the case with the free version of Tdyn. In order to capture the flow pattern correctly, some critical areas need a finer mesh. Therefore we will assign smaller mesh sizes to the areas of interest, by means of the Assign Sizes menu (Figure 55):

Figure 55 Assign Sizes Menu

To the step line we will assign the size of 0.03. The same element size will be assigned to the edge points of the step (points 2, 3 – use similar menu sequence Meshing>Assign unstruct. sizes>Points). To the inflow line we will assign the size of 0.06. The same element size will be assigned to the edge points of the inflow line. The Unstructured size transition is set to 0.4 and the Elements general size to 0.2. The outcome of the mesh generation process is the unstructured mesh shown in Figure 56 and Figure 57, consisting of 1700 nodes and 3000 elements:

Figure 56 Generated Mesh

Figure 57 Generated Mesh detail

The number of mesh nodes and elements can be checked in the Status window (Figure 59), accessed through the Utilities menu (Figure 58).

Should the size of the obtained mesh be significantly different from the size given here (especially if more nodes than the limit of Tdyn's academic version are obtained), please make sure, that the Automatic Correct Sizes option is off. The Meshing preferences window can be accessed by selecting the Meshing tab in the Preferences window of the menu Utilities (Figure 58).

 

Figure 58 Menu Utilities

Figure 59 Status window

Figure 60 Meshing preferences window