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In December 2003, Fluent and ABAQUS announced a technology initiative
to develop a robust solution for modeling problems involving fluidstructure
interaction (FSI). Twelve months later, phase one of the project
is nearing completion and the initial capability is undergoing testing and
validation by both companies.
Multidisciplinary problems involving FSI are common in engineering
design. Fluids and adjacent structures often interact through displacement
and/or thermal effects. Such interactions may be a desirable part of a
design or may cause detrimental responses that need to be considered and
eliminated during the design process.
Prediction of deformation and Mises stresses in an elastomeric
door seal during door closing; the door closure force and
perceived “feel” are impacted by the flow vents in the seal and
accurate prediction requires FSI simulation capability
FSI effects have often been ignored due to a lack of capable or readily
available simulation tools. By combining forces, Fluent and ABAQUS are
providing familiar, optimal tools to model the fluid and structural domains
independently, while coupling those simulations automatically and reliably.
The coupling is enabled using MpCCI (Mesh-based parallel Code Coupling
Interface) software from Fraunhofer SCAI which has evolved as an industry
standard for coupling independent MCAE tools for multi-physics (or multidisciplinary)
analysis.
Composite plot showing Mises stresses in the door seal, flow
velocity (vector length), and pressure (vector color), plotted
using Ensight Gold from CEI
The coupling will be supported using the upcoming releases of FLUENT
6.2 and ABAQUS V6.5 together with MpCCI 3.0. MpCCI provides a graphical
interface for setup and control of the coupled simulation, and controls
the data exchange between the two solvers. It also provides a graphical
interface for setup and control of the coupled simulation. Results from one
code are automatically passed to the other on user-prescribed boundaries
at each time increment or time-step, including interpolation of results
between dissimilar meshes, as required. Current coordinates and temperatures
predicted by ABAQUS are transferred to FLUENT, while pressure,
traction force, heat fluxes, and film coefficients can be transferred from
FLUENT to ABAQUS. The integration supports distributed parallel execution
of FLUENT and ABAQUS.
Applications of the new FSI capability will include the prediction of coupled
temperature and thermal stress responses in manifolds, automotive
brakes, fuel cells, and many other engineering devices. Another target
application is the study of vortex-induced vibrations relevant to offshore
risers, pipelines, heat exchanger tubes and other similar structures.
Simulation of aeroelastic effects in external aerodynamics is an important
application, as is the investigation of biological flows such as vascular blood
flow, pulmonary airflow, and flow through heart valves. The dynamic mesh
capability in FLUENT provides a unique capability to consider full two-way
transient coupling involving the effects of structural displacements on the
flow field.
“Fluent and ABAQUS are natural partners in this endeavor,” notes Ken
Short, VP of Marketing at ABAQUS Inc. “Both companies are very focused
on being the leader in their respective disciplines and both companies are
committed to a best-in-class joint solution. We recognize that many fluidstructure
interaction problems represent extreme challenges, both with
respect to the issues of coupling and the complexity of the simulations
within the individual solvers. ABAQUS and Fluent are committed to working
together with our mutual customers to address those challenges.”
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