Flow Simulation-Inlet Error 1

[cardiomed]

Here is my final model, I need to run the flow inside. The inlet port is the tube/pipe tangent to the surface on the top (dome or semi-sphere)part and the outlet port is the pipe on the bottom, (the other small pipe normal on the top is the air-vent) we dont need it here.

SW keeps giving the error for my inlet selection and does not proceed the simulation,

Any help????

Flow rate:6.1 in^3/min
Temp: 98.8 F

 

[kellnerp]

Sending an assembly without the other files? Better to send a parasolid saved to a few versions back. Not everybody is running the current release. A pdf is more universal.

TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

 

[cardiomed]

Sorry, didnt know that, ..here is the assembly in Parasolid, let me know if this is not opening or ..

Im uploading a PDF file as well in the next thread,

 

[cardiomed]

Here is the PDF file, ..again ,problem is that the inlet port selection is not accepted by FloXpress,

Thanks alot,

 

[kellnerp]

Aren't the inlet and outlet plugs supposed to be part of the part they are blocking? Try that.

TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

 

[cardiomed]

The 'help' in SW says: create/define the lid for your ports to make it a closed system, and their sample image looks like mine, ..Also, in my model when I (swap and) define the outlet as the inlet FloXpress accepts it but again for the other port (new outlet or real inlet)I encounter the problem.

I am still not sure if you can open the files,

 

[kellnerp]

Just curious,

What boundary conditions are you imposing on the inlet and outlet?

TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

 

[cardiomed]

Yet, I didnt reach to the point where BCs. would be required (if there is any), the only entries I was prompted were pressure OR flow rate AND temp. Again, when I change defining the ports my new inlet is accepted only.

I had to get this project ready by yesterday

 

[SnowCrash]

In my few tries at this I have made the caps bigger than the port they cover and with a surface at the very edge of the feature. This way I can select the surface in contact with the flowing fluid. The well-fitted plugs you have are good for engineering design, for for flow analysis they need to be bigger so you can select the other side.
"how it worked for me"

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2010 SP 2.1
HP Pavillion Elite HPE

 

[SnowCrash]

Also in working with your model it seems the fluid cannot get thru the filter . . .

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2010 SP 2.1
HP Pavillion Elite HPE

 

[cardiomed]

Thanks for your tries SnowCrash,

Yeeah, today I took off the filter and kept the rest as they were, then ran the simulation and it did work, SO,yes you are right, my filter is not good, I defined it as polyester and then MESHED it using the APPEARANCE feature to put holes in its body, which apparently didnt work,

I would appreciate it if some body gives a hint about how to make a 'filter' in SW,

cheers,

 

[SteveMartin]

A couple of things to try:

I don't know if this is an artifact of the translation to parasolid, but there is a gap between your ventCAP and cap1_-_CBL parts. I had to close that before I could do anything with the model.

Make sure the computational domain includes the whole model. By default it was coming in at only covering a fraction of the assembly.

Set your filter to be porous (FloWorks>Insert>Porous Media). You'll have to figure out what specs to put in for just 'how' porous the material is.

By doing these three things I was able to make the model run. Attached is a quick picture of the flow lines generated - don't take it for anything other than example that the model can be made to work. I used your flow rate & temperatures, but I don't know the other important inputs - nor did I let the analysis run to completion.

 

[cardiomed]

And here are a couple of things:

Thank you for your try and hints.

I think the package (SW) I have does not carry the flow simulation or FloWorks feature, I am only using FlowXpress here which is unfortunately very basic, ..probably this feature did not install while setting the software or something. Or I might get it installed now if that's possible. FYI,it is a 2010 version, so it should be pretty powerful.

I tried it again now (on FloXpress)and it did accept the inlet, but then for the outlet it did not which is obviously b/c of the filter. Since I couldnt find the FlowWorks somewhere I wasnt able to set it as a porous material.

My goal at this point is setting the filter as a porous material which passes the fluid throu.

 

[SteveMartin]

Ah, I think you're out of luck. I was assuming you were using FloWorks. I'm not familiar with FlowXpress, but I doubt it can handle porous materials.

None of the '*xpress' tools are 'pretty powerful' regardless of what version of SolidWorks it is for - they're all cut-down and quick setup versions of the full programs of the same name. They can do the very simple, and give you a taste for the abilities of the full versions.

I think you're going to have to ignore your filter (which likely makes your results meaningless) or pay for FloWorks or equivalent(not cheap).

 

[cardiomed]

SteveMartin,

Thanks for your help anyways,