Description

Ansys CFX 11 is a general purpose CFD package. It includes a solver, based on the finite volume method for unstructured grids, as well as pre- and post processing tools.  About softwares capabilities, see the manuals (about the manuals, see below).

In version 11.0 the geometry and the mesh are generated with Ansys Design modeller (geometry) and CFX-Mesh (mesh) softwares, or using ICEM CFD 11.0. The physical and numerical parameters of the model are set as in CFX-PRE module, and the post processing is performed by using CFX-POST module.

Ansys software is available free of charge for all Finnish universities and polytechnics. It is allowed to use the software only in public-domain and non-commercial research according to the agreement between CSC and Ansys, Inc.

Installations

The version 11.0 is installed on on CSC's Murska server (HP CP4000 BL ProLiant supercluster).  This installation is mainly for solver runs.  Pre- and postprocessing is recommended to be done on user local machines, see below.

Installation on users local machines

CSC's academic customers is Finnish universities and polytechnics are allowed to use CSC's Ansys licenses on their local computers, i.e., the software can be installed on users local machines, and the license is allowed to fetched from the CSC's license servers.  There is a license pool of  total 25 license available for simultaneous usage.  Instructions of how to apply for the usage of the licenses are given on Scientist's Interface web page:
https://hotpage.csc.fi/appl/structural/ilmoitustaulu/ansys_hankinta_170308.phtml.en

For to be able to use Scientist's Interface, the user should be CSC's customer.  For how to become a CSC's customer, see the web page http://www.csc.fi/english/customers/new_customer.

Initialization

On Murska server program is initialized by giving the command

module load ansys/ansys_11.0_cfx

Different modules can be started separately

cfx5pre -gr mesa

cfx5solve

cfx5post -gr mesa

About different options available for the each of the modules, use -help option, like

cfx5solve -help

Geometry- and mesh generation

Geometry and mesh are generated by using CFX Design Modeller and  CFX-Mesh, included in Ansys Workbench environment.  Also ICEM CFD can be used.

Physics and numerics

Preprocessor CFX-PRE is used for defining material properties, boundary and operating conditions as well as solution parameters.

Case files defined in CFX-PRE are stored using the prefix .cfx and the definition files for CFX 5 solver runs are stored in files using the suffix .def.

Tutorial examples

The software package includes several tutorial examples which are explained in the tutorial manuals. On Murska the tutorial files can be downloaded from the directory

Serial and parallel batch jobs

In order to run a case, a batch job has to be submitted on Murska.  Below are example files for a job submission. Files should be modified to correspond to the user needs. On Murska server, all batch jobs must be processed on $WRKDIR.  Parallel runs up to only 4 cores are possible on Murska.

• Batch job file on murska, sequential run
• Batch job file on murska, parallel run

The run is launched on Murska by giving the command

bsub < jobfile-name

More information about batch job launching, see user guides.

Postprocessing

CFX-POST either is launched directly from the main CFX 5 GUI, or via the command

cfx5post

If you face problems with the export of the graphics, please refer to the section Hints below.

Manual

CFX and ICEM CFD manuals are available in Scientist's interface (tutkijan käyttöliittymä).  The interface is reachable also from CSC's main web-page (Scientist's interface -> Manuals).

Mind that manuals of CFX may be used by registered users of CFX at CSC and should not be distributed to other persons.

Online manuals are available on every GUI of the different software modules of CFX and ICEM. Click Help in the
upper marginal of the user interface menus.

Hints for remote usage

If the graphic windows does not show results in CFX-POST and error messages of the following kind

Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display
Dependent module libGL.a(shr.o) could not be loaded.
Could not load module libGL.a(shr.o)

pop up, you have to switch of GL rendering. This can be done either by setting the environment variable

setenv CUE_Graphics mesa

before launching CFX 5 or by starting CFX-POST from shell using the option

cfx5post -gr mesa

and CFX-PRE

cfx5pre -gr mesa