When an OpenFOAM simulation runs in parallel, the data for decomposed fields and
mesh(es) has historically been stored in multiple files within separate
directories for each processor. Processor directories are named 'processorN',
where N is the processor number.
This commit introduces an alternative "collated" file format where the data for
each decomposed field (and mesh) is collated into a single file, which is
written and read on the master processor. The files are stored in a single
directory named 'processors'.
The new format produces significantly fewer files - one per field, instead of N
per field. For large parallel cases, this avoids the restriction on the number
of open files imposed by the operating system limits.
The file writing can be threaded allowing the simulation to continue running
while the data is being written to file. NFS (Network File System) is not
needed when using the the collated format and additionally, there is an option
to run without NFS with the original uncollated approach, known as
"masterUncollated".
The controls for the file handling are in the OptimisationSwitches of
etc/controlDict:
OptimisationSwitches
{
...
//- Parallel IO file handler
// uncollated (default), collated or masterUncollated
fileHandler uncollated;
//- collated: thread buffer size for queued file writes.
// If set to 0 or not sufficient for the file size threading is not used.
// Default: 2e9
maxThreadFileBufferSize 2e9;
//- masterUncollated: non-blocking buffer size.
// If the file exceeds this buffer size scheduled transfer is used.
// Default: 2e9
maxMasterFileBufferSize 2e9;
}
When using the collated file handling, memory is allocated for the data in the
thread. maxThreadFileBufferSize sets the maximum size of memory in bytes that
is allocated. If the data exceeds this size, the write does not use threading.
When using the masterUncollated file handling, non-blocking MPI communication
requires a sufficiently large memory buffer on the master node.
maxMasterFileBufferSize sets the maximum size in bytes of the buffer. If the
data exceeds this size, the system uses scheduled communication.
The installation defaults for the fileHandler choice, maxThreadFileBufferSize
and maxMasterFileBufferSize (set in etc/controlDict) can be over-ridden within
the case controlDict file, like other parameters. Additionally the fileHandler
can be set by:
- the "-fileHandler" command line argument;
- a FOAM_FILEHANDLER environment variable.
A foamFormatConvert utility allows users to convert files between the collated
and uncollated formats, e.g.
mpirun -np 2 foamFormatConvert -parallel -fileHandler uncollated
An example case demonstrating the file handling methods is provided in:
$FOAM_TUTORIALS/IO/fileHandling
The work was undertaken by Mattijs Janssens, in collaboration with Henry Weller.
Added a grow time and better allocate the CPU time to either add or grow. This
gives much more information to the user and helps changing the settings
accordingly.
Patch contributed by Francesco Contino
See tutorials/compressible/rhoPimpleFoam/RAS/squareBendLiq for exapmle
pimpleControl: Added SIMPLErho option for running in SIMPLE mode
with large time-step/Courant number and relaxation. With this option the
density is updated from thermodynamics rather than continuity after the pressure
equation which is better behaved if pressure is relaxed and/or solved to a
loose relative tolerance. The need for this option is demonstrated in the
tutorials/compressible/rhoPimpleFoam/RAS/angledDuct tutorial which is unstable
without the option.
except turbulence and lagrangian which will also be updated shortly.
For example in the nonNewtonianIcoFoam offsetCylinder tutorial the viscosity
model coefficients may be specified in the corresponding "<type>Coeffs"
sub-dictionary:
transportModel CrossPowerLaw;
CrossPowerLawCoeffs
{
nu0 [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 0.01;
nuInf [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 10;
m [0 0 1 0 0 0 0] 0.4;
n [0 0 0 0 0 0 0] 3;
}
BirdCarreauCoeffs
{
nu0 [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 1e-06;
nuInf [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 1e-06;
k [0 0 1 0 0 0 0] 0;
n [0 0 0 0 0 0 0] 1;
}
which allows a quick change between models, or using the simpler
transportModel CrossPowerLaw;
nu0 [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 0.01;
nuInf [0 2 -1 0 0 0 0] 10;
m [0 0 1 0 0 0 0] 0.4;
n [0 0 0 0 0 0 0] 3;
if quick switching between models is not required.
To support this more convenient parameter specification the inconsistent
specification of seedSampleSet in the streamLine and wallBoundedStreamLine
functionObjects had to be corrected from
// Seeding method.
seedSampleSet uniform; //cloud; //triSurfaceMeshPointSet;
uniformCoeffs
{
type uniform;
axis x; //distance;
// Note: tracks slightly offset so as not to be on a face
start (-1.001 -0.05 0.0011);
end (-1.001 -0.05 1.0011);
nPoints 20;
}
to the simpler
// Seeding method.
seedSampleSet
{
type uniform;
axis x; //distance;
// Note: tracks slightly offset so as not to be on a face
start (-1.001 -0.05 0.0011);
end (-1.001 -0.05 1.0011);
nPoints 20;
}
which also support the "<type>Coeffs" form
// Seeding method.
seedSampleSet
{
type uniform;
uniformCoeffs
{
axis x; //distance;
// Note: tracks slightly offset so as not to be on a face
start (-1.001 -0.05 0.0011);
end (-1.001 -0.05 1.0011);
nPoints 20;
}
}
Radiative heat transfer may now be added to any solver in which an energy
equation is solved at run-time rather than having to change the solver code.
For example, radiative heat transfer is now enabled in the SandiaD_LTS
reactingFoam tutorial by providing a constant/fvOptions file containing
radiation
{
type radiation;
libs ("libradiationModels.so");
}
and appropriate settings in the constant/radiationProperties file.
The standard naming convention for heat flux is "q" and this is used for the
conductive and convective heat fluxes is OpenFOAM. The use of "Qr" for
radiative heat flux is an anomaly which causes confusion, particularly for
boundary conditions in which "Q" is used to denote power in Watts. The name of
the radiative heat flux has now been corrected to "qr" and all models, boundary
conditions and tutorials updated.
Description
Temperature-dependent surface tension model in which the surface tension
function provided by the phase Foam::liquidProperties class is used.
Usage
\table
Property | Description | Required | Default value
phase | Phase name | yes |
\endtable
Example of the surface tension specification:
\verbatim
sigma
{
type liquidProperties;
phase water;
}
\endverbatim
for use with e.g. compressibleInterFoam, see
tutorials/multiphase/compressibleInterFoam/laminar/depthCharge2D
including support for TDAC and ISAT for efficient chemistry calculation.
Description
Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) turbulent combustion model.
This model considers that the reaction occurs in the regions of the flow
where the dissipation of turbulence kinetic energy takes place (fine
structures). The mass fraction of the fine structures and the mean residence
time are provided by an energy cascade model.
There are many versions and developments of the EDC model, 4 of which are
currently supported in this implementation: v1981, v1996, v2005 and
v2016. The model variant is selected using the optional \c version entry in
the \c EDCCoeffs dictionary, \eg
\verbatim
EDCCoeffs
{
version v2016;
}
\endverbatim
The default version is \c v2015 if the \c version entry is not specified.
Model versions and references:
\verbatim
Version v2005:
Cgamma = 2.1377
Ctau = 0.4083
kappa = gammaL^exp1 / (1 - gammaL^exp2),
where exp1 = 2, and exp2 = 2.
Magnussen, B. F. (2005, June).
The Eddy Dissipation Concept -
A Bridge Between Science and Technology.
In ECCOMAS thematic conference on computational combustion
(pp. 21-24).
Version v1981:
Changes coefficients exp1 = 3 and exp2 = 3
Magnussen, B. (1981, January).
On the structure of turbulence and a generalized
eddy dissipation concept for chemical reaction in turbulent flow.
In 19th Aerospace Sciences Meeting (p. 42).
Version v1996:
Changes coefficients exp1 = 2 and exp2 = 3
Gran, I. R., & Magnussen, B. F. (1996).
A numerical study of a bluff-body stabilized diffusion flame.
Part 2. Influence of combustion modeling and finite-rate chemistry.
Combustion Science and Technology, 119(1-6), 191-217.
Version v2016:
Use local constants computed from the turbulent Da and Re numbers.
Parente, A., Malik, M. R., Contino, F., Cuoci, A., & Dally, B. B.
(2016).
Extension of the Eddy Dissipation Concept for
turbulence/chemistry interactions to MILD combustion.
Fuel, 163, 98-111.
\endverbatim
Tutorials cases provided: reactingFoam/RAS/DLR_A_LTS, reactingFoam/RAS/SandiaD_LTS.
This codes was developed and contributed by
Zhiyi Li
Alessandro Parente
Francesco Contino
from BURN Research Group
and updated and tested for release by
Henry G. Weller
CFD Direct Ltd.
This allows single, multi-phase and VoF compressible simulations to be performed
with the accurate thermophysical property functions for liquids provided by the
liquidProperty classes. e.g. in the
multiphase/compressibleInterFoam/laminar/depthCharge2D tutorial water can now be
specified by
thermoType
{
type heRhoThermo;
mixture pureMixture;
properties liquid;
energy sensibleInternalEnergy;
}
mixture
{
H2O;
}
as an alternative to the previous less accurate representation defined by
thermoType
{
type heRhoThermo;
mixture pureMixture;
transport const;
thermo hConst;
equationOfState perfectFluid;
specie specie;
energy sensibleInternalEnergy;
}
mixture
{
specie
{
molWeight 18.0;
}
equationOfState
{
R 3000;
rho0 1027;
}
thermodynamics
{
Cp 4195;
Hf 0;
}
transport
{
mu 3.645e-4;
Pr 2.289;
}
}
However the increase in accuracy of the new simpler and more convenient
specification and representation comes at a cost: the NSRDS functions used by
the liquidProperties classes are relatively expensive to evaluate and the
depthCharge2D case takes ~14% longer to run.
Description
Base-class for thermophysical properties of solids, liquids and gases
providing an interface compatible with the templated thermodynamics
packages.
liquidProperties, solidProperties and thermophysicalFunction libraries have been
combined with the new thermophysicalProperties class into a single
thermophysicalProperties library to simplify compilation and linkage of models,
libraries and applications dependent on these classes.
The entries for liquid and solid species can now be simply be the name unless
property coefficients are overridden in which are specified in a dictionary as
before e.g. in the tutorials/lagrangian/coalChemistryFoam/simplifiedSiwek case
the water is simply specified
liquids
{
H2O;
}
and solid ash uses standard coefficients but the coefficients for carbon are
overridden thus
solids
{
C
{
rho 2010;
Cp 710;
kappa 0.04;
Hf 0;
emissivity 1.0;
}
ash;
}
The defaultCoeffs entry is now redundant and supported only for backward
compatibility. To specify a liquid with default coefficients simply leave the
coefficients dictionary empty:
liquids
{
H2O {}
}
Any or all of the coefficients may be overridden by specifying the properties in
the coefficients dictionary, e.g.
liquids
{
H2O
{
rho
{
a 1000;
b 0;
c 0;
d 0;
}
}
}
When liquids are constructed from dictionary the coefficients are now first
initialized to their standard values and overridden by the now optional entries
provided in the dictionary. For example to specify water with all the standard
temperature varying properties but override only the density with a constant
value of 1000 specify in thermophysicalProperties
liquids
{
H2O
{
defaultCoeffs no;
H2OCoeffs
{
rho
{
a 1000;
b 0;
c 0;
d 0;
}
}
}
}
The fundamental properties provided by the specie class hierarchy were
mole-based, i.e. provide the properties per mole whereas the fundamental
properties provided by the liquidProperties and solidProperties classes are
mass-based, i.e. per unit mass. This inconsistency made it impossible to
instantiate the thermodynamics packages (rhoThermo, psiThermo) used by the FV
transport solvers on liquidProperties. In order to combine VoF with film and/or
Lagrangian models it is essential that the physical propertied of the three
representations of the liquid are consistent which means that it is necessary to
instantiate the thermodynamics packages on liquidProperties. This requires
either liquidProperties to be rewritten mole-based or the specie classes to be
rewritten mass-based. Given that most of OpenFOAM solvers operate
mass-based (solve for mass-fractions and provide mass-fractions to sub-models it
is more consistent and efficient if the low-level thermodynamics is also
mass-based.
This commit includes all of the changes necessary for all of the thermodynamics
in OpenFOAM to operate mass-based and supports the instantiation of
thermodynamics packages on liquidProperties.
Note that most users, developers and contributors to OpenFOAM will not notice
any difference in the operation of the code except that the confusing
nMoles 1;
entries in the thermophysicalProperties files are no longer needed or used and
have been removed in this commet. The only substantial change to the internals
is that species thermodynamics are now "mixed" with mass rather than mole
fractions. This is more convenient except for defining reaction equilibrium
thermodynamics for which the molar rather than mass composition is usually know.
The consequence of this can be seen in the adiabaticFlameT, equilibriumCO and
equilibriumFlameT utilities in which the species thermodynamics are
pre-multiplied by their molecular mass to effectively convert them to mole-basis
to simplify the definition of the reaction equilibrium thermodynamics, e.g. in
equilibriumCO
// Reactants (mole-based)
thermo FUEL(thermoData.subDict(fuelName)); FUEL *= FUEL.W();
// Oxidant (mole-based)
thermo O2(thermoData.subDict("O2")); O2 *= O2.W();
thermo N2(thermoData.subDict("N2")); N2 *= N2.W();
// Intermediates (mole-based)
thermo H2(thermoData.subDict("H2")); H2 *= H2.W();
// Products (mole-based)
thermo CO2(thermoData.subDict("CO2")); CO2 *= CO2.W();
thermo H2O(thermoData.subDict("H2O")); H2O *= H2O.W();
thermo CO(thermoData.subDict("CO")); CO *= CO.W();
// Product dissociation reactions
thermo CO2BreakUp
(
CO2 == CO + 0.5*O2
);
thermo H2OBreakUp
(
H2O == H2 + 0.5*O2
);
Please report any problems with this substantial but necessary rewrite of the
thermodynamic at https://bugs.openfoam.org
Henry G. Weller
CFD Direct Ltd.
New reactingFoam tutorial counterFlowFlame2DLTS_GRI_TDAC demonstrates this new
functionality.
Additionally the ISAT table growth algorithm has been further optimized
providing an overall speedup of between 15% and 38% for the tests run so far.
Updates to TDAC and ISAT provided by Francesco Contino.
Implementation updated and integrated into OpenFOAM-dev by
Henry G. Weller, CFD Direct Ltd with the help of Francesco Contino.
Original code providing all algorithms for chemistry reduction and
tabulation contributed by Francesco Contino, Tommaso Lucchini, Gianluca
D’Errico, Hervé Jeanmart, Nicolas Bourgeois and Stéphane Backaert.
Combined 'dQ()' and 'Sh()' into 'Qdot()' which returns the heat-release rate in
the normal units [kg/m/s3] and used as the heat release rate source term in
the energy equations, to set the field 'Qdot' in several combustion solvers
and for the evaluation of the local time-step when running LTS.
to ensure 'patchType' is set as specified.
Required substantial change to the organization of the reading of the
'value' entry requiring careful testing and there may be some residual
issues remaining. Please report any problems with the reading and
initialization of patch fields.
Resolves bug-report http://bugs.openfoam.org/view.php?id=2266
