3D grid: about
Definition
A 3D grid is a volume support, on which the user can evaluate a spatial quantity.
Use
A 3D grid is used for:
- plotting of scalar spatial quantities as color-shading isovalues
- plotting of scalar spatial quantities as arrows
- exportation of values
Shapes of 3D grids
3D grids can be of the following shapes: cube, rectangular parallelepiped, sphere, cylinder or a part of cylinder.
3D grid and infinite box
The spatial support of the 3D grid type can be extended beyond the bounded study domain.
Mesh
The mesh of a 3D grid is based on a user-defined discretization: computation points are regularly spaced in the volume of the support.
Cube
A 3D grid of the cube type is characterized by a position, a dimension and a discretization.
An example of the definition of a cube-shaped 3D grid is presented below.
| Definition of the "Cube" 3D grid | |
|---|---|
| The position is defined by: 
 |  | 
| The dimension is defined by an edge length L of the cube | |
| The discretization are defined by a number of elements along the cube edge | |
Parallelepiped
A 3D grid of the parallelepiped type is characterized by a position, dimensions and discretizations.
An example of the definition of a parallelepiped-shaped 3D grid is presented below.
| Definition of the "Parallelepiped" 3D grid | |
|---|---|
| The position is defined by: 
 |  | 
| The dimensions are defined by: 
 
 | |
| The discretization are defined by a number of elements along the three main axes (X, Y, Z) |  | 
Cylinder
A 3D grid of the cylinder type is characterized by a position, dimensions and discretizations.
An example of the definition of a cylinder-shaped 3D grid is presented below.
| Definition of the "Cylinder" 3D grid | |
|---|---|
| The position is defined by: 
 |  | 
| The dimensions are defined by: 
 | |
| The discretization are defined by: | |
| 
 | |
| 
 | |
| 
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Part of cylinder
A 3D grid of the type of a part of cylinder is characterized by a position, dimensions and discretizations.
An example of the definition of a 3D grid of a part of cylinder (a part of a full cylinder) is presented below.
| Definition of the "Part of Cylinder" 3D grid | |
|---|---|
| The position is defined by: 
 |  | 
| The dimensions are defined by: 
 
 
 | |
| The discretization are defined by: | |
| 
 | |
| 
 | |
| 
 | |
| Angle unit of coordinate system | Angle θ | 
|---|---|
| degree | 0<| θ | ≤ 360 | 
| radian | 0<| θ | ≤ 2 π | 
Sphere
A 3D grid of the sphere type is characterized by a position, dimensions and discretizations.
An example of the definition of a sphere-shaped 3D grid is presented below.
| Definition of the "Part of Cylinder" 3D grid | |
|---|---|
| The position is defined by: 
 |  | 
| The dimensions are defined by a radius | |
| The discretization are defined by: | |
| 
 |  | 
| 
 | |
| 
 |  |