Browsers

Use the browsers in HyperMesh CFD to create, review, and manage the parts,setup parameters, and post-processing entities used in your simulation.

By default, browsers open on the left side of the application. However, you can undock browsers so that they appear as a free-floating dialogs. You can also re-dock browsers on the right-side or the bottom of the application.

Part Browser

Use the Part Browser to create, organize, and manage the CAE part structure/hierarchy.

To open the Part Browser, click View > Part Browser from the menu bar.

The Part Browser displays the relationship between your model's parts/assemblies (), solid bodies (), and surface bodies ().

Solid bodies and surface bodies reflect the content within each part. Solid bodies contain a solid and surface bodies contain a group of surfaces. By reviewing the solid and surface bodies, you can get an idea of model.

New bodies are added to the browser when creating a new solid or surface. When you are ready to validate the model, all bodies should be solid bodies.
Figure 1.


Setup Browser

Use the Setup Browser to create, edit, and review setup parameters related to AcuSolve.

To open the Setup Browser, click View > Setup Browser from the menu bar.

The Setup Browser contains the different categories of parameters that you can use to setup your simulation and any defined instances.

If you right-click on a parameter and select Create/Open, the corresponding ribbon and tool used to create that parameter are activated.

Once a parameter is defined, it is automatically added to the Setup Browser.

Similarly, you can right-click on a defined parameter in the browser and select Edit to quickly jump into the correct tool and change any options.

Figure 2.


Post Browser

Use the Post Browser to create, edit, and review post-processing visualizations and measurements.

To open the Post Browser, click View > Post Browser from the menu bar.
Note: The Post Browser is only available when working in the Post ribbon.

The Post Browser contains the model's parts, boundary visualizations, and defined post-processing entities.

You can use the following context menu options, in addition to standard functions like show/hide/isolate/reverse, while in the browser:

Edit
Quickly jump into the entity's corresponding tool and change any options.
Info
Provides a summary of the number of nodes, elements, and maximum and minimum values of each variable on the surface or dataset.
Restriction: This function only works for single selections. Multi-select is not yet supported.
Make Current
Controls which collection new boundary groups are added to.
When you create new boundary group by selecting surfaces, those surfaces will be removed from the existing boundary group.
Delete Empty Boundary Groups
Delete empty boundary groups in a collection.
Duplicate
Duplicate derived entities with an identical copy of the representation with associated display properties. Useful for creating multiple entities of the same type with minor changes to the entity definition.
Export
Provides the capability to export derived entities to a file, .h3d or .csv are supported. The output files contain information about the geometry and selection of variables.
Create Subcollection
Available for boundary collections, boundaries, and boundary groups.
Splits them into further collections. Drag and drop to organize existing subcollections.
New Collexction
Available on the Boundary Collections heading.
Creates a new boundary collection set. Default places all surfaces in a boundary group called "unassigned". You can also create collections By Surface Outputs, By Boundaries, By Radiation Surfaces, and By Solar Radiation.
Remove From Subcollection
Remove selected from its current subcollection.
Delete Empty Subcollection
Delete subcollections that do not contain anything.
Figure 3.


Multiple Datasets

Multiple sets of data can be imported into the same session. After opening the first dataset, use File > Import to load others.

All datasets are rendered in the browser. The datasets are visible in the modeling window and you can control the visibility of any item of any dataset using the browser.

However, only active dataset entities can be selected in the modeling window and in tools like Slice Planes, Streamlines, and so on. Make a dataset active by right-clicking on in it in the browser and selecting Make Current.

To delete a dataset, right-click on it and select Delete.

Figure 4.


Particle Datasets

HyperMesh CFD Post supports the import of datasets that contain particles. The particles are automatically identified and classified as a separate data type in the Post Browser. Particle datasets have only two different display types available: Points and Vectors

The size of the points can be controlled through the top-most options menu in the display properties microdialog.
Figure 5.


Export Capabilities

HyperMesh CFD Post supports the ability to export derived representations from thePost Browser. Exported representations can be stored for future reference when only a subset of the dataset is needed or if a specific set of quantities are needed to define boundary conditions for subsequent simulations. Two types of files are supported for export: h3d and csv. The Export dialog allows you to select the required variables for storage, at least one variable must be selected. The selected variables along with the geometric representation of the entity will be stored in the user defined file.

If needed, derived quantities can be selected by using the combo box and selected variables from the Derived Variables section.
Figure 6.

Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic Model Browser

Similar to the Part Browser, the Model Browser displays and organizes all entities related to aerodynamic/aeroacoustic setup.

To open the Model Browser, first load the Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustics setup environment, then click View > Model Browser from the menu bar, or press F2.
Figure 7.


Use the Model Browser to:
  • Find and search for entities in your model.
  • Show and hide entities in your model.
  • Organize parts into assemblies.

Demo Browser

The Demo Browser (F7) displays a list of demo models packaged with the software.

Figure 8.


Drag-and-drop a model to load it in the modeling window. This is a convenient way to access tutorial models.
Restriction: Only available in the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics setup environment.

Property Editor

The Property Editor shows all the properties of a selected entity and enables you to edit them.

The Property Editor is available in the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics setup environment and can be opened and closed in the following ways:
  • Click View > Property Editor from the menu bar
  • Press F3
  • Right-click on selected entities and choosing Properties/Hide Properties from the context menu
Properties that are not editable appear grayed out. Properties such as a name and color can be assigned to various objects, such as parts, or to an entire model. If multiple objects are selected, the values of properties which are the same for the selected objects are displayed in the Property Editor, and the values of properties which are not the same are left blank. If you change a value in the Property Editor, the new value is assigned to all selected objects.
Figure 9.


Supported Properties

The properties assigned to an object vary based on the type of object.

General

Name
Object name. Objects can be renamed in the Model Browser or Property Editor, or by using the right-click context menu.
Identify As
Part type in terms of wind tunnel testing: body, heat exchanger in/out/wall, or wheel. This option is also set by means of the Identify Parts tool and the right-click context menu.
Baffle
Baffles are two dimensional surfaces that are surrounded by fluid on all sides but do not combine with other surfaces to form a fluid volume. They are used to represent thin regions of solid material that are too costly to explicitly resolve. This option is also set by means of the right-click context menu.
Scale
The scale factor of the part with respect to the original geometry that was imported into Virtual Wind Tunnel. This option is also set by means of the Scale tool.
Group (heat exchanger, wheels)
Identifies which wheel or heat-exchanger group this part belongs to. You can select different groups from the drop-down list.

Appearance

Visible
Indicates whether the selected object is visible (shown or hidden) in the modeling window.
Color
Indicates the color assigned to the object when it is displayed in the modeling window.

Click to create and assign custom colors.

Transparency
Transparency of the selected object, according to a percentage. By default, objects are zero percent transparent.
Display Style
Indicates how parts and assemblies are displayed in the modeling window. In addition to the default smooth shading display style, each part can be displayed as mesh lines, or as smooth shading with mesh lines.

Inflow Velocity (Wind Tunnel Only)

Inflow speed
The velocity of air at the inlet to the wind tunnel. This velocity is also used as the wall velocity of belts and moving ground if activated.

Boundary Layer Suction (Wind Tunnel Only)

Active
Activates the modeling of a boundary layer suction upstream of the point at which the boundary layer begins to grow.
Location Reference
The reference location from which boundary layer suction distance is measured. This can be the origin or the wind tunnel's inflow.
Distance
The distance from the reference location at which the boundary layer suction is applied.

Tunnel Properties (Wind Tunnel Only)

Length
Total length of the wind tunnel, typically designated in meters.
Width
Total width of the wind tunnel, typically designated in meters.
Height
Total height of the wind tunnel, typically designated in meters.

Tunnel Extents (Wind Tunnel Only)

X Min, X Max, Y Min, Y Max, Z Min, Z Max
This value indicates the extension of the wind tunnel with respect to each coordinate axis.
This is different from the Length, Width and Height settings in that it can comprise positive and negative values. For example, a wind tunnel that is four meters wide across its Y axis, but centered on the coordinate origin, would have a Y Min of -2m and a Y Max of 2m.

Heat Exchanger Properties (Heat Exchangers Only)

Inertial Resistance
The inertial resistance coefficient () used to determine the pressure drop across the porous media per the following equation:


Where,
Density
Velocity
Pressure
Location coordinate
Viscous Resistance
The viscous resistance coefficient () used to determine the pressure drop across the porous media per the following equation:


Where,
Density
Velocity
Pressure
Location coordinate

Permeability Direction (Heat Exchanger Only)

Direction X,Y,Z
Defines the direction in which the permeability is applied.

Wheel RPM (Wheels Only)

Auto Calculate
Automatically calculate the angular velocity of the wheel based on the wind speed and location of wind tunnel ground plane.
Angular Velocity
Rate of rotation of the wheel.

Wheel Center (Wheels Only)

Wheel Center X, Wheel Center Y, Wheel Center Z
Location of the wheel's center in the global coordinate system. The default center is computed based on the oriented bounding box of the part.

Wheel Axis (Wheels Only)

Wheel Axis X, Wheel Axis Y, Wheel Axis Z
Wheel's axis of rotation in the global coordinate system. The default axis is computed based on the oriented bounding box of the part.

Fan Rpm (Fans Only)

RPM
Rate of rotation of the fan.

Fan Center (Fans Only)

Fan Center X, Fan Center Y, Fan Center Z
Location of the fan's center in the global coordinate system. The default center is computed based on the oriented bounding box of the part.

Fan Axis (Fans Only)

Fan Axis X, Fan Axis Y, Fan Axis Z
Fan's axis of rotation in the global coordinate system. The default axis is computed based on the oriented bounding box of the part.