How Do I Calculate Particle Traces Using Inspire Extrude?

Approach #1 - Particle trace when running flow simulation

  1. Use Inspire Extrude to setup the model and export the solver deck.
  2. You will need .hx and .grf files for this. Copy these files to a new folder.
  3. After the solver deck is created, add the particleset problem data packet in GRF file. More information on this is below.
  4. Particles are defined and stored in a PROBLEMDATA packet called "SeedData".

    BEGIN PROBLEMDATA

    SeedData ParticleSet

    {

    ID X_coord Y_coord Z_coord Int_Type

    }

    END

    • SeedData - Key word
    • ParticleSet - (Character string) Name of the data set
    • ID - (Integer) Particle number
    • X_Coord - (Real) X-Coordinate of the particle location
    • Y_Coord - (Real) Y-Coordinate of the particle location
    • Z_Coord - (Real) Z-Coordinate of the particle location
    • Int_Type - (Integer) Integration Type 1 for Forward integration -1 for Backward integration

      Example:

      BEGIN PROBLEMDATA

      SeedData ParticleSet_A

      {1 0.0 0.0 -20 1

      2 0.0 1.0 -20 1

      3 0.0 0.0 20 -1 END

      There is no limit to the number of seeds in a given SeedData set. In addition, there is no limit to the number of SeedDatapackets; however, the SeedData names of each packet must be unique.

      The SeedData packet can be: included in the *.grf file along with the mesh, BC, and material data or saved as a separate *.grf file. If the SeedData packet is included in *.grf file along with mesh data, the solver will calculate particle history as a post processing step from the converged flow field.
  5. Launch solver using HW solver launcher or HX Job Manager.
  6. The solver will create a separate output file for each particle. In the above example, the solver will create three files with particle history.ParticleSet1_001.csv

Approach #2 - Particle trace on existing flow simulation results

  1. Create an empty folder.
  2. Create a new*.hx file with following content.

    load model.save.phx restart last

    load seeds.grf phlex {Metal Extrusion}

    CalcParticleHistory Seeds_A <nsteps>

    exit

    Note: <nsteps>: is the maximum number of time steps across an element length. This is used to calculate local time increment to advance the particle. Default value for nsteps is 4.

    Instead of defining nsteps for each seed data set, it can also be specified once by using the following pset command in *.hx file.

    pset StepsAcrossElementnsteps

    This statement must be placed before "solve" and "CalcParticleHIstory" commands.

    e.g.

    load model.save.phx restart last

    load seeds.grf phlex (Metal Extrusion}

    pset StepsAcrossElement nsteps

    CalcParticleHistory Seeds_A

    exit

  3. The solver will create a separate output file for each particle. In the above example, the solver will create three files with particle history.

    ParticleSet_A_001.csv

    ParticleSet_A_002.csv

    ParticleSet_A_003.csv

    The particle history file (*.pth) contains the following information:

    Element_ID

    TIme (seconds)

    Position (Vector): X, Y, Z

    Velocity vector (Vector) X, Y, Z, velocity

    Pressure (Vector)

    Temperature (Scalar)

    Viscosity (Scalar)

    Flow stress (Scalar)

    Effective strain rate (Scalar)

    Stress tenor (Symmetric tensor)

    Strain rate (Symmetric tensor)

    Velocity gradients (Tensor)

    Effective Strain (Scalar)