Setting up Reports, Monitors, and Plots

By default Simcenter STAR-CCM+ produces a residuals plot which can be used to monitor the convergence of the solution. It is useful to create more monitors to help in assessing convergence.

Create two sets of reports, monitors and plots for the current and maximum temperature in the wire.

For the current-in-wire report, generate a plane section normal to the X direction using the wire as the input part. The plane section, is placed half way along the wire. It is used to create a surface integral of the current density in the Y direction (A/m2).

  1. Click the Geometry Scene 1 tab in the Graphics window.
  2. Right-click the Derived Parts node and select New > Section > Plane Section.
In the Create Section dialog that appears in the edit window, do the following:
  1. In the Input Parts box, select Regions > Wire.
  2. Set Origin to [0.0, 0.00242566, 0.0] m and Normal to [1.0, 0.0, 0.0] m.
  3. Click Create, then click Close.
    A Plane Section derived part is created.
  4. Rename the Derived Parts > Plane Section node to Wire Cross-section.
  5. Right-click the Reports node and select New > User > Surface Integral.
  6. Rename the Surface Integral 1 node to Current in Wire.
Reports can be created for all derived parts and boundaries.
  1. Select the Reports > Current in Wire node and set the following:
    Property Setting
    Scalar Field Function Electric Current Density > Magnitude
    Parts Derived Parts > Wire Cross-section
  2. Click OK.
Create a report for the maximum temperature in the wire.
  1. Right-click the Reports node and select New > User > Maximum.
  2. Rename the Maximum 1 node to Maximum Temperature in Wire.
  3. Select the Reports > Maximum Temperature in Wire node and set the following Properties:
    Property Setting
    Scalar Field Function Temperature
    Parts Regions > Wire
Monitors and plots can be created from reports, and used to judge convergence while the simulation is running.
  1. Multi-select the Current in Wire and the Maximum Temperature in Wire report nodes.
  2. Right-click one of the selected nodes and select Create Monitor and Plot from Report.
  3. Click Multiple Plots (one per report) to display the plots in separate graphs.
    Two monitors and plots are created.

    The Current in Wire Monitor Plot and Maximum Temperature in Wire Monitor Plot are opened automatically.