Activating FMU Co-Simulation Models

For co-simulation with FMU, you require two physics continua—one continuum for the physics that are solved in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ (the internal continuum) and one continuum that represents the physics in the FMU model (the external continuum).

The initial simulation contains a predefined physics continuum for the physics in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that models the air flow as an unsteady turbulent fluid.

To enable co-simulation with FMU, add the required co-simulation models:

  1. For the physics continuum, Continua > Fluid, activate the following physics models:
    Group Physics Model
    Optional Models Co-Simulation
    Co-Simulation Models FMI
  2. Select the Continua > Fluid > Initial Conditions > Static Temperature node and set Value to 313 K.
To represent the external physics:
  1. Create a new physics continuum named FMU. For this continuum, select the following models:
    Group box Model
    Optional Models External Continuum
    External Continuum External Application (selected automatically)
    Space Network Topology
    External Application FMI
    Time Implicit Unsteady
  2. Right-click the Regions node and select New > Region.
  3. Select the Regions > Region 1 node and set Physics Continuum to FMU.
  4. Rename Region 1 to FMU.
When you activate the External Continuum model, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ adds a link node under the External Links node. A link represents the connection to an external application and allows you to define the details of the co-simulation.

Using the default link node, specify the external continuum that represents the FMU model, and define the time interval between data transfer events:

  1. Expand the External Links > Link 1 > Conditions node and set the following properties:
    Node Property Setting
    External Continua Continua FMU
    Coupling Negotiation Option Option Time-Step

    This setting sets the time interval between data exchanges to the simulation time-step.

    Later, you also specify the values that are exchanged with the FMU model. For co-simulation with FMU, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automatically specifies the relevant launch and connect settings.

  2. Save the simulation.