Electrostatic Potential Model Reference

Simcenter STAR-CCM+ calculates the electric field from the electric potential, which is computed from Eqn. (4272).


Model Name	Electrostatic Potential
Theory	See Electrostatic Potential Model.
Provided By	[physics continuum] > Models > Electromagnetism
Example Node Path	Continua > Physics 1 > Models > Electrostatic Potential
Requires	Physics Models: Space: one of Three Dimensional, Two Dimensional, Axisymmetric Time: one of Steady, Implicit Unsteady Material: one of Gas, Liquid, Solid, Multi-Component Gas, Multi-Component Liquid, Multi-Part Solid, Multiphase Optional Models: Electromagnetism
Activates	Material Properties	Permittivity. See Material Properties.
	Initial Conditions	Electric Potential. See Initial Conditions.
	Boundary Inputs	Electric Flux Distribution, Electric Potential Specification. See Boundary Settings.
	Region Inputs	Electric Charge Density Source. See Region Settings.
	Interface Inputs	Surface Electric Charge Option. See Interface Settings.
	Solvers	Electric Potential. See Electric Potential Solver Reference.
	Monitors	Electric Potential
	Field Functions	Electric Flux Density, Permittivity, Displacement Electric Current Density, Electrostatic Force Density. See Field Functions.

Material Properties

Permittivity

Specifies the permittivity

ε

of the material (see Permittivity and Permeability).

Method	Corresponding Method Node
Constant, Field Function Suitable for linear isotropic materials. For multi-component fluids, you specify the effective permittivity of the mixture (and not the permittivity of each component). Available for fluids and solids.	Permittivity > Constant, Field Function Specify $ε$ as a scalar profile.
Anisotropic, Orthotropic, Transverse Isotropic Suitable for linear non-isotropic materials. Available for solids only.	Permittivity > Anisotropic, Orthotropic, Transverse Isotropic Specify $ε$ as a second-order tensor (see Eqn. (4221) and Eqn. (4222)). For information on how to define second-order tensors, see Tensor Quantities. [Region] > Physics Values > Permittivity Orientation Specifies the local orientation for the definition of the permittivity tensor. For more information, see Orientation Manager and Local Orientations.

Method

Corresponding Method Node

Constant, Field Function: Suitable for linear isotropic materials. For multi-component fluids, you specify the effective permittivity of the mixture (and not the permittivity of each component).; Available for fluids and solids.

Anisotropic, Orthotropic, Transverse Isotropic: Suitable for linear non-isotropic materials.; Available for solids only.

Permittivity > Anisotropic, Orthotropic, Transverse Isotropic: Specify $ε$ as a second-order tensor (see Eqn. (4221) and Eqn. (4222)).; For information on how to define second-order tensors, see Tensor Quantities.
[Region] > Physics Values > Permittivity Orientation: Specifies the local orientation for the definition of the permittivity tensor. For more information, see Orientation Manager and Local Orientations.

Electric Potential: Allows you to initialize the electric potential $ϕ$ to a specified scalar profile.

Applies to all boundary types other than Overset Mesh and Symmetry Plane.

Electric Potential Specification

At the domain boundaries, allows you to prescribe either the electric potential

ϕ

or its gradient

\nabla ϕ

Method	Corresponding Physics Value Nodes
Electric Potential	Electric Potential Sets the electric potential $ϕ$ at the boundary to a specified scalar profile.
Electric Flux	Electric Flux Sets the total electric flux through the boundary to a specified scalar profile. See Eqn. (4274). Simcenter STAR-CCM+ determines the electric flux spatial distribution using the assumption specified using the Electric Flux Distribution condition.
Specific Electric Flux	Specific Electric Flux Sets the electric flux per unit area to a specified scalar profile. See Eqn. (4273).
Electric Flux Density	Electric Flux Density Sets the electric flux density $D$ to a specified vector profile. See Eqn. (4219).
Floating Potential For equipotential conducting bodies ( $q = 0$ ), Simcenter STAR-CCM+ applies a uniform electric potential to the boundary and sets the electric flux ( $Γ$ ) to zero. This option is equivalent to using the Electric Flux method, with a zero electric flux and uniform electric potential assumption.	None

Electric Flux Distribution: Available when you specify the total electric flux at the boundary (that is, when you set the Electric Potential Specification to Electric Flux).; Simcenter STAR-CCM+ determines the electric flux spacial distribution by either assuming a uniform electric potential at the boundary, or a uniform specific electric flux (as defined in Eqn. (4273))

Applies to fluid and solid regions.

Electric Charge Density Source

Specifies the electric charge per unit volume within the region.

Method	Corresponding Physics Value Nodes
Deactivated Sets the region electric charge density to zero, $ρ = 0$ .	None
Activated Allows you to specify the region electric charge density.	Electric Charge Density User Source Sets the electric charge density $ρ$ to a specified scalar profile. Electric Charge Density Source Potential Derivative Specifies the derivative of the electric charge density $ρ$ with respect to the electric potential $ϕ$ . By default, this value is set to zero. In nonliner cases, specifying the dependency of $ρ$ on the potential improves stability.

Solid/Solid or Fluid/Solid Contact Interface

Surface Electric Charge Option

At an interface, allows you to specify the electric charge per unit area.

Method	Corresponding Physics Value Nodes
None	None. The surface electric charge is zero.
Surface Charge Density	Surface Charge Density Sets the surface electric charge to a specified scalar profile.

Fluid/Fluid Fully-Developed Interface

Electric Flux Source Option

Allows you to specify the total or specific electric flux through the interface.

Method	Corresponding Physics Value Nodes
Specific Electric Flux	Specific Electric Flux Sets the specific electric flux through the interface to a specified scalar profile. See Eqn. (4273).
Electric Flux	Electric Flux Sets the total electric flux through the interface to a specified scalar profile. See Eqn. (4274).

Electric Flux Density: Corresponds to the electric flux density $D$ in Eqn. (4219).
Permittivity: Corresponds to the material permittivity $ε$ in Eqn. (4219).
Displacement Electric Current Density: In dielectric media, corresponds to the time rate of change of the electric flux density (that is, $\partial D / \partial t$ ) due to the motion of dielectric dipoles under the influence of the electric field. Only available for unsteady (transient) simulations.
Electrostatic Force Density: Electrostatic force density at the interface between two materials ( $f_{E S}$ in Eqn. (4276)). At the interface between materials with the same permittivity $ε$ , $f_{E S}$ evaluates to zero.