Home
Tutorials
Tutorials show you how to use Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for various applications in a step-by-step format with recommendations for setup, initialization and steps of the solution process specific to the application. Macro and simulation files are available for download for a large proportion of cases.
Discrete Element Method
The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for simulating Discrete Element Method problems
DEM Particle Settling
This tutorial simulates a three-dimensional solid flow through a model blast furnace to predict the formation of the deadman region at the base of the furnace.
Comparing the Results
In this section, compare the height and shape of the deadman region with the experimental image of Zhou et al. To show the deadman region more clearly, you create the user-defined field function, oldParticles, which displays the particles with residence times of less than 36.5 s all in the same color.

Share

Link: copied

Breadcrumb: copied

Tutorials
Tutorials show you how to use Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for various applications in a step-by-step format with recommendations for setup, initialization and steps of the solution process specific to the application. Macro and simulation files are available for download for a large proportion of cases.
- Using Tutorial Macros and Files
  Macros, input files, and final simulation files for a range of tutorials are provided as an optional download package on the Support Center website. These macros and final simulation files are provided as an aid to the written tutorials, so that you can check your final results against the downloaded files, or against a simulation that is built and run using the macros.
- Introduction
  Welcome to the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ introductory tutorial. In this tutorial, you explore the important concepts and workflow. Complete this tutorial before attempting any others.
- Foundation Tutorials
  The foundation tutorials showcase the major features of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ in a series of short tutorials.
- Geometry
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for creating and working with parts and 3D-CAD.
- Mesh
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various STAR-CCM+ features for building CFD meshes.
- Incompressible Flow
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for incompressible fluid flows as well as porosity and solution recording
- Compressible Flow
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for compressible fluid flows as well as harmonic balance.
- Heat Transfer and Radiation
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for heat transfer, radiation, and thermal comfort.
- Multiphase Flow
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for simulating multiphase fluid flow problems
- Discrete Element Method
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for simulating Discrete Element Method problems
  - DEM Particles in a Conveyor
    The purpose of this tutorial is to provide a guide to setting up a simulation using the Discrete Element Method.
  - DEM Particle Settling
    This tutorial simulates a three-dimensional solid flow through a model blast furnace to predict the formation of the deadman region at the base of the furnace.
    - Importing the Surface Mesh and Naming the Simulation
      Start a new simulation and import blastFurnaceSurfaceMesh.dbs.
    - Generating the Volume Mesh
      Use the surface remesher and polyhedral volume mesher to create a mesh with a base size of 0.01 m, as the fluid solution is not of particular importance for this tutorial.
    - Selecting Physics Models
      Physics models are required to define the behavior of the multiphase continua.
    - Defining Lagrangian Phases
      A Lagrangian phase is used to define the solid particles in the simulation. The phase requires specific physics models and properties to characterize its behavior. In this case, the solid particles are glass beads, with the material properties defined manually.
    - Defining the DEM Particle Interaction
      The DEM particle interaction is used to define how the particles behave when they collide with one another and wall regions. The procedure to define the ORE to ORE interaction has been provided in detail, with a table summarizing the steps for ORE to wall interaction.
    - Setting Reference Values
      The reference values must be defined to make sure that the acceleration due to gravity acts in the expected direction.
    - Setting the Boundary Conditions
      By default, the conditions for boundaries representing the furnace are all set to no-slip walls. You now change the pIn boundary to Outlet with default Split Ratio of 1 to allow filling of the geometry with particles for the first 11.5 seconds of the simulation.
    - Creating an Injector
      Particles are injected into the fluid region from the top of the blast furnace. The particles, 0.01 m in diameter, are injected at a mass flow rate of 18.33 kg/s with a velocity of 0.01 m/s in the negative Y-direction.
    - Setting the Solver Parameters and Stopping Criteria
      As the simulation is transient, the solver time-step and actual run time must be set. In this case, the time-step is 0.01 seconds, with a physical time of 11.5 seconds for the first stage of the simulation. Also as no fluid flow effect is taken into account, freeze the coupled implicit solver.
    - Setting Up a Visualization Scene
      A scalar scene is created to provide a visual representation of the glass beads within the fluid system.
    - Running the Simulation
      The simulation is now ready to be run.
    - Visualizing Results
      When the solver is complete, the Scalar Scene 1 in the Graphics window appears.
    - Stage Two of the Simulation
      Having filled the furnace with beads in stage 1, it is now necessary to allow a period for the beads to settle before opening the outlets and allowing the beads to escape.
    - Stage Three of the Simulation
      For this final stage of the simulation, open the outlets (one on each side) to allow the particles to discharge. Also, the inlet to allow new particles to enter the furnace to supplement the exiting ones already in the furnace.
    - Comparing the Results
      In this section, compare the height and shape of the deadman region with the experimental image of Zhou et al. To show the deadman region more clearly, you create the user-defined field function, oldParticles, which displays the particles with residence times of less than 36.5 s all in the same color.
    - Summary
      This tutorial simulated a three-dimensional solid flow through a model blast furnace.
    - Blast Furnace Tutorial Bibliography
  - Cylindrical Particles in a Rotating Drum
    This tutorial simulates a large number of cylindrical-shaped tablets tumbling in a rotating drum and being sprayed with a protective coating.
  - Arbitrarily Shaped Particles: DEM Polyhedra
    This tutorial demonstrates how to compose and inject DEM particles of an arbitrary shape.
  - Meshfree DEM: Excavator
    For DEM simulations of particles that are not significantly impacted by the surrounding fluid, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to model the particle behavior without requiring a volume mesh. This type of simulation is known as meshfree DEM.
  - Coarse Grain Particles: Fluidized Bed
  - Flexible Fiber Model: Lawnmower
- Motion
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various STAR-CCM+ features for simulating problems with moving geometries and meshes, dynamic fluid body interaction, and rigid body motion:
- Reacting Flow
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for simulating reacting flows such as combustion.
- Solid Stress
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for computing deformation, strain, and stresses in solid regions. They also show how such computations can be coupled to the fluid behavior in an analysis of fluid-structure interaction.
- Aeroacoustics
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for solving aeroacoustic simulations.
- Electromagnetism
  The following tutorials illustrate features for solving problems that involve electromagnetic fields.
- Electrochemistry
  The following tutorial demonstrates chemical reactions induced by an electrical current.
- Battery
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for setting up a battery model:
- Automation
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automation and macro features.
- Design Exploration
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various features for running design exploration studies in Design Manager.
- Coupling with CAE Codes
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for coupling with CAE codes:
- Analysis Methods
  The tutorials in this set illustrate various Simcenter STAR-CCM+ features for analysing and visualizing simulation data.
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ In-cylinder
  The tutorials in this set illustrate features for simulating internal combustion engines in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ using the dedicated add-on Simcenter STAR-CCM+ In-cylinder.

Comparing the Results

In this section, compare the height and shape of the deadman region with the experimental image of Zhou et al. To show the deadman region more clearly, you create the user-defined field function, oldParticles, which displays the particles with residence times of less than 36.5 s all in the same color.

To define the region in a field function:

Open the Automation node at the bottom of the main object tree. Right-click the Field Functions node and select New > Scalar.
Rename the User Field Function 1 node to Old Particles

Select the Old Particles node and set the following properties:


Property	Setting
Function Name	OldParticles
Definition	max(0,$ParticleResidenceTime - ($Time-13.5)) + ($Time-13.5)

Select the Scenes > Scalar Scene 1 > Scalar 1> Scalar Field node and set the Function to Old Particles.

The Scalar Scene 1 in the Graphics window appears as shown below:

Deep blue colored particles are newer particles, injected after time t=13.5 s. The remaining particles are the ones that had come into the domain before 13.5 s.

The following screenshot shows the comparison, with the experimental image superimposed on top of the Old Particles scene above and zoomed in using the mouse buttons:

The deadman size, height, and shape are well-predicted.