Exchanged Fields Reference

In each zone, you specify exported and imported fields using predefined thermal and mechanical fields, or auxiliary fields. In each simulation, the exported fields must match the imported fields of the partner simulation.



Exported/Imported Fields Manager Right-Click Actions

Add Thermal Field
Available when you activate an Energy model in the physics continuum. This option allows you to select the following predefined thermal fields for import or export:
  • Heat Transfer Coefficient and Reference Temperature: available in fluid simulations for export and in solid simulations for import.

    For automatic set up of the solid boundary conditions, the solid simulation must import both fields. Consequently, the fluid simulation must export both fields. At the solid boundaries, the imported fields are applied as convective fluxes. The thermal specification is specified under the [Zone] > Conditions > Thermal Specification Management node.

  • Temperature: available in fluid simulations for import and in solid simulations for export.
Add Mechanical Field
Allows you to select the following predefined mechanical fields for import or export:
  • Pressure: available in fluid simulations for export and in solid simulations for import.
  • Wall Shear Stress: available in fluid simulations for export and in solid simulations for import.
  • Displacement: available in fluid simulations for import and in solid simulations for export. In two-way coupled FSI applications, the solid displacement drives the morphing motion of the fluid mesh.
Add Auxiliary Field
Allows you to add a scalar or vector auxiliary field, for export or import of any field function defined on the coupled model parts (either boundaries or regions).

[Exported Field] Properties

The fields under the Exported Fields node are subject to the following properties:

Initialization Method
Defines the method for initializing the exported field. The available options are:
  • User-defined Initialization Value—allows you to initialize the exported field to a constant value.
  • Constant Value—some fields are automatically initialized by Simcenter STAR-CCM+. In this case, the Initialization Method is locked to Constant Value and no input is required.
Field Stencil
Specifies the mesh stencil (Vertex or Face for surface meshes, and Vertex or Cell for volume meshes) from which Simcenter STAR-CCM+ maps the field data to be exported.
Depending on the field specification, you can either select the field native stencil or a different stencil. The native stencil is the location where Simcenter STAR-CCM+ computes the solution—its type depends on the specific field. For example, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ computes the pressure field at mesh faces, whereas the displacement field is computed at mesh vertices. When exporting data from the field native stencil, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ exports the original solution as computed at the native stencil. When exporting data from a different stencil, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ exports the solution data interpolated to the chosen stencil.
Field Treatment
Automatically set to Unmanaged. This setting indicates that Simcenter STAR-CCM+ does not perform any operation on this field before export.
Scalar/Vector Function
Allows you to select the field functions that are exported to the partner simulation. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ adds a field function to represent the exported field named Co-Simulation: Exported <field_name>. For example, Co-Simulation: Exported Pressure.

[Imported Field] Properties

Field Stencil
Specifies the mesh stencil (either Vertex, Face, or Cell) to which Simcenter STAR-CCM+ maps the imported field data.
Initialization Method
Defines the method for initializing the imported field. The available options are:
  • Use Continuum Initial Condition—Simcenter STAR-CCM+ initializes the field function associated with the imported field (see property [Imported Field Name]) based on the initial conditions that are specified in the associated physics continuum.
  • User-defined Initialization Value—when initial conditions for the imported field are not available in the associated physics continuum, this option allows you to initialize the imported field to a constant value.
  • Constant Value—some fields are automatically initialized by Simcenter STAR-CCM+. In this case, the Initialization Method is locked to Constant Value and no input is required.
Field Treatment
  • Managed: Only available for predefined thermal and mechanical fields. This option is not available for auxiliary fields. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automatically applies the imported field to the coupled boundaries, setting the relevant boundary conditions and values as follows:
    Imported Fields Wall Boundary Conditions and Values
    Displacement If the morpher is active on the fluid region:
    Morpher Specification
    Set to Displacement.
    Morpher Displacement Specification
    Set to Total.
    Morpher Total Linear Displacement
    Set to Interoperability, which indicates that the boundary value is automatically set using imported data.
    Pressure only
    Stress/Displacement
    Set to Pressure.
    Pressure
    Set to Interoperability.
    Wall Shear Stress only
    Stress/Displacement
    Set to Traction.
    Traction
    Set to Interoperability.

    In this case, the traction vector only contains the contribution due to wall shear stress.

    Pressure and Wall Shear Stress
    Stress/Displacement
    Set to Traction.
    Traction
    Set to Interoperability.

    In this case, both pressure and wall shear stress contribute to the traction vector.

    Temperature
    Thermal Specification
    Set to Temperature.
    Static Temperature
    Set to Interoperability.
    Heat Transfer Coefficient and Reference Temperature
    Thermal Specification
    Set to Convection.
    Ambient Temperature
    Set to Interoperability.
    Heat Transfer Coefficient
    Set to Interoperability.
  • Unmanaged: You are responsible for setting all boundary conditions manually, using the field functions that store the imported data.
Scalar/Vector Function
Displays the field functions that are imported with this field. When the co-simulation starts running, any field imported from the partner simulation becomes available as a field function named Co-Simulation: Imported <field_name>.