Mixing Tank CFD Simulation Using Mesh Motion Method in ANSYS FluentIntroductionThis project simulates the performance of a mixing tank using ANSYS Fluent. The closed tank contains water, and an impeller rotates at 500 rev/min, generating a substantial vortex at the center of the tank. This product represents the fourth episode of the Turbomachinery Training Course.Geometry and MeshThe three-dimensional geometry of the mixing tank was designed in Design Modeler and meshed using ANSYS Meshing, resulting in an unstructured mesh with 209,328 elements.MethodologyThe Mesh Motion method was enabled to capture the rotational movement of the impeller. This approach requires two distinct zones connected through an interface: a rotating zone containing the impeller, which moves independently, and a surrounding stationary zone. The simulation was solved as unsteady, with the k-epsilon model selected to capture the turbulent behavior of the flow.Results and ConclusionTwo-dimensional contours of pressure, velocity, and turbulent intensity were obtained to characterize the flow field within the tank. The pressure contours show that water pressure in front of the impeller is considerably higher than behind it, consistent with the impeller's driving action on the fluid. As expected, flow velocity behind the impeller exceeds that observed elsewhere in the domain, while the turbulent intensity contours reveal the extent of turbulence generated throughout the tank as a result of the impeller's rotational motion.

Aircraft Propeller (Mesh Motion) — ANSYS Fluent CFD SimulationDescriptionThis project analyzes the thrust and lift generated by a rotating propeller and its effect on an aircraft fuselage using ANSYS Fluent, with the Mesh Motion (moving mesh) technique as the central theme. A propeller converts the rotational power of an engine into thrust: its twisted blades act like small rotating wings, producing an aerodynamic force that can be resolved into a component along the aircraft axis (the propulsive thrust) and a component in the plane of the blades (the torque). Reproducing this behavior in CFD requires the propeller region to physically rotate within the simulation, and the moving-mesh approach is what makes that possible — it is the core of the methodology. Within the Mesh Motion: Beginner CFD Training Package, this project applies the rotating-zone method to a clean set of rotating blades, building on the mixing-tank tutorial toward external aerial-rotor aerodynamics.MethodologyThe aircraft and propeller geometry was designed in SolidWorks and imported into ANSYS Meshing for grid generation and boundary naming. The mesh was first built with tetrahedral elements and then converted to a polyhedral mesh within Fluent, which yields fewer cells and higher quality: the element count is 3,812,519 for the tetrahedral mesh and 692,023 for the polyhedral mesh. The model is divided into two zones, rotational and stationary, which is the defining structure of a mesh-motion simulation. A cylindrical rotating domain sized at 1.12 propeller diameters surrounds the impeller and is meshed more finely, reflecting the greater importance of the blade region to the results. This rotating domain sits inside the fixed outer zone, and the two are connected through an interface that transfers flow quantities between them. The Mesh Motion method makes the rotating domain physically spin about the impeller axis, directly capturing the propeller's rotation, and a transient solver is used to resolve the resulting time-dependent flow. To scale the simulation correctly, the advance ratio is used as the governing similarity parameter: with an impeller diameter of 0.0532 m and a rotational speed of 1800 rpm (30 rad/s), an advance ratio of J = 1.225 corresponds to a flow velocity of 2 m/s, providing a consistent basis for simulating the propeller across different scales by holding the advance ratio fixed.AnalysisThe results yield the drag and lift on the fuselage together with the thrust and torque on the propeller, presented in the accompanying diagrams, along with contours, vectors, and flow lines that reveal the flow physics around the aircraft and blades. The study shows that, by respecting the advance ratio for each propeller, working points can be defined through the relationship between flow velocity and rotational speed. For a fully rigorous match, additional criteria are needed — in particular the Reynolds number based on both the impeller speed and the flow velocity — and a valid scaled simulation requires that the computed Reynolds number exceed the critical value for that propeller, on which basis the model can represent real propeller operating points. By the end of this project, you'll be able to set up a Mesh Motion simulation with rotating and stationary zones joined by an interface, apply a transient solver to capture propeller rotation, use the advance ratio as a scaling parameter, and interpret the thrust, torque, and aerodynamic loads a propeller produces.

Helicopter Rotor (Mesh Motion) — ANSYS Fluent CFD SimulationDescriptionThis project presents a CFD simulation of rotating helicopter rotor blades using the Mesh Motion technique in a transient formulation. A helicopter stays aloft by forcing a large mass of air downward through its rotating blades, generating an equal and opposite upward force. By aerodynamically shaping the blades and spinning them, the rotor raises the air pressure beneath the wing and creates lift. In this project, you'll model that rotating rotor and quantify the net upward force, blade tip speed, and Tip Speed Ratio. Within the Mesh Motion: Beginner CFD Training Package, this project extends the rotating-zone method from the aircraft propeller to a helicopter rotor, applying it to rotorcraft lift generation.MethodologyThe 3D rotor and surrounding domain are designed in Design Modeler and meshed in ANSYS Meshing with roughly 937,677 elements. The rotor is made up of two or more wing-shaped blades, which generate a pressure difference across the blade as they spin. The Mesh Motion method is used to simulate the continuous blade rotation at 1250 rpm about the Y-axis, and a transient solver is required to capture the rotating motion over time. The RNG k-ε turbulence model is applied for the rotating flow field, resolving the swirling air motion the blades induce.AnalysisPost-processing produces velocity, pressure, and turbulent-viscosity contours along with streamlines, revealing the swirling air motion induced by the blades. From these, the key performance metrics are extracted: the pressure difference across the rotor (5 Pa), the maximum domain air velocity (2 m/s), and the blade tip velocity (1.96 m/s) — the quantities that characterize the rotor's ability to generate lift. Mesh Motion is a core technique for any continuously rotating machinery analyzed in transient mode — helicopter rotors, propellers, wind turbines, and mixers — and the rotating-flow workflow built here gives you a foundation for rotorcraft aerodynamics and rotating-blade performance studies. By the end of this project, you'll be able to set up a transient Mesh Motion simulation of a rotor, define continuous blade rotation about an axis, apply the RNG k-ε model to the rotating flow, and interpret the pressure and velocity fields and performance metrics that describe helicopter lift.

IntroductionThis report presents the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the Switchblade 300 drone using ANSYS Fluent. The primary objective was to analyze the fluid dynamics around the geometry under the specified conditions of motion and environmental parameters.The geometry of the Switchblade 300 was created in SpaceClaim. Using ANSYS Meshing, a non-conformal mesh of approximately 40 million tetrahedral cells was initially generated. This dense mesh provided high resolution of the flow features around the geometry and was well suited to capturing the intricate details of the flow.However, the initial 40,000,000-element mesh presented significant computational challenges. To optimize the simulation, the mesh type was converted to polyhedral, which dramatically reduced the element count from 40,000,000 to 7,000,000 while preserving the necessary resolution. Figure 2 shows the mesh configuration, highlighting the non-conformal mesh regions essential for accurately capturing the fluid interactions.MethodologyThe simulation was performed in ANSYS Fluent, making use of its Mesh Motion capability to analyze the flow characteristics of the rotating geometry. The setup specified a velocity inlet of 28.05 m/s, an angle of attack of 5 degrees, and a rotational speed of 5000 RPM. The k-ω SST turbulence model was selected for its effectiveness in predicting boundary layer separation and handling complex flow dynamics. For the numerical methods, the SIMPLE algorithm was used for pressure-velocity coupling, and standard initialization was applied to set the initial flow conditions within the solution domain.ResultsVelocity Contour — Presented in Figure 3, the velocity contour depicts the flow around the Switchblade 300, identifying the regions of high- and low-speed flow that arise from the angle of attack and the rotation of the geometry.Pressure Contour — Shown in Figure 4, the pressure contour illustrates the varying pressure distribution across the geometry, which is critical for identifying the aerodynamic forces — such as lift and drag — acting on the drone.ConclusionThe simulation results provide a detailed understanding of the aerodynamic performance of the Switchblade 300, offering significant insight into how rotational speed, inlet velocity, and angle of attack influence the overall flow behavior. These findings support the optimization of the design and operating parameters to enhance performance. Further simulations under varied conditions are recommended to explore additional operational scenarios and improve predictive accuracy.

Ram Pump (Mesh Motion) — ANSYS Fluent CFD SimulationDescriptionThis project simulates a ram pump using ANSYS Fluent, applying the Mesh Motion model to capture the movement of its valves. A ram (hydraulic ram) pump uses the energy of flowing water and the pressure surges created when a valve suddenly closes to lift a portion of that water — a pump with no external power source, driven entirely by the flow and its own valve motion. Capturing this requires the valves to physically move within the simulation, which the Mesh Motion approach provides. Within the Mesh Motion: Beginner CFD Training Package, this project opens the pump family, applying the rotating-zone method to the moving valves of a hydraulic ram pump.MethodologyThe two-dimensional geometry is produced in SpaceClaim, with a computational domain 220 cm long and 153 cm high, meshed in ANSYS Meshing with unstructured elements to a total of 325,579 elements. Because the flow is incompressible, a pressure-based solver is selected, and the simulation is transient, with gravity taken into account as −9.81 m/s² along the y-axis. The k-omega SST model is used for turbulence. The Mesh Motion is applied to the left and right valves as a cell zone condition, with a rotational velocity of 1 rad/s. The inlet is defined as a velocity inlet at 1 m/s, the outlet as a pressure outlet at 0 Pa gauge, and the walls as stationary. For the solution methods, pressure–velocity coupling uses the Coupled scheme, with second-order discretization for pressure, second-order upwind for momentum, and first-order upwind for the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; the solution is initialized with the hybrid method.AnalysisAt the end of the simulation, the velocity and pressure fields reveal how the moving valves govern the pump's operation. When both valves are half-closed, the resulting restriction increases the pressure inside the pipe. When one valve is fully open and the other is completely closed, all of the inlet fluid exits through the open side under the high pressure created there. From these results you can follow how the valve motion drives the pressure surges that make a ram pump work. By the end of this project, you'll be able to set up a transient Mesh Motion simulation with moving valves defined as a cell zone condition, apply the k-omega SST model to the flow, and interpret the pressure and velocity fields that reveal how a ram pump lifts water through valve-driven pressure surges.

DescriptionThis project uses ANSYS Fluent 2024 R2 to simulate a 3D centrifugal pump using the mesh motion (moving mesh) approach, a core application of the moving mesh module for capturing transient rotor-stator interaction. Unlike the steady MRF (Multiple Reference Frame) method used in a related pump study, this approach directly resolves the unsteady interaction between the rotating impeller and stationary casing, providing a more accurate representation of transient flow behavior and energy transfer from the impeller to the fluid.MethodologyThe geometry is built in SpaceClaim and DesignModeler, consisting of a rotating impeller zone and a stationary casing/volute zone connected through a non-conformal interface that allows relative rotation. The domain is meshed in ANSYS Meshing with approximately 2 million tetrahedral elements, resolving the casing, inlet, and impeller regions. The simulation uses a pressure-based, transient solver with the k-omega SST turbulence model, chosen for its robustness with rotating machinery and near-wall flow. Water is modeled as incompressible, the impeller rotates at 1500 RPM with mesh motion enabled, the inlet is set as a velocity inlet at 140 m/s, the outlet as a pressure outlet, and the Coupled algorithm is used for pressure-velocity coupling to aid convergence in transient conditions.ConclusionPressure contours show a clear rise from the impeller eye to the casing outlet, confirming energy transfer from the rotating blades to the fluid, with high pressure near the impeller exit and low pressure at the inlet, consistent with expected pump behavior. The mesh motion approach captures unsteady pressure fluctuations and localized vortices within the casing, along with directional flow development and secondary circulation that a steady MRF approach cannot resolve. These results validate mesh motion as an effective method for studying unsteady centrifugal pump behavior and confirm the pump's ability to accelerate the fluid and build pressure head.

Twin Screw Pump — ANSYS Fluent CFD SimulationThis project analyzes the operation of a twin-screw pump using ANSYS Fluent. A twin-screw pump is a positive displacement device, transferring a fixed volume of fluid per cycle based on the rotational speed and pitch of its screws. As the two screws turn, they form enclosed chambers that move along the axial direction, creating a vacuum at the inlet and positive pressure at the outlet. This double-chamber arrangement allows the pump to handle fluids of both high and low viscosity with minimal pulsation.More specifically, the pump consists of two counter-rotating screw rotors that turn toward each other, trapping fluid in the space between their threads. As the screws rotate, this trapped volume progressively shrinks, compressing the fluid and driving it toward the outlet.In this study, the pump is used to handle a highly viscous fluid—glycerin. The rotation of the screws draws glycerin into the domain, increases its pressure, and pushes it toward the outlet.The geometry was designed in SolidWorks and refined in ANSYS Design Modeler, consisting of two rotating zones (the screw rotors) and one stationary zone (the pump housing). The model was meshed in ANSYS Meshing using an unstructured mesh, totaling 1,184,161 cells.MethodologyRather than applying rotation directly to the rotor geometry, the rotational motion is imposed on the surrounding fluid through a dedicated computational zone defined in the cell zone conditions. This is achieved using the Mesh Motion method, with a rotational velocity of 3 rad/s. Pressure boundary conditions are applied at the inlet and outlet, since fluid movement through the pump is driven entirely by pressure differences rather than forced flow.ResultsThe simulation produces 2D and 3D contours of velocity and pressure, along with streamlines around the rotors. The results show that fluid motion through the pump is governed by pressure gradients: rotor rotation generates suction at the inlet and pushes the fluid toward the outlet, with the streamlines clearly illustrating the rotational flow pattern inside the pump.

DescriptionThis project simulates a Turgo turbine using ANSYS Fluent, with water flowing at a velocity of 4 m/s as it passes through the turbine. A Turgo turbine is a type of impulse water turbine — highly efficient and compact, which makes it well suited to many hydroelectric applications, particularly under high-head conditions.The Turgo turbine is distinguished by its unique design and operating principle. Unlike many other turbines, it uses the kinetic energy of a water jet directed onto its blades to generate rotational motion, which is then converted into electrical energy — a process central to the operation of hydroelectric power plants.The blades were drawn in SOLIDWORKS at a specific angle and distance from the central axis and then imported into Design Modeler for the integrated blade design. Around the turbine blades, a dedicated cylindrical region is created to represent the circulating water flow, while a rectangular cuboid domain is designed to serve as the space for the free water flow. Meshing was performed in ANSYS Meshing using an unstructured grid; to improve accuracy, the Tetrahedrons method was used, giving an element count of 4,344,106.MethodologyThe Mesh Motion (Sliding Mesh) technique is used to simulate the rotation of the turbine blades. Accordingly, the cylindrical region is assigned a mesh-motion condition with a rotational speed of 150 rpm about the central horizontal axis of the turbine. Because the sliding-mesh approach physically rotates the mesh in time, it captures the true transient interaction between the moving blades and the incoming water jet.The realizable k-epsilon model is selected to represent the turbulence of the flow, and the effect of gravity is included in the Z direction at −9.81 m/s².ConclusionOn completion of the solution, two- and three-dimensional results for pressure, velocity, and velocity vectors were obtained. As expected, the maximum velocity occurs in the immediate vicinity of the rotating blades. A full set of performance quantities can be extracted from the simulation, including a pressure drop of approximately 4.979 × 10⁴ Pa across the turbine.Overall, the study demonstrates how the water jet strikes the Turgo blades and drives their rotation, and how the Mesh Motion (Sliding Mesh) technique reproduces this moving-blade behavior to reveal the turbine's hydrodynamic performance.

DescriptionThis project simulates airflow around an H-type vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) using ANSYS Fluent. VAWTs offer a practical alternative to horizontal axis turbines (HAWTs) in several respects: they avoid the low efficiency HAWTs suffer at smaller diameters, don't require the roughly 200 m diameters common to HAWT installations, and don't disrupt the natural skyline the way large horizontal turbines do, making them especially well suited to offshore wind farms where wind conditions are also more consistent. The turbine modeled here has six blades, three positioned closer to the rotation axis, rotating in the −Z direction at 14.17 rad/s under an inlet air velocity of 5.3 m/s. The geometry is built in Design Modeler and meshed in ANSYS Meshing with an unstructured grid of 1,546,624 cells.MethodologyRather than physically rotating the blades, the simulation applies rotational motion to the fluid zone surrounding them, requiring a distinct moving zone to be separated from the rest of the computational domain. Because the blade positions change over time, relative to the surrounding flow, the problem is inherently time-dependent, and this is captured using the Mesh Motion method under cell zone conditions, with a defined rotation axis and rotation speed governing how that zone moves.AnalysisThe resulting velocity and pressure contours, along with velocity vectors and pathlines around the blades, confirm that the airflow develops a rotational pattern driven by the turbine's motion, with a maximum air velocity of 45 m/s appearing downstream of the turbine and an inlet mass flow rate of 272.685 kg/s. The blade tip speed ratio works out to about 6, based on a tip speed of 30 m/s against the 5.3 m/s free-stream velocity. A stagnation point, and correspondingly the peak pressure zone, appears on the minus-Y side of the turbine, consistent with how the free-stream flow and rotational flow combine there. That combination also affects the inner and outer blades differently: the outer blades, moving at higher linear velocity, experience a larger pressure differential than the inner blades, which sit closer to the rotation axis and move more slowly.

DescriptionThis project simulates fluid mixing inside a bioreactor agitated by a Rushton turbine using ANSYS Fluent, a mixing configuration widely used in pharmaceutical, food, biochemical, and perfumery applications wherever biochemical reactions require thorough fluid homogenization. The bioreactor is cylindrical, 0.8 m tall and 0.4 m in diameter, with a vertical stirrer mounted along its central axis. That stirrer is a Rushton-type turbine, a radial-flow impeller consisting of two rows of flat discs, each carrying six blades, chosen because radial-flow impellers of this type are a standard choice for mixing applications across process engineering. The geometry is built in Design Modeler and meshed in ANSYS Meshing with 3,558,726 elements, and given the inherently time-evolving nature of the mixing process, a transient solver is used.MethodologyThe rotational motion of the fluid around the Rushton turbine is defined using the Mesh Motion technique, with a distinct cylindrical inner region assigned a rotational velocity of 143 rpm about the vertical (Y) axis to represent the turbine's action on the surrounding fluid. Three rows of baffles line the interior of the bioreactor's cylindrical wall, breaking up the vortices that would otherwise form and reducing unwanted bulk rotation of the whole fluid volume. Turbulence is resolved using the RNG k-epsilon model.AnalysisThe results include 3D contours of pressure gradient, velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy throughout the bioreactor, along with 2D contours of pressure, velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy taken on two planes perpendicular to the stirrer axis, each passing through one of the turbine's disc rows. These fields show velocity and rotational flow intensifying around the impeller blades, exactly where the turbine imparts momentum to the fluid. Velocity vectors, examined in both 2D and 3D, trace how the fluid circulates fully around the stirrer's rotation axis, confirming the Rushton turbine is generating the s