Automated Blocking for Structured CFD Gridding with an Application to Turbomachinery Secondary Flows
Ivan Malcevic · 20th AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference · 2011
This paper describes an automated blocking methodology for structured mesh generation for computational fluid dynamic applications. Methodology is capable of generating structured blocking layout (topology) for arbitrary 2D geometry models, which then can be used to generate structured finite element meshes for CFD applications. Automated blocking is based on Cartesian fitting method in which initial geometry model is de-featurized and subsequently fitted into rectangular framework preserving model characteristics important for topology definition. Blocking layout is being defined on Cartesian model and subsequently morphed to original geometry. Considerations are taken during morphing to maintain quality metrics of the blocking layout. Structured CFD meshing process, that follows, is described with attention to steps needed to generate high quality mesh in the regions of singularities. The method has been integrated into a structured mesh generation system, and applied to secondary flowpath turbomachinery CFD meshing. Several examples of end-wall cavity meshes of a typical aircraft engine, and gas and steam turbines are studied.