Subsonic cavity flow
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Introduction
This example computes subsonic two-dimensional cavity flow.
The geometry and flow conditions are as follows
- L/D = 2 (the ratio of the length and height of the cavity)
- Mach Number = 0.6
- Reynolds Number = 2.75e+5
- Prandtl Number = 0.7
The mesh was converted from a plot3d format created in matlab.
The solver is buoyantPimpleNFoam, a pressure-based thermal flow solver developed by NEXTfoam.
The boundary conditions at the outlet and the top surface are waveTransmissive (non-reflecting) with no reflection of pressure waves.
The computational conditions are as follows
- solver : buoyantPimpleNFoam
- turbulence model : $SST$ $k-omega$
- density : Perfect Gas
- inlet temperature : 300 K
- inlet pressure : 101325 Pa
Start BaramFlow and load mesh
Run the program and select [New Case] from the launcher. In the launcher, select [Pressure-based] for [Solver Type] and [None] for [Multiphase Model].
Use the given polyMesh folder. In the top tab, click [File]-[Load Mesh]-[OpenFOAM] in that order and select the polyMesh folder.

General
Change Time to Transient.

Models
For this example, we’ll use $SST$ $k-omega$ model for turbulence.
Include Energy.
Materials
Material properties of air is as follows
- Density : Perfect Gas
- Specific heat : 1006
- Viscosity : 0.00178 (value for the Reynolds number)
- Thermal Conductivity : 2.562 (value for the Prandtl number)
- Molecular Weight : 28.966

Boundary Conditions
Set the boundary type and values as shown below.
- inlet : Velocity Inlet
- Velocity Specification Method : Magnitude, Normal to Boundary
- Velocity Magnitude : 208.31
- Turbulence Specification Method : Intensity and Viscosity Ratio
- Turbulent Intensity : 1
- Turbulent Viscosity Ratio : 10
- Temperature : 300

- outlet, top : Pressure Outlet
- Pressure : 0
- with Non-Reflecting Boundary option

- cavityFront, cavityBottom, cavityRear, frontBottom, rearBottom : Wall
- Velocity Condition : No Slip
- frontPlane, backPlane : Empty
Numerical Conditions
In this example, we’ll change the settings as shown below.
- Pressure-Velocity Coupling : SIMPLE
- Discretization Schemes
- Time : Second Order Implicit
- Pressure : Momentum Weighted Reconstruct
- Momentum, Energy, Turbulence : Second Order Wpwind
- Max Iteration per Time Step : 20
- Number of Correctors : 2
- Under-Relaxation Factors
- Pressure : 0.3 / 1
- Momentum, Turbulence : 0.7 / 1
- Energy, Density : 1 / 1
Monitor
Monitor pressure at cavity center point. Click [Add]-[Point].
Set coordinate as (0 -0.5 0.25).

Initialization
Set values as follows
- Velocity : (208.31 0 0)
- Pressure : 0
- Temperature : 300
- Scale of velocity : 208.31
- Turbulent Intensity : 1
- Turbulent Viscosity Ratio : 10
Initialize the velocity inside the cavity to zero. Under [Advanced]-[Sections], select [Create]-[Hex] and enter the Min/Max coordinates as (-1 -1 -1), (1 0 1). Select Velcity and give it a value of (0 0 0).

Enter the value and click the Initialize button at the bottom. Then click the [File]-[Save] menu to save the case file.
Run
Selct [Parallel]-[Environment] in menu. Set Number of Cores as you want and select [Local Machine] for [Parallel Type].
Change the values as shown below, and click [Start Calculation] button.
- Time Stepping Method : Fixed
- Time Step Size : 1e-5
- End Time : 0.5
- Save Interval : Every 0.002 sec

Post-processing
Click the parview button in [External tools] to open the paraview.
Change the [Case Type] to [Decomposed Case].
Change [Coloring] to U.
