Managing the workspace ====================== Open, save and close an existing workspace ------------------------------------------ In the **toolbar** on the left the icons **Open**, **Save**, **Save as** and **Close** all refer to **workspaces**. .. image:: images/toolbar_workspace_icons.png :align: center To open a **workspace** press **Open** and select the **.cftbr** file desired. .. image:: images/workspace_open_file.png :align: center Upon opening the workspace the message |create_ws| **creating workspace structure** is displayed and the **workspace tree** is built up. .. image:: images/creating_workspace_structure.png :align: center The user interface remains locked while the integrity of all workspace objects is checked one by one. The loading process may take some time for a large number of performance curves. Progress is indicated by rotating icons |loading| near the objects being processed and also in the workspace bar. Possible errors such as missing files but also successful integrity checks are displayed in the **log window**. So it is advised to have a look there before continuing. .. |create_ws| image:: images/wait.gif :align: middle :scale: 33 .. |loading| image:: images/status_loading.gif :align: middle :scale: 33 .. image:: images/spro_file_missing.png :align: center Press **Save** to save the **workspace** for the first time or to update the current **workspace file**, or press **Save as** to save the **workspace** under a new file name. When opening a workspace, the **Save** icon appears **gray** and is **inactive**. As soon as changes are made to the workspace, for example when adding a variant or a performance curve, the **Save** icon appears **black** and is **active**. CFturbo BLADERUNNER saves the workspace automatically each time a flow simulation is started, so the **Save** icon also changes automatically from active to inactive. The **Save as** icon is always **active**. .. image:: images/save_saveas_icons.png :align: center To close a **workspace** but leave CFturbo BLADERUNNER open press **Close**. If there are changes to be saved an according dialog box appears. .. _wm1: Set up a project and create a workspace --------------------------------------- To analyze a **CFturbo design** using flow simulations, at least **project - study - variant - performance curve - operating point** structure has to be created in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER**. This can be done quickly and easily - from **CFturbo** or - directly in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** Project setup from **CFturbo** ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The task comprises these four steps: - Have the design ready in **CFturbo** - Set its **Export** settings - Save the **CFturbo design** to a **CFturbo .cft** file - Launch **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** from within **CFturbo** A **CFturbo design**, for example the centrifugal pump **“CP nq28”**, is first to be opened in **CFturbo**. In the dialog window found under **PROJECT - Export**, the solver **Simerics** has to be selected from the **Export interfaces - CFD, FEA** list on the left. .. image:: images/export_interface.png :align: center .. _mc2: All surfaces like blades and flow ducts are parametrically defined in **CFturbo** and have therefore to be converted into polygonal 2D surface grids by means of triangulation to be used by the CFD solver. Their resolution is set in the **Geometry** tab within the **Settings** section on the right. The default setting **Fine** provides the most accurate result, but leads to a longer calculation time when creating the grids and to larger geometry files, which are saved in STL format. In the second **Settings** tab named **Mesh** the quality of the 3D CFD mesh - not to be confused with above 2D surface grids of the geometries - may be adjusted for the whole model or in detail for each component. Setting **size specification** to **all CAD surfaces** the dimensionless values defined for **cell size on surfaces**, **maximum** and **minimum cell size** are related to the overall dimensions of the model, which is recommended, while the option **selected CAD surfaces** relates cell sizes to the individual dimensions of each component. Choosing "Fine" ensures a very high resolution of the **flow domains** and therefore precise CFD results, but also a longer calculation time. The mesh settings can be adjusted later on in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER**. .. figure:: images/export_geometry_mesh.png :align: center **Geometry** settings for triangulation (left), setings for the **Simerics MP/MP+ mesher** (right) The third **Settings** tab refers to the **Solver** to be used, either **Simerics MP** or **Simerics MP+**. All **Steady** and **Transient** settings are transferred to **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** and may be edited there. They will be explained in detail in the :ref:`solver settings ` section. .. figure:: images/export_solver_settings.png :align: center **Steady** settings (left) for **frozen rotor** computations, **Transient** (right) for transient computations For liquids **cavitation** may occur. By checking **Activate cavitation module** the **Simerics MP/MP+ cavitation model** - if licensed - is used for CFD. Some special pump designs allow for being used as turbines in a reversed flow. Checking **Reversible pump turbine** makes **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** reverse the flow domain order and change the boundary conditions. **Export turbomachine expressions** may be enabled to use enhanced **Simerics MP+** evaluation options for turbomachinery. **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** takes over all settings by accessing the **CFturbo file**, which must therefore be saved beforehand. **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** is then launched from within **CFturbo** by clicking the appropriate icon in the **PROJECT** tab. .. figure:: images/cfturbo_launch.png :align: center Location of the **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** launch icon in **CFturbo** Finally, a new **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** instance appears, and the project is automatically created with a first **study**, a first **variant** and a first **performance curve** containing a single **operating point**. The rotational speed and the flow rate defined for the **performance curve** and the **operating point**, respectively, are derived from the design point chosen in **CFturbo**. .. image:: images/first_project.png :align: center The **variant** is assigned the **CFturbo file name**. All information shown in the **Settings** tab belongs to this **variant** and will be explained in the :ref:`model preparation ` section along with the meshing process. **Solver settings** will be explained in the :ref:`solver setup ` section. Before continuing with the first flow simulation, it's time to save the new **workspace** under a convenient name by pressing the **Save** icon in the **toolbar**. Since all settings have already been defined in **CFturbo** it is perhaps a good idea to skip the explanations about meshing and solver setup for now and jump directly to the first flow simulation by choosing the **Start** command in the context menu of the **variant**! .. image:: images/start_simulation.png :align: center The CFD run can now be monitored as explained in the :ref:`simulation runs ` section. Setup in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ There are two ways of setting up a project directly in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER**: - by using an **existing CFturbo design** or - by using a **new CFturbo design** Using an **existing CFturbo design** is almost identical to starting the project from **CFturbo** as described above: - Have a **CFturbo design** finished and saved to a **CFturbo file** with all **Export** options set - Launch **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** with an empty **workspace** - Press the **New** icon in the **toolbar** and select **New project: EXISTING CFturbo design** .. image:: images/new_project.png :align: center - Select the appropriate file from the dialog window that opens The same **workspace tree** as before is built up. .. image:: images/workspace_tree_CP_nq28.png :align: center Using a **new CFturbo design** to start a project is somewhat a combination of the two methods above. **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** launches **CFturbo** for creating a new **CFturbo design**, which won't be saved as a separate **CFturbo file** but handed over to **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** to be directly saved in the **workspace data structure**. - Launch **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** - Add a new project by pressing **New** in the **toolbar** - Choose the option **New project: NEW CFturbo design** .. image:: images/new_project2.png :align: center After **CFturbo** has been launched choose a turbomachine type for a new design or open an existing design. .. image:: images/CFturbo_open_file.png :align: center | Having completed the layout and design of the turbomachine, return to **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** by selecting **Exit**. Note that the **Export** settings are not available since being set in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER**. .. image:: images/cfturbo_new_project.png :align: center | Again a **workspace tree** is built up. The **variant** is named **new variant** since no other name has been defined, and the **Variant description** defaults to **New CFturbo design.**. .. image:: images/new_project3.png :align: center The **workspace** can be saved and a flow simulation can be started. Or you may wish to make additions as described below. Additional projects, studies and variants ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The **workspace tree** can be extended at any level, for example by an **empty project** created by pressing the **New** icon in the **toolbar** and selecting **New empty project**. .. image:: images/additional_project.png :align: center To this **empty project** an (empty) **study** may be added via the context menu or by pressing **Ins**. .. image:: images/new_study.png :align: center **Variants** can be assigned to this **study**, either via a **new CFturbo design** or via an **existing CFturbo design** from the context menu. .. image:: images/new_variant.png :align: center A **context menu** is always opened by right-clicking the **object (project, study etc.)** in the **workspace tree** or by clicking on the small **menu bars** that appear when the object is activated. Objects are renamed in the usual Windows style by activating the label with a single left mouse click, briefly holding the cursor, then entering text and closing with **enter**. Rearrangement of projects, studies and variants ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sometimes it is desirable to reorganize the **workspace tree** and aggregate results. To move objects between structures such as - **studies** from one **project** to another or - **variants** from one **study** to another use **drag and drop**, whereby the associated data structures are also moved. .. image:: images/move_studies_variants5.png :align: center To rearrange objects within the same structure such as - **projects** within the **workspace** - **studies** within a **project** or - **variants** within a **study** first mark the object by a left mouse click and then move it up or down by holding down the **Ctrl** key and using the **up** or **down arrow** key. .. image:: images/move_updown2.png :align: center Moving **variants** to other **studies** or **studies** to other **projects** may leave whole project structures empty. These empty projects and studies and also dispensable variants may be **deleted** along with their data structures by selecting **Remove** from the context menu or by marking the object and pressing **Del**. .. image:: images/move_studies_variants6.png :align: center | Cloning variants ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A very elegant way to further develop an existing **CFturbo design** is to **clone** a **variant**, which is executed via the **Clone variant** command in the context menu of the respective **variant**. **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** creates a new **variant** with the prefix **Clone of** in the **workspace tree** and links it to a copy of the data structure. .. image:: images/clone_variants.png :align: center The **CFturbo file** of the **cloned variant** is then opened and edited in **CFturbo** via the **Open in CFturbo** command in the context menu. By changing the number of blades or the blade angles, for example, the existing **CFturbo design** can be systematically modified, and its fluid-dynamic behavior can be compared with that of the original geometry by means of CFD. .. image:: images/clone_variants2.png :align: center | Creation of performance curves ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The characteristic curve of a certain variable, denoted **performance curve** in **CFturbo BLADERUNNER**, is always defined for a specific rotational speed - as is usual for turbomachinery. It is formed by a number of **operating points**. When creating a **variant**, **CFturbo BLADERUNNER** reads in a **CFturbo file** and automatically generates a **performance curve** in the workspace tree using the rotational speed defined for the **design point**. A first **operating point** is also automatically created for this performance curve using the design volumetric flow or mass flow. In the case of the centrifugal pump **"CP nq37 (end-suction)"**, which is one of the **CFturbo** sample projects, the design rotational speed is **n = 3,600 rpm** and the design flow rate is **Q = 227 m³/h**. Further operating points are added by choosing **+ Add new operating point** in the context menu of the **performance curve**. .. image:: images/add_operating_point.png :align: center These new **operating points** are initialized with the same value as the first operating point, which can be changed by clicking on the respective operating point in the **workspace tree** and by editing its value in its **Settings** tab. .. image:: images/add_operating_point2.png :align: center | Further **performance curves** are inserted by selecting **+ Add new performance curve** in the context menu of the corresponding **variant** to form a **performance map**. .. image:: images/add_performance_curve.png :align: center New performance curves are also initialized with the same value as the first one, and the value may be edited in the **Settings** tab. .. image:: images/add_performance_curve2a.png :align: center | Geometry generation and meshing of the **flow domains** are the subject of the :ref:`model preparation ` section. The **solver settings** will be explained in the :ref:`solver setup ` section. However, since default values are all set, pressing the **Save** icon in the **toolbar** to save the **workspace** and selecting **Start** in the context menu of the **variant** would be an opportunity to start a series of automatic flow simulations for the new performance curves defined and jump to the :ref:`simulation runs ` section. Access workspace data --------------------- **CFturbo BLADERUNNER workspace files** with the extension **.cftbr** are XML text files that describe all objects and settings of the **workspace** and can be opened in any text editor. .. figure:: images/XML_file_cutout.png :align: center | Section from the XML code of a **CFturbo BLADERUNNER workspace file** The underlying data such as the **CFturbo files** with the parametric geometries, the **project files** and **result files** of the CFD solver as well as all the **performance curves** are stored in a separate directory structure that follows the nodes of the **workspace tree**. The main directory corresponds to the **workspace node** and is therefore given the same name as the corresponding **workspace file**, but with the addition of **~files**. **"New CP series.cftbr"** then becomes the associate data directory **"New CP series~files"**. .. image:: images/directory_file_name.png :align: center | The subdirectories follow the object structure **project - study - variant - performance curve - operating point** and are labeled **Project - Study - Variant - Curve - Point**, whereby each label is made unique and unmistakable by appending a code. .. figure:: images/file_structure.png :align: center **Workspace tree** and associate **directory structure**: corresponding performance curves The directories are sorted alphabetically and therefore depend on the codes appended. Their order is usually not identical to the order of the nodes in the workspace tree. However, the **Open directory** command in the context menu of each object in the **workspace tree** can be used to easily access the correct directory. .. figure:: images/context_menu_open_directory.png :align: center Context menu of an **operating point**: use **Open directory** to access its data