You can use Ansys System Coupling to perform coupled simulations that involve multiple physics solvers, coupling active co-simulation participants and/or importing static data from an external data source. For example, you can run Ansys Mechanical and Ansys CFX in a single analysis and/or import data from an output file into an Ansys CFX analysis. Once the physics and coupling setups are complete, the coupled analysis is executed and managed by System Coupling.
System Coupling can be used in the following contexts:
System Coupling's user interfaces:
System Coupling is run from its graphical user interface (GUI) or its command-line interface (CLI).
System Coupling's interfaces provide enhanced control over coupled simulation processes, including automatic starts and restarts for participants, the ability to manipulate System Coupling's data model, and an interactive solution workflow.
In these contexts, you still set up participant physics in the participant's user interface, but you'll perform the coupled analysis—starting System Coupling, loading participants, specifying values for coupling-related analysis settings, and automatically starting participants—using System Coupling's GUI or CLI. Alternatively, if a coupled analysis setup was exported from Workbench, you can open it and execute it in the GUI or CLI.
An extensive list of coupling participants is given in Supported Coupling Participants.
For more information, see Using System Coupling's User Interfaces.
System Coupling in Workbench:
System Coupling is run from the Workbench interface.
In this context, you'll connect the Setup cell from a Fluid Flow (CFX) analysis system to the Setup cell for the System Coupling component system, signaling that the CFX solver will act as a co-simulation participant in a coupled analysis. Most of the coupling-related analysis settings are made using the System Coupling system's Setup cell.
Once the physics and coupling setups are completed in Workbench, you can either execute the coupled analysis in Workbench, or export the setup for execution in one of System Coupling's user interfaces.
Participants that can be coupled with CFX include:
Static Structural
Transient Structural
Transient Thermal
Steady-State Thermal
An extensive list of coupling participants is given in Supported Coupling Participants for System Coupling in Workbench.
For more information, see Using System Coupling in Workbench in the System Coupling User's Guide.
Additional information can be found in the following sections:
- 14.1.1. Supported Capabilities and Limitations
- 14.1.2. Variables Available for System Coupling
- 14.1.3. System Coupling Related Settings in CFX
- 14.1.4. Restarting CFX Analyses as Part of System Coupling
- 14.1.5. Initializing a Coupled CFX Analysis from an Independent CFX Analysis
- 14.1.6. Running CFX as a Participant from System Coupling's GUI or CLI
- 14.1.7. Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling