2.2.2. Operating Points Tab

If the specified Solver Input File is an mdef or mres file for an operating point run, the Operating Points tab is available.

On this tab, you can specify the number of operating point jobs that can run concurrently.

The concurrency options are:

  • Sequential – Operating point jobs are run one-at-a-time. The next job starts running after the current job has finished running.

  • Maximum Number of Concurrent Jobs – Set Max. Concurrent Jobs to the maximum number of operating point jobs that may be run at any given moment.

  • Unlimited – All operating point jobs may be run concurrently.

Note:  For cases involving multi-configuration, the concurrency option must be set to Sequential.

On the Operating Points tab, you can also optionally set the current operating point run to continue from a previous operating point run, making use of results from the previous run to more quickly obtain a complete set of output parameter values for all of the current run’s operating point jobs (each job simulates a single operating point).

  • To set up a continued run with an mdef file as the CFX-Solver Input file:

    1. Select Run Continuation Specification.

    2. Set Run Continuation Specification > File Name to the name of the mres file of another operating point run.

      Note that, if an operating point run is continued and the mesh has changed, all operating point jobs are run. If available, results from the previous operating point run are used as initial values to reduce the solution time.

    3. Ensure that the Run Continuation Actions settings are configured appropriately.

  • To set up a continued run with an mres file as the CFX-Solver Input file:

    1. Clear Run Continuation Specification.

      You cannot specify any Run Continuation Specification file when using an mres file as the CFX-Solver Input file.

    2. Ensure that the Run Continuation Actions settings are configured appropriately.

In both of these cases, the run will continue, inheriting output parameter values and/or using solution results from some or all of the previous run’s jobs (from the specified mres file), in accordance with the Run Continuation Actions settings (described below).

If you specify an mdef file as the CFX-Solver Input file, but do not specify an mres file under Run Continuation Specification then the operating point run is a new run, not a continued run. For new runs, there are no operating point job results available, so all of the specified jobs will be run regardless of the Run Continuation Actions settings.

The Run Continuation Actions settings apply to continued operating point runs only. These settings affect how output parameter values are obtained for the operating point jobs of the continued run. For a given operating point job, there are three ways to obtain the output parameter values:

  • Run, starting from initial conditions.

  • Run, starting from the solution results of the corresponding job of the previous run.

  • Inherit output parameter values from the corresponding job of the previous run.

The Run Continuation Actions settings are:

  • Simulation Changes

    The Simulation Changes > Option setting applies when continuing a run with an mdef file as the CFX-Solver Input file (and an mres file specified for Run Continuation Specification > File Name). This setting determines whether or not all operating point jobs are automatically re-run whenever, compared to the operating point run specified under Run Continuation Specification, there has been any change to the generic simulation definition for an operating point, such as a change to the physics, solver control, or output control specification.

    • If there has been a simulation change and Option is set to Continue All, then all of the operating point jobs are run, starting from the solution results of the corresponding jobs of the previous run (regardless of the Run Continuation Actions > Operating Point Changes settings, which are described below).

      Note that the Continue All option behaves like the Run All option (described next) if the run is not being restarted from a previous run.

    • If there has been a simulation change and Option is set to Run All, then all of the operating point jobs are run, starting from initial conditions (regardless of the Run Continuation Actions > Operating Point Changes settings, which are described below).

    • If Option is set to Ignore All Simulation Changes then some or all of the operating point jobs are run, in accordance with the Run Continuation Actions > Operating Point Changes settings, which are described below.

  • Operating Point Changes

    The Operating Point Changes settings can (but subject to override by the Run Continuation Actions > Simulation Changes settings) determine which operating point jobs of the continued run will make use of the output parameter values or solution results of the corresponding jobs of the previous run, based on how operating point specifications have changed. The operating point specification changes are determined in different ways, depending on how the current operating point run is defined:

    • For a (continued) run with an mdef file as the CFX-Solver Input file:

      The operating point specifications of the mdef file (whether stored externally in a .csv file or internally in the mdef file) are compared against the operating point specifications of the mres file (which is specified under Run Continuation Specification).

    • For a (continued) run with an mres file as the CFX-Solver Input file:

      The operating point specifications used for the original run of the mres file are compared against the operating points specifications for the new run. The operating point specifications for the new run will be read from the referenced external file (if the operating point table data was stored externally) or from the mres file (if the operating point table data was stored internally). For operating point table data that is stored internally, operating point data changes can only occur if the new data has been written to the mres file using cfx5dfile. You can enter cfx5dfile -help to obtain more information.

    Operating point specification changes are handled as follows:

    • The jobs for new points are run.

    • The jobs for modified points (points that have the same index value and input parameters, but different input parameter values) are run or not depending on the specified Modified Points option:

      • Run - The jobs for modified points are run, starting from initial conditions.

      • Continue - The jobs for modified points are run, starting from the solution results of the corresponding jobs of the previous run.

      • Keep - The jobs for modified points are not run; output parameter values are inherited from the corresponding jobs of the previous run.

    • The jobs for unmodified points are run or not depending on the specified Unmodified Points option:

      • Continue - The jobs for unmodified points are conditionally run, starting from the solution results of the corresponding jobs of the previous run.

        A particular job is run if the corresponding job of the previous run stopped for any reason other than meeting convergence criteria, for example manual interruption or reaching the maximum number of iterations. Otherwise the job is not run and output parameter values are inherited from the corresponding job of the previous run.

        Note:  The Continue option takes effect (for a continued run) only if it was already set during the previous run.

      • Keep - The jobs for unmodified points are not run; output parameter values are inherited from the corresponding jobs of the previous run.

      Note:  For cases involving multi-configuration, the Unmodified Points option must be set to Keep.

    • The jobs for deleted points are not run. The output parameter values from the corresponding jobs of the previous run are inherited or not depending on the specified Deleted Points option:

      • Keep

        The values are inherited.

      • Remove From Table

        The values are not inherited. Table entries for deleted points are removed; after a restart, the newly created results will not contain table entries for points that were deleted. Previous solution results and case files remain unchanged.

For modeling information, see Operating Maps and Operating Point Cases in the CFX-Solver Modeling Guide.