Physics on Faceted Geometry

Physics conditions can be added to faceted geometries in Explore. These geometries may consist of multiple bodies with interfaces and contacts, where some or all bodies are faceted. For example, heat exchanger applications have complex shapes, such as gyroids, and often necessitate the use of faceted geometry.

To add a physics condition to a faceted model, select a set of triangles for the condition location. You can also right-click and choose Add Facet Region to specify a faceted region, which creates a virtual face you can then use as the location for physics conditions, monitors, and mesh sizes. In addition, you can perform a volume extract on a faceted body.

Known Limitations

When preparing your model for analysis, the following tools in the Prepare tab cannot be used with faceted bodies:
  • Welds
  • Beam Extract
  • Midsurface
  • Bolts
There are other considerations while setting up a model with faceted geometry:
  • Monitors on construction geometry are not evaluated for facets.
  • For simulations with multiple fluid facet bodies in contact with a solid thermal fact body, create monitors on the solid side rather than the fluid side of the fluid-solid interface.
  • For simulations with multiple facet bodies, monitors on facets with overlaps may produce zero values on one side. Resolve by removing overlaps or create a monitor on the other side.
  • Mouse-over does not work for cutter bodies.
  • Facet-NURBS interfaces on body contained in another need to be on a continuous surface between entrance and exit on face(s) of containing body.
  • Adding a new faceted region to a faceted body will result in the simulation being out of date (including adding a new monitor).
  • QuickScope cannot be used with faceted bodies.
  • Faceted regions cannot be generated using scripts.
  • The Internal Flow tool cannot be used with faceted bodies.
  • To apply a Symmetry condition, a user-defined faceted region must first be created.
  • When using the Contact Review tool, contacts between facet bodies with no regions defined will always show the entire body rather then actual contact faces. Excluding these contacts will exclude contacts for the entire body.
  • When working with facets in fluid-solid heat transfer simulations, use the Interface Review tool to reduce the Face overlap allowance. This will yield better results when searching for interfaces and contacts between faceted bodies with no regions defined.
  • When using the Connection Assessment tool, contacts between facet bodies and facet regions are not supported.
  • Faceted bodies cannot be selected for topology optimization.