CFD visualization
The "Animation"
window is able to visualize the CFD mesh and field data. However, to load the data from a CFD case to be viewed, the View button on the CFD tab must be clicked. This is necessary since the CFD data needs special treatment before the "Animation" window can access it.
So, to visualize a meshed or/and simulated CFD case, select the case from the CFD case table and press View. The application will then switch to the "Animation" tab and load the data. This may take some time, so be patient, and let the mouse rest.
- If this is the first time a CFD case is visualized with the active building, a "Mesh" scene is generated. Here you can view the surface mesh and look inside to assert that all geometry is geometrically resolved.
- To view the simulated field data, velocity; temperature; age of air; ..., create a new so called "Animation", using the [+] button topmost in the Animation side pane. You can create several animations like this, and populate each with different scenes.
- If a CFD case has already been viewed in the Animation tab, the mesh view is first shown, but previously used scenes ("Animations") remain and are common to all CFD cases loaded.
- To view a different CFD case, go to the CFD tab, select the desired case and click the View button. Then the selected cases data will replace previously loaded CFD data in the "Animation" view.
- All "Animations" settings are saved when saving the model.
The notation "Animation" is misleading in the CFD context, since CFD data cannot be animated.
Keyboard shortcuts
Several of the visualization features for CFD data are accessible through keyboard shortcuts. Just like the x+, x-, y+, cut planes can be generated by pressing x or y, CFD visualization features are bound to the keyboard. The following lists the most common actions, but also remember the general keybindings described here:
- alt-c Cull front faces (look into the domain). This hides all user-facing surfaces, to show the interior of the domain. Strongly recommended.
- v Drop a velocity vector visualization onto the currently active (recently created) surface (cut or iso-surface). If there is no active surface, nothing is done.
- Shift-v Hides all vector visualizations.
- L & Shift-L Shrink and grow present vectors respectively. Note that generated vectors might be too small to be seen. Try Shift-L a few times, and they will show up.
Some notes
- If attempts to create a cut plane e.g. by pressing the *x* button fail, it may be that it is created too far away to cut anything. Then try to relocate the cut plane origin to the focus point, as described here.
- When a Cut plane is created, e.g. using the x key or the x+ button, it can be saved by pressing the p key. The cut plane is then converted to a Result slice and stored in a list in the Custom cut form, from where it can be hidden or deleted. Note that the Cut plane is still active, but moved sligthly away from the newly created Result slice. You may view the Cut plane as a tool to create Result slices of the CFD case.
- To add vectors (using the v key) you need to have either an active Cut plane or an iso surface. You can not add vectors to a Result slice.
to be continued