Chapter 1. Introduction to the CFXTutorialsThe CFX tutorials are designed to introduce general techniques used in CFX and to provide tips on advanced modeling.

The initial tutorials introduce general principles used in CFX, including setting up the physical models, runningCFX-Solver and visualizing the results in CFD-Post; the later tutorials highlight specialized features of CFX.

Preparing a Working DirectoryANSYS CFX uses a working directory as the default location for loading and saving files for a particular session orproject. Before you run a tutorial, you must create a working directory.

• If you plan to run through the whole tutorial, copy the files that are listed near the beginning of the tutorial to yourworking directory. These files are located in <CFXROOT>/examples and<CFXROOT>/etc/model-templates, where <CFXROOT> is the installation directory for ANSYS CFX. Byworking with copies of the example files in a new directory, you prevent accidental changes to any of the files thatcame with your installation.

• If you plan to run the provided tutorial session file so that you can immediately run the simulation in CFX-Solver,there is no need to copy any files.

• If you were directed here at some point during a tutorial, return to that location.

Setting the Working Directory and StartingANSYS CFXBefore you start CFX-Pre, CFX-Solver Manager, or CFD-Post, set the working directory. The procedure for settingthe working directory and starting ANSYS CFX depends on how you run ANSYS CFX:

• Workbench

1. Start ANSYS Workbench. In Microsoft Windows, select Start > All Programs > ANSYS 12.0 > ANSYSWorkbench.

2. From the tool bar, click Save As and use the Save in field to set the directory to which you want to save theproject file. This directory will be referred to as the working directory. Set the project name in the File namefield and click Save.

3. Right-click on the Setup cell and select Edit to launch CFX-Pre.

4. If you were directed here at some point during a tutorial, return to that location.

• Standalone

1. Start the ANSYS CFX Launcher.

You can start the ANSYS CFX Launcher in any of the following ways:

• On Windows:

• From the Start menu, go to All Programs > ANSYS 12.0 > CFX > ANSYS CFX 12.0.

• In a DOS window that has its path set up correctly to run CFX, enter cfx5 (otherwise, you will needto type the full pathname of the cfx5 command).

• On UNIX, enter cfx5 in a terminal window that has its path set up to run CFX.

2. Select the Working Directory on the ANSYS CFX Launcher window.

3. Click the CFX-Pre 12.0 button.

23Release 12.0 - © 2009 ANSYS Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contains proprietary and confidentialinformation of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

DraftDraft

4. If you were directed here at some point during a tutorial, return to that location.

Playing a Tutorial Session FileEvery tutorial involves instructions for setting up a simulation in CFX-Pre. If you want to skip past those instructions

and have CFX-Pre set up the simulation automatically, you can run the tutorial session file specified in the tutorial1.

NoteSession files and tutorial session files can be played only in ANSYS CFX standalone, not in ANSYSWorkbench

To play a tutorial session file:

1. If required, launch CFX-Pre.

2. Select Session > Play Tutorial.

3. Select the required tutorial session file (.pre) for the tutorial. This file is located in <CFXROOT>/examplesand <CFXROOT>/etc/model-templates, where <CFXROOT> is the installation directory for ANSYSCFX.

4. Click Open.

5. If an Information dialog box appears, click OK. CFX-Pre writes a CFX-Solver input file (filename.def) in thedirectory set as your Working Directory. This file is written in the background while CFX-Pre remains open.

6. On the CFX-Pre menu bar, select File > Quit.

7. On the ANSYS CFX Launcher click the CFX-Solver Manager 12. button.

8. On the CFX-Solver Manager menu bar, select File > Define Run. The Define Run dialog box appears.

9. On the Define Run dialog box, click the browse button . In the CFX-Solver File dialog box that appears,choose the filename.def file and click Open.

10. If you were directed here at some point during a tutorial, return to that location.

Changing the Display ColorsIf viewing objects in ANSYS CFX becomes difficult due to contrast with the background, you can change the colorsfor improved viewing. The color options are set in different places, depending on how you run CFX:

1. Select Edit > Options. The Options dialog box appears.

The Options dialog box appears.

2. Adjust the color settings under CFX-Pre > Graphics Style (for CFX-Pre) or CFD-Post > Viewer (forCFD-Post).

3. Click OK.

4. If you were directed here at some point during a tutorial, return to that location.

Editor ButtonsThe ANSYS CFX interface uses editors to enter the data required to set up and post-process a simulation. The editorshave standard buttons, which are described next:

• Apply applies the information contained within all the tabs of an editor.

1Some tutorials have more than one tutorial session file; each covers a particular set of CFX-Pre setup instructions.

Release 12.0 - © 2009 ANSYS Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contains proprietary and confidentialinformation of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.24

DraftPlaying a Tutorial Session FileDraft

• OK is the same as Apply, except that the editor automatically closes.

• Cancel and Close both close the editor without applying or saving any changes.

• Reset returns the settings for the object to those stored in the database for all the tabs. The settings are stored inthe database each time the Apply button is clicked.

• Defaults restores the system default settings for all the tabs of the edited object.

Using HelpTo invoke the help browser, select Help > Master Contents.

You may also try using context-sensitive help. Context-sensitive help is provided for many of the object editors andother parts of the interface. To invoke the context-sensitive help for a particular editor or other feature, ensure that thefeature is active, place the mouse pointer over it, then press F1. Not every area of the interface supports context-sensitivehelp. If context-sensitive help is not available for the feature of interest, select Help > Master Contents and try usingthe search or index features in the help browser.

25Release 12.0 - © 2009 ANSYS Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contains proprietary and confidentialinformation of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

DraftUsing HelpDraft

Release 12.0 - © 2009 ANSYS Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contains proprietary and confidentialinformation of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.