Note: If you've chosen this project from the New Project window in the app, it's pre-configured with CAD or mesh files, settings, pre-run simulations, visualization filters, and more.
Use this guide to create this case from scratch with a blank project.
A catalytic converter is a vehicle emissions device that converts engine exhaust pollutants into nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Exhaust gasses enter through the inlet, then pass through a complex, honeycomb-shaped substrate made of Platinum, Rhodium, and Palladium to initiate a chemical reaction. In CFD, the substrate is modeled as porous media due to its complex structure.
This catalytic converter mesh is made up of three separate volumes: the inlet (Volume 1), the substrate (Volume 2), and the outlet (Volume 3). As exhaust flows through the inlet, the pressure will drop as it passes through the substrate. You'll apply visualization filters to determine the flow pattern and view the pressure drop.
Project Files
Project Files
Set Up the Simulation
Download the above mesh and settings files (expand Project Files).
Create a new blank project.
Upload the mesh file.
Upload the settings file. Click the three dot (...) menu at the top of the control panel and select Upload Settings, then select the file from your file browser.
Define the Porous Model
In the control panel, find and expand the Physics section.
Expand Fluid Flow.
Click the + icon to the right of the Physical Models section and select Porous Model.
Set the Darcy Coefficients to 1000, 1,000,000, 1,000,000.
Set the Forchheimer Coefficients to 1000, 1,000,000, 1,000,000.
Click inside the Volumes box to enter selection mode.
From the Geometry panel, select Volume 2.
At the top of the control panel, click Run Simulation.
You'll be taken to the simulation tab for this run. Once it's finished running, you'll apply visualization filters to view the results.
Create a Slice
Create a slice to view the pressure distribution throughout the catalytic converter:
In the visualization toolbar at the top of the page, click the Slice icon
, then select Slice.In the properties panel, set the Display options to:
Color By: Pressure (Pa)
Representation: Surface
Then in the Visualization Input section, set:
Origin: 0.3, -0.2, 0
Normal: 0, 0, 1
Click the check button to create the slice.
In the upper-right corner of the 3D Viewer, click on the Pressure color bar.
In the Min box, enter 100,000.
Click Done.
It's hard to see the flow through the device, so hide the model's surfaces to get a better view. In the Geometry panel, click the eye icon to the right of Surfaces to hide all surfaces.
You'll notice pressure increase as air hits the substrate, then drop as it flows through the rest of the device.
Create a Surface LIC
Finally, apply a surface LIC filter to get a better view of velocity distribution through the catalytic converter:
In the visualization toolbar at the top of the page, click the Surface LIC icon
.In the properties panel, set the Display options to:
Color By: Velocity
Component: Magnitude
Dark Contrast: 40
Light Contrast: 100
Then in the Visualization Input section, set:
Surface LIC Field: Velocity
Generate LIC On: Plane
Origin: 0.075, -1.4177e-5, -1.3267e-7
Normal: 0, 0, 1
Plane Bounds:
Minimum: -0.2, -0.1, -0.05
Maximum: 0.6, 0.049, 0.05
Click the check button. The surface LIC may take a few seconds to generate.
In the Geometry panel, click the eye icon to the right of Surfaces to hide all surfaces. This will give us the clearest view of the surface LIC.
In the upper-right corner of the 3D Viewer, click on the Velocity color bar.
In the Max box, enter 42.
Click Done.
You'll notice high velocity through the inlet, then the air slows and starts to recirculate as it hits the porous volume. Velocity drops significantly through the substrate before speeding up again at the outlet.