Post-Processing

Review of Simulation Output

M-Star CFD generates open-source .vtk, .stl, and text files for visualization and analysis. The .vtk and .stl files can be rendered using any general purpose visualization software, including ParaView (https://www.paraview.org/) and VisIT (https://visit.llnl.gov). ParaView and VisIT are the primary visualization tools used and developed by leadership-class computing facilities.

VTK files are available to visualize

  • Fluid volumes

  • Fluid slices

  • Scalar volumes

  • Scalar slices

  • Particle fields

  • Bubble fields

STL files are available to visualize

  • Moving objects

  • Internal surfaces

  • Bounding surfaces

  • Free surfaces

Text files are available to study

  • Force data

  • Thermodynamic data

  • Blending data

  • Temperature data

  • Scalar field data

  • Fluid volume data

  • Runtime performance

M-Star Post

Overview

M-Star Post is a ParaView add-on that automatically renders visualization output and plots numerical data. These scripts operate directly on the slices.txt and volumes.txt files are printed to the /out directory created when executing the simulation.

M-Star Post is opened directly from the Windows Start Menu. When clicked, a ParaView window will open with M-Star Post scripts pre-installed and ready for execution.

These scripts appear as four buttons: -

  • MStarPost—renders a 3D movie showing fluid slices, scalar fields, moving/static surfaces, and particles/bubbles. This script also plots numerical output data.

  • MStarPost3D—renders a 3D movie showing fluid volume, moving/static surfaces, and particle/bubbles. No output plots are created.

  • ReloadAll—refreshes all data, updates plots and the animation sequence. This feature is useful when monitoring a simulation in progress.

  • DeleteAll—removes all rendered data. Does not delete from memory, just removes images/data from the rendering window.

MStarPost

MStarPost operates on slices.txt. Open this file in ParaView, and then click the MStarPost to initiate the post-processing routine. Press the green play button at the top of the ParaView window to create an animation sequence. MStarPost operates on the data saved in the /out directory.

MStarPost3D

MStarPost3D operates on volumes.txt. Open this file in ParaView, and then click the MStarPost3D to initiate the post-processing routine. Press the green play button at the top of the ParaView window to create an animation sequence. MStarPost operates on the data saved in the /out directory.

Note

  • ParaView version 5.4+ is recommended for use with the post-processing scripts

  • Keep your graphics card driver up-to-date

  • MStarPost and MStarPost3D can both operate on the boundaryConditions.txt file. This file summarizes the boundary conditions applied at the start of the simulation, and can be used to assess the reults of the flood fill routine.