A grid generator for 3-D explosion simulations using the staircase boundary approach in Cartesian coordinates based on STL models

In this paper, an automatic grid generator based on STL models is proposed. The staircase boundary treatment is implemented to handle irregular geometries and the computation domain is discretized using a regular Cartesian grid. Using the grid generator, staircase grids that are suitable for fast and accurate finite difference analysis could be generated. Employing the slicing algorithm in RP technologies [1], the STL models are sliced with a set of parallel planes to generate 2D slices after the STL files obtained from a CAD system undergo topology reconstruction. To decrease the staircase error (increase accuracy) and enhance working efficiency, the cross-section at the middle of the layer is taken to represent the cross-section of whole layer. The scan line filling technique of computer graphics [2] is used to achieve grid generation after slicing. Finally, we demonstrate an application of the introduced method to generate staircase grids, which allows successful FDM simulation in the field of explosion. The example shows that the automatic grid generator based on STL models is fast and gives simulation results that are in agreement with practical observations.

[1]  Giuseppe Pascazio,et al.  Numerical simulation of pyroclastic density currents using locally refined Cartesian grids , 2011 .

[2]  S. Armfield,et al.  A representation of curved boundaries for the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations on a staggered three-dimensional Cartesian grid , 2003 .

[3]  M. Szilv I-Nagy.  Analysis of STL Files , 2003 .

[4]  D. D. Zeeuw,et al.  An adaptively refined Cartesian mesh solver for the Euler equations , 1993 .

[5]  Wu Ning.  A new rapid slice algorithm based on edge , 2003 .

[6]  G. Iaccarino,et al.  Immersed boundary technique for turbulent flow simulations , 2003 .

[7]  Doyoung Byun,et al.  INVESTIGATION OF RADIATIVE HEAT TRANSFER IN COMPLEX GEOMETRIES USING BLOCKED-OFF, MULTIBLOCK, AND EMBEDDED BOUNDARY TREATMENTS , 2003 .

[8]  W. Henshaw,et al.  Composite overlapping meshes for the solution of partial differential equations , 1990 .

[9]  G. Wang,et al.  New numerical algorithms in SUPER CE/SE and their applications in explosion mechanics , 2010 .

[10]  Chee Kai Chua,et al.  A study of stereolithography file errors and repair. Part 1. Generic solution , 1996 .

[11]  W. Kordulla,et al.  Efficient computation of volume in flow predictions , 1983 .

[12]  Suhas V. Patankar,et al.  Treatment of irregular geometries using a Cartesian coordinates finite-volume radiation heat transfer procedure , 1994 .

[13]  Joel H. Ferziger,et al.  NUMERICAL COMPUTATION OF UNSTEADY INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW IN COMPLEX GEOMETRY USING A COMPOSITE MULTIGRID TECHNIQUE , 1991 .

[14]  Joel H. Ferziger,et al.  Computational methods for fluid dynamics , 1996 .

[15]  Behrokh Khoshnevis,et al.  Machine path generation for the SIS process , 2004 .

[16]  Bahram Asiabanpour,et al.  Machine path generation using direct slicing from design-by-feature solid model for rapid prototyping , 2009 .

[17]  Ning Jianguo,et al.  Fuzzy interface treatment in Eulerian method , 2004 .

[18]  C. Albone.  Embedded meshes of controllable quality synthesised from elementary geometric features , 1992 .

[19]  Vinod Kumar,et al.  An assessment of data formats for layered manufacturing , 1997 .

[20]  Joe F. Thompson,et al.  Automatic numerical generation of body-fitted curvilinear coordinate system for field containing any number of arbitrary two-dimensional bodies , 1974 .

[21]  Li Hao,et al.  Large-scale high performance computation on 3D explosion and shock problems , 2011 .

[22]  Li Hao,et al.  Parallel Computing of the Multi-Material Eulerian Numerical Method and Hydrocode , 2010 .

[23]  M. Szilvi-Nagy,et al.  Analysis of STL files , 2003 .

[24]  Debasish Dutta,et al.  Region-based adaptive slicing , 1999, Comput. Aided Des..

[25]  Geng-Hao Lin,et al.  An Adaptive Slicing Algorithm and Its Application in 3D Finite Difference Mesh Generation , 2010 .

[26]  Rainald Löhner,et al.  A hybrid Cartesian grid and gridless method for compressible flows , 2005, J. Comput. Phys..

[27]  Shahla Mansouri,et al.  Combined conductive and radiative heat transfer in an anisotropic scattering participating medium with irregular geometries , 2010 .

[28]  Y. Y. Chiu,et al.  Slicing strategies to obtain accuracy of feature relation in rapidly prototyped parts , 2004 .

[29]  Paul Xirouchakis,et al.  STL and extensions , 2000 .

[30]  Jan Helge Bøhn,et al.  Adaptive slicing using stepwise uniform refinement , 1996 .

[31]  Lee E. Weiss,et al.  Thermal spray shape deposition , 1992 .

[32]  Jing Wang,et al.  A hybrid VOF and PIC multi-material interface treatment method and its application in the penetration , 2010 .

[33]  TianBao Ma,et al.  Influence of obstacle disturbance in a duct on explosion characteristics of coal gas , 2010 .

[34]  Lichao Zhang,et al.  An Effective Error-Tolerance Slicing Algorithm for STL Files , 2002 .