BET Disk

Contents

BET Disk#

This example script demonstrates setting up and running a steady-state simulation involving a Blade Element Theory (BET) disk using the Flow360 Python API. It covers loading rotor geometry and aerodynamic data from external files, configuring simulation parameters, submitting the case, retrieving results such as forces and radial distributions, performing unit conversions, and generating a visualization report.

  1import os
  2
  3from pylab import show
  4
  5import flow360 as fl
  6from flow360.examples import BETExampleData
  7from flow360.plugins.report.report import ReportTemplate
  8from flow360.plugins.report.report_items import (
  9    Chart3D,
 10    FrontCamera,
 11    Inputs,
 12    Settings,
 13    Summary,
 14)
 15
 16BETExampleData.get_files()
 17
 18project = fl.Project.from_volume_mesh(
 19    BETExampleData.mesh_filename,
 20    name="BET Disk results from Python",
 21    length_unit="inch",
 22)
 23
 24vm = project.volume_mesh
 25
 26bet = fl.BETDisk.from_file(BETExampleData.extra["disk0"])
 27
 28with fl.SI_unit_system:
 29    params = fl.SimulationParams(
 30        reference_geometry=fl.ReferenceGeometry(
 31            area=16286.016316209487 * fl.u.inch**2,
 32            moment_center=[450, 0, 0] * fl.u.inch,
 33            moment_length=[72, 1200, 1200] * fl.u.inch,
 34        ),
 35        operating_condition=fl.AerospaceCondition.from_mach(mach=0.04),
 36        time_stepping=fl.Steady(),
 37        models=[
 38            fl.Fluid(
 39                navier_stokes_solver=fl.NavierStokesSolver(
 40                    absolute_tolerance=1e-11,
 41                    linear_solver=fl.LinearSolver(max_iterations=35),
 42                    kappa_MUSCL=0.33,
 43                ),
 44                turbulence_model_solver=fl.SpalartAllmaras(
 45                    absolute_tolerance=1e-10,
 46                    linear_solver=fl.LinearSolver(max_iterations=25),
 47                    update_jacobian_frequency=2,
 48                    equation_evaluation_frequency=1,
 49                ),
 50            ),
 51            bet,
 52            fl.Wall(surfaces=vm["fluid/body"]),
 53            fl.Freestream(surfaces=vm["fluid/farfield"]),
 54        ],
 55        outputs=[
 56            fl.SliceOutput(
 57                slices=[fl.Slice(name="slice_x", normal=(1, 0, 0), origin=(0, 0, 0))],
 58                output_fields=["betMetrics"],
 59            )
 60        ],
 61    )
 62
 63case = project.run_case(params, "BET Disk case from Python")
 64
 65
 66case.wait()
 67
 68results = case.results
 69bet_forces_non_dim = results.bet_forces.as_dataframe()
 70print(results.bet_forces)
 71
 72# convert results to SI system:
 73results.bet_forces.to_base("SI")
 74bet_forces_si = results.bet_forces.as_dataframe()
 75print(results.bet_forces)
 76
 77bet_forces_radial_distribution = results.bet_forces_radial_distribution.as_dataframe()
 78print(results.bet_forces_radial_distribution)
 79
 80bet_forces_radial_distribution.plot(
 81    x="Disk0_All_Radius",
 82    y=["Disk0_Blade0_All_ThrustCoeff", "Disk0_Blade0_All_TorqueCoeff"],
 83    xlim=(0, 150),
 84    xlabel="Radius",
 85    figsize=(10, 7),
 86    title="BET Disk radial distribution",
 87)
 88show()
 89
 90# download resuts:
 91results.set_destination(use_case_name=True)
 92results.download(bet_forces=True, bet_forces_radial_distribution=True, overwrite=True)
 93
 94# save converted results to a new CSV file:
 95results.bet_forces.to_file(os.path.join(case.name, "bet_forces_in_SI.csv"))
 96
 97cases = [case]
 98
 99front_camera_slice = FrontCamera(dimension=350, dimension_dir="height")
100
101bet_slice_screenshot = Chart3D(
102    section_title="BET effective AoA",
103    items_in_row=2,
104    force_new_page=True,
105    show="slices",
106    include=["slice_x"],
107    field="betMetrics_AlphaDegrees",
108    limits=(-18, 0),
109    camera=front_camera_slice,
110    fig_name="slice_x",
111)
112
113report = ReportTemplate(
114    title="BET results screenshots",
115    items=[Summary(), Inputs(), bet_slice_screenshot],
116    settings=Settings(dpi=150),
117)
118
119report = report.create_in_cloud("BET, dpi=default", cases)
120
121report.wait()
122report.download("report.pdf")

Notes#

  • Rotor definition and aerodynamic coefficients are loaded using fl.BETDisk.from_file.

  • The betMetrics output field allows visualization of BET-specific quantities like effective angle of attack on slices.

  • Results objects like results.bet_forces and results.bet_forces_radial_distribution provide access to integrated and distributed BET performance data, supporting unit conversion via .to_base().

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