Interactive Viewer
Overview
The Interactive Viewer is another option for you to view results. The interactive viewer gives you the option to move around the model to view your results.
Contents of this Page
Note: We recommend using Chrome browser with the Interactive Viewer. Some features may not work in Internet Explorer.
Getting Started
- Click on the Run to reach the Results Summary for that Run
- Click on Interactive Viewer
- To display a 3D model of your geometry in the viewer, click on Surfaces > allPatches. See "Loading in Model" below for descriptions of the other Surface viewing options.
Mouse Navigation
- Rotate: Drag + Hold Left Mouse Button (double-clicking a point on the geometry will make it the center of rotation)
- Grabbing/Moving Vehicle: Drag + Hold Middle Mouse Button
- Zoom In/Out: Scroll Middle Mouse Button or Drag + Hold Right Mouse Button
Navigation Toolbar
1, 2, 3 - Shows your vehicle in the positive or negative x-, y-, or z-direction.
4 - Shows all the parts of your vehicle. If not all parts are present, then that part was missing in the simulation.
5 - This saves the current view. This is convenient if you want to view the current view for multiple runs. You will find the saved view in the Views tab (NOT the Views dropdown box). See image to the right.
6 - You can choose between the Perspective or Orthographic view.
7 - Shows the x, y, and z axis at the bottom right corner.
8 - Shows center axis.
9 - The help button will refer you to this page.
Loading in Model
Under the Surface drop down menu, you will find several options to load in your model.
- allPatches - 3D model of your vehicle
- Y_Movie - Fluid Domain slice around the airfoil.
Viewing Results
Viewing Forces on Model
Although there is a 3D view available of the airfoil, the run is actually 2D in OpenFoam. OpenFoam requires a one element thickness for 2D runs and that is what is being seen here.
allPatches will be used to view forces on the model. Show only the allPatches by clicking on the eye icons next to the surfaces in the browser tab, until only the allPatches 3d model is showing in the viewer. (Note that the properties window corresponds to the surface that is highlighted in the browser window regardless of if it is visible or not.)
You will be able to view results for 3 different variables: NormlizedUw, Cf, and Cp. You will be able to switch between the variables in the "select variable" drop-down on the properties tab (on the left, lower half of the screen).
The default Palette Levels is set to 31 and the default Palette is set to DARK_BLUE_TO_RED (top image on the right). You can change the Palette by clicking on the folder icon (under the "select variable" drop-down in the properties tab) and selecting your desired Palette. The Palette was changed for the image bottom right.
While you are able to clip the model, it is not as useful for the airfoil unless you want to try to see only one section of a multi-element airfoil. (Success of this depends on the spacing of the elements.) Click on the Show Clip check box next to "X Y Z Reverse" in the properties tab. You can choose which direction to clip by entering a 1 in the desired X,Y, or Z box. By dragging the bar below the X-Y-Z box, you'll be able to clip the airfoil.
Viewing Slice
Highlight the Y-Movie in the browser window and then click on the axis view y+ at the top because that corresponds to the airfoil movie slice direction,
You are able to customize Palettes and Palette levels using the folder icon under the "select variable" dropdown box.
The min and max Threshold shows only the area of the slice where the range has specified.
Note the slice is in the "raw" form and is not rotated to the airfoil angle of attack as is available in the standard images created for the airfoil. (The example to the right is a run where the airfoil is at 12 deg angle of attack.)
