9.3.3 Mesh Setup for Swirling and Rotating Flows

Coordinate System Restrictions

Recall that for an axisymmetric problem, the axis of rotation must be the $x$ axis and the mesh must lie on or above the $y=0$ line.

Mesh Sensitivity in Swirling and Rotating Flows

In addition to the setup constraint described above, you should be aware of the need for sufficient resolution in your mesh when solving flows that include swirl or rotation. Typically, rotating boundary layers may be very thin, and your ANSYS FLUENT model will require a very fine mesh near a rotating wall. In addition, swirling flows will often involve steep gradients in the circumferential velocity (e.g., near the centerline of a free-vortex type flow), and thus require a fine mesh for accurate resolution.