BFlow Command Reference v0.40

BFlow Command
Reference v0.40
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Table of contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................. 5
Creating Objects ..................................................................................................................... 5
Problem Setup ........................................................................................................................ 5
Run Model ................................................................................................................................ 6
Post Processing ...................................................................................................................... 6
Next Steps ............................................................................................................................... 6
Tips for Boundary Conditions ..................................................................................................... 7
Brief Description of Commands ................................................................................................. 9
Commands ................................................................................................................................. 12
AdaptCellsIf ........................................................................................................................... 12
AddPt2Poly ........................................................................................................................... 13
AddPt2Table ......................................................................................................................... 14
BFlowVersion ........................................................................................................................ 15
CalcCoeffs ............................................................................................................................. 16
CalcGrad ............................................................................................................................... 17
Circle2Poly ............................................................................................................................ 18
ClearLookupTable ................................................................................................................ 19
CopyDiffCoeffs ..................................................................................................................... 20
CreateBC .............................................................................................................................. 21
CreateBlockContourBMP .................................................................................................... 22
CreateContourBMP .............................................................................................................. 23
CreateGeoBMP .................................................................................................................... 24
CreateGridBMP .................................................................................................................... 25
CreateLookupTable ............................................................................................................. 26
CreateMaterial ...................................................................................................................... 27
CreatePathlinesBMP ........................................................................................................... 28
CreatePoly ............................................................................................................................. 29
CreateQuadMesh ................................................................................................................. 30
CreateScalarField ................................................................................................................ 31
CreateSource ........................................................................................................................ 32
CreateVectorBMP ................................................................................................................ 33
DefineVariable ...................................................................................................................... 34
FixVectorLength .................................................................................................................... 35
GetCellCount ......................................................................................................................... 36
GetTime ................................................................................................................................. 37
IncrementTimeStep .............................................................................................................. 38
InitializeBFlow ....................................................................................................................... 39
InitializePhi ............................................................................................................................. 40
InitializePhiN .......................................................................................................................... 41
InletDiffusionOn ..................................................................................................................... 42
LimitPhi .................................................................................................................................. 43
OverlayGeo ............................................................................................................................ 44
OverlayGrid ............................................................................................................................ 45
RunSolver .............................................................................................................................. 46
SetAxi ..................................................................................................................................... 47
SetBC .................................................................................................................................... 48
SetBCLin ............................................................................................................................... 49
SetBCn .................................................................................................................................. 51
SetBlackBackground ........................................................................................................... 52
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SetCP .................................................................................................................................... 53
SetDensity ............................................................................................................................. 54
SetDensityN .......................................................................................................................... 55
SetDiffCoeff ........................................................................................................................... 56
SetDiffCoeffN ........................................................................................................................ 57
SetMirror ................................................................................................................................ 58
SetOpPress ........................................................................................................................... 59
SetOpPressN ........................................................................................................................ 60
SetPorousSolidCp ............................................................................................................... 61
SetPorousSolidDensity ........................................................................................................ 62
SetPorousSolidThCond ....................................................................................................... 63
SetPorousVoidFraction ....................................................................................................... 64
SetRange ............................................................................................................................... 65
SetSolid ................................................................................................................................. 66
SetSource .............................................................................................................................. 67
SetSourceLin ........................................................................................................................ 68
SetSourceN ........................................................................................................................... 69
SetTimeStep ......................................................................................................................... 70
SetTitle ................................................................................................................................... 71
SetTol ..................................................................................................................................... 72
SetUnderRelax ...................................................................................................................... 73
SetVectorScaling .................................................................................................................. 74
SetVectorSkip ....................................................................................................................... 75
SetView ................................................................................................................................. 76
StartPoly ................................................................................................................................ 77
UpdatePhi .............................................................................................................................. 78
ValAtPt ................................................................................................................................... 79
Algebraic Expressions in Bflow ............................................................................................... 80
Defining User Variables ....................................................................................................... 80
Creating and Using Data Tables ........................................................................................ 81
Using If ................................................................................................................................... 82
How Expressions are Processed ....................................................................................... 82
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Introduction
The BFlow transport library consists of a set of commands for creating and running simple computational
fluid dynamics models. This library resides in the file bflow.dll. This document describes each command,
its syntax and examples of use. In addition, information is provided on using algebraic expressions as
inputs.
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Getting Started
With over 60 commands in the BFlow library, the learning curve can appear steep. It's not! Many complete
models can be created with just 15 commands.
There are four steps in making a model:
- Creating the needed objects - polygons, boundary conditions, material properties, etc.
- Setting up the problem - setting geometry, BCs, etc.
- Solving the problem - getting an answer.
- Postprocessing - plotting the results.
Just a few key commands are needed for each of these steps. The first command is the one to initialize the
library. This clears out any remnants of a previous model:
InitializeBFlow
Once that is done, model creation can begin
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Creating Objects
A CFD model is made up of geometry (polygons), boundary conditions, material properties, source terms
and fields to be solved for. In BFlow, each of these must be created before used, with a command like:
EastWall = CreateBC()
Why is this required? Why can't BFlow simple create the objects as needed? The creation step provides
an easy way to get the ID number of an object. In the line above, CreateBC() will return a long integer which
is stored in the variable EastWall. Later, when you want to set or modify this boundary condition, you need
to be able to identify which BC you are talking about. The Create functions give you the information to do
this. They also allow BFlow to do some error checking. When you specify a BC object, where a source is
expected, the code will flag it.
The three essential creation commands are:
CreatePoly - creates a polygon object (for specifying geometry)
CreateBC - creates a boundary condition object
CreateMaterial - Creates an object for holding material information (viscosity, specific heat)
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Problem Setup
In this stage you specify all of the details that make this model unique. This is the most difficult step, but
even here, you only need seven commands. The geometry can be created with just two commands:
StartPoly - specify starting point of polygon, its material and source terms
AddPtToPoly - add another point to the polygon
With these two, shapes of arbitrary complexity can be created. In BFlow the order of the polygons is
important. The first polygon should cover the entire domain. Each subsequent one imprints its material
properties, source terms and boundary conditions onto the mesh. If two polys cover the same area, it is the
second one's properties that are retained in the final mesh. In other words each polygon overwrites the
values of any preceding polygons.
At this point, one would think we could create the mesh, since the geometry is defined. However, BFlow
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does some checks on the boundary conditions during mesh creation, to catch user errors. So it is best to
wait on creating the mesh.
The next step is to set the boundary conditions and material properties. This is done with these
commands.
SetBC - sets a boundary condition
SetDensity - sets density of a material
SetCP
- sets specific heat of a material
SetDiffCoeff - sets diffusion coefficient (or thermal conductivity or viscosity) of a material
The mesh can now be created:
CreateQuadMesh
At this point, the model is created. The next step is running it.
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Run Model
To solve the model, two steps are required. The transport equations, which are partial differential equations,
need to be converted into a set of algebraic equations. In the second step, these algebraic equations are
solved using a linear solver. The commands are:
CalcCoeffs - calculates the coefficients of the algebraic equations for a single field variable
RunSolver - Solves for a field variable using a linear solver
Normally we are solving for more than one field variable. This pair of commands is called for each variable.
And if the problem is non-linear, like the Navier-Stokes equation, we will want to create a For Next loop
where we solve for these fields repeatedly.
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Post Processing
Once a solution has been found, we need to examine it. Two effective ways of doing this are to create
contour plots and probe the solution at specific points. These can be done with these commands:
CreateContourBMP - Creates a contour plot and saves it as a BMP file
ValAtPt - determines the value of any expression at a particular point.
The ValAtPt command can be called repeatedly to generate the points for a line plot.
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Next Steps
With these 15 commands you can create a wide range of models. Once you are comfortable with them,
you will want to explore the other commands. For instance, to add a source term to your model, like a
heater, use CreateSource and SetSource. To do a transient model, use SetTimeStep and
IncrementTimeStep. To create a vector plot, use CreateVectorBMP. To zoom into a portion of a vector or
contour plot, use SetView.
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Tips for Boundary Conditions

In a flow model, we are solving for three fields: the pressure and the x and y components of the fluid velocity.
On each boundary, boundary conditions must be specified for these three fields. This must be done
carefully to ensure the problem is not over-determined or under-determined. Let's say we want to model flow
in a pipe, as shown below. On each of the four exterior boundaries we need to say something about three
fields. Specifically we either need to know the value of the field at that location or know the flux at that
location.
For our pipe problem lets say we know the fluid enters the pipe at 1m/s at the west side and exits into the
open air, at one atmosphere, on the east side. At the inlet, we know the velocity, but not the pressure while
at the outlet we know the pressure, but not the velocity. In BFlow we would specify the inlet boundary
condition with these three lines:
SetBC(inlet, press, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(inlet, uv, BCVal, 1) inlet velocity is 1m/s
SetBC(inlet, vv, BCVal, 0)
This says we don't know the inlet pressure, but whatever it is, its gradient is zero at the inlet. The x
component of velocity is specified to be 1 m/s. There is no y component, so it is set to zero.
For the outlet, we would write the boundary conditions this way:
SetBC(outlet, press, BCVal, 0)
SetBC(outlet, uv, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(outlet, vv, BCVal, 0)
This sets the gauge pressure to be zero at the outlet. The x-componenet of velocity is given zero flux
meaning that while we don't know its value we know its not changing at the exit. Since the flow is purely in
the x direction, the y component of velocity can be set to zero.
For the pipe wall, we don't know the pressure, but we do know that both components of velocity are zero (no
slip boundary conditions). The following commands achieve that.
SetBC(wall, press, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(wall, uv, BCVal, 0)
SetBC(wall, vv, BCVal, 0)
For a symmetry boundary condition, like the axis of symmetry in the figure, the gradient of pressure and uvelocity is zero. Fluid can't cross a symmetry plane so v-velocity is zero:
SetBC(axis, press, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(axis, uv, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(axis, vv, BCVal, 0)
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There are other variations possible. For instance we could have a pressure inlet instead of a velocity inlet.
Or we could specify the velocity at the exit. Those boundary conditions are specified below.
SetBC(inlet2, press, BCVal, 10)
SetBC(inlet2, uv, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(inlet2, vv, BCVal, 0)
SetBC(outlet2, press, BCFlux, 0)
SetBC(outlet2, uv, BCVal, -1)
SetBC(outlet2, vv, BCVal, 0)
inlet pressure set to 10Pa
Exit velocity specified
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Brief Description of Commands

Below is an alphabetical list of the commands, along with a brief description. This can be used to quickly
skim the available options.
Command
Comment
AdaptCellsIf(EqStr)
Refines cells based on EqStr condition
AddPt2Poly(PolyNum, x, y, bc)
Adds a point to polygon PolyNum
AddPt2Table(FuncID , xval, yval)
Adds a point to a data table
BFlowVersion()
Returns version number as long
CalcCoeffs(phinum)
Calculate the A,B coeffs of the CFD prob
CalcGrad(PhiNum, Gradx, Grady)
Calculates gradient of field PhiNum. Results stored in Gradx,

Grady
Circle2Poly(PolyNum, x0, y0,

radius, BCNum, MatNum,
SourceNum, NumSegs)
Creates a circular polygon centered at (x0,y0) with radius

Radius.
CreateBC()
Returns ID for new boundary condition
CreateBlockContourBMP (file,
EqString)
Create a blocky contour plot bit map and save to file.
CreateContourBMP (file, EqString) Create a contour plot bit map and save to file.
CreateGeoBMP(file)
Create a bit map of the problem geometry. Save to file
CreateGridBMP(file)
Create a bit map of the mesh
CreateLookupTable(TableID)
Creates a new data lookup table and returns ID
CreateMaterial()
Creates a new material and returns ID
CreatePathlinesBMP(filename, BCID, Create a pathline plot

NumPaths, time)
CreatePoly()
Creates a new polygon and returns ID
CreateQuadMesh(delx, dely)
Mesh the geometry of the prob with quads
CreateScalarField (FieldName)
Creates a new scalar field, and returns ID
CreateSource()
Creates new source term
CreateVectorBMP(file, Func1,
Func2)
Create a vector plot and save at bit map.
DefineVariable(VarName, EqString) Defines an eq string that can be used in other equations.

FixVectorLength(IsFixed)
Specifies that vector plots have fixed length arrow
GetCellCount()
Returns number of cells in domain
GetTime()
Get the current time of a transient simulation
IncrementTimeStep()
Saves Phi vals to OldPhi
InitializeBFlow()
Initializes the BFlow library.
InitializePhi(phinum,EqString)
Initializes the field phi using the equation EqString
InitializePhiN(phi,aval)
Initializes the field phi using the const aVal
InletDiffusionOn(PhiNum, bool)
Turn inlet diffusion on or off
LimitPhi(PhiNum, MinVal, MaxVal) Limit field phi to between minval and maxval
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OverlayGeo(TrueOrFalse)
Overlays the geometry onto a plot
OverlayGrid(TrueOrFalse)
Overlays the computational grid onto a plot
RunSolver(phi,its,resid, SolverNum) Runs the solver a certain number of iterations for field phi.
Returns resid. Uses current solver
SetAxi(Axistate)
Set coor system: 0 = rect, 1 = AxiX, 2 = AxiY
SetBC
Set a boundary condition for phi using arbitrary equation.
(BCNum,phinum,BCType,EqString) BCType = 1 for value, 2 for flux.
SetBCN
(BCNum,phinum,BCType,Val)
Sets a boundary condition for phi using constant val. BCType =

1 for value, 2 for flux.
SetBlackBackground (TrueOrFalse)
Should the background for plots be black or white?
SetCP(MatNum,EqString)
Set the Cp of a material using eqstring
SetCPN(MatNum,val)
Set the Cp of a material to a fixed value
SetDensity(MatNum,EqString)
Set the Density of a material using eqstring
SetDensityN(MatNum,val)
Set the Density of a material to a fixed value
SetDiffCoeff(MatNum, PhiNum,
xEqString,yEqString)
User can optionally have a second function for anisotropic

probs.
SetDiffCoeffN(MatNum, PhiNum,
aVal)
Set the diffustion coeff for field phi to a constant
SetMirror(Axis)
Mirrors a plot across x or y axis
SetOpPress(EqString)
Set the Operating press of problem using eqstring
SetOpPressN(val)
Set the Operating press of prob to a fixed value
SetPorousSolidCp(MatID, Eq)
Set specific heat of solid portion of porous media
SetPorousSolidDensity(MatID, Eq) Set density of solid portion of porous media

SetPorousSolidThCond(MatID, Eq) Set thermal conduction of solid portion of porous media
SetPorousVoidFraction(MatID, Eq) Set void fraction of porous media
SetRange(MinVal, MaxVal)
Set the range of contour or vector plot
SetSolid(MatNum)
Defines a polygon as solid, so flow isn't solved
SetSource
(SourceNum,PhiNum,EqString)
Set a Source terms with Eqstring
SetSource
(SourceNum,PhiNum,S0EqString,
S1EqString)
Set the linearized Source terms with Eqstrings
SetSourceN
(SourceNum,PhiNum,S0Val,
S1Val)
Set the linearized Source terms to constant vals
SetTimeStep (TimeStep)
Sets time step in seconds
SetTitle(TitleStr)
Set title string for plots
SetTol(BCID, tolerance)
Sets max difference between polygon and mesh
SetUnderRelax(phinum,val)
Sets under relaxation value for phi, from 0 to 1
SetVectorScaling(theScale)
For adjusting the length of arrows in vector plots
SetVectorSkip(skip)
Sets frequency of arrows in vector plots
SetView(X0, Y0, delx)
Used to zoom into a portion of a plot
StartPoly(PolyNum, x0, y0,
Specifies the first point in a polygon
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MatNum, sourcenum)
ValAtPt(x,y,EqString)
Returns the value of eqstring at pt (x,y)
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Commands
The detailed description of each command is listed below.
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AdaptCellsIf
Purpose
Splits all cells that meet the adaption criteria in EqStr
Syntax
Call AdaptCellsIf (EqStr As string)
Parameters
EqStr Conditional expression for cell adaption (string)
Return
Values
none
Remarks
At times, the computational grid needs to be refined to improve the accuracy of the
solution. The command AdaptCellsIf can be used to provide a conditional adaption (or
refinement) of the computational cells. For instance downstream of a flow obstruction,
you may want to refine the mesh to better resolve any eddies that have formed. You can
also use this command to refine the grid based on gradients of a field, using the
CalcGrad command first.
AdaptCellsIf must be called after the mesh has been generated
Example
Split cells based on geoor temperature

CALL AdaptCellsIf (x>3 and y<7.2) 'left side
CALL AdaptCellsIf (tp>100)
Adapt based on gradient of voltage
CalcGrad(V, grad1, grad2)
CALL AdaptCellsIf (grad1 > 3.2e3)
See Also
CreateQuadMesh, SetTol
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AddPt2Poly
Purpose
Helps create a polygon by adding a point to current point list
Syntax
Call AddPt2Poly (PolyNum As Long, x As Double, y As Double, bc As Long)
Parameters
PolyNum ID number of the polygon being modified

x,y Location of the point to be added
bc ID number of the boundary condition for the segment ending at x,y.
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This routine is used in conjunction with StartPolyto create a polygon. The initial point, as
well as the material and source term information is specified with StartPoly. Each
additional point is created and added to the polygon by calling AddPt2Poly. In addition,
the boundary condition for the segment defined by this point and the previous one is
specified. If a segment is not a boundary condition (perhaps it separates two materials),
then use the constant NoBC in place of the BC ID number.
The final point in the polygon must be the same as the starting point.
Example
See Also
Define Geometry
Poly1 = CreatePoly()
CALL StartPoly(Poly1, 0,
CALL AddPt2Poly(Poly1,
0, mat1, source1)
10, 0, bc1) 'bottom
10, 10, bc2) 'right side
0, 10, bc3) 'top
0, 0, bc4) 'left side
CreatePoly, StartPoly
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AddPt2Table
Purpose
Adds a single x, y data point to a data table
Syntax
Call AddPt2Table (FuncID, xval, yval)
Parameters
FuncID ID number of the Table being modified

xval x value of the data point being added
yval y value of the data point being added
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function allows you to add a data point to a table that can hold an arbitrary
amount of data. (A table is used to define a function that interpolates between the
data.) This can be used to define a boundary condition based on experimental
data, for instance. Prior to calling AddPt2Table, one must call CreateLookupTable
to create the table and get the table ID number. Data points are stored in
ascending order by x value, but can be entered in any order. If a call to the table
is made outside of the defined range, an extrapolation is done using the closest
two data points.
Example
Define Table and add some points

TempDataID = CreateLookupTable(TempDataID)
CALL AddPt2Table(TempDataID, 0, 0) 'add 1st point
CALL AddPt2Table(TempDataID, 1, 7.6) 'add 2nd point
CALL AddPt2Table(TempDataID, 2, 8.9) 'add 3rd point
CALL AddPt2Table(TempDataID, 2.5, 10.6) 'add 4th point
Call SetBC(BCNum, PhiNum, BCVal, LookupTable(TempDataID,x)) Set BC
using data
See Also
CreateLookupTable, ClearLookupTable
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BFlowVersion
Purpose
Returns the version number of the Bflow.dll
Syntax
Result = BflowVersion()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
A long integer indicating the version number
Remarks
The result is a long integer containing the version number. The last two digits are
the minor version number. For example, a result of 121 would indicate version
1.21
Example
Make sure version is current

If BflowVersion<100 then Msgbox Warning: you are using an old version.
See Also
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CalcCoeffs
Purpose
Calculates the A and B or linkage coeffs
Syntax
Call CalcCoeffs(PhiID as long)
Parameters
PhiID The ID number of desired field
Return
Values
none
Remarks
BFlow uses the Finite Volume Method to solve the partial differential equations of
interest. The partial differential equations are converted to algebraic equations.
The coefficients of those equations are calculated here.
Example
Call CalcCoeffs(temp)
See Also
RunSolver
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CalcGrad
Purpose
Calculates the gradient of a field
Syntax
Call CalcGrad(PhiID as long, Gradx as long, Grady as long)
Parameters
PhiID The ID number of desired field

Gradx The x component of the gradient is stored in this scalar field
Grady The x component of the gradient is stored in this scalar field
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function computes the gradient of the field phi over the entire domain. To use
this function, you must create two scalar fields to store the result, using the
CreateScalarField function. Once it has been created, the gradient can be
accessed by any command that can accept an expression.
Example
Create a vector plot of diffusive heat flux

dTdx = CreateScalarField(dTdx) Create two new scalar fields
dTdy = CreateScalarField(dTdy)
Call CalcGrad(Temp, dTdx, dTdy)
Call CreateVectorBMP(Vector.bmp, 0, 0, 0, -k*dTdx, -k*dTdy)
See Also
CreateScalarField, CopyDiffCoeffs
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Circle2Poly
Purpose
Creates a circular shaped polygon
Syntax
Call Circle2Poly(PolyID as long, X0 as double, Y0 as double, radius as double,

MatID as long, SourceID as long, NumSegs as long)
Parameters
PolyID The ID number of desired field

X0 The x component of the circle origin
Y0 The x component of the circle origin
Radius radius of circle
MatID ID number of the material property of the circle
SourceID ID number of the source term for circle
NumSegs Number of polygon segments in circle (max = 50)
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This command makes it easy to add a circle to your model, without having to
enter all of the points.
Example
Call Circle2Poly(MyPoly, 0,0, 4, Mat1, NoSource, 20)
See Also
CreatePoly, StartPoly, AddPt2Poly
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ClearLookupTable
Purpose
Clears data from a previously created Lookup table
Syntax
Call ClearLookupTable (TableID)
Parameters
TableID The ID number of table to be cleared
Return
Values
none
Remarks
Use this command to clear the data from a lookup table prior to repopulating the
table. This can be useful if, for instance, you are updating the data in the table
after each iteration.
Example
Call ClearLookupTable(FluxDataID)
'clear old data table
del = 4 '4mm spacing betw pts in flux table
For i = 1 To 37
x = del * i * mm
Call AddPt2Table(FluxDataID, x, ValAtPt(x, 171.25 * mm,
"diff2*grad2")) 'add ith point
Next i
See Also
CreateLookupTable, AddPt2Table
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CopyDiffCoeffs
Purpose
Copies diffusion coefficients to two scalar fields
Syntax
Call CopyDiffCoeffs (PhiID, ToPhi1, ToPhi2)
Parameters
PhiID The ID number of variable being solved for

ToPhi1 Field where x component of diffusion will be written
ToPhi2 Field where y component of diffusion will be written
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This command copies the x and y diffusion coefficients to two fields you specify.
This is useful for calculating diffusive fluxes for plotting.
Example
Call CopyDiffCoeffs (temp, k1, k2)

Call CalcGrad(Temp, dTdx, dTdy)
Call CreateVectorBMP(Vector.bmp, 0, 0, 0, -k1*dTdx, k2*dTdy)
See Also
CalcGrad
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CreateBC
Purpose
Creates a boundary condition object
Syntax
EastWall = CreateBC()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
ID number of the new BC (long integer)
Remarks
Before you can set a boundary condition, you must create it using this command.
The ID number it returns is later used to tell BFlow which boundary condition is
being set.
Example
LeftWall = CreateBC() Create the boundary condition

Call SetBC(LeftWall,Temp, BCVal, 273) Set the temperature of this BC
See Also
SetBC, SetBCLin
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CreateBlockContourBMP
Purpose
To create a bitmap file of a blocky contour plot
Syntax
Call CreateBlockContourBMP (file, EqString)
Parameters
File A string containing the file name to be written to, string

EqString Equation to be plotted, string
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This routine creates a blocky contour plot of the desired equation, using cell
centered values of the field variables. This plot is then written to a BMP file. The
region to be plotted is set with the SetView command. Contour plots are square
in shape.
Example
Call CreateBlockContourBMP (contour.bmp,tp - 273) plot of temp in C
See Also
SetTitle, OverlayGrid, OverlayGeo, CreateVectorBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView,

SetRange
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CreateContourBMP
Purpose
To create a bitmap file of a contour plot
Syntax
Call CreateContourBMP (file, EqString)
Parameters

EqString Equation to be plotted, string
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This routine creates a contour plot of the desired equation. The field values are
interpolated to the cell nodes, giving a smooth contour plot. This plot is then
written to a BMP file. The region to be plotted is set with the SetView command.
Contour plots are square in shape.
Example
Call CreateContourBMP (contour.bmp,tp - 273) plot of temp in C
See Also
SetTitle, OverlayGrid, OverlayGeo, CreateVectorBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView,

SetRange, ValAtPt
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CreateGeoBMP
Purpose
To create a bit map of the model geometry and save it to a file
Syntax
Call CreateGeoBMP(file)
Parameters
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function creates a plot of the model geometry. The plot is then written to a
BMP file. The region to be plotted is set with the SetView command These plots
are square in shape.
Example
Call CreateGeoBMP (geo.bmp)
See Also
CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP, CreateGridBMP, SetView
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CreateGridBMP
Purpose
To create a bit map of the model mesh and save it to a file
Syntax
Call CreateGridBMP(file)
Parameters
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function creates a BMP file of the model mesh. The region to be plotted is
set with SetView. These plots are square in shape.
Example
Call CreateGridBMP (grid.bmp)
See Also
CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView
25 / 83
CreateLookupTable
Purpose
To create a table of x, y data values
Syntax
TableID = CreateLookupTable(TableID as string)
Parameters
TableID a string that identifies the table to the equation parser
Return
Values
A long integer that is the ID number for the Table created
Remarks
This function allows you to create a table that can hold an arbitrary amount of x,y
data. A table is used to define a linear interpolation function based on these data
points. This can be used to define a boundary condition derived from
experimental data, for instance. Once the CreateLookupTable command has
been called, data points are added to the table using the AddPt2Table command.
Data points are stored in ascending order by x value (but can be entered in any
order). If the interpolation function is called outside of the defined range, an
extrapolation is done using the closest two data points.
Example
TempDataID = CreateLookupTable (TempDataID)
See Also
AddPt2Table, ClearLookupTable
26 / 83
CreateMaterial
Purpose
To create a material property object
Syntax
theFluid = CreateMaterial()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
ID number of the new material (long integer)
Remarks
All of the material properties for a polygon are stored in its material object. This
includes diffusion coefficients, specific heat, viscosity, etc. Once the material is
created, these can be set with the commands SetDiffCoeff and SetCP.
Example
Al3003 = CreateMaterial() Create a material

Call SetDiffCoeff(Al3003, temp, 230) set thermal conductivity
See Also
SetDiffCoeff, SetCp, SetDensity
27 / 83
CreatePathlinesBMP
Purpose
To create a pathline plot and save it
Syntax
Call CreatePathlinesBMP(filename as string, BCID as long, NumPaths as long,

time as double)
Parameters
Filename A string containing the file name to be written to, string

BCID ID of the boundary from which the pathlines begin
NumPaths Number of pathlines, long integer
Time Time duration for pathlines in seconds, double
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function creates a pathline plot and saves it as a BMP file. The length of the
pathlines is set with the Time parameter. Each path is created by integrating the
velocity over time. Longer Time values generate longer pathlines. The time step
used in the integration is based on the local cell size and velocity. The region to
be plotted is set with SetView.
Example
Call CreatePathlinesBMP (path.bmp, Inlet, 20, 10)
See Also
28 / 83
CreatePoly
Purpose
To create a polygon object
Syntax
PolyID = CreatePoly()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
ID number of the new polygon (long integer)
Remarks
This function allows you to create a polygon object. This is the first step in
specifying the details of the polygon. Once created, the starting point, material
property and source term are set with StartPoly. Then additional points and
boundary conditions are set with AddPt2Poly.
Example
Heater = CreatePoly()
Call StartPoly(Heater, 0,0, Al3003, NoSource)
Call AddPt2Poly(Heater, 1,0, bott)
Call AddPt2Poly(Heater, 1,1, side)
Call AddPt2Poly(Heater, 0,1, top)
Call AddPt2Poly(Heater, 0,0, axis)
See Also
StartPoly, AddPt2Poly, Circle2Poly
29 / 83
CreateQuadMesh
Purpose
This subroutine creates a rectangular grid of specified size and density
Syntax
Call CreateQuadMesh(delx As Double, delY As Double)
Parameters
delx the size of the grid cells in the x direction, in meters. Double precision.
dely the size of the grid cells in the y direction, in meters. Double precision.
Return Value
none
Remarks
This routine creates a mesh of rectangles that covers all of the polygons defined. It
then imprints the polygons and discards the cells that lie outside of the geometry.
The result is a stair-step mesh that may not exactly preserve the geometry defined
by the polygons in the model.
Example
''Define Geometry
CALL StartPoly(Poly1, 0, 0, mat1, source1)
CALL AddPt2Poly(Poly1, 10, 0, bc1) 'bottom
CALL AddPt2Poly(Poly1, 10, 10, bc2) 'right side
CALL AddPt2Poly(Poly1, 0, 10, bc3) 'top
CALL AddPt2Poly(Poly1, 0, 0, bc4) 'left side
Call CreateQuadMesh (0.5, 0.5)
See Also
SetTol, AdaptCellsIf, GetCellCount
30 / 83
source
CreateScalarField
Purpose
To create a new scalar field
Syntax
FieldID = CreateScalarField(FieldName as string)
Parameters
FieldName This is the name you use to refer to the field in algebraic expressions.
Return Value
ID number of the new field, as long integer
Remarks
Bflow has four predefined fields: Pressure, u-velocity, v-velocity, and temperature.
If you want to solve additional partial differential equations, you must create the
fields for them. These scalar fields can be used to solve for species mass
fractions in reacting flows, for voltage in a conduction problem or f in an
electrostatics problem. In addition, scalars can be used to store information for
post processing, or other purposes. They are also used to store the results from
the CalcGrad calculation.
Example
''Define Geometry
VelMag = CreateScalarField(VelMag) define new field
Call InitializePhi(VelMag, sqrt(uv^2 + vv^2) ) store velocity mag in field
See Also
CreateMaterial, CreateBC, CreateSource, InitializePhi, InletDiffusionOn
31 / 83
source
CreateSource
Purpose
To create a new source term
Syntax
SourceID = CreateSource()
Parameters
none
Return Value
ID number of the new source, as long integer
Remarks
After a source term object has been created, its specific behavior can be defined
using the command SetSource . A source term can be used to specify a heat
generation term or a gas phase reaction, for instance. It is also used to create a
momentum sink term when solving porous media models
Example
''Define Geometry
HeatSource = CreateSource() define new source
Call SetSourceLin(HeatSource, Temp, 20000, 0)
See Also
set the source
SetSource, SetSourceLin, CreateMaterial, CreateBC, CreateScalarField
32 / 83
CreateVectorBMP
Purpose
To create a bitmap file of a vector plot
Syntax
Result = CreateVectorBMP (file, EqStr1, EqStr2)
Parameters
File A string containing the file name to be written to

EqStr1 An equation for the x component of the vector, string
EqStr2 An equation for the y component of the vector, string
Return
Values
none.
Remarks
Typically vector plots are used to visualize the velocity through a domain. To do
that you specify the x component of velocity (field uv) and the y component (field
vv). This function can also be used to plot any vector quantity by appropriate
choice of EqStr1, and EqStr2.
Example
CreateVectorBMP (Vector.bmp, uv, vv) vector plot of velocity
See Also
CreateContourBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView, SetRange, SetVectorScaling,

FixVectorLength, ValAtPt
33 / 83
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DefineVariable
Purpose
Defines an expression string that can be used in other equations
Syntax
Call DefineVariable(VarName, EqString)
Parameters
VarName the name of the variable, string

EqString The equation to be associated with the variable name, string
Return
Values
none
Remarks
DefineVariable is a simple substitution utility, like Macros in C. Macros allow

complex functions to be simplified to improve readability. For instance, a long
equation can be broken up into individual parts and a macro defined for each.
When BFlow evaluates a equation, it will see if it contains any variable definitions
and if so, substitute the equation in place of the variable name.
Warning. Variable name substitutions are made when equations are defined.
This can cause unexpected results if you redefine the variable later. Consider this
example:
Call DefineVariable(hot, 1000)
SetBC(wall, temp, BCVal, hot)
Call DefineVariable(hot, 1300)

When SetBC was called, the value of Hot at that time (1000) was written to the
boundary condition object. Later this changed, but SetBC is unaware of it, unless
you call SetBC again.
Example
DefineVariable(FirstTerm, (uv^2)
DefineVariable (SecondTerm, (vv^2)
DefineVariable (VelMag, (sqrt(FirstTerm + SecondTerm))
CreateContourBMP(VelMag.bmp, 0,0,0,VelMag)
Create a contour plot of
velocity magnitude
See Also
AddPt2Table, ClearLookupTable, CreateLookupTable
34 / 83
FixVectorLength
Purpose
Makes all arrows in a vector plot the same length
Syntax
Call FixVectorLength(IsFixed as long)
Parameters
IsFixed If 1, then used fixed length, if 0, use variable length
Return
Values
none
Remarks
By default, the length of an arrow in a vector plot is proportional to the magnitude

of the quantity being plotted. When the magnitude varies over a large range, this
can lead to some arrows being nothing more than dots. In that case, it can be
useful to fix the arrow length to a constant value for all arrows in the plot. This is
done by setting IsFixed to a non-zero value.
Example
Create a plot with fixed arrows, then one with variable

arrows.
Call FixVectorLength(1)
Call CreateVectorBMP(vect1.bmp, uv, vv)
Call FixVectorLength(0)
Call CreateVectorBMP(vect2.bmp, uv, vv))
See Also
35 / 83
GetCellCount
Purpose
Returns the number of cells in the computational domain
Syntax
TotalCells = GetCellCount()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
Number of cells (long integer)
Remarks
This can be used after mesh generation to check the cell density of the problem.
A high cell count will result in longer computation times.
Example
Warn of high cell counts

If GetCellCount() > 10000 then
Msgbox Cell count too high
End if
See Also
CreateQuadMesh
36 / 83
GetTime
Purpose
To find the current time of a simulation
Syntax
TheTime = GetTime()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
A double real showing the present time of simulation in seconds
Remarks
Example
After 10s, change source and double time step

If GetTime() > 10 then
SetSourceN(source1, temp, S0, S1)
Call SetTimeStep(2*delt))
End if
See Also
SetTimeStep, IncrementTimeStep
37 / 83
source
IncrementTimeStep
Purpose
To update the simulation time and the field values in transient models
Syntax
Call IncrementTimeStep()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function tells BFlow the time step is over. It then increments the simulation
time by the time step. It also updates the field values for the previous time step
Example
Call SetTimeStep(delt)
For i = 1 To 120
'loop over time steps
Call RunSolver (temp, 50, resid, SOR)
Call IncrementTimeStep
'Update old values
'Write out temp at several locations
Cells(25 + i, 3).Value = ValAtPt (Dia / 2, Thick/2,
tp-273)
tp-273)
Next i
See Also
GetTime, SetTimeStep
38 / 83
InitializeBFlow
Purpose
Sets up the BFlow function library before beginning a simulation
Syntax
Call InitializeBFlow()
Parameters
none
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function should be called at the beginning of a model to initialize all arrays
and parameters to their starting values.
Example
Call InitializeBFlow()
See Also
39 / 83
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InitializePhi
Purpose
To set the initial values of the scalar field phi
Syntax
Call InitializePhi(phinum As Long, EqString As String)
Parameters
PhiNum ID of the field of interest, long

EqString Equation describing the desired values of phi
Return
Values
none
Remarks
The expression EqString can be a function of position to provide a good guess of

the field. This function can also be used in conjuction with CreateScalarField to
create a scalar field and set its value to some function for plotting. To initialize to
a constant value, see InitializePhiN
Example
Call InitializePhi(temp, x^2 + y^2 set temp field to x^2 + y^2
See Also
LimitPhi, UpdatePhi, CreateScalarField
40 / 83
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InitializePhiN
Purpose
To set the initial values of the field phi to a constant
Syntax
Call InitializePhiN(phinum, value)
Parameters
PhiNum ID of the field of interest, long

Value the desired initial value for field, double
Return
Values
none
Remarks
To initialize to a general function, see InitializePhi
Example
Call InitializePhiN(temp, 273)
See Also
41 / 83
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InletDiffusionOn
Purpose
To toggle inlet diffusion on or off
Syntax
Call InletDiffusionOn(PhiID as long, Bool as long)
Parameters
PhiID ID of the field of interest, long

Bool If > 0 then inlet diffusion is turned on. 0 = off
Return
Values
none
Remarks
In flow problems involving species, the species are transported from the inlet by
convection and by diffusion. In some cases it is not realistic to have a diffusive
component at the inlet. In those cases, the inlet diffusion can be set to zero. By
default, inlet diffusion is on.
Example
Call InletDiffusionOn(SiH4, 0) Turns off inlet diffusion for species SiH4.
See Also
CreateScalarField
42 / 83
LimitPhi
Purpose
Limits the range of possible solutions for a field variable
Syntax
Call LimitPhi(PhiID as long, MinVal as double, MaxVal as double)
Parameters
PhiID ID of the field of interest, long

MinVal minimum allowed value of phi
MaxVal maximum allowed value of phi
Return
Values
none
Remarks
In some very non-linear problems, the field values

instance, the temperature may become negative.
situation in which the model diverges. To prevent
the range can be set with this function. Typically
Example
Call LimitPhi(temp, 1, 1000)
See Also
InitializePhi, UpdatePhi
43 / 83
can become unphysical. For

This can lead to a runaway
this and improve convergence
it is not necessary.
source
OverlayGeo
Purpose
Enables overlaying the geometry onto a plot
Syntax
Call OverlayGeo(TrueOrFalse)
Parameters
TrueOrFalse if 0, no overlay, otherwise yes.
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This function draws the polygons of the model on top of any future plots. This can
make plots clearer. It can also highlight gaps between the geometry and the
computational domain. By default OverlayGeo is set to False.
Example
Call OverlayGeo(0)
See Also
OverlayGrid, CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView
44 / 83
OverlayGrid
Purpose
Enables overlaying the computational grid onto a plot
Syntax
Call OverlayGrid(TrueOrFalse)
Parameters
TrueOrFalse if 0, no overlay, otherwise yes.
Return
Values
none
Remarks
By default, a grid is overlaid onto plots created with BFlow. To turn this off, set
the argument to 0.
Example
Call OverlayGrid (0)
See Also
OverlayGeo, CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView
45 / 83
RunSolver
Purpose
This routine is called to solve the model
Syntax
Call RunSolver(phi, its, resid, Solver)
Parameters
Phi ID number of the field to be solved for, long

Its number of iterations requested of the solver, long
Resid the solver returns this measure of error, double
Solver ID number of the desired solver (SOR = 1)
Return
Values
None
Remarks
BFlow has three solvers: Successive OverRelaxation (SOR), Line Gauss-Siedel

(LGS) and Algebraic MultiGrid (AMG). These correspond to Solver numbers of 1,
2 and 3 respectively. (The solver can also be specified using constants SOR,
LGS and AMG.) The AMG solver doesn't do multiple iterations so the its
parameter is not used. The AMG solver is the most efficient of the three and is
recommended. LGS does not would with adapted meshes.
Example
See Also
SetUnderRelax, CalcCoeffs
46 / 83
SetAxi
Purpose
Used to specify if a 2d model is cartesian, or axi-symmetric along the x or y

direction
Syntax
Call SetAxi(Axistate)
Parameters
Axistate long integer can be 0 (rectangular), 1 (axi along x) or 2 (axi along y).
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This routine only needs to be called for axi-symmetric problems. By default

axistate = 0. If your model has an axis of symmetry and the geometry can be
describe in cylindrical coordinates, then you should call SetAxi. If your axis of
symmetry lines along the x axis, use SetAxi(1); if the axis of symmetry is along
the y axis, use SetAxi(2).
Example
Call SetAxi(1) sets problem to be axi-symmetric along x axis

Call SetAxi(2) sets problem to be axi-symmetric along y axis
See Also
SetMirror
47 / 83
SetBC
Purpose
Set the boundary condition for field phi using an arbitrary equation.
Syntax
Call SetBC(BCNum, PhiNum, BCType, EqString)
Parameters
BCNum The ID number of the boundary condition being set, long

PhiNum The ID number of the field, long
BCType For value type = 1, for flux type = 2, long
EqString The equation defining the boundary condition, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
Each surface of the domain needs a boundary condition for each variable being
solved for. CreateBC is used to create a boundary condition and give it an ID
number. Later this number is used to apply the BC to a given segment of a
polygon, using SetBC.
BCType. There are three types of boundary conditions frequently encountered in
CFD: value (where the field value is specified on the boundary), flux (where the flux
is specified) and heat transfer, where a heat transfer coefficient is specified. The
following constants are used to specify type
1 Value type BC (Dirichlet condition). Use predefined constant: BCVal
2 Flux type BC (Neumann condition). Use predefined constant: BCFlux
One can also specify the type as NoBC, for internal walls where a boundary
condition is not appropriate. For instance at a fluid-solid interface in a conjugate
heat transfer problem, the temperature should not be specified, so the
temperature BC would be set to NoBC on this surface.
For Heat transfer coefficient BC's, the boundary can be implemented with the flux
BC type, as shown in the example below.
Example
DefineVariable(T_inf, 273)
DefineVariable(h, 2.1)
Call SetBC(LeftWall, Temp, BCVal, 2.4 * x) Temp on wall
depends on x position
A Heat transfer coeff BC can be created like so
Call SetBC( RightWall, Temp, BCFlux , h*(tp - T_inf ) )
Heat transfer BC
See Also
CreateBC, SetBCLin
48 / 83
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SetBCLin
Purpose
Set a linearized boundary condition for field phi using an arbitrary equation.
Syntax
Call SetBCLin(BCNum, PhiNum, BCType, Eq0Str, Eq1Str)
Parameters
BCNum The ID number of the boundary condition being set, long

BCType Must be set to 4 for linearized flux
Eq0Str The equation defining the constant portion of boundary condition, string
Eq1Str The equation defining the linear portion of boundary condition, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
This is a special version of the SetBC command for cases when the boundary
condition is a function of the field being solved for. For instance consider a
surface reaction, where the reaction rate depends on species concentration, C:
R = k*C (k is a constant)
When SetBC is used for this BC, the value of R is evaluated for each boundary
face by the CalcCoeffs using the value of C from the previous iteration.
In the early iterations of the model, this can lead to an oscillation between the
reaction rate and the local concentration. Before the first iteration, say C has
been initialized to a high value. R will be high; meaning a lot of species will be
removed from the domain. The solver will then calculate too low a value for C. On
the next iteration, this will lead to then rate being calculated as a small value,
removing too little C, resulting in an over estimation of C. This oscillation can be
minimized with a good initial guess, or by under relaxing C sufficiently. A good
guess is often hard to make and under relaxing can greatly slow convergence. By
linearizing the boundary condition, the local concentration and the reaction rate
stay coupled as the linear solver hones in on a solution. This greatly reduces the
tendency to oscillate.
To linearize a BC, take the expression for the boundary condition and rewrite it in
a linear form like so:
BC = A0 + A1*Phi
Where phi is the field we are solving for and A0 and A1 are constants. For the
reaction example above, this would be
BC = 0 + K*Phi
The A0 expression is the Eq0Str and A1 is the Eq1Str term. BCLim can be used
for both value type and flux type boundary conditions.
BCType. This function only applies to flux type boundary conditions. For this
special function, the BCType must be set to 4 (or use predefined constant BCLin
For Heat transfer coefficient BC's, the boundary can be linearized and
implemented with the flux BC type, as shown in the example below.
49 / 83
Example
DefineVariable(T_inf, 273)
DefineVariable(h, 2.1)
A Heat transfer coeff BC can be created like so
Call SetBCLin( RightWall, Temp, BCLin, -h*T_inf, h)
Same as h*(tp t_inf)
Surface reaction
Call DefineVariable("rate1", "k1 * C_Sp * M_Sp ")
'rate
SiH4 leaves in kg/m^2-s
Call SetBCLin(holewall, sp, BCLin, "0", "-rate1/sp")
See Also
CreateBC, SetBC
50 / 83
SetBCn
Purpose
Set a constant boundary condition for field phi.
Syntax
Call SetBC(BCNum, PhiNum, BCType, Val)
Parameters
BCNum The ID number of the boundary condtion being set, long

BCType For value type = 1, for flux type = 2, long
Val The value to set the BC to, double
Return
Values
None
Remarks
The advantage of SetBCn compared to SetBC is speed. The expression parser

does not need to be called at each boundary face, potentially saving considerable
time.
Each surface of the domain needs a boundary condition for each variable being
solved for. CreateBC is used to create a boundary condition and give it an ID
number. Later this number can be used to apply the BC to a given segment of a
polygon, using SetBC.
BCType. There are three types of boundary conditions frequently encountered in
CFD: value (where the field value is specified on the boundary), flux (where the flux
is specified) and heat transfer, where a heat transfer coefficient is specified. The
following constants are used to specify type
1 Value type BC (Dirichlet condition). Use predefined constant: BCVal
2 Flux type BC (Neumann condition). Use predefined constant: BCFlux
For Heat transfer coefficient BC's, the command SetBC should be used.
Example
Call CreateBCn(wall, Temp, BCVal, 273) Temp on wall in kelvin
Call CreateBCn(heater, Temp, BCFlux, 12000) Heat flux from wall in W/m^2
See Also
CreateBC, SetBC
51 / 83
SetBlackBackground
Purpose
To set the background of plots to black
Syntax
Call SetBlackBackground (TrueOrFalse)
Parameters
TrueOrFalse if 0, use white background, otherwise, black. Long integer
Return
Values
none
Remarks
By default, plots made by BFlow have a white background, with black lettering.
Sometimes it is more appealing to have a black background with white lettering.
This command lets you toggle between these states.
Example
Call SetBlackBackground (1) set background to black

Call SetBlackBackground (0) set background to white
See Also
SetTitle, OverlayGrid, OverlayGeo, CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP,

CreateGeoBMP, SetView
52 / 83
source
SetCP
Purpose
To set the specific heat of a material
Syntax
Call SetCP(MatID, EqString)
Parameters
MatID ID number of material that needs Cp, long

EqString equation describing Cp, string
Return Values
none
Remarks
Cp in units of J/kg-K. EqString is an algebraic expression describing the specific heat.

If no value is set, the default is 1000 J/kg-K
Example
Call SetCP(Mat1, 2.11 * tp + 1000 )
See Also
SetDensity, SetDiffCoeff, CreateMaterial
53 / 83
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SetDensity
Purpose
To set the density of the fluid
Syntax
Call SetDensity(MatID, EqString)
Parameters
MatID ID number of material that needs density, long

EqString equation describing density, string
Return Values
none
Remarks
The density must be entered in units of kg/m^3. If no density is specified, a value of 1

kg/m 3 is used.
Example
Call SetDensity(Mat2, 10 * x ) density increases with x position
See Also
SetDiffCoeff, CreateMaterial, SetCp
54 / 83
SetDensityN
Purpose
To set the density of a material to a constant
Syntax
Call SetDensityN(MatID, theDensity)
Parameters
MatID ID number of material that needs density, long

theDensity the constant value for density, in kg/m^3, double
Return Values
none
Remarks
The density must be entered in units of kg/m^3. If no density is specified, a value of 1

is used.
Example
Call SetDensityN(mat2, 10) sets density to 10 kg/m^3
See Also
55 / 83
SetDiffCoeff
Purpose
Set the diffusion coefficient using an arbitrary equation
Syntax
Call SetDiffCoeff(MatID, PhiNum, xEqString, yEqString)
Parameters
MatID ID number of the material being set, long integer

PhiNum ID number of the field, long integer
xEqString equation for the diffusion coefficient in the x direction, string
yEqString - equation for the diffusion coefficient in the y direction, string
Return Values
None
Remarks
All transport equations (except continuity) need a diffusion coefficient specified, but it
doesn't always go by that name. For the velocity terms, this command sets the
viscosity (diffusion of momentum) and for energy it sets the thermal conductivity
(diffusion of heat).
BFlow supports anisotropic diffusion. This is achieved by specifying different diffusion
expressions in the x and y directions. For isotropic materials, use the same equation
for both directions.
To specify a constant diffusion coefficient, it is more convenient to use SetDiffCoeffN
Example
Call SetDiffCoeff(Mat1, temp, 5.4 * Tp + 89 , 3.7 * Tp + 94 )
See Also
CreateMaterial, SetCp, CreateScalarField
56 / 83
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SetDiffCoeffN
Purpose
Set the diffusion coefficient to a constant value
Syntax
Call SetDiffCoeff(MatID, PhiNum, aVal)
Parameters

aVal the value of the diffusion coefficient, double
Return
Values
None
Remarks
All transport equations (except continuity) need a diffusion coefficient specified,

but it doesn't always go by that name. For the velocity terms, this command sets
the viscosity (diffusion of momentum) and for energy it sets the thermal
conductivity (diffusion of heat).
To specify the diffusion coefficient as an arbitrary function or anisotropic diffusion,
please use SetDiffCoeff
Example
Call SetDiffCoeffN(Mat1, temp, 5.2E-5)
See Also
57 / 83
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SetMirror
Purpose
To mirror an image across the x or y axis in a plot
Syntax
Call SetMirror(Axis)
Parameters
axis 0 = no mirroring, 1 = mirror across x-axis, 2 = mirror across y-axis
Return
Values
None
Remarks
For models with a symmetry plane, it is handy to create plots that mirror across
that symmetry plane.
Example
Call SetMirror(1) Future plots will mirror across the x-axis.

Call SetMirror(0) Return to default (no mirroring)
See Also
SetAxi, CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP, CreateGeoBMP, SetView
58 / 83
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SetOpPress
Purpose
To set the pressure of the model using an arbitrary equation
Syntax
Call SetOpPress(EqString)
Parameters
EqString the equation specifying the pressure, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
The pressure must be specified in pascals. To prevent infinite recursion, the

operating pressure can not be specified as a function of density or operating
pressure. For constant density problems, BFlow doesn't require an operating
pressure. However, when the density depends on pressure, it is important to call
SetOpPress.
Example
Call SetOpPress( 101000 )
See Also
SetCp, CreateMaterial
59 / 83
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SetOpPressN
Purpose
To set the pressure of the model to a constant value
Syntax
Call SetOpPressN(val)
Parameters
val the value of the pressure, double
Return Values
None
Remarks
The pressure must be specified in pascals.
Example
Call SetOpPress(133) Pressure is 133 Pa
See Also
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SetPorousSolidCp
Purpose
To set the specific heat of a porous solid
Syntax
Call SetPorousSolidCp(MatID, EqString)
Parameters

EqString - An expression for the specific heat, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
This function is only needed when solving models with porous materials.
Example
porous = CreateMaterial()
Call SetPorousSolidCp (porous, 1000 + 0.01*Tp) Temperature dependent
See Also
SetPorousSolidThCond, SetPorousSolidDensity, SetPorousVoidFraction
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SetPorousSolidDensity
Purpose
To set the density of the solid portion of a porous material
Syntax
SetPorousSolidDensity(MatID, EqString)
Parameters

EqString - An expression for the density, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
This function is only needed when solving models with porous materials. The
density should be in kg/m^3
Example
Call SetPorousSolidDensity (porous, 2200) kg/m^3
See Also
SetPorousSolidCp, SetPorousSolidThCond, SetPorousVoidFraction
62 / 83
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SetPorousSolidThCond
Purpose
To set the thermal conductivity of the solid portion of a porous material
Syntax
Call SetPorousSolidThCond(MatID, EqString)
Parameters

EqString - An expression for the thermal conductivity, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
This function is only needed when solving models with porous materials. The
thermal conductivity should be in W/m-K
Example
Call SetPorousSolidDensity (porous, 15 + 0.01*Tp)
See Also
SetPorousSolidCp, SetPorousSolidDensity, SetPorousVoidFraction
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SetPorousVoidFraction
Purpose
To set the void fraction, or porosity of a porous material
Syntax
Call SetPorousVoidFraction(MatID, EqString)
Parameters

EqString - An expression for the void fraction, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
This function is only needed when solving models with porous materials. The void
fraction is the ratio of the fluid volume to total volume in a material. This number
must be in the range of 0 to 1. The default value for void fraction is 1 (100% fluid).
The void fraction must be set to something less than 1 in order for BFlow to
recognize the material as a porous one.
Example
Call SetPorousVoidFraction (porous, x/xmax) porosity varies with position
See Also
SetPorousSolidCp, SetPorousSolidDensity, SetPorousSolidThCond
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SetRange
Purpose
To set the min and max range of a contour or vector plot
Syntax
Call SetRange(MinVal, MaxVal)
Parameters
MinVal minimum value to be plotted, double

MaxVal maximum value to be plotted, double
Return
Values
None
Remarks
By default, BFlow will find the entire range of values for a contour or vector plot
and use those to set the min and max range. To look at a narrower range, use
the SetRange command. To return to the default, specify 0 for the min and max.
Example
Call SetRange(0,1) Reduce range to between 0 and 1

Call SetRange(0,0) Restore default (full range)
See Also
SetTitle, OverlayGrid, OverlayGeo, CreateVectorBMP, CreateContourBMP,

CreateGeoBMP, SetView
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SetSolid
Purpose
To designate a polygon region a solid (not a fluid)
Syntax
Call SetSolid(PolyID)
Parameters
PolyID ID number of the polygon, long integer
Return
Values
None
Remarks
BFlow assumes all regions of the domain are fluid by default. If you would like to
solve for flow in only a portion of the domain, you can set the other portion to
solid. This can be handy for solving conjugate heat transfer problems
Example
Call SetSolid(HeatSink)
See Also
CreateMaterial, CreatePoly
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SetSource
Purpose
Set the source terms for a region of the model using an arbitrary expression
Syntax
Call SetSource(SourceNum,PhiNum,EqString)
Parameters
SourceNum ID number of the source being set, long integer

EqString equation for the source term, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
A source term adds or removes materials in the cells in which it is active. For
instance, a heat source term adds heat. Any expression can be used as a
source. It will be evaluated when CalcCoeffs is called, and will be a constant
when the linear solver is running. If the source depends on Phi, better
convergence can be achieved by linearizing the source term (see SetSourceLin).
This enables the source to vary linearly with Phi as the linear solver runs.
Example
Call SetSource(1,temp,12000) units: W/m^3
See Also
CreateSource, SetSourceLin
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SetSourceLin
Purpose
Set the source terms for a region of the model using arbitrary expressions
Syntax
Call SetSourceLin(SourceNum,PhiNum,S0EqString, S1EqString)
Parameters

S0EqString equation for the constant part, string
S1EqString - equation for the linear part, string
Return
Values
None
Remarks
A source term adds or removes materials in the cells in which it is active. For
instance, a heat source term adds heat. Mathematically these sources can be of
any form, in principle. In practice, complex source terms can cause numerical
instability. For that reason BFlow requires source terms to be either a constant
or linearized. A linearized source is written in the form
S = S0 + S1*Phi.
SetSourceLin is used to assign equations for the S0 and S1 terms of this
expression.
Example
Call SetSourceLin(1,temp,12000,0)
See Also
CreateSource, SetSource
units: W/m^3
68 / 83
SetSourceN
Purpose
Set the source term for a region of the model using a simple linear relationship
Syntax
Call SetSourceN(SourceNum,PhiNum,S0, S1)
Parameters

S0 value for the constant part, double
S1 - value for the linear part, double
Return
Values
None
Remarks
For numerical stability any source term must first be linearized by the user to the
form
S = S0 + S1*Phi. See Patankar for a discussion of this. SeteSourceN is used to
assign values for the S0 and S1 terms of this expression.
Example
Call SetSourceN(1,temp,12000,0)
See Also
CreateSource, SetSource
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SetTimeStep
Purpose
For transient models this routine will set the size of the time step in seconds.
Syntax
Call SetTimeStep(TimeStep)
Parameters
TimeStep The size of the time step in seconds, double
Return
Values
none
Remarks
Default is 0. By setting a non-zero value, you tell BFlow this is a transient model.
The other function needed for transient models is IncrementTimeStep
Negative values are not permitted.
Example
Call SetTimeStep(delt)
For i = 1 To 120
'loop over time steps
Call IncrementTimeStep
'Update old values
'Write out temp at several locations
tp-273)
tp-273)
Next i
See Also
IncrementTimeStep, GetTime
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SetTitle
Purpose
Set the title string displayed in plots
Syntax
Call SetTitle(TitleStr)
Parameters
TitleStr A string contain the title of the model
Return
Values
none
Remarks
To improve the clarity of output plots, a one line title can be added. Titles are
limited to about 70 characters.
Example
Call SetTitle(Case 1. T=400C)
See Also
71 / 83
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SetTol
Purpose
Set tolerance (or accuracy) of mesh
Syntax
Call SetTol(bcID, tol)
Parameters
bcID ID number of boundary, long integer

tol the location accuracy (meters) needed for this boundary (double)
Return
Values
none
Remarks
Mesh generation is done (with CreateQuadMesh) by imprinting the polygons that

define the geometry onto a mesh of density you specify. The resulting stair-step
mesh often deviates from the original boundary position. The SetTol command
provides a way to improve the mesh accuracy. The cells near boundary bcID will
be split until the distance from the polygon edge to the mesh representation of the
boundary is less than Tol.
This command must be called before CreateQuadMesh (but after the polygons
have been specified).
Warning: If Tol is made too small, a very high cell count can result
SetTol is optional. If the location of a particular boundary is not critical, there is
no need to set it.
Example
Call SetTol(LeftWall,0.0005)
See Also
AdaptCellsIf, CreateQuadMesh
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SetUnderRelax
Purpose
Sets the under relaxation coefficients for field phi
Syntax
Call SetUnderRelax(PhiNum, Val)
Parameters
PhiNum ID number of field, long

Val Value of the under relaxation coefficient, from 0 to 1, double
Return
Values
none
Remarks
To improve the numerical stability of the solution process it is common to under

relax the solution. At the end of an iteration, instead of accepting the new
solution, you accept a weighted average of the new and old solutions. This
weighting is the under relaxation coefficient. If it is 1 you take the new solution in
full after each iteration. If it is 0.5, you average the old and new:
PhiNew = (1-omega)*PhiOld + omega*PhiNew
Where omega is the under relaxation parameter.
Fastest convergence is achieved with under relaxation of 1, but this isn't always
practical. The default under relaxations in BFlow are
Pressure
UV
VV
Temp
0.2
0.8
0.8
1.0
If convergence problems are encountered with these, it is recommended they be

reduced. For user created scalar fields, the default under relaxation is 1.0
Example
Call SetUnderRelax(temp, 0.5) set under relaxation to 0.5 for temperature field
See Also
RunSolver
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SetVectorScaling
Purpose
Sets the scale factor for arrow length in vector plots
Syntax
Call SetVectorScaling(theScale)
Parameters
theScale the scale factor, a double
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This command is for improving the appearance of vector plots. The default scaling
for vector plots makes the arrows roughly the length of a cell. The command
Call SetVectorScaling(2.5)
Will make the arrows roughly 2.5 times longer than a cell. To return to the
default, specify a scale factor of 1.0
Example
Call SetVectorScaling(10) Makes vectors 10x longer than default
See Also
CreateVectorBMP, SetVectorSkip, FixVectorLength
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SetVectorSkip
Purpose
To specify the density of arrows in a vector plot
Syntax
Call SetVectorSkip(skip)
Parameters
skip the number of skipped cells, long
Return
Values
None
Remarks
By default, an arrow is drawn in each cell of the computational domain. For fine
meshes this can lead to a cluttered plot. To avoid that, this command can be
used to avoid drawing vectors in some cells. For instance,
Call SetVectorSkip(2)
Will skip two cells, drawing an arrow in every third cell. To reset to the default,
specify a skip value of 0.
Example
Call SetVectorSkip(1) skip every other cell
See Also
CreateVectorBMP, SetVectorScaling, FixVectorLength
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SetView
Purpose
Allows user to zoom into a portion of the domain for postprocessing
Syntax
Call SetView(X0, Y0, delx)
Parameters
X0, Y0 Lower left corner of view window, in meters (double)

delx width and height of desired view, in meters (double)
Return
Values
none
Remarks
By default, bFlow scales an image so the entire domain fits inside the plotting
window. SetView allows you to zoom into a region
SetView is sticky. Once you set up a view, it will remain until you set it again.
In this way you can make several different plots of the same view (e.g., a vector
plot, contour plot). To return to the default view, enter zero for the parameters:
Call SetView(0,0,0) return to default view
To use the default scaling, but offset the image, set delx to 0. The length units
used in SetView are the same used to create the model. Typically meters.
Example
Call SetView(0.3, 0.5, 2.6) New draw window will go from (0.3, 0.5) to (2.9, 3.1)
See Also
SetTitle, OverlayGrid, OverlayGeo, SetBlackBackground
76 / 83
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StartPoly
Purpose
Creates the first point in a polygon, and specifies the polygon material and source
Syntax
Call StartPoly (PolyNum, x0, y0, MatID, sourcenum)
Parameters
PolyNum ID number of the polygon, long

X0, Y0 location of the point, double
MatID Material ID number for the polygon, long. Use NoMat for void region
SourceNum Source ID number for the polygon, long. Use NoSource for no
source
Return
Values
none
Remarks
This routine is used in conjunction with AddPt2Poly to create a polygon. The

initial point, as well as the material and source term information are specified with
StartPoly. Each additional point is created and added to the polygon by calling
AddPt2Poly.
To define a void region, specify NoMat as the material type. If the polygon has no
source term, specify NoSource for this argument.
Example
See Also
Define Geometry
CALL StartPoly(Poly1, 0,
0, prop1, source1)
10, 0, bc1) 'bottom
10, 10, bc2) 'right side
0, 10, bc3) 'top
0, 0, bc4) 'left side
CreatePoly, AddPt2Poly
77 / 83
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UpdatePhi
Purpose
Updates a scalar field, with under relaxation
Syntax
Call UpdatePhi (PhiID, EqStr)
Parameters
PhiID ID number of the scalar field variable, long

EqStr an expression for phi.
Return
Values
none
Remarks
In addition to the fields solved for by the solver, sometimes we need additional
fields, for instance to store a gradient, or for customized output. Often the
InitializePhi command can be used for this latter application. However, you may
have a field that is computed each iteration and is used in solving for the field
variables. Perhaps a custom density function. For numerical stability, it may be
desirable to under relax this field. This can be done with UpdatePhi. If effectively
executes the following:
For I = 1 to Numcells
PhiID = (1-omega)*PhiID_old + omega*EqStr
Next I
Where omega is the under relaxation factor for field PhiID.
Example
Update diffusion coefficients, using under relaxation

Call SetUnderRelax(diff1, 0.8)
Call SetUnderRelax(diff2, 0.8)
Call CopyDiffCoeffs(V, tem1, tem2) copy diffusion coeffs
to two temporary fields
Call UpdatePhi(diff1, "tem1")
Call UpdatePhi(diff2, "tem2")
See Also
InitializePhi, SetUnderRelax
78 / 83
ValAtPt
Purpose
Return the value of an arbitrary function at a specific point in the domain
Syntax
Ans = ValAtPt(PhiID,x,y)
Parameters
x x value of the coordinate, double

y y value of the coordinate, double
EqSstring Equation to be evaluated at the point (x,y), string
Return
Values
The value of the equation at the requested point, double
Remarks
BFlow stores field values for each variable at the cell centers. A linear
interpolation is performed between the nearest cell neighbors to determine the
field value at the desired point. These values are then used to evaluate the
equation. If x,y lies outside the domain, zero is returned.
This function can be called in a For-Next loop to generate points for an scatter
plot in Excel.
Example
Ans = ValAtPt(5.2, 3.7, Tp - 273 )

Temp in C is
returned
Generate points for Excel plot
for i=1 to 10
cells(i+10,1).value = (i-1)*delx
x position
cells(i+10,1).value = ValAtPt((i-1)*delx,3.2, tp-273)
temp in C
next i
See Also
CreateContourBMP
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79 / 83
Algebraic Expressions in Bflow

Many Bflow commands can accept algebraic expressions as input. Here we explain how to use this
capability and describe the built-in functions and variables.
List of Functions
Function
+, -, *, /, ^
Sqrt(x)
Min(x,y), Max(x,y)
Sin(x), cos(x), tan(x)
Ln(x), log(x), exp(x)
Abs(x)
Ustep(x)
If(test, x, y)
>, >=, =, <, <=
AND, OR, NOT
LookUpTable(TableID, x)
Description
Standard math operations
Square root
Maximum and minimum values
Trig functions
Natural logarithm, common log and exponential
Absolute value
If x>0 return 1, else return 0
If test true return x, else y
Conditional tests. Greater than, greater than or equal, equal, etc
Logical operators, for use with IF
Uses linear interpolation on a table of x,y values to return y.
List of Variables
The table below lists the built-in variables that can be included in expressions.
x
y
r
z
t
den
p
op
uv
vv
tp
uds
x position
y position
r position (axi probs)
z position (axi probs)
time
density
pressure
operating pressure
u-velocity
v-velocity
temperature
User defined scalars
These variables are not case sensitive. DEN is the same as den.
In incompressible flow problems, the operating pressure is a value specified by the user. The actual
pressure varies only slightly from this value. The user also has access to any user defined scalars using
the name specified during creation. See CreateScalarField, above.
source
Defining User Variables

User defined variables can greatly improve readability of expressions by simplifying them. The
DefineVariable command is used to create these. Consider this example for determining gas density.
CALL DefineVariable("M_SiH4", "32")
CALL DefineVariable("M_H2", "2")
CALL DefineVariable("R_gas", "8315") 'Rg = 8315 kmol-Pa/K
80 / 83
CALL DefineVariable("MolWt", " 1/((SiH4)/M_SiH4 + (1-SiH4)/M_H2) " )

CALL DefineVariable("Dens", "OP * MolWt /( R_gas *(Tp + 1e-15) )" )
The first three definitions improve overall readability. With these, we can then write the density in a clear
way. The density depends on the molecule weight of the gas. However, in mixing problems or reacting flow
problems, the average molecular weight varies with position, since the composition varies. Mathematically
this is given by
where Yi and Mi are the mass fraction and molecular weight of species i, respectively. The fourth line above
captures this relationship for our two-gas mixture of silane and hydrogen. (We are only modeling silane
mass fraction and saying the H2 mass fraction is 1 SiH4.) Once the average molecular weight is
determined, the density can be determined from the ideal gas law
This is captured in the last DefineVariable statement.

As these definitions are created, they are stored in a list. Any mathematical expressions can then make
use of these variables (assuming the variables have been defined before the expression). When the
expression is preprocessed, all the variable substitutions are made, reducing the expression to one
consisting of numbers of the predefined variables.
Like the built-in variables, user defined variables are not case sensitive. MolWt is the same as molwt.
Creating and Using Data Tables

Data tables can be used in those cases where a material property or boundary condition doesn't readily lend
itself to mathematical expression. For instance, you may have a table containing viscosity data for the gas
you are modeling:
Temperature (K)
300
350
400
450
500
550
Viscosity (N/m-s)
2.31E-5
2.59E-5
2.86E-5
3.12E-5
3.37E-5
3.61E-5
You could attempt to fit a polynomial to this data set, but the fit may be poor. Or it may just be easier to
use the data directly. To create this table, we first create a table object, and then enter the data, one point
at a time:
VisTable = CreateLookUpTable(VisTable)
Call AddPt2Table(VisTable, 300, 2.31E-5)
Here we entered the data in ascending order, but they could be entered in any order (BFlow sorts the table
81 / 83
internally). Once the data are entered, we can use the function LookUpTable in any algebraic expression.
For instance
Call SetDiffCoeff(MyGas, uv, LookUpTable(VisTable ,tp) )
When creating the table, we must specify a TableID variable (VisTable above) in two places. The first
VisTable is a long integer used to identify the table when we are adding points to it. During table creation,
BFlow internally defines a variable (VisTable) with this same ID number. This enables the equation parser
to find the correct table when evaluating an expression as above.
What if the temperature tp is outside the range of the table? LookUpTable will use linear extrapolation of the
nearest two points to estimate the value to return. This can be a problem in the early stages of a simulation
where there can be large excursions in field values. The potential for runaway extrapolations can be limited
by adding two more points to the table:
Because the viscosity at 250K is the same as 300K, the extrapolation will yield a constant value of 2.31E-5.
Similarly at the upper end. This will avoid any possible runaway.
Currently BFlow allows the user to define an unlimited number of tables with up to 50 data points each.
Using If
The IF function in the expression parser is a bit different than the normal IF-THEN-ELSE statement in
programming languages. Instead, it works like the IF function in Excel. It takes three arguments, with the
first being a test. If the test evaluates to true, then the second argument is returned, otherwise the third
argument is returned. Here is an example
DefineVariable(Visc, If(tp<273, 1e-10, 2e-5) )
This example effectively defines two temperature zones for the viscosity. When the temperature is less than
273, the viscosity is set to 1e-10; at higher temperatures its set to 2e-5. You could also use IF to access
two different tables, that spanned different ranges by combining IF with LookupTable:
DefineVariable(Visc, If(tp<273, LookUpTable(LowTable, tp), LookUpTable(HiTable, tp),) )
Some very complex expressions can be developed in this way. In addition, nested IF statements are
allowed. For instance
DefineVariable(Visc, If(tp<273, If (SiH4<0.1, 1e-5, 2e-5), 5e-5) )
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How Expressions are Processed

BFlow does some pre-processing of expressions when they are entered. This is done to reduce the
performance penalty for processing an equation over and over. Consider this statement
Call SetDiffCoeff(metal, temp, 2.1*tp + myconst, 2.1*tp + myconst)
This sets the thermal conductivity of the material Metal to
k= 2.1*T + MyConst
in both the x and y directions. When this command is executed, the following steps occur
82 / 83
1. Substitute in all user variables. If MyConst had been defined as 5.5 (using DefineVariable), then the
equation would be rewritten as
2.1*tp + 5.5.
This process is done recursively until all variables have been substituted. Note that if a user variable is
redefined after this command has run, BFlow is unaware of it, since all the substitutions were done with the
values in existence at the time the command was executed.
2. Convert the expression into Reverse Polish Notation. RPN is a mathematical notation familiar to users of
Hewlett Packard calculators. It is a postfix notation in which the mathematical operators appear after the
numbers to be operated on. For instance, 2 + 3 is written as 2 3 + in RPN notation. The advantage of this
notation is it is very easy for a computer to process using a stack. The computer processes the elements
one by one. If an element is a number, it pushes it onto the stack. If it's an operator, it takes numbers off
the stack and applies the operator. Our expression for conductivity then becomes
2.1 tp * 5.5 +
3. Tokenize the expression. BFlow converts the RPN expression into an internal representation that is
easier to process. This representation is stored as an array of tokens.
These steps have prepared the equation for evaluation, but they don't involve any actual evaluation. They
simply convert the expression into a form that can be quickly evaluated. By doing these steps up front, we
can save considerable amounts of time. The thermal conductivity must be evaluated at each cell in the
domain. It would be inefficient to do these preparatory steps over and over for each cell.
Later, when the CalcCoeffs(temp) command is run, the thermal conductivity will be calculated at each cell
center. Bflow does the following steps:
1. For the x,y position of interest, load in the built in variables. The position, time, density, pressure, etc are
loaded into an array.
2. Evaluate the expression. The tokenized equation is evaluated using the values of the built in variables. A
result is returned.
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BFlow Command Reference v0.40

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BFlow Command

Tips for Boundary Conditions

inlet pressure set to 10Pa

Exit velocity specified

Brief Description of Commands

Refines cells based on EqStr condition

Adds a point to polygon PolyNum

AddPt2Table(FuncID , xval, yval)

Adds a point to a data table

Returns version number as long

Calculate the A,B coeffs of the CFD prob

CalcGrad(PhiNum, Gradx, Grady)

Calculates gradient of field PhiNum. Results stored in Gradx,

Circle2Poly(PolyNum, x0, y0,

Creates a circular polygon centered at (x0,y0) with radius

Returns ID for new boundary condition

Create a blocky contour plot bit map and save to file.

Create a bit map of the problem geometry. Save to file

Create a bit map of the mesh

Creates a new data lookup table and returns ID

Creates a new material and returns ID

CreatePathlinesBMP(filename, BCID, Create a pathline plot

Creates a new polygon and returns ID

Mesh the geometry of the prob with quads

Creates a new scalar field, and returns ID

Creates new source term

Create a vector plot and save at bit map.

DefineVariable(VarName, EqString) Defines an eq string that can be used in other equations.

Specifies that vector plots have fixed length arrow

Returns number of cells in domain

Get the current time of a transient simulation

Saves Phi vals to OldPhi

Initializes the BFlow library.

Initializes the field phi using the equation EqString

Initializes the field phi using the const aVal

Turn inlet diffusion on or off

Overlays the geometry onto a plot

Overlays the computational grid onto a plot

Set coor system: 0 = rect, 1 = AxiX, 2 = AxiY

Sets a boundary condition for phi using constant val. BCType =

Should the background for plots be black or white?

Set the Cp of a material using eqstring

Set the Cp of a material to a fixed value

Set the Density of a material using eqstring

Set the Density of a material to a fixed value

User can optionally have a second function for anisotropic

Set the diffustion coeff for field phi to a constant

Mirrors a plot across x or y axis

Set the Operating press of problem using eqstring

Set the Operating press of prob to a fixed value

Set specific heat of solid portion of porous media

SetPorousSolidDensity(MatID, Eq) Set density of solid portion of porous media

Set the range of contour or vector plot

Defines a polygon as solid, so flow isn't solved

Set a Source terms with Eqstring

Set the linearized Source terms with Eqstrings

Set the linearized Source terms to constant vals

Sets time step in seconds

Set title string for plots

Sets max difference between polygon and mesh

Sets under relaxation value for phi, from 0 to 1

For adjusting the length of arrows in vector plots

Sets frequency of arrows in vector plots

SetView(X0, Y0, delx)