System Coupling Users Guide

System Coupling User's Guide
ANSYS, Inc. Release 18.0

Southpointe January 2017
2600 ANSYS Drive
Canonsburg, PA 15317 ANSYS, Inc. and
ansysinfo@ansys.com ANSYS Europe,
Ltd. are UL
http://www.ansys.com registered ISO
(T) 724-746-3304 9001: 2008
(F) 724-514-9494 companies.
Copyright and Trademark Information
2016 SAS IP, Inc. Unauthorized use, distribution or duplication is prohibited.
ANSYS, ANSYS Workbench, Ansoft, AUTODYN, EKM, Engineering Knowledge Manager, CFX, FLUENT, HFSS, AIM
and any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans are registered trademarks
or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. ICEM CFD is a trademark
used by ANSYS, Inc. under license. CFX is a trademark of Sony Corporation in Japan. All other brand, product,
service and feature names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer Notice
THIS ANSYS SOFTWARE PRODUCT AND PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION INCLUDE TRADE SECRETS AND ARE CONFID-
ENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS OF ANSYS, INC., ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR LICENSORS. The software products
and documentation are furnished by ANSYS, Inc., its subsidiaries, or affiliates under a software license agreement
that contains provisions concerning non-disclosure, copying, length and nature of use, compliance with exporting
laws, warranties, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and remedies, and other provisions. The software products
and documentation may be used, disclosed, transferred, or copied only in accordance with the terms and conditions
of that software license agreement.
ANSYS, Inc. and ANSYS Europe, Ltd. are UL registered ISO 9001: 2008 companies.
U.S. Government Rights
For U.S. Government users, except as specifically granted by the ANSYS, Inc. software license agreement, the use,
duplication, or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to restrictions stated in the ANSYS, Inc.
software license agreement and FAR 12.212 (for non-DOD licenses).
Third-Party Software
See the legal information in the product help files for the complete Legal Notice for ANSYS proprietary software
and third-party software. If you are unable to access the Legal Notice, Contact ANSYS, Inc.
Published in the U.S.A.

Table of Contents
About This Manual ........................................................................................................................................ v
Document Conventions .......................................................................................................................... v
Technical Support .................................................................................................................................. vi
System Coupling Overview ........................................................................................................................ 1
Supported System Coupling Participants ................................................................................................ 3
Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling .............................................................. 4
System Coupling Workspace ...................................................................................................................... 7
Setting Up a Simulation that Uses System Coupling ................................................................................. 7
Components of the System Coupling Workspace ..................................................................................... 7
Outline View ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Properties View ................................................................................................................................ 8
System Coupling Chart View ............................................................................................................. 9
Solution Information View ................................................................................................................ 9
Settings for Completing a System Coupling Setup ................................................................................... 9
Analysis Settings .............................................................................................................................. 9
Analysis Type .............................................................................................................................. 9
Initialization Controls ................................................................................................................ 10
Coupling Initialization ......................................................................................................... 10
Duration Controls ..................................................................................................................... 10
Duration Defined By ........................................................................................................... 10
Step Controls ............................................................................................................................ 11
Analysis Settings Best Practices ................................................................................................. 12
General Analysis Type ......................................................................................................... 12
Transient Analysis Type ....................................................................................................... 13
Participants .................................................................................................................................... 13
Data Transfers ................................................................................................................................. 14
Working with Data Transfers ..................................................................................................... 16
Data Transfer Rules ......................................................................................................................... 18
Execution Control ........................................................................................................................... 19
Co-Simulation Participant Sequencing ...................................................................................... 20
Sequential Solutions ........................................................................................................... 20
Simultaneous Solutions ...................................................................................................... 20
Debug Output Control .............................................................................................................. 20
Intermediate Restart Data Output ............................................................................................. 22
Validation and State of the System Coupling Setup Cell ................................................................... 23
System Coupling Setup Cell Context Menus .................................................................................... 23
Expert Settings ............................................................................................................................... 24
Settings for Running a System Coupling Solution .................................................................................. 28
Solution Information ...................................................................................................................... 28
System Coupling Chart ................................................................................................................... 29
Chart Properties ....................................................................................................................... 30
Chart Variable ........................................................................................................................... 30
Chart Variable Properties .......................................................................................................... 30
Working with System Coupling Charts ...................................................................................... 31
Using the System Coupling Chart View ...................................................................................... 31
Validation and State of the System Coupling Solution Cell ............................................................... 32
System Coupling Solution Cell Context Menus ................................................................................ 32
Workflows for System Coupling ............................................................................................................... 33
Executing System Couplings Using the Command Line .......................................................................... 33
System Coupling Command Line Options ....................................................................................... 34
Release 18.0 - SAS IP, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. iii
System Coupling User's Guide
Restarting a System Coupling Analysis .................................................................................................. 35

Generating Restart Files .................................................................................................................. 35
Executing the Restart Run ............................................................................................................... 36
Recovering from a Workbench Crash ............................................................................................... 37
Stopping the Coupled Analysis Run ....................................................................................................... 38
Understanding the System Coupling Service ........................................................................................... 41
Coupling Management ......................................................................................................................... 41
Inter-Process Communication ......................................................................................................... 41
Process Synchronization and Analysis Evolution .............................................................................. 41
Convergence Management ............................................................................................................. 43
Evaluating Convergence of Data Transfers ....................................................................................... 43
Data Transfers ....................................................................................................................................... 44
Data Pre-Processing Algorithms ...................................................................................................... 45
Creating Nodal Data from Face/Element Centroid Data .............................................................. 45
Creating Face/Element Data from Node Data ............................................................................. 46
Mapping Algorithms ....................................................................................................................... 46
Data Transfer Algorithms .......................................................................................................... 46
Profile Preserving ................................................................................................................ 47
Conservative Profile Preserving ........................................................................................... 47
Bucket Surface .......................................................................................................................... 48
General Grid Interface (GGI) ...................................................................................................... 51
Interpolation Algorithms ................................................................................................................ 52
Interpolated Data Post-Processing Algorithms ................................................................................. 53
Ramping Algorithm .................................................................................................................. 53
Under-Relaxation Algorithm ..................................................................................................... 54
Initial Values used in Ramping and Under-Relaxation Algorithms ............................................... 54
Clipping Algorithm ................................................................................................................... 55
Files Used by the Coupling Service ........................................................................................................ 55
System Coupling Service Input File (scInput.sci) ...................................................................... 55
System Coupling Service Shutdown File (scStop.stop) ............................................................... 55
Files Generated by Coupling Service ..................................................................................................... 56
System Coupling Server File (scServer.scs) ............................................................................... 56
System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl) ............................................ 57
System Coupling Results File (scResults_##_######.scr) ..................................................... 58
Understanding the System Coupling Input File ...................................................................................... 58
Understanding the System Coupling Log File ........................................................................................ 65
Best Practice Guidelines for Using System Coupling ............................................................................... 73
Building up a Coupled Analysis from Decoupled Systems ...................................................................... 73
Troubleshooting Two-Way Coupled Analyses Problems ......................................................................... 74
Using Text-Based Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses ........................................................ 74
Using Graphical Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses .......................................................... 75
Using Supplemental Output to Debug Coupled Analyses ................................................................ 75
Supplemental Output for Diagnosing Mapping Problems ................................................................ 75
Improving Coupled Analysis Stability .................................................................................................... 76
Data Transfer Ramping .................................................................................................................... 76
Participant Solution Stabilization .................................................................................................... 76
Co-Simulation Participants Sequencing .......................................................................................... 76
Controlling Participant Sequencing ........................................................................................... 77
Using Sequencing to Reduce Coupled Solution Execution Time ................................................. 77
Working with Surfaces that Meet at Small Angles .................................................................................. 77
System Coupling Tutorials ........................................................................................................................ 79
Index .......................................................................................................................................................... 81
iv of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
About This Manual
This manual describes how to use the System Coupling component to control otherwise independent
physics solvers or external data sources so that they work together in a coupled analysis such as Fluid-
Structure Interaction (FSI).
This manual contains the following chapters:
System Coupling Overview (p. 1) describes how System Coupling works and the types of simulations you
can perform.
System Coupling Workspace (p. 7) describes how to use the System Coupling views in ANSYS Workbench
to control the analysis.
Workflows for System Coupling (p. 33) describes common workflow topics such as using the command line,
and restarting coupled analyses
Understanding the System Coupling Service (p. 41) describes files used by the Coupling Service, the com-
munication technology, the run time environment, and the mapping technologies.
Best Practice Guidelines for Using System Coupling (p. 73) describes best practices for using System Coupling.
Document Conventions
This section describes the conventions used in this document to distinguish between text, file names,
system messages, and input that you need to type.
File and Directory Names

File names and directory names appear in this font: /usr/lib.
User Input
Input you must type exactly is shown like this:
cd /usr
Input Substitution
Input that you must supply in a command is shown like this:
fluent 3d -schost="HostName"
That is, you should actually type fluent 3d -schost=" " and substitute a computer's name
for HostName.
Optional Arguments
Optional arguments are shown using square brackets:
export -cgns [-verbose] file
Here the argument -verbose is optional, but you must specify a suitable file name.
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. v
About This Manual
Technical Support
Technical Support for ANSYS, Inc. products is provided either by ANSYS, Inc. directly or by one of our
certified ANSYS Support Providers. Please check with the ANSYS Support Coordinator (ASC) at your
company to determine who provides support for your company, or go to www.ansys.com and select
Contacts> Contacts and Locations.
If your support is provided by ANSYS, Inc. directly, Technical Support can be accessed quickly and effi-
ciently from the ANSYS Customer Portal, which is available from the ANSYS Website (www.ansys.com)
under Support > Customer Portal. The direct URL is: support.ansys.com.
One of the many useful features of the Customer Portal is the Knowledge Resources Search, which can
be found on the Home page of the Customer Portal. To use this feature, enter relevant text (error
message, etc.) in the Knowledge Resources Search box and click the magnifying glass icon. These
Knowledge Resources provide solutions and guidance on how to resolve installation and licensing issues
quickly.
NORTH AMERICA
All ANSYS Products except Esterel, Apache and Reaction Design products
Web: Go to the ANSYS Customer Portal (http://support.ansys.com) and select the appropriate option.
Toll-Free Telephone: 1.800.711.7199 (Please have your Customer or Contact ID ready.)
Support for University customers is provided only through the ANSYS Customer Portal.
GERMANY
ANSYS Mechanical Products
Telephone: +49 (0) 8092 7005-55 (CADFEM)
Email: support@cadfem.de
All ANSYS Products
National Toll-Free Telephone: (Please have your Customer or Contact ID ready.)
German language: 0800 181 8499
English language: 0800 181 1565
Austria: 0800 297 835
Switzerland: 0800 564 318
International Telephone: (Please have your Customer or Contact ID ready.)
German language: +49 6151 152 9981
English language: +49 6151 152 9982
Email: support-germany@ansys.com
UNITED KINGDOM
All ANSYS Products
Telephone: Please have your Customer or Contact ID ready.
UK: 0800 048 0462
vi of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Technical Support
Republic of Ireland: 1800 065 6642

Outside UK: +44 1235 420130
Email: support-uk@ansys.com
JAPAN
CFX and Mechanical Products
Telephone: +81-3-5324-7305
Email:
Mechanical: japan-ansys-support@ansys.com
Fluent: japan-fluent-support@ansys.com;
CFX: japan-cfx-support@ansys.com;
Polyflow: japan-polyflow-support@ansys.com;
Icepak
Telephone: +81-3-5324-7444
Email: japan-icepak-support@ansys.com
Licensing and Installation
Email: japan-license-support@ansys.com
INDIA
All ANSYS Products
Telephone: +91 1 800 209 3475 (toll free) or +91 20 6654 3000 (toll) (Please have your Customer or
Contact ID ready.)
FRANCE
All ANSYS Products
Toll-Free Telephone: +33 (0) 800 919 225 Toll Number: +33 (0) 170 489 087 (Please have your Customer
or Contact ID ready.)
Email: support-france@ansys.com
BELGIUM
All ANSYS Products
Toll-Free Telephone: (0) 800 777 83 Toll Number: +32 2 620 0152 (Please have your Customer or Contact
ID ready.)
Email: support-benelux@ansys.com
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. vii
About This Manual
SWEDEN
All ANSYS Products
Telephone: +46 (0) 10 516 49 00
Email: support-sweden@ansys.com
SPAIN and PORTUGAL

All ANSYS Products
Spain: Toll-Free Telephone: 900 933 407 Toll Number: +34 9178 78350 (Please have your Customer or
Contact ID ready.)
Portugal: Toll-Free Telephone: 800 880 513 (Portugal)
Email: support-spain@ansys.com, support-portugal@ansys.com
ITALY
All ANSYS Products
Toll-Free Telephone: 800 789 531 Toll Number: +39 02 00621386 (Please have your Customer or Contact
ID ready.)
Email: support-italy@ansys.com
TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Telephone: 866 22725 5828
K0REA
Telephone: 82-2-3441-5000
CHINA
Toll-Free Telephone: 400 819 8999 Toll Number: +86 10 82861715
viii of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
System Coupling Overview
The ANSYS suite of analysis software facilitates creation of single- and multidisciplinary simulations.
Multidisciplinary simulations are offered both within the context of a single piece of software (for example,
within one solver) and through various mechanisms to couple a single piece of software with others,
such as importing external data from static sources. These coupling mechanisms provide optimal solutions
for the analyses that follow the single, specific workflow that they were built to solve.
The System Coupling infrastructure discussed in this manual should be considered for generic workflows
involving any number of analysis types, static data source and co-simulation participants, and data
transfer quantities and directions. The Workbench System Coupling component system is an easy-to-
use, all-purpose infrastructure that facilitates comprehensive multidisciplinary simulations between
coupling participants.
Coupling participants are systems that will send and/or receive data in a coupled analysis. Supported
systems in Workbench include:
Analysis Systems: Steady-State Thermal, Transient Thermal, Static Structural, Transient Structural, Fluid
Flow (Fluent), Fluid Flow (CFX)
Component Systems: Fluent, CFX, External Data
The execution of analyses involving couplings between any of these participants is managed by the
System Coupling Service, which is the runtime component of the System Coupling system. During exe-
cution, a variety of one- and two-way data transfers are performed between coupling participants. For
example, when multiple participants are executing their parts of a coupled analysis together, which is
often referred to as co-simulation, they may engage in both one- and two-way data transfers as either
a source or target. Similarly, when participants are providing access to existing results or data, which
will be referred to as a static data source, they may engage in only one-way data transfers as a source.
This documentation describes the capabilities supported by the System Coupling component system.
All of these capabilities may, however, not yet be supported in conjunction with other Workbench
systems. For information about systems that can act as participants in system couplings, see the summary
of Supported System Coupling Participants (p. 3).
For information regarding product licensing details and interactions with System Couplings, see Product
Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling (p. 4).
To set up and execute a system coupling simulation, perform the following steps:
1. Create the project.
2. Add the individual, participant systems to the project.
3. Add the System Coupling system to the project.
4. Set up each individual, participating system (generally from top-to-bottom, until you have completed all
the required steps for your analysis). The solution of these systems will be managed through System
Coupling.
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 1
5. Connect the systems together as shown in Figure 1: Example of Connecting a System Coupling Component
System with Various Types of Systems (p. 2). For co-simulation participants and the External Data static
data participant, connections are drawn from the participants Setup cells.
6. Set up the System Coupling system (see System Coupling Workspace (p. 7)).
7. Solve the coupled analysis by updating System Coupling.
Figure 1: Example of Connecting a System Coupling Component System with Various Types of
Systems
Updates of co-simulation participant (for example, Fluent) Solution cells are disabled for Workbench
systems connected to the System Coupling system. These updates (and execution of the respective
solvers) are automatically initiated when the System Coupling Solution cell is updated. Note, however,
2 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Supported System Coupling Participants
that these updates respect all settings (for example parallel, precision, and so on) already made for
them.
Note
Projects containing a System Coupling system can be submitted to Remote Solve Manager
(RSM); only project updates are supported for remote execution. For details, see Submitting
Project Updates to Remote Solve Manager (RSM) or an EKM Portal and Submitting System
Coupling Jobs to RSM in the Workbench User's Guide.
After you have updated the System Coupling Solution cell, you can:
Pause the analysis by interrupting its progress.
Restart the analysis as described in the Initialization Controls (p. 10).
Debug your system coupling simulation by using the system coupling command line arguments (see System
Coupling Command Line Options (p. 34)). You can also perform additional debugging of the connected
systems as described in Troubleshooting Two-Way Coupled Analyses Problems (p. 74).
Use CFD-Post to simultaneously analyze the results of the simulation by:
Connecting other participant systems Solution cells to the Results cell of the Fluid Flow system, or
Connecting all participant systems Solution cells to a Results component system that you introduce in
the schematic.
Supported System Coupling Participants

The following is the list of supported coupling participants:
Fluent
For information about using System Coupling with the ANSYS Fluent system in Workbench, see Per-
forming System Coupling Simulations Using Fluent in Workbench in the Fluent in Workbench User's
Guide. For information about restarting a coupled analysis with Fluent, see Restarting Fluent Analyses
as Part of System Couplings.
CFX
For information about using System Coupling with the ANSYS CFX system in Workbench, see Coupling
CFX to an External Solver: System Coupling Simulations in the CFX-Solver Modeling Guide. For inform-
ation about restarting a coupled analysis with CFX, see Restarting CFX Analyses as Part of System
Coupling.
Mechanical systems:
Static Structural
Transient Structural
Transient Thermal
Steady-State Thermal
For information about using System Coupling with the ANSYS Mechanical systems in Workbench,
see System Coupling in the ANSYS Mechanical User's Guide. For information about restarting a coupled
analysis with Mechanical, see Restarting Structural Mechanical Analyses as Part of System Coupling.
External Data
For information about using System Coupling with the External Data system in Workbench, see Ex-
ternal Data.
Fluent can be connected with any of the other supported participants. In addition, the Steady-State
Thermal system can be connected with external data. Note that Steady-State and Static systems cannot
be coupled with Transient systems.
Note
Only two coupling participants can be connected to the System Coupling system at one
time. However, more than one System Coupling system may be introduced within the same
project schematic.
Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling

The licenses needed for System Coupling analyses are listed in Table 1: Licenses Required for Participating
Systems in System Coupling (p. 4). No additional licenses are required for the System Coupling infra-
structure.
The simultaneous execution of coupling participants currently precludes the use of the license sharing
feature that exists for some product licenses. The following specific requirements consequently exist:
Distinct licenses are required for each coupling participant.
Licensing preferences should be set to Use a separate license for each application rather than Share
a single license between applications when possible.
The requirements listed above are particularly relevant for ANSYS Academic products.
Table 1: Licenses Required for Participating Systems in System Coupling
System Commercial License Academic License Required

Required
Fluent ANSYS CFD, ANSYS Academic Associate
Mechanical and CFD,
ANSYS Fluent, or
ANSYS Academic Associate CFD,
ANSYS Fluent Solver
ANSYS Academic Research
Mechanical and CFD,
ANSYS Academic Research CFD,
ANSYS Academic Teaching

Mechanical and CFD, or
ANSYS Academic Teaching CFD
Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling
System Commercial License Academic License Required

Required
CFX ANSYS CFD or ANSYS Academic Associate
Mechanical and CFD,
ANSYS CFX
ANSYS Academic Associate CFD,

Mechanical and CFD,
ANSYS Academic Research CFD,

ANSYS Academic Teaching CFD
Static ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Associate

Structural or Enterprise or Mechanical and CFD,
Transient
Structural ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Research
Enterprise Solver Mechanical and CFD,

Mechanical,


Mechanical
Steady-State ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Associate

Thermal or Enterprise or Mechanical and CFD,
Transient
Thermal ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Research
Enterprise Solver Mechanical and CFD,

Mechanical,


Mechanical
External No license is needed to run External Data.

Data
System Coupling Workspace
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Setting Up a Simulation that Uses System Coupling
Components of the System Coupling Workspace
Settings for Completing a System Coupling Setup
Settings for Running a System Coupling Solution
Setting Up a Simulation that Uses System Coupling

The general workflow for setting up a System Coupling simulation is presented in System Coupling
Overview (p. 1).
Most participant systems with connections originating from their Setup cells will participate in the
analysis in a co-simulation mode (visually indicated in the Project Schematic with connections between
the Setup cells, and different icons and colors for the Solution cells). The exception to this is the External
Data participant system, since a connection originates from its Setup cell, but it acts as a static data
participant. The Update option is disabled from within the right-click menu of the co-simulation parti-
cipant systems' Solution cells because the update (and solution execution) is now controlled by the
System Coupling Solution cell.
Projects containing a System Coupling system can be submitted to ANSYS Remote Solve Manager (RSM);
only project updates are supported for remote execution. For details, see Submitting Project Updates
to Remote Solve Manager (RSM) or an EKM Portal and Submitting System Coupling Jobs to RSM in the
Workbench User's Guide.
The System Coupling system in the Project Schematic has two cells:
Setup: Use this cell to see participant, region, and variable information, and to define analysis settings and
data transfer between participants. Double-click the Setup cell, or right-click and choose Edit from the
context menu to display the System Coupling workspace.
Solution: Use this cell to solve a coupled analysis and to see solution information and charts monitors.
Double-click the Solution cell, or right-click and choose Edit from the context menu to display the System
Coupling workspace.
Components of the System Coupling Workspace

When you edit the Setup or Solution cells of the System Coupling component system, the same System
Coupling workspace is displayed in a tab within your workbench project. The Outline view, Properties
view, System Coupling Chart view, and Solution Information view are displayed by default. For more
information about the tabbed views in Workbench, see Workbench Tabs and Views in the Workbench
User's Guide.
Figure 2: The System Coupling Workspace
See the following sections for additional information:

Outline View
Properties View
System Coupling Chart View
Solution Information View
Outline View
The Outline view (in the upper left corner of Figure 2: The System Coupling Workspace (p. 8)) presents
various fields related to the coupling participants and to the setup and solution of the coupled systems.
The deepest fields can be edited in the Properties view. For additional information, see Settings for
Completing a System Coupling Setup (p. 9) and Settings for Running a System Coupling Solution (p. 28).
Properties View
The Properties view (in the lower left corner of Figure 2: The System Coupling Workspace (p. 8))
presents the properties of an editable item selected in the Outline view. For additional information,
see Settings for Completing a System Coupling Setup (p. 9) and Settings for Running a System
Coupling Solution (p. 28).
System Coupling Chart View

The System Coupling Chart view (in the upper right corner of Figure 2: The System Coupling Work-
space (p. 8)) presents chart monitors in the System Coupling workspace during the solution process.
For additional information, see System Coupling Chart (p. 29) and Using the System Coupling Chart
View (p. 31).
Solution Information View

The Solution Information view (in the lower right corner of Figure 2: The System Coupling Work-
space (p. 8)) presents a text-based solution log of information output during the execution of the
coupled analysis. For additional information, see Solution Information (p. 28).

This section describes:
All the settings that appear in the Outline and Properties views under the Setup branch.
Context menus (that is, the menus that appear with a right-click) for the Setup cell.

Analysis Settings
Participants
Data Transfers
Data Transfer Rules
Execution Control
Validation and State of the System Coupling Setup Cell
System Coupling Setup Cell Context Menus
Expert Settings
Analysis Settings
The Analysis Settings field has the following properties:
Analysis Type
Initialization Controls
Duration Controls
Step Controls
Suggested best practices for analysis settings are discussed in Analysis Settings Best Practices (p. 12).
Analysis Type
This option is used to define the overall coupling type for the analysis.
The available options are:
General
This is the only available option when one or more of the coupling participants is executing steady or
static analyses. Note that mixed steady/static and transient analyses are not currently possible.
Transient
This is the only available option when all of the coupling participants are executing transient analyses.
Initialization Controls
This option is used to define the initialization controls available for all coupling types.
Coupling Initialization
Program Controlled
For initial runs (that is, not restart runs), the initial time and step are each set to 0.
For restart runs, the initial time and step are set to the values obtained from the latest valid restart point.
Restart Points (indicated by Step and Time)
The system coupling simulation can have multiple restart points when Intermediate Restart Data Out-
put (p. 22) is selected for either all coupling steps or for a set of coupling step intervals. The next coupled
analysis will be started based on the restart point that you have selected.
For more information regarding restarts, see Restarting a System Coupling Analysis (p. 35).
Important
Program controlled or explicitly specified restart points only affect the coupling step
and/or time used to restart the coupling service. Appropriate restart points must also
be specified for the co-simulation participants that are part of the coupled analysis. For
more information about coupling participants, see Restarting a System Coupling Analysis.
Duration Controls
This option is used to define the duration for the analysis.
Duration Defined By
The options available to define the duration of a coupled analysis are:
End Time
Available only when the Analysis Type is Transient
When the End Time option is used, the coupling service will execute coupling steps until the specified
end time is reached. In a transient analysis, each coupling step is a time step (with the time interval specified
by the step size). Note that the final coupling step size is reduced automatically, if needed, so that the
specified end time is respected.
Some of the participant systems, such as ANSYS Mechanical, require the end time specified in their setup
to be respected. When a coupled analysis involves one or more participants that require their setups end
time be respected, then the maximum allowable end time for the coupled analysis is the minimum of the
end times reported by such participants. In this case, a validation error will be reported if the coupled
analysis specified end time is greater than the minimum identified.
Other participant systems, such as Fluent, can run past the end time specified. These participant
systems have no effect on the allowable end time of the coupled analysis.
Number of Steps
Available only when the Analysis Type is General.
When this option is used, the coupling service will execute coupling steps until the specified number of
steps is reached.
Step Controls
The duration of the coupled analysis is broken into a sequence of coupling steps. Data transfers between
the coupled solvers occur at the beginning of each coupling iteration within a coupling step. Coupling
steps are always indexed. During the analysis, each new coupling step is started when:
The coupling analysis duration has not been reached, and
Either the maximum number of coupling iterations has been reached or the coupling step is converged.
Step Size
If the coupling is defined in terms of time (a transient analysis), then a coupling step is associated with a
time interval. The Step Size option specifies the time interval associated with each coupling step (in
seconds). The final coupling step size is reduced automatically, if needed, so that the specified end time
is respected. This reduction does not occur if the analysis duration is set by the Number of Steps.
The coupling step size is fixed for the duration of the System Coupling analysis, but it can be changed
when restarting the analysis.
Minimum Iterations
This option allows specification of the fewest number of coupling iterations (at least 1) that could be ex-
ecuted per coupling step.
The specified minimum number of coupling iterations will be executed even if all measures of convergence
are realized in fewer iterations.
Maximum Iterations
This option allows specification of the greatest number of coupling iterations that could possibly be ex-
ecuted per coupling step.
The specified maximum number of coupling iterations may not be executed if the analysis converges
prior to the maximum iteration step being reached.
Analysis Settings Best Practices

This section provides information about best practices for the following analysis settings:
General Analysis Type
Transient Analysis Type
General Analysis Type

With a General analysis type, accurate coupled solutions can be achieved using different combinations
of coupling step and coupling iteration specifications. The two cases described below are: when an
analysis is solved using one coupling step, and when an analysis is solved using many coupling steps.
Your choice of the combination of coupling steps and coupling iterations will:
determine when result and/or restart data is able to be written, as the restart points can only be written
at the end of a coupling step,
allow you to balance the required file storage space and your need for analysis restarts,
determine how you can use system couplings under relaxation factor (see Under-Relaxation Al-
gorithm (p. 54)) and ramping (see Ramping Algorithm (p. 53)), as these only apply to coupling iterations
and cannot be applied over coupling steps.
For more information about restarting your coupled analysis, see Restarting a System Coupling Analys-
is (p. 35).
Coupled Analysis solved using only one Coupling Step
A coupled analysis can be solved using only one coupling step. In this case, the coupling step is made
up of many coupling iterations, and the solution is complete at the end of this one step. The analysis
will continue executing until either the solution converges, or the specified maximum number of
coupling iterations is completed. Only the end of a coupling step can be used as a restart point. When
only one coupling step is used, results and restart data is generated only at the end of the solution.
The analysis can be terminated as usual, but because intermediate restart data is not generated, the
coupled analysis cannot be restarted if it terminates abnormally (due to an error, power interruption,
etc.) or if you terminate it before the coupling step is completed. Using only one coupling step within
a coupled analysis minimizes file storage space at the expense of the ability to restart the analysis. In-
terrupting the analysis will not affect the analysis, because System Coupling will complete the current
coupling step (and so complete the solution) before stopping the analysis. Ramping and under-relaxation
can be applied across coupling iterations within the single coupling step.
Coupled Analysis solved using many Coupling Steps
A coupled analysis can be solved using many coupling steps. In this case, the coupling steps are made
up of one or more coupling iterations. The analysis will continue executing until the specified number
of coupling steps is completed. The transition from one coupling step to the next will occur when either
the solution converges or the specified maximum number of coupling iterations is completed. Only the
end of a coupling step can be used as a restart point (you are able to specify which steps are used).
Results and restart data is generated at the specified restart points. If the analysis should terminate
abnormally within a coupling step, you can restart the analysis from the previous restart point. By using
more coupling steps with fewer coupling iterations per step, as opposed to one coupling step with
many coupling iterations, more points at which restarts can be done are created. For difficult or complex
analyses, which might experience abnormal terminations, more restart points allow restarts of the
analysis (saving time and computational effort) at the expense of file storage space. System Couplings
ramping and under-relaxation can be used across coupling iterations, but cannot be used across
coupling steps, so System Coupling always transfers the full data transfer value at the end of each
coupling step. Participant solvers may ramp data received from System Coupling at the coupling steps.
Transient Analysis Type

In a transient analysis, a coupling step is associated with a time interval by specifying the coupling step
size (in seconds). With a time specified, a coupling step is the same as a time step within the transient
analysis. The coupling step size used should reflect the time scales of the physics being studied. Note
that unless sub-stepping is supported by the co-simulation participants being coupled, the coupling
step size will typically be limited by the finest/smallest time scale of the co-simulation participants. If
the analysis duration is specified using an End Time, then care should be taken to ensure that an integral
number of coupling steps can be executed between the (re)start time and the specified end time. If
this is not done, then the final coupling step size will be reduced to respect the specified end time, and
this may introduce temporal discretization error into the coupled analysis.
The minimum number of coupling iterations may be set to a value larger than one (one is the default).
If the data transfers have been under relaxed, you want to ensure a minimum number of coupling iter-
ations is performed so that you iterate out the effect of the under-relaxation. Note that the data transfer
convergence criteria would usually make this unnecessary.
The maximum number of coupling iterations should be set to allow complete convergence within each
coupling step. Failure to fully converge within a given coupling step will modify the transient behavior
from that step onward.
Participants
You can connect a participant system's Setup cell to the System Coupling Setup cell in the project
schematic. The system coupling workspace displays a read-only summary of the participant data after
a refresh of the System Coupling Setup cell. The participant summary includes:
System name
The name of the participant as presented in the schematic.
Regions
The collection of regions from and to which data can be transferred. A region is most often a point, line,
surface or volume that is part (or all) of the geometry or topology of a coupling participant. Note, however,
that equations or probe (monitored) values may also be considered as point regions.
Note
System Coupling requires participants to use 3D meshes, with data transfer regions
consisting of element faces from a 3D mesh. System Coupling data transfers cannot exist
in 2D meshes.
Variables
The collection of input and output variables available for data transfer for each region. A variable is a
physical quantity such as force, length, or temperature that can be transferred between regions of participant
systems. Variables are defined as input or output variables for the specific region.
Note
For structural applications, data transfers are limited to force and displacement; for
thermal heat transfer applications data transfers are limited to temperature, heat flow,
heat transfer coefficient (also known as convection coefficient), and near wall temper-
ature (also know as bulk temperature or ambient temperature).
Data Transfers
A data transfer is defined by one source and one target region, and is able to transfer one variable type
in one direction between two participants.
Each data transfer is defined by a variety of properties such as Source, Target, and Data Transfer
Control. A one-way coupled analysis has data transfer(s) in only one direction between the coupled
participants. In this type of analysis, the source region(s) are defined on only the participant sending
data, and the target regions(s) are defined on only the participant whose solver is receiving the data.
A two-way coupled analysis has data transfers in both directions between the coupled participants. In
this type of analysis, source and target regions are defined on both participants. For example, consider
a coupled two-way fluid-structure interaction analysis where a Fluent system and a Static Structural
system are the two participants. The Fluent system would have a region which is the source region for
the transfer of force, and the target region for the transfer of incremental displacement. The Static
Structural system would have a region that is the source region for the transfer of incremental displace-
ment, and the target region for the transfer of force.
Source/Target
Both Source and Target are each defined by a coupling participant along with a region and a variable
defined within the context of that participant. For a two-way data transfer on one region, you define two
individual data transfers. When you set up your data transfers, a top-down approach should be followed
when selecting Source and Target. Select in this order:
1. Source Participant
2. Source Region
3. Source Variable
4. Target Participant
5. Target Region
6. Target Variable
Data Transfer Control

Additional properties can be defined to control the way in which the specified data transfers are executed.
For each data transfer you can specify controls that determine:
When the transfer is to occur.
The under relaxation factor applied to the transfer.
The convergence target.
If ramping is used when applying data from the source-side to the target-side of the data transfer.
Transfer At
The Transfer At property is used to control when the data transfer is executed by the solver. The only
available option is:
Start of Iteration
Transfer data at the start of every coupling iteration within a coupling step.
Under Relaxation Factor

The factor multiplying the current data transfer values when under-relaxing them against the previous
values. This is overridden with unity in the first coupling iteration of every coupling step only when
the Analysis Type is Transient.
Note
When under-relaxation is used, there is no guarantee that the full value from the
source side of the data transfer is applied to the target by the end of the coupling
step.
RMS Convergence Target

The target value used when evaluating convergence of the data transfer within a coupling iteration.
The default value is 1e-2. The convergence target is RMS-based. For information regarding how this
target is applied, see Evaluating Convergence of Data Transfers (p. 43).
Ramping
The available options for ramping controlled by System Coupling are as follows:
None
The full data transfer value is applied to the target side of the interface for all coupling iterations.
No ramping is the default option.
Linear to Minimum Iterations

Within each coupling step, the ramping factor is used to linearly increase the change in the data
transfer value applied to the target side of the interface. The data transfer value is increased during
each coupling iteration until the specified minimum number of coupling iterations, , is reached.
The ramping factor is applied to the change in the data transfer value from the previous coupling
step. If there is no change in this value from the last coupling step, the full data transfer value is
applied to the target side of the interface for all coupling iterations of that coupling step.
During the coupling iteration (for ), the ramping factor equals . The full
data transfer value is applied for all coupling iterations that are equal to or greater than the
minimum number of coupling iterations. As is always reached, the full data transfer
value is always applied by the end of each coupling step. This ramping behavior is demon-
strated in Figure 3: Schematic of the Linear to Minimum Iterations Ramping Concept (p. 16)
for the case where the minimum number of iterations specified is 5.
When ramping using Linear to Minimum Iterations, if the minimum number of iterations is
the same as the maximum number of iterations, then it is unlikely that the data transfer will
converge. It is a best practice for your maximum iterations to be larger than your minimum
iterations.
Figure 3: Schematic of the Linear to Minimum Iterations Ramping Concept
Ramping and under-relaxation are independent operations. Ramping is applied before under-relaxation.
Note
System Couplings ramping will interact with ramping behaviors within the participant systems.
To understand the full ramping behavior, verify ramping settings to see if your participant
system is ramping loads received from System Coupling. For ramping behavior in Mechanical,
see System Coupling Related Settings in Mechanical in the ANSYS Mechanical User's Guide.
See Working with Data Transfers (p. 16) for details about how to create, modify data transfers and do
other common operations.
Working with Data Transfers

After you connect a participant system's Setup cell to the System Coupling Setup cell in the project
schematic, the System Coupling workspace displays the regions and variables available to create data
transfers after a Refresh of the Setup cell:
Create Data Transfer

There are different ways to create single and multiple data transfers using the Create Data Transfer context
menu option.
Create uninitialized data transfer

Select the "Data Transfers" tree node in Outline view, then select Create Data Transfer from the
context menu. This creates a new data transfer without any source or target properties defined. You
can later modify the data transfer definition in Properties view.
Create data transfers for two regions from different participants

Select two regions from different participants in the Outline view, then select Create Data Transfer
from the context menu. This creates multiple data transfers that vary based on the following criteria:
Whether the two regions have the same topology
Whether the input variable from one region has the same properties (such as the physical type) as
the output variable from the other region
Create data transfers for single region

Select a region from a participant in the Outline view, then select Create Data Transfer from the
context menu. This creates data transfers for each variable associated with the region. If the variable
is an output variable, then the source participant, source region, and source variable are defined for
the new data transfer. If the variable is an input variable, then the target participant, target region, and
target variable are defined for the new data transfer.
Create a data transfer for single variable

Select a region from a participant in Outline view, select a variable in the Properties view, then select
Create Data Transfer from the context menu. This creates a new data transfer. If the selected variable
is an output variable, then the source participant, source region, and source variable are defined for
the new data transfer. If the selected variable is an input variable, then the target participant, target
region, and target variable is defined for the new data transfer.
Modify Data Transfer

Select a data transfer in the Outline view. The Properties view displays all the properties for the data
transfer. You can modify all the properties for the data transfers in the same view.
Rename Data Transfer

Select a data transfer in the Outline view. Double-click to rename the data transfer.
Duplicate Data Transfer

Select one or more data transfers in the Outline view. Right-click and select Duplicate. This operation
creates new data transfers with the same Source, Target, and Data Transfer Control properties. Note that
you can change these properties as needed for these new data transfers.
Suppress Data Transfer

Select one or more data transfers in the Outline view. Right-click and select Suppress to prevent the data
transfer.
Delete Data Transfer

Select one or more data transfers in the Outline view. Right-click and select Delete to remove them.
Note
If the data transfer definition is not valid or the data is invalidated for any reason, the state
of the node will show as a ? and the incorrect properties will need to be changed.
Data Transfer Rules

When you create data transfers in System Coupling, certain rules must be observed in order to correctly
define the analysis.
Note
Participant data transfer regions must consist of triangular or quadrilateral faces. Polyhedral
faces as well as faces with hanging nodes (cut-cells) are not supported in System Coupling.
Currently, the following three types of transfers are supported in System Coupling. Details of these
three types of transfers are given in Table 2: Data Transfers available in System Coupling (p. 18).
Force transfers
Motion transfers
Thermal transfers
Use the links in Supported System Coupling Participants (p. 3) to review the data transfers that are
supported for the specific participant systems you are coupling though System Coupling.
Force and motion transfers are typical for fluid-structure interaction problems, where a load to the
structure is transferred from a fluid solver, and the deformations to the fluid are transferred from the
structural solver. There can only be one force transfer and one motion transfer for each data transfer
region.
Thermal transfers can be transferred between ANSYS Fluent and ANSYS Mechanical directly through
System Coupling, or through the coupling of the External Data system. Three thermal transfers are
available, each transferring different thermal variables. The three thermal transfers are described in the
table below.
For one-way thermal transfers, only one of the three options below for thermal transfers can be defined
for a given pair of source and target regions.
For two-way thermal transfers, two data transfers are set up on the same data transfer region. In a two-
way transfer:
the two variables, heat transfer coefficient and near wall temperature, cannot be transferred on the
same data transfer region as heat flow, and
a participants data transfer region cannot provide and receive the same thermal variable(s); for example,
Fluent cannot send and receive temperature data on the same data transfer region.
Table 2: Data Transfers available in System Coupling
Transfer Type Variable(s) Data Transfer

Transferred Direction
Force transfer Force (VectorXYZ*) from a fluid solver to
a structural solver
Motion transfer** Incremental from a structural
displacement solver to a fluid solver
(VectorXYZ*)
Transfer Type Variable(s) Data Transfer

Transferred Direction
Thermal Data 1. Temperature (Scalar) from a structural solver
Transfers Temperature to a fluid solver, or
transfer
from a fluid solver to a
structural solver
2. Heat flow Heat flow (also from a structural solver

transfer known as heat rate) to a fluid solver, or
(Scalar)
from a fluid solver to a
structural solver
3. A pair of Heat transfer coefficient from a fluid solver to

variables*** (also known as a structural solver
convection coefficient)**
(Scalar)
Near wall temperature

(also known as bulk
temperature, or ambient
temperature)** (Scalar)
* Represents the force vector ( , , ) and the incremental displacements vector ( , , )

respectively.
**In a general coupled analysis, when the solver receiving the motion (such as Fluent) solves before or
simultaneously to the solver sending the motion (such as Mechanical), then the incremental displacement
transferred during the first coupling iteration of each coupling step is identically zero. This behavior
can be changed by using GeneralAnalysis_IncrDisp_InitIterationValue_Zero in the
Expert Settings (p. 24).
***You must correctly define both variables in the data transfer in order for this thermal transfer to be
valid.
Note
For a given target region, there can only be one source region. However, a given source region
can send data to multiple target regions. In other words, 1-to-M data transfers are supported,
where M is an integer and is greater than or equal to 1. Note that M-to-1 data transfers are
not supported.
Execution Control
Execution Control has the following capabilities:
Co-Simulation Participant Sequencing
Debug Output Control
Intermediate Restart Data Output
Co-Simulation Participant Sequencing

The System Coupling system offers comprehensive control over the sequencing of co-simulation parti-
cipants, and specifically over the data transfers that are required to obtain a solution. This is controlled
through the settings in the Co-Sim Sequence. The participants are sequenced by assigning a sequence
value, which is an integer value between 1 and the number of participants in the analysis, to each
participant. Each participant executes its solutions (that is, all required data transfers, followed by ob-
taining the equation solution) in the order of its sequence value, where the participants with the lower
sequence values execute first. The coupled analysis will use sequential solutions or simultaneous solutions,
depending on the assigned sequence values. This is described in more detail below.
Note
To improve solution stability, sequential solutions are used by default. Note as well that,
to facilitate synchronization of interface geometry, participants that consume geomet-
rical or mesh deformations (for example, the Fluids solver in a Fluid Structure Interaction
analysis) are automatically assigned larger sequence values by default.
Additional information can also be found in Best Practice Guidelines for Using System Coupling (p. 73).
Sequential Solutions
A sequential solution is done when all co-simulation participants are assigned different solution sequence
values. In particular, participants perform their solutions (that is, all required data transfers, followed by
obtaining the equation solution) in the order of the sequence values specified in the user interface.
Sequential solutions are optimal for analyses that involve strong physical couplings, because the most
recent information from one participant is always used by subsequent participants. This typically
translates into requiring the fewest coupling iteration per coupling step to reach a converged solution.
However, it may not yield the shortest (wall-clock) solution time if the participants are run on different
CPUs.
Simultaneous Solutions
A simultaneous solution is done when one or more co-simulation participants are assigned identical
solution sequence values. In particular, when the same sequence value is applied to multiple participants,
then all those participants perform their respective data transfers, after which those same participants
perform their equation solutions simultaneously.
Simultaneous solutions are optimal for analyses that involve weak physical couplings because the most
recent information from one co-simulation participant is not required by other simultaneously executed
participants in order to reach a converged solution. Additionally, the overall (wall-clock) solution time
may be reduced if the simultaneously executed participants are run on different CPUs. However, if used
with co-simulation participants that exhibit strong physical couplings, simultaneous solutions may ad-
versely affect the rate of convergence, and possibly lead to divergence.
Debug Output Control

The Debug Output entity under Execution Control in the outline model controls the level of debug
information written in the System Coupling Log (*.scl) file during the execution of the solution. The
basic level of detail included is controlled using one of the following levels:
None
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
All Levels
By default, the value set for the Global Level is applied to all stages of solution execution listed below.
To use a different value for one or more of the specific stages of solution execution, change the value
from Use Global Level to the desired output level.
Note that stages of solution execution that are associated with Data Transfers are grouped together,
and have their own default Data Transfers Level value. To use a different value for one or more of
these stages of solution execution, change the value from Use Data Transfers Level to the desired
output level.
The following properties control the debug level for different sections of the log:
Startup
Controls the level of output from the start of the coupling service until creation of the "Summary of SC
Setup" banner in the SCL file.
Participant Connection
Controls the level of output from the end of the setup validation until the Initial Synchronization syn-
chronization point (that is, between the Setup Validation and System Coupling Summary banners).
Analysis Initialization
Controls the level of output from the end of the setup validation until the Analysis Initialization synchron-
ization point (that is, between the System Coupling Summary and Solution banners).
Solution Initialization
Controls the level of output during the setup of coupling steps and coupling iterations. This output does
not include information related to the data transfers.
Data Transfers
Specifies the debug output generated for data transfers. Note that header information for mapping is
generated whenever the mesh coordinate or mesh topology output is requested. Similarly, header inform-
ation for the data transfers is generated whenever the transfer data output is requested.
Data Transfers Level

Provides the default level for the different debug output controls in the Data Transfers group. If the
debug level of any property in the Data Transfers group is set to Default, then the debug level of
that entry is governed by the level set here. If the Data Transfers Level itself is set to Use Global
Level, then it derives its value from the default level defined for all debug output controls.
Source Mesh Coordinates

Controls the level of output for mesh coordinates of the source region in all data transfers.
Source Mesh Topology

Controls the level of output for mesh topology (elements and nodes) of the source region in all data
transfers.
Source Data
Controls the level of output for the source data in all data transfers.
Target Mesh Coordinates

Controls the level of output for mesh coordinates of the source region in all data transfers.
Target Mesh Topology

Controls the level of output for mesh topology (elements and nodes) of the source region in all data
transfers.
Target Data
Controls the level of output for the target data in all data transfers.
Convergence Checks
Controls the level of output from the Check Convergence synchronization point until the next synchron-
ization point, which may be either Shutdown or Solution.
Shutdown
Controls the level of output after the Shutdown synchronization point.
For information about synchronization points, see Process Synchronization and Analysis Evolution (p. 41).
Note
The debug level for all the properties, except Default, can be set at any level. For the Default
property, the available levels are from None to All Levels. Increasing levels always generate
more detailed output. Note, as well, that the output level settings for each of the mesh co-
ordinates, topology, and transfer data, control the number of lines of output generated.
Specifically, 10 L lines of data will be written for an output level setting of L (for example,
100 lines will be written for an output level of 2, or Level 2).
Intermediate Restart Data Output

The Intermediate Restart Data Output entity under Execution Control in the outline model allows
the selection of time points at which restart data should be generated during the execution of the
solution. Depending on the participant, the restart data may or may not be the same as the results
data. Writing of results data for post-processing should be set from within the participant setup cell.
Important
During execution of the coupled analysis, co-simulation participants will automatically be

requested to generate intermediate restart data at the same frequency as the System
Coupling service. Note that this feature only affects the frequency at which data is generated;
the content of data is determined by the participant. To see if this feature is supported, see
Supported System Coupling Participants (p. 3).
Choose one of the following options to control when restart data is produced.
None
No intermediate restart output files are generated using this option. This option is enabled by default.
All steps
Restart output files are generated at the end of each coupling step.
At Step Interval
Restart output files are generated at the end of the coupling steps corresponding to the interval specified
in the Step Interval box below.
Note
If you specify a Step Interval that is above or below the allowed limit, an error is dis-
played; change the Step Interval as required.
Validation and State of the System Coupling Setup Cell

Validation of the Setup cell depends upon the validation of the individual nodes in the Tree View (for
example, Analysis Settings and Data Transfer). If any of these nodes is invalid, it would be marked
by a ? (Attention Required) in front of the Setup cell. Details regarding why validation failed are
presented when the mouse pointer is hovered over the ? symbol.
System Coupling Setup Cell Context Menus

The System Coupling Setup cell has several context menus:
Start/Stop highlighting linked nodes: From the Setup cell, this option controls whether cells that are related
to the selected cell are highlighted in the Outline view.
Create Data Transfer: From Data Transfers you can create one or more data transfers using this context
menu. See Working with Data Transfers (p. 16) for details.
Auto Show/Hide
Toolbar Option
Rename: From Data Transfers you can rename the selected data transfers using this context menu. See
Working with Data Transfers (p. 16) for details.
Duplicate: From Data Transfers you can duplicate the selected data transfers using this context menu. See
Working with Data Transfers (p. 16) for details.
Display Validation Failure: Select this to display error messages when System Coupling setup settings are
found to be incorrect due to validation problems.
Add Property: From Execution Control>Expert Settings, you can add specific expert settings. See Expert
Settings (p. 24) for details about these settings.
Remove Property: From Execution Control>Expert Settings, you can remove specific expert settings. See
Expert Settings (p. 24) for details about these settings.
Read restart points: From Properties of Analysis Settings>Initialization Controls>Coupling Initialization,

you can use this command to populate the list of restart points. This command is useful for abnormal situations
such as a workbench crash. In such situations, the restart point list may be empty even though the interme-
diate restart files exist on your disk. Read restart points is used to repopulate your list of restart points, so
that you can restart from a previously saved restart point.
See Understanding Cell States in the Workbench Users Guide for detailed information on typical cell
states.
Expert Settings
This subsection is used to specify the expert settings that are available. Expert settings provide you
with additional advanced controls for many of the settings available in the Outline and Properties
views under the Setup branch.
General Expert Settings
DataTransfer_Clipping_HeatTransferCoef (integer)
Value is 0 or 1 (default: 0), where 0 indicates that negative heat transfer coefficient values will not
be clipped to zero. A setting of 1 (which turns clipping on) will ensure that mapped values are only
equal to or greater than zero.
DumpInterfaceMeshes (string)
The only valid value for this setting is CFDPost. When this expert setting is used, files named
<Name of Data Transfer> source.csv or <Name of Data Transfer> target.csv
are generated during the mapping process. These files report values of 0 and 1 for unmapped and
mapped nodes, respectively. These files are appropriate for import into CFD-Post as user defined
surfaces for the visualization of mapping data.
GeneralAnalysis_IncrDisp_InitIterationValue_Zero (integer)
Value is 0 or 1 (default: 1). This setting is only relevant in a general coupled analysis, when displace-
ment is transferred, and when the solver receiving the displacement (such as Fluent) solves before
or simultaneously to the solver sending the displacement data (such as Mechanical).
1: During the first coupling iteration of each coupling step the displacement transferred to the target
is 0 [m] (irrespective of the value provided by the source). This override of the transfer value is to avoid
possible double displacement, which could create folding of the mesh.
0: The value for displacement provided by the source is transferred with no interference by this expert
setting (this value transferred may be modified by other settings such as ramping).
MeshSyncOption (integer)
Value is 0, 1, 2, or 3 (default: 0). This setting is only relevant for coupled analyses with a participant
that consumes geometric data (for example, the Fluids solver in a Fluid Structure Interaction ana-
lysis, which receives displacement data). This setting can be used when the solution of the participant
consuming geometrical data is either sequenced identically as, or sequenced before, the solution
of the participant that provides the geometric data. Available options are:
0 (default): If the maximum number of coupling iterations per coupling step is 1, then the solution
sequence is changed so that the participant that consumes geometrical data is solved last. If the
maximum number of coupling iterations per coupling step is greater than 1, then one additional
coupling iteration is performed at the end of the coupling step and only the participant that
consumes geometrical data is re-solved.
1: Regardless of the maximum number of coupling iterations per coupling step, the solution
sequence is changed so that within each coupling iteration, the participant that consumes geo-
metrical data is solved last.
2: Regardless of the maximum number of coupling iterations per coupling step, one additional
coupling iteration is performed at the end of the coupling step and only the participant that
consumes geometrical data is re-solved.
3: No setup modifications are applied, and the solution proceeds with the specified participant
sequencing.
Participant Variable Initial Value Settings
The following expert settings are useful for overriding the default initial values of variables of a given
type for all participants. These initial values are currently used in the ramping as well as the under-
relaxation of data transfers. Note that for the ramping algorithm, the reference target-side value for
displacement is always 0.0 [m]. The expert settings below will have no effect on the value used in
this case.
Participant_Variable_InitValue_IncrDisp_X (real)
Participant_Variable_InitValue_IncrDisp_Y (real)
Participant_Variable_InitValue_IncrDisp_Z (real)
Replace initial value for Cartesian components of all variables of type "Incremental Displacement"
for all coupling participants. Default is 0.0 [m].
Participant_Variable_InitValue_Force_X (real)
Participant_Variable_InitValue_Force_Y (real)
Participant_Variable_InitValue_Force_Z (real)
Replace initial value for Cartesian components of all variables of type "Force" for all coupling parti-
cipants. Default is 0.0 [N].
Participant_Variable_InitValue_Temperature (real)
Replace initial value for all variables of type "Temperature" for all coupling participants (variables
include temperature and near wall temperature). Default is 295.15 [K].
Participant_Variable_InitValue_HeatRate (real)
Replace initial value for all variables of type "Heat Rate" for all coupling participants. Default is 0.0
[W].
Participant_Variable_InitValue_HeatTransferCoef (real)
Replace initial value for all variables of type "Heat Transfer Coefficient" for all coupling participants.
Default is 0.0 [W m^-2 K^-1].
Data Transfer Control Settings
The following expert settings are useful for controlling the behavior of data transfers.
DataTransfer_ScaleFactor_Force (double)
Scale, by the factor specified, source values for all data transfers of Force variables. Default value
is 1.0.
DataTransfer_ScaleFactor_HeatRate (double)
Scale, by the factor specified, source values for all data transfers of Heat Rate variables. Default
value is 1.0.
DataTransfer_ScaleFactor_HeatTransferCoef (double)
Scale, by the factor specified, source values for all data transfers of Heat Transfer Coefficient variables.
Default value is 1.0.
DataTransfer_ScaleFactor_IncrDisp (double)
Scale, by the factor specified, source values for all data transfers of Incremental Displacement
variables. Default value is 1.0.
DataTransfer_ScaleFactor_Temperature (double)
Scale, by the factor specified, source values for all data transfers of Temperature variables. Default
value is 1.0.
SC Log Output Control Settings
The following expert settings are useful for controlling the output of various supplemental diagnostics
to the SC log file:
DTDiagShowRMSChange (string)
Activates reporting of RMS change in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
When RMS change is the type of data checked against the convergence target (this is the default),
this expert setting does nothing.
DTDiagShowMaxChange (string)
Activates reporting of Max change in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
If Max change is the type of data checked against the convergence target, this expert setting does
nothing. Note that the type of data checked (RMS change or Max change) can only be changed
through the System Coupling Input File.
DTDiagShowMinValue (string)
Activates reporting of minimum nodal value in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
DTDiagShowMaxValue (string)
Activates reporting of maximum nodal value in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
DTDiagShowAvgValue (string)
Activates reporting of average nodal value in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
DTDiagShowSum (string)
Activates reporting of sum of nodal values in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
DTDiagShowAll (string)
Activates reporting of all diagnostics of nodal values in data transfers if set to true. Default is False.
Expert Settings Related to Mapping
The coupling service uses a Profile Preserving mapping (ProfMap) for non-conservative quantities (for
example, displacement) data transfers, and a Conservative mapping (ConsMap) for conservative
quantities (for example, forces).
ProfMapBucketScale (integer)
Value (ranging from 0 to 100, default: 50) that represents the number of discrete search buckets,
as a percentage of the number of nodes, to use during mapping. The objective is to generate
buckets that will contain roughly equal numbers of nodes. This setting will affect the speed of
the mapping, but it should not affect the outcome.
ProfMapBucketTol (double)
Value (ranging from 0 to 1, default: 1e-4) that is used to create a bounding region around each
target node. The bounding region is used to increase the number of buckets that will be included
in the Bucket Surface Algorithm's search, which in some cases will improve the number of mapped
nodes.
ProfMapEdgeTol (double)
Value (ranging from 0 to 1, default: 0.05 in natural coordinate space) that specifies the tolerance
within which a target node may be found in a source element. See the discussion on Bucket Sur-
face (p. 48) mapping algorithm in the section Mapping Algorithms (p. 46) for more information
regarding this tolerance setting.
ProfMapTolOption (integer)
Value is either 0 or 1 (default: 0), where 0 indicates that the specified tolerance is relative to the
maximum Cartesian extent of the region being mapped, and 1 indicates that the specified tolerance
is absolute (using the same units as the mesh coordinates).
ProfMapTol (double)
Value (ranging from 0 to 1, default: 1e-6) that specifies the tolerance for the 'gap' distance between
a target node and the source element that it is mapped to.
ProfMapEnforceTol (integer)
Value is either 0 or 1 (default: 0), where 0 indicates that the distance between a target node and
the source element that it is mapped to (also known as the gap distance) is not checked against
the tolerance specified with the expert setting ProfMapTol. Target nodes with final gap distances
larger than the specified tolerance will be reported as mapped in the SCL file. These nodes are
mapped to the source nodes like all of the other mapped nodes and given a value accordingly.
A setting of 1 (which means on) indicates that such a check is performed. Target nodes with final
gap distances larger than the specified tolerance will be reported as unmapped in the SCL file.
These nodes are mapped to the source nodes like all of the other mapped nodes and given a value
accordingly.
ConsMapPixelRes (integer)
Value ranging from 10 to 256 (default: 100) that indicates the number of pixels to use when
forming the surfaces of intersection for each pair of source and target mesh element faces on the
interface. Larger values are needed if interface mesh lines are very nearly coincident. Any value
entered that is less than 10 or greater than 256 will be reset to 100 automatically.
ConsMapTol (double)
Value ranging from 1e-6 and 1 (default: 0.1) that specifies the tolerance, in the element-face-normal
direction, to use when determining whether the source and target meshes map to one another.
This tolerance is normalized by the local element size. Any value entered that is less than 1e-6 or
greater than 1 will be reset to 0.1 automatically.

This section describes:
All the settings that appear in the Outline and Properties views under the Solution branch.
Context menus (that is, the menus that appear with a right-click) for the Solution cell.

Solution Information
System Coupling Chart
Validation and State of the System Coupling Solution Cell
System Coupling Solution Cell Context Menus
Solution Information
Solution information is automatically generated for output of the system coupling service and the
coupling participants. Figure 4: An Example of the Solution Information Branch (p. 29) displays an example
of the Solution Information branch from the Outline view. Select an entry from the listed solution
information sources to display its output in the Solution Information view.
Note
The default behavior of the Solution Information view is to always show the latest inform-
ation in the log file. Each time new information is added, the file will automatically scroll to
the end. However, if you move the vertical scroll bar away from the bottom, the view will
not scroll to the end when new information is added until you move the scroll bar back to
the end.
There are also some keyboard short-cuts that are available when operating in this view:
Page Up scrolls up one page.
Page Down scrolls down one page.
Ctrl+Home jumps to the top of the log.
Ctrl+End jumps to the bottom of the log.
Figure 4: An Example of the Solution Information Branch
For additional details about the solution information displayed for the coupling service, see System
Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl) (p. 57). For additional details about
solution information displayed for coupling participants, see Supported System Coupling Parti-
cipants (p. 3).
System Coupling Chart

System Coupling's chart monitor allows you plot data produced during the coupled solution process.
You can use this data to monitor convergence. The chart monitors can plot data from the system
coupling execution and from the coupling participants, such as Fluent.
Convergence data is available for plotting once the solution is running or has been completed. You can
create multiple charts (p. 31), and select the variables (p. 30) that you want to plot.
In the chart monitor, data is available for plotting against different levels (X axis data). The higher
(coarser) levels at which the data is present are referred to as parent levels, whereas the lower (finer)
levels at which the data is present are referred to as child levels. Any data present in a child level are
also available at the parent level for plotting. For example: In the graphic that follows, the flow chart
shows different variables and levels for a sample run. "Coupling Step" is the parent level for "Coupling
Iteration", whereas "Solver 1 Step", "Solver 1 Iteration", "Solver 2 Step", and "Solver 2 Iteration" are child
levels of "Coupling Iteration". There are two variables, "Variable 1" and "Variable 2", present. "Variable
1" is present at "Solver 1 Iteration" and hence is available for plotting at "Solver 1 Iteration" or any of
its parents, that is, "Solver 1 Step", "Coupling Iteration" or "Coupling Step". Similarly, "Variable 2" is
available for plotting at "Solver 2 Iteration", "Solver 2 Step", "Coupling Iteration", and "Coupling Step".
Chart Properties
Axis X Property:
Quantity: The level at which the X data for the variables is plotted. This can be any level at which the
data is available. For example: For a variable "Data Transfer:Change:RMS", the available levels can be
"Coupling Step" and "Coupling Iteration". The X axis level can be defined by selecting an option in the
drop-down options list in the Properties view of a chart.
Axis Y Property:
Title: The title of the axis
Properties Supported for Both Axes:
Scale: The scale of the axis. Scale can be defined as Linear, Common Log (Log base 10) or Natural Log.
Automatic Range: The property to define whether or not automatic scaling should be applied to the
axis, or whether the RangeMin and RangeMax should be used.
Range Minimum: The minimum range of the values in this axis.
Range Maximum: The maximum range of the values in this axis.
Chart Variable
The System Coupling Chart Monitor plots data produced during the coupled solution process. These
variables that you can plot are organized according to coupling participants and include:
measures of convergence obtained from co-simulation participants (for example, solver residuals from Fluent)
the change (RMS or maximum) in data transfer values
diagnostic values (for example, minimum, maximum, average, and sum) taken from the nodal data associated
with data transfers
The variables that are obtained from co-simulation participants are only plotted at the intervals that
they are available. Intermediate data points are not artificially created.
Chart Variable Properties

Refinement Level
The data plotted at the level defined by the X axis can be further refined to any of the child levels of the
X axis. For example: For X axis level defined at the "Coupling Step", the X data values for a variable can be
refined to the "Coupling Iteration" level. In this case the intermediate values available at "Coupling Iteration"
level between consecutive "Coupling Steps" are distributed equally between the coupling steps; that is,
if "Coupling Step" 2 has three "Coupling Iterations", then the data points are plotted at 1.33, 1.66, and 2.
The refinement level can be defined by selecting an option in the drop down options list in the Properties
view of a chart.
Style
Color: The line color of the chart variable in a plot
Line Width: The width of the line drawn for this chart variable in pixels
Symbol Size: The size of a symbol in pixels when a symbol is drawn for this variable
Working with System Coupling Charts

The following context menu options are available:
Create Chart
You can create convergence charts by using the Create Chart context menu option. In the Outline view,
right-click Chart Monitors, then select Create Chart from the context menu. This creates a new system
coupling chart without any variables defined. The default X axis level is "Coupling Iteration".
Add Variable
Once the solution is running or completed, variables to be plotted can be added to a system coupling
chart. Select an existing chart in the Outline view, and then select Add Variable from the context menu.
From this context menu, select data of interest to add it to the chart. The default refinement level for the
added variable is set to the X axis level. If the data for the new variable is not available at the level defined
by the X axis, the X axis level and the refinement level for the new variable are set to "Coupling Iteration".
Remove Variable
Select a variable under the Remove Variable context menu option to remove that variable from the chart.
Delete Variable
A variable included in the chart can be removed using the Delete context menu option.
Delete
Select Delete in the charts context menu to delete the chart.
Editing Chart and Chart Variable Properties

Chart and Chart Variable properties are displayed and can be edited in Properties view based on selection
in Outline view.
Note
When the solution is started, a default chart is added if one is not already present. The default
variables added correspond to the RMS Change in data on the target side of all data transfers.
For example if "Data Transfer" and "Data Transfer 2" are defined with target participants
equal to "Transient Structural" and "Fluid Flow", respectively, then the chart variables "Tran-
sient Structural: Data Transfer: Change: RMS" and "Fluid Flow: Data Transfer 2: Change: RMS"
are added to the default chart. If you add/delete variables to the default chart, then new
variables are not added by default on consecutive runs.
Using the System Coupling Chart View

Chart Zoom, Pan, and Fit
You can manipulate the display of a chart using the zoom, pan, and fit features.
Zoom by using the mouse wheel or Shift+middle mouse button
Box zoom by using the right mouse button
Pan by using Ctrl+middle mouse button
Fit by using the F key.
Saving a Chart
You can save the chart that you are viewing as a graphic. To do so, right-click the background of the chart
and select Save Image As. In the dialog box that appears, you will see a small image of the chart, and can
select the Size (resolution) that will be used when saving the chart. Click the button and navigate to
the folder where you want to save the file. Enter a file name. You can select either .png or .bmp as the
graphic file type. Click Save to select that file path as your save location. Click OK to save the file to the
location that you selected, with the resolution that you have selected.
Validation and State of the System Coupling Solution Cell

The state of the Solution cell is coupled to the states of the Solution cells for all co-simulation participants.
In particular, all coupled Solution cells will have the same state, which will reflect the least complete
state of all coupled cells.
System Coupling Solution Cell Context Menus

The System Coupling Solution cell has several context menus:
From the Solution cell, right-click and you can:
Update the solution,
Continue Calculation if the solution was interrupted,
Refresh the solution,
Clear Generated Data,
Reset the solution.
These commands are the same as those available on the System Couplings Solution cell in the Project
Schematic.
From the Solution > Chart Monitor cell, right-click and select Create Chart to create a system coupling
chart.
From the Solution > Chart Monitor > Chart cell, right-click and select Add/Remove Variable to add or
remove variables from the selected chart. For details, see Working with System Coupling Charts (p. 31).
Display Validation Failure: Select this to display error messages when System Coupling solution items (for
example, charts) are found to be incorrect due to validation problems.
Note
If a coupled analysis is interrupted before reaching the specified coupling duration, then the
Solution cells will remain in an Update Required state once execution stops, because the
calculation needs to be continued to complete the analysis. Downstream Results cells may
be refreshed and/or updated to review the results generated up to the point at which the
analysis was interrupted.
See Understanding Cell States in the Workbench Users Guide for detailed information on typical cell
states.
Workflows for System Coupling
This chapter describes general issues common to working with System Coupling systems.
Executing System Couplings Using the Command Line
Restarting a System Coupling Analysis
Stopping the Coupled Analysis Run
Executing System Couplings Using the Command Line

You can set up system coupling simulations by using the command line, rather than by using the
Workbench user interface.
To perform a system coupling simulation from the command line, you need to ensure paths to all required
scripts and executables are added to the PATH environment variable so that these applications can be
launched from command line.
Tip
Search your installation to help resolve any missing dynamic libraries.
To run an analysis from the command line, execute the steps below. If you would like an example of
this process, the tutorial Oscillating Plate with Two-Way Fluid-Structure Interaction provides detailed
steps on how to use the Command Line. To access tutorials and their input files on the ANSYS Customer
Portal, go to http://support.ansys.com/training.
1. Generate the System Coupling Input file and place this file in the desired working directory for the
Coupling Service. To do this, enter (double click) the System Coupling Setup cell in the Workbench
schematic, and select the Export SCI File option from the File menu. Note that this option is only available
when the state of the Setup cell is up-to-date.
2. Generate all input files required for the co-simulation participants (that is, input files required for the
solvers involved in the coupling) and place these files in the respective desired working directories.
3. The command to start the Coupling Service differs between Linux and Windows:
Linux:
.workbench -cmd ansys.services.systemcoupling.exe -inputFile oscillating_plate.sci
where .workbench is a script located in /ansys_inc/v180/aisol on Linux.
The typical location of the executable on Linux 64-bit Workbench installations is:
/ansys_inc/v180/aisol/CommonFiles/linx64
Windows:
ansys.services.systemcoupling.exe -inputFile oscillating_plate.sci
The typical location of the executable on Windows 64-bit Workbench installations is:
C:~\ANSYS Inc\v180\aisol\bin\winx64
These commands launch the Coupling Service and create a System Coupling Server file (scServ-
er.scs) in the working directory. As described in System Coupling Server File (scServ-
er.scs) (p. 56), this file contains information needed to start each of the co-simulation participants,
specifically port and host information for the coupling service and identifiers for the participants.
Additional information needed to run from the command line is accessible below for each of the
co-simulation participants that support system couplings.
For more information about command line execution and options for supported co-simulation parti-
cipants, see Supported System Coupling Participants (p. 3). Co-simulation participants will tend to use
a common set of system coupling related command line options (such as -schost, -scport, -scname,
-scid, -sclic). You are strongly encouraged, however, to develop some expertise in running each
of the participants without system couplings before attempting to execute coupled analyses from the
command line.
Additional system coupling command line information can also be found in the following section:
System Coupling Command Line Options
System Coupling Command Line Options

The following command-line options are available in the command line:
-debugLevel [ 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ]
Generates debug output to the System Coupling Log (.scl) file. The level of debug output increases with
each level, with the default (0) providing no debug output and level 5 providing the most complete debug
output.
-extractInputFile input_file_name
Extracts the content of an identified System Coupling Input (scInput.sci) file that is contained in the
specified System Coupling Results (scResults_##_######.scr) file (via -resultFile). Valid names
are the ones returned by the -listInputFiles command line option.
-help
Displays the option summary.
-inputFile path_to_sci_file
Inputs to the coupled analysis are extracted from the specified System Coupling Input file, where
path_to_sci_file is the location of the input file.
-listInputFiles
Lists all of the input files stored in the specified System Coupling Results file (via -resultFile). Output
is written to the System Coupling Log file for the run.
-logFile path_to_scl_file
Generates the System Coupling Log file with a specific name in a specific directory, where
path_to_scl_file is the location of the generated log file. The default log file name is scLog.scl
and will be generated in the same directory from which the coupling services executable is run.
-resultFile path_to_scr_file
Continue the analysis from the specified System Coupling Results file, where path_to_scr_file is the
location of the results file. Note that if the -inputFile option is also used, then inputs to the coupled
analysis are extracted from that file.
For more information about command line execution and options for supported co-simulation parti-
cipants, see Supported System Coupling Participants (p. 3).

The sections below walk you through the steps needed to restart a coupled analysis using System
Coupling, but you will also need restart information specific to the participants connected to your System
Coupling system. See Supported System Coupling Participants for a list of supported systems and refer-
ences to their corresponding documentation regarding restarts.
Restarting a coupled analysis is further described in the following sections:

Generating Restart Files
Executing the Restart Run
Recovering from a Workbench Crash
Note
The System Coupling Results file generated by the coupling service contains all the information
and data that are required to restart the coupling service only. Information and data that are re-
quired to restart the coupling participants, as well as the act of restarting those participants, are
managed by the participants themselves.
The convergence history for a restarted run is generally not identical to that observed in a con-
tinuous run. There are two factors contributing to changes in convergence: interfaces are re-
mapped upon restart, thereby changing the interpolation weights; and restart- and continuous-
run convergence histories are not always identical (for example, the HHT transient discretization
used by ANSYS Mechanical will not yield identical convergence histories while the Newmark
discretization will).
Changes in convergence history across restarts will yield changes in solution values if solutions
are not fully converged within coupling steps.
Generating Restart Files

Restarts of a system coupling analysis requires corresponding restart points to exist in the coupling
service and in each of the solvers participating in the analysis.
During a coupled analysis, restart points that contain information for restarts need to be created by all
of the systems involved in your coupled analysis. System Couplings restart file is the System Coupling
Results (scr) file. Creation of restart points is controlled in System Coupling to ensure participant solvers
are writing data at synchronized coupling steps.
To generate restart files for a coupled analysis, follow the steps below:
1. Before starting the analysis initial run, ensure that all coupling participants are set up to save (or retain)
the corresponding restart points during the run. For information on how to do this, see Supported System
Coupling Participants for a list of supported systems and references to their corresponding documentation
regarding restarts.
2. Set up the System Coupling system to control the creation of restart points at certain intervals during the
coupled analysis run.
a. From the Project Schematic, double-click System Coupling's Setup cell to open the System Coupling
tab.
b. In System Coupling's Outline view on the left, select System Coupling > Setup > Execution Control
> Intermediate Restart Data Output.
c. In the Properties view, under Output Frequency, select the appropriate setting. See Intermediate
Restart Data Output for more information.
Executing the Restart Run

Once the coupled analysis run is finished or interrupted, or if the solution fails, you can restart this run
from any of the saved restart points. You need to select the same restart point in all coupling participants,
as well as in the System Coupling system.
To execute the restart run:
1. Specify a restart point in each participant connected to System Coupling. Make sure that these restart
points correspond to the restart point you will choose in System Coupling.
For information on how to do this for participant systems in your coupled analysis, see Supported
System Coupling Participants for a list of supported systems and references to their corresponding
restart documentation.
2. If setup changes in the participant systems are needed before restarting, make these required changes.
3. In some cases, setup changes are desired or are required to avoid failure of the coupled analysis. To make
these changes:
a. Double-click the System Coupling Setup cell or Solution cell to open the System Coupling tab.
b. Modify the required settings in System Coupling. Setup changes commonly include changes to a
combination of the following:
Coupling analysis type
Coupling initialization and duration settings
Coupling step size
Minimum and maximum number of coupling iterations per coupling step
Data transfer convergence targets and under-relaxation factors
If running your analysis from the command line, note that each of the inputFile and res-
ultFile command line options are required for this type of restart. If no modifications were
made, only the resultFile command line option is required for the restart.
4. Select the restart point for the System Coupling system. To do this:
a. If the System Coupling tab is not already open, double-click the System Coupling Setup cell or
Solution cell to open the System Coupling tab.
b. In the System Coupling tab, select Analysis Settings, then in Properties of Analysis Settings >
Coupling Initialization, pick a restart point that corresponds to the restart point you selected in the
participant systems.
5. Start your restart run. To do this, in the System Coupling tab, right-click Solution and select Update. Your
restarted coupled analysis will now begin to solve.
Recovering from a Workbench Crash

Workbench or one of the components may crash such that restart files are available but they are not
recognized or populated in the Workbench project. If this is the case, you will be able to recover your
project and restart your analysis using the steps below.
The usual project directory (ProjectName_files) contains the latest System Coupling results and
restart points (these solvers use the live project instead of running in a temporary directory).
Note that the .backup directory contains the original version of any files which have been modified
since the last save. These files are useful to recover the last saved state, but they are not useful for re-
starting your analysis.
To recover the project to be able to restart from a restart point:
1. Launch Workbench and open the project. Since the project was not closed down cleanly, a lock file will
exist. Select Unlock in the dialog box that appears.
2. The next dialog box that appears asks if you want to recover the last saved state before opening. Select
No here despite the warnings.
Your Project Schematic now shows a state as if the solution had not started, but examination of
the project files shows that backup files are available. Your Workbench project will not know about
these files.
3. Populate the restart data from the participant systems connected to System Coupling. Make sure that
these restart points correspond to the restart point chosen in System Coupling.
4. Recover the System Coupling restart points:
a. On the Project Schematic, right-click System Coupling's Setup cell, and select Update.
b. Double-click the System Coupling Setup cell to open the System Coupling tab.
c. Select Analysis Settings, then in Properties of Analysis Settings, right-click Coupling Initialization
and select Read Restart Points.
The restart points will now be available in System Coupling as usual.
d. In Properties of Analysis Settings > Coupling Initialization, pick a restart point that corresponds
to the restart point you selected in the participant systems.
5. You can now start your restart run. To do this, in the System Coupling tab, right-click Solution and select
Update. Your restarted coupled analysis will now begin to solve.

During the analysis run, you may want to interrupt or abort the analysis before it is completed. The in-
terrupted analysis can be thought of as a clean stop, where the run continues until the current coupling
step is finished, and the restart data are generated. Such a run can be restarted later from end of the
coupling step in which it was stopped, as described in Restarting a System Coupling Analysis (p. 35).
The aborted analysis, on the other hand, terminates the run immediately. This run cannot be restarted
from the coupling step in which it was stopped.
The workflow for stopping the coupled analysis run in Workbench is as follows:
1. Start the analysis by selecting Update from the context menu of the Solution cell of the System Coupling
component.
2. In the Progress view of Workbench, click the Stop button .
3. A popup window, shown in Figure 5: Interrupt Prompt from Workbench (p. 38), will appear asking how
the run should be stopped.
Figure 5: Interrupt Prompt from Workbench
You can choose from the following options:
Select Interrupt to perform a clean shutdown. The analysis will stop once the current coupling
step is completed.
Select Abort to stop the analysis run immediately. All available generated data will be discarded.
Select Cancel to continue with the current run.
To continue an analysis that you have interrupted, click the Update Project button. In the dialog box
that appears, choose to use the partially updated solutions to update the project or to update all solutions
to completion before updating the project.
For information on how to restart the coupled analysis run, see Restarting a System Coupling Analys-
is (p. 35).
If you are running your analysis from the command line, to stop a run an scStop.stop file must be
created in the working directory for the System Coupling service. See System Coupling Service Shutdown
File (scStop.stop) (p. 55) for more information.
Understanding the System Coupling Service
This chapter provides information about the System Coupling Service used in the execution of coupled
analyses. The two main roles of the coupling service are: coupling management, and the mapping of
data transfers. This chapter also describes the various files used by and generated by the coupling service.
Coupling Management
Data Transfers
Files Used by the Coupling Service
Files Generated by Coupling Service
Understanding the System Coupling Input File
Understanding the System Coupling Log File
Coupling Management
The primary role of the System Coupling Service is to manage the coupled analysis. There are three
aspects to this:
Inter-Process Communication
Process Synchronization and Analysis Evolution
Convergence Management
For more information, see the following sections.

Evaluating Convergence of Data Transfers
The coupling service and participants, which are often highly optimized physics solvers, are executed
as independent computational processes, and this introduces the need for Inter-Process Communication
(IPC). This communication is realized using a proprietary, light-weight, TCP/IP based client-server infra-
structure that does not interact with other communication mechanisms like the Message Passing Interface
(MPI).
All high level communication needed for process synchronization, brokering data transfers and managing
convergence between the coupling service and participants are defined in terms of Application Pro-
gramming Interfaces (APIs) that use the low level IPC infrastructure.

The coupling service and participants advance synchronously through a coupled analysis. High-level
synchronization is managed with the use of synchronization points, and low-level synchronization,
between synchronization points, is managed using a token-based protocol.
The five primary synchronization points used to manage advancement through the coupled analysis
are shown in Figure 6: Execution Sequence Diagram for the Coupling Service and Co-Simulation Parti-
cipants (p. 42). This figure also features notes regarding the processing that occurs between these
points, as well as the coupling step and iteration loop structure. Each of these synchronization points,
shown in dark gray, represents a gateway beyond which a given process may not advance until all
other processes (or a subset thereof, as controlled by the coupling service) arrive. Note, as well, that
while a process may serve data both between and at synchronization points, it may only request data
between synchronization points.
Figure 6: Execution Sequence Diagram for the Coupling Service and Co-Simulation Participants
Details regarding processing between the Solution and Check Convergence synchronization points
are shown in Figure 7: Processing Details for the Coupling Service and Co-Simulation Participants (p. 43).
During this stage of the analysis, the coupling service controls the advancement of co-simulation parti-
cipants, or solvers, through two secondary synchronization points: Data Transfer and Solve, both
shown in light gray. The sequencing of solvers is controlled by manipulating the relative order in which
the solvers advance beyond these secondary synchronization points. For example, solvers with
identical sequence indices all advance through the Data Transfer synchronization point together, and
then do the same for the Solve synchronization point.
Coupling Management
Figure 7: Processing Details for the Coupling Service and Co-Simulation Participants
These figures highlight that all participants traverse the duration of the entire coupling step during
each coupling iteration. They have complete freedom, however, to traverse the coupling step duration
in one or more solver steps, each of which may include one or more solver iterations. If multiple
solver steps are used within one coupling step, then this is referred to as sub-stepping (or sub-cycling).
Review the participant systems documentation to see if sub-stepping occurs and is supported with
System Coupling.
By default, the system coupling log file reports Root Mean Square (RMS) convergence for data transfers
for both the source and target side of the transfer. Convergence of the coupling step is evaluated at
the end of each coupling iteration. Coupling step convergence requires that:
the target side RMS values have reached the convergence criteria that you specified in the input to the
system coupling setup, and
that the minimum number of coupling iterations that you specified are met.
If the coupling step is not yet converged, then a new coupling iteration is started. If the coupling step
is converged, then a new coupling step is started if the coupling duration has not yet been reached.
Evaluating Convergence of Data Transfers

To evaluate convergence of data transfers, each iteration is measured against the previous iteration.
The change in all of the data transfer values between these two successive iterations is reduced to a
normalized value. When two successive iterations produce a normalized value that is under the conver-
gence target (you can change this convergence target, the default value is 1e-2), the data transferred
is converged.
Two global (that is, over all locations) measures of convergence are evaluated and reported during ex-
ecution of the coupled analysis. These include the maximum and Root Mean Square (RMS) of the nor-
malized change in data transfer values. The RMS is the default measure used to determine convergence.
The measure can be changed to the maximum of the normalized value through the System Coupling
Input file.
The RMS value is evaluated as:

(1)
where is the normalized change in the data transfer value between successive iterations within/across
a given coupling step, and is measured as:
(2)
where is the data transfer value, and l is the location of the data transfer on the coupling interface.
In Equation 2 (p. 44), the denominator, or normalization factor, is evaluated differently in the transient
and general coupling analyses. In the transient coupling case, the normalization factor equals the average
of the range and mean of the magnitude of data transfer values over all locations for the current iteration.
In the general coupling case, it equals the average of the range and mean of the magnitude of data
transfer values over all locations for all iterations in the entire analysis. This normalization factor is a
representative scale for the data transfer values and ensures that division by zero (due either to zero
range or zero mean) is avoided.
In Equation 2 (p. 44), the numerator, , is the un-normalized change between successive iterations,
and is expressed as:
(3)
where and correspond to the current and the previous iterations respectively, and is the
under-relaxation factor applied in forming the final value applied during the current iteration. In the
first coupling iteration of every coupling step, is assumed to be unity.
When there is no change in data transfer values, the default for RMS/MAX is 1.0e-014.
Note
The global data transfer convergence measures are set to unity in the first coupling it-
eration of the first coupling step during an initial run. After a restart, if a data transfer
involving a new variable is defined or if the region is remeshed, these measures are set
to unity in the first coupling iteration of the first coupling step.
Although monotonic convergence to the specified target values is ideal, oscillatory

convergence and/or divergence (that is, constant or increasing convergence measures)
may also occur.
Data Transfers
Data transfers in System Coupling use one of two data transfer algorithms:
Data Transfers
Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm is used when transferring non-conserved quantities like dis-
placements and temperatures.
Conservative Profile Preserving data transfer is used when transferring conserved quantities like mass,
momentum, and energy flows (for example, forces).
These two data transfer algorithms are discussed in the section Data Transfer Algorithms (p. 46). Both
data transfer algorithms incorporate the following components:
Data Pre-Processing: This is the first component used in the data transfer process and could involve
creation of supplemental data on mesh locations that are needed by the mapping and interpolation
algorithms.
Mapping: This is the second component used in the data transfer process and involves the match-
ing/pairing of a source and a target location to generate weights. For example, in a fluid-solid interaction
problem, a fluid node must be mapped to a solid element to receive displacements. Similarly, either a
solid node or a Gauss point in a solid element must be mapped to a fluid element to receive stress.
Interpolation: This is the third component used in the data transfer process and involves the (re)use
of the generated weights to project source data onto target locations.
Interpolated Data Post-Processing: This is the final component of the data transfer process and could
involve explicit under-relaxation, ramping, and/or clipping of the target data, as well as the creation of
supplemental data on mesh locations needed by the consumers of interpolated, target data.
Note that participant data transfer regions must consist of triangular or quadrilateral faces. Polyhedral
faces as well as faces with hanging nodes (cut-cells) are not supported by System Coupling.
A variety of algorithms exist in the literature to address these components. In the discussions below,
only those that are used in System Coupling are presented.
Data Pre-Processing Algorithms (p. 45)
Mapping Algorithms (p. 46)
Interpolation Algorithms (p. 52)
Interpolated Data Post-Processing Algorithms (p. 53)
Important
Unit conversions are automatically applied for all data transfer algorithms during each of the
mapping and interpolation phases.
Data Pre-Processing Algorithms

Data pre-processing algorithms are used to create supplemental data on mesh locations that are needed
for mapping and interpolation. These pre-processing algorithms may also be used during post-processing
of interpolated data to provide data on the mesh locations required by co-simulation participants.
Creating Nodal Data from Face/Element Centroid Data

Conservative data (for example, heat flows and forces) may be available on element (face) centroids. If
these data are required on nodes, the following steps are executed:
an element-node value is calculated by dividing the total value by the number of nodes that define the
element, and
the element-node values are scattered to, and accumulated at, each node.
Creating Face/Element Data from Node Data

Conservative data (for example, heat flows and forces) may be available on nodes. If these data are re-
quired on elements/faces, the following steps are executed:
the area for each face/element that shares a common node is calculated for all nodes,
the nodal area is calculated as the sum of all areas for each face/element that shares a common node,
the area fraction is calculated as the area divided by nodal area for each face/element that shares a common
node, and
the face/element value is calculated for each element-node as the nodal value times the respective area
fraction.
The face/element values corresponding to each element-node are summed if a total face/element value
is required.
Mapping Algorithms
Several mapping algorithms are used when executing data transfers during system couplings. To assist
in evaluating the quality of the mapping, a mapping summary is included in the System Coupling service
log file (see System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl) (p. 57)). Note that
summary data depends upon on the availability and relevance of specific information (for example, the
number of nodes or area on the surface and/or target meshes) for each mapping algorithm.
Mapping is performed only at the start of the System Coupling simulation. Because of this, the mesh
topology on the data transfer regions cannot change (that is, cannot be dynamically remeshed) during
the simulation.
The two mapping algorithms used in System Coupling (discussed below) are Bucket Surface and Gen-
eral Grid Interface (GGI).
Data Transfer Algorithms

Data transfer algorithms are combinations of mapping/interpolation algorithms (discussed in the sections
above) that are used in the System Coupling service.
Note that the fidelity of the data transferred to the target side of the interface is limited by the least-
resolved side of the interface. For example, if the target side of the interface is significantly coarser than
the source side, then only the large scale features of the source data will be captured in the data
Data Transfers
transfer. Similarly, if the target side of the interface is significantly finer than the source side, then the
resulting target data will be a linearly interpolated representation of the data on the source side.
Note
A number of advanced controls for the data transfer algorithms are exposed via expert
settings. For more information, see Expert Settings Related to Mapping in Expert
Settings (p. 24).
Profile Preserving
The Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm is the default algorithm used by System Coupling when
transferring non-conserved quantities like displacements and temperatures. For this data transfer al-
gorithm, the Bucket Surface mapping algorithm is used to generate mapping weights. In this algorithm,
the mesh nodes on the target side of the data transfer interface are mapped onto mesh elements on
the source side as illustrated in Figure 8: Mapping target node to source element for Profile Preserving
Data Transfer (p. 47). Standard, weight-based interpolation (resulting in the values shown) and sub-
sequent under-relaxation are used to evaluate the final data applied on the target side of the interface.
Figure 8: Mapping target node to source element for Profile Preserving Data Transfer
Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm is the default algorithm used when transferring non-conser-
vative quantities because of the profile-preserving nature of the mapping weights generated by the
Bucket Surface algorithm.
Conservative Profile Preserving

The Conservative Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm is the default algorithm used by System
Coupling when transferring conserved quantities like mass, momentum, and energy flows (for example,
forces). For this data transfer algorithm, the General Grid Interface (GGI) mapping algorithm is used to
generate mapping weights. Standard, weight-based interpolation and subsequent under-relaxation are
used to evaluate the final data applied on the target side of the interface.
Conservative Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm is the default algorithm used when transferring
conserved quantities because of the conservative nature of the mapping weights generated by the GGI
algorithm. Resulting target values are locally (in the vicinity of each source and target element) conser-
vative. If the source side of the interface is completely mapped to the target side of the interface, then
the resulting target values are also globally conservative. If any portions of the source side of the interface
are not mapped onto the target side, then the data transfer is not globally conservative. Note that any
portions of the target side of the interface that are unmapped (that is, weights equal to zero) are
automatically assigned a value of zero, which differs from the handling of unmapped nodes using the
Profile Preserving data transfer algorithm.
Bucket Surface
The underlying ideas for this algorithm are presented in the book Computational Nonlinear Mechanics
in Aerospace Engineering, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, edited by S. Atluri, ISBN
1563470446, Chapter 5, Fast Projection Algorithm for Unstructured Meshes by K. Jansen, F. Shakib, and T.
Hughes, 1992. Specifically, the implementation of the Smart Bucket Algorithm as described in the chapter
stated above is used in system coupling. This algorithm generates weights that are ideal for transferring
the profiles of non-conserved quantities like stresses, displacement, temperature, and heat transfer
coefficient from a source mesh to a target mesh. Since a complete description of the algorithm is
available in the reference quoted above, only a brief overview of it is presented below.
The first step in the process of computing the mapping weights using the Smart Bucket Algorithm is
to divide the mapping source mesh into an imaginary structured grid, with each grid section called a
bucket. A 2D bucket is used to demonstrate this concept in Figure 9: Example of a Bucket Grid on a
2D Source Mesh (p. 48). Similarly, a 3D bucket grid is generated for a 3D mesh, and this is what is used
in System Coupling.
Next, each node on the data transfer regions of the target mesh is initially associated with a bucket. In
System Coupling, data transfer regions consist of element faces from the 3D mesh. Two cases arise:
buckets associated with the target node are either empty (without even one source element in it) or
non-empty. For example, bucket A shown in Figure 9: Example of a Bucket Grid on a 2D Source
Mesh (p. 48) is empty. Each case (empty and non-empty buckets) is discussed separately in the sections
below.
Figure 9: Example of a Bucket Grid on a 2D Source Mesh
Case 1: The bucket associated with a target node is non-empty
If the bucket associated to a given target node is non-empty, the mapping algorithm attempts to match
each of the target nodes to one source element in the bucket.
Data Transfers
First, each target node is checked to see if it is in the domain of any of the source elements. This is
done by looping through all the source elements in that bucket and checking to see if the target node
is within their domain. For each source element in the bucket, the vector elementlocal (or natural)
coordinates (corresponding to the vector of global coordinates of the target node, ) is found by
solving the set of nonlinear equations given by the isoparametric mapping below:
(4)
where is the matrix of linear shape functions associated with the source element and is
the vector of global coordinates of elementlocal node . It is then checked to see if lies within the
domain of the source element based on certain criteria discussed next.
For a four-noded quadrilateral source element, if the natural coordinates corresponding to a target
node satisfy the conditions in Equation 5 (p. 49) below, the target node is said to be exactly within the
domain of the element.
(5)
where and are the components of the vector of natural coordinates . However, if the natural
coordinates do not satisfy the conditions in Equation 5 (p. 49) but do satisfy the ones in Equation 6 (p. 49)
below, then the target node is in the domain of the source element but only within the specified toler-
ance (also known as element edge tolerance). The value of tolerance is exposed in the System
Coupling UI as one of the expert settings. See the description of ProfMapEdgeTol in the section
Expert Settings Related to Mapping in Expert Settings (p. 24).
(6)
This concept is explained with the help of Figure 10: A Quadrilateral Source Element in the Natural Co-
ordinate Space (p. 50) wherein a quadrilateral source element is shown along with two different target
nodes, one of which satisfies Equation 5 (p. 49), and other that satisfies Equation 6 (p. 49).
Figure 10: A Quadrilateral Source Element in the Natural Coordinate Space
Similarly, for a three-noded triangle element, the conditions listed in Equation 7 (p. 50) below, are used
to check if a target node is exactly within the domain of the element:
(7)
And the conditions in Equation 8 (p. 50) below will determine if the target node is within the domain
but up to a tolerance .
(8)
Now that target nodes are determined to be in the domain of specific source elements, each node must
be paired with only one source element. In both of the cases above (four-noded quadrilateral and three-
noded triangle), it is possible that a target node occurs (either exactly or within a tolerance) in more
than one source elements domain. The finite element interpolation of the nodal solution requires each
target node to be paired with only one source element.
To satisfy this requirement, the target node is consequently paired with that source element for which
the gap is minimized. The gap is defined as the Euclidean distance between the target node and its
projection onto/into a source element. In some cases, such as when candidate source elements are co-
planar, the gap values may be identical and an alternate approach is required to pair the target node
with one source element. Under these conditions, only the source elements with identical (and minimized)
gaps are considered. The target node may be exactly in the domain of any of these source element, or
Data Transfers
it will be in their domain within a tolerance. Preference is given to the last source element for which
the target node is exactly in its domain. If the target node is only in the different domains within a
tolerance, then the last candidate source element is used.
Once the target node is paired with a source element, mapping weights are computed by evaluating
the finite element shape functions associated with the paired source element at the target node.
If no target node-to-source element match is found in a non-empty bucket, then the target node is re-
ported as being unmapped. It is important to note, however, that mapping weights are still evaluated
for such nodes using the Bucket Surface Algorithm. Specifically, all unmapped target nodes are simply
mapped to the nearest source node in the bucket and the target node is assigned the solution value
corresponding to that source node.
Note
Significant gap distances between successfully-mapped target nodes and source elements
may occur. For information about how to have mapped nodes with gap distances larger
than a specified tolerance be reported as unmapped, see Expert Settings Related to Mapping
in Expert Settings (p. 24).
Case 2: The bucket associated with a target node is empty
If the bucket initially found for the target node is empty, then the closest non-empty bucket is found
and the same procedure as highlighted in Case 1 is followed so that each target node is mapped to
one source element and mapping weights are calculated.
Unmapped Nodes
With the Bucket Surface algorithm, there are two types of target nodes that can be reported as un-
mapped: nodes that do not fall within a bucket (these are unmatched nodes), and nodes that do fall
within a bucket, but that do not meet the gap tolerance (these are "gap nodes). Unmatched nodes
are mapped to the nearest source node in the bucket and the target node is simply assigned the solution
value corresponding to that source node. Unmatched nodes are always reported as unmapped in the
SCL file. Gap nodes are within a bucket, and so are mapped to the source nodes like all of the other
mapped nodes and given a value accordingly. Gap nodes are reported as mapped in the SCL file. The
gap tolerance and the reporting of gap nodes in the SCL file can be modified using Expert Settings (p. 24).
General Grid Interface (GGI)

The underlying ideas for this algorithm are presented in the article on Three- Dimensional Navier Stokes
Predictions of Steady-State Rotor/Stator Interaction with Pitch Change, 3rd Annual Conference of the CFD,
Society of Canada, Banff, Alberta, Canada, Advanced Scientific Computing Ltd, by P.F. Galpin, R.B. Broberg
and B.R. Hutchinson, June 25-27, 1995. This algorithm generates weights that are ideal for transferring
conserved quantities such as mass, momentum and energy flows.
In this algorithm, each element face on both the source and the target sides is first divided into n integ-
ration point (IP) (sub-) faces, where n is the number of nodes on the face. The three-dimensional IP
faces are then converted into a two-dimensional quadrilaterals made up of rows and columns of pixels.
Pixels from the converted quadrilaterals on the source and target sides are intersected, creating a
number of overlapped areas called control surfaces. Mapping weight contributions are evaluated for
each control surface based upon the associated source and target element face areas and the pixel in-
tersections. Final mapping weights for each of the target (or source) nodes are evaluated by accumulating
these control surface contributions.
If no control surfaces are created (for example, when no polygon intersection between mapping source
and target exists), then mapping weights are identically zero and nodes and elements on the target (or
source) side of the interface are reported as being unmapped.
As an example, consider the schematic shown in Figure 11: General Grid Interface Mapping (p. 52) that
corresponds to a typical interface between the source (sending) and target (receiving) sides. In the
schematic, the control surfaces resulting from the intersection of all IP faces on the interface (labeled
with an X), are shown. For example, the IP faces S1 and S2 on the source side intersect with the IP
faces R1 and R2 on the target side creating areas A1, A2, and A3 on the control surface. In this case,
the mapping weight contributions for the target IP face R1 (and associated target node) that are asso-
ciated with the source IP faces S1 and S2 (and nodes) are respectively given by:
(9)
and
(10)
Figure 11: General Grid Interface Mapping
Interpolation Algorithms
The interpolation algorithm is responsible for providing target node values using the source data and
mapping weights that were generated by the mapping algorithm(s) (see Mapping Algorithms (p. 46)).
The mapping weights are applied in Equation 11 (p. 53) to evaluate , which is the target node, or it-
eration point (IP) face value.
Data Transfers
(11)
where is the value at the source node, and is the associated weight. For weights obtained
with the bucket surface mapping algorithm, is the number of nodes in the source element. For weights
obtained via the GGI mapping algorithm, is the number of areas (associated with a target IP face)
obtained due to the intersection of the sender and receiver faces on the control surface.
Interpolated Data Post-Processing Algorithms

Interpolated data post-processing algorithms are the last step in the data transfer process. In many
situations (such as an implicit coupling where the number of coupling iterations within a coupling step
is more than one), the interpolated target data needs to be post-processed before it is exposed to the
target participant of the data transfer. Two optional post-processing algorithms may be applied to the
target data generated during interpolation: ramping and under-relaxation. Each of these algorithms is
used to improve convergence of the overall analysis. Other post-processing algorithms that are auto-
matically applied involve:
clipping unphysical data values (p. 55), and
creation of supplemental data on mesh. For information on the creation of supplemental data, see Data
Pre-Processing Algorithms (p. 45).
Unless otherwise noted, post-processing algorithms are applied to each:
data transfer location (node), and
component of vector data transfers
Ramping Algorithm
The ramping controlled by the System Coupling service works by slowing the application of the source-
side value on the target-side of the data transfer. For each data transfer location (node) where
is true, the following formula is applied:
(12)
where
is the ramped, target-side value.
is the reference target-side value, which for the first coupling step is the initial
value for the data transfer variable (see Table 3: Initial Values used for the Reference
Target-Side Value (p. 54)). Thereafter, the reference target-side value is the final value
from the previous coupling step. The one exception is displacement, where for every
coupling step, is always 0.0 [m].
is the raw, target-side value obtained from interpolation.
is the current coupling iteration number within the coupling step.
is the minimum number of coupling iterations per coupling step.
Under-Relaxation Algorithm
Under-relaxation works by limiting a potentially large variation of the target-side data between two
successive coupling iterations. For each data transfer location (node), the following formula is applied:
(13)
where
is the relaxed, target-side value.

is the reference target-side value. For coupling iterations within a coupling
step, the reference target-side value is the final value from the last coupling iteration.
For the first coupling iteration of the first coupling step, the reference target-side value
is the initial value for the data transfer variable (see Table 3: Initial Values used for the
Reference Target-Side Value (p. 54)). For the first coupling iteration of all subsequent
steps, the reference target-side value is the final value from the last coupling step.
is the raw, target-side value obtained from interpolation or from ramping (if applied).
Note that if you have applied both ramping and under-relaxation, the data is first ramped
and then under-relaxed. In this case, for the under-relaxations raw
target-side value.
is the under-relaxation factor (URF). In a transient analysis, in the first coupling iteration
of every coupling step, the URF is overridden and set to 1, and so data transferred at
this coupling iteration is not under-relaxed.
Initial Values used in Ramping and Under-Relaxation Algorithms

The default for the initial value used as the reference target-side value ( ) in Equation 12 (p. 53)
and Equation 13 (p. 54) is based on the physical type of the variable. The default values are listed in
Table 3: Initial Values used for the Reference Target-Side Value (p. 54).
Table 3: Initial Values used for the Reference Target-Side Value
Variable Initial Value used for the Notes

Type Reference Target-Side
Value ( )
Incremental 0.0 [m] For the ramping algorithm,
displacement the reference target-side
value for incremental
displacement is always 0.0
[m] for every coupling step.
Force 0.0 [N]
Temperature 295.15 [K] Variables of this type include
temperature and near wall
temperature.
Heat Rate 0.0 [W]
Heat Transfer 0.0 [Wm-2K-1]
Coefficient
These defaults for the initial values above can be overridden using the methods discussed in the section
Expert Settings (p. 24). Note that for the ramping algorithm, the reference target-side value for displace-
ment cannot be modified using expert settings.
Clipping Algorithm
Although uncommon, it is possible that unphysical values, such as negative heat transfer coefficients,
are provided by the data transfer source or are generated during mapping. To ensure unphysical values
are not applied to the data transfer target, these unphysical values are clipped to be within a valid
range. For example, any negative heat transfer coefficient values are changed to 0 [Wm-2K-1] before
being transferred to the target participant.
The variable(s) that are clipped and their valid range are listed in the table below. Note that at the end
of any coupling step where clipping is used, the System Coupling Log file will have a message about
the clipping.
Variable Minimum Value Maximum Value

Type
Heat Transfer 0 [Wm-2K-1] unlimited
Coefficient

This section outlines the files used by the coupling service during its execution.
System Coupling Service Input File (scInput.sci)
System Coupling Service Shutdown File (scStop.stop)
System Coupling Service Input File (scInput.sci)

The scInput.sci file, which is an XML file generated by the System Coupling system in Workbench,
provides analysis-related inputs to the coupling service. The input XML file is composed of several dif-
ferent sections: participants, analysis, transfers, and execution control. You can modify this file, with an
appropriate XML editor, although this is not encouraged.
When the System Coupling system's Setup cell is up-to-date and the System Coupling user interface is
active (by editing either the System Coupling Setup or Solution cell), you will be able to export, and
save, the input file using the Export SCI File option available from the Workbench File menu.
For more detailed information about the input file contents, see Understanding the System Coupling
Input File (p. 58).
System Coupling Service Shutdown File (scStop.stop)

If a text file named scStop.stop is found in the coupling services run directory, then the service will
shut down as soon as possible. The shutdown file should contain two (or more) lines as shown below:
0
The reason for terminating the analysis
The first line contains an integer flag that indicates whether or not the termination should be interpreted
as an interrupt or as a stop.
With an integer value of 0, the analysis will be interrupted; the coupling service will complete the current
coupling step and signal the co-simulation participants that the execution has ended. This will cause the
coupling service and participants to shutdown cleanly.
With an integer value of 1, the analysis will be stopped; the coupling service will signal the co-simulation
participants to abort the run as quickly as possible. This will not produce a clean shutdown.
The second and subsequent lines in the file are reported in the coupling services log file when summar-
izing the reason for shutting down the coupled analysis.

This section outlines the files generated by the coupling service during its execution.
System Coupling Server File (scServer.scs)
System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl)
System Coupling Results File (scResults_##_######.scr)
System Coupling Server File (scServer.scs)

The scServer.scs file, which is written to the services run directory, contains information that is
used to connect the participants to the coupling service. This file is generated shortly after the coupling
service is started, and indicates that the coupling service is ready to receive connections from the co-
simulation coupling participants.
This text file contains the following lines of data:
The coupling server's port and host, separated by an @ character.
A block containing the number of co-simulation participants connected to the System Coupling system
in the Workbench schematic, and their unique and display names. In the Workbench environment:
the unique names are automatically generated and are reported as the ComponentID in the Prop-
erties view of the co-simulation participants Solution cell,
the display names correspond to the names (which you are able to specify) below the participants
system
The licensing ID of the System Coupling analysis
The license server's port and host, separated by an '@' character, at which the coupling participant
codes (i.e., solvers) can reach the license server
Example 1: An Example scServer.scs File

12345@CouplingServer.mydomain.com !Coupling servers port and host
2 !Number of co-simulation participants
Fluent !Participant 1 Unique Name
Fluent Solver Display Name !Participant 1 Display Name
Ansys !Participant 2 Unique Name
Ansys Solver Display Name !Participant 2 Display Name
12345 !Licensing ID of the System Coupling
Analysis
54321@LicenseServer.mydomain.com !License server's port and host
Note
When the participants are started and instructed to connect to the running SC Service, they
must connect to the service using the unique names (for example, Fluent and Ansys in
the example above).
System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl)

The scLog.scl file provides key runtime information related to a coupled analysis between various
participants, including:
The command line used to start the system coupling service
System coupling header and build information
A summary of system coupling setup information, including:
Analysis information
Coupling participant information (number of participants, and summary information pertaining to

each participant)
Data transfer information (number of data transfers, and summary information pertaining to each
data transfer)
Execution control information (co-simulation sequence, debug output)
Setup validation (summary of system coupling input file validation)
System coupling co-simulation summary (summary of system coupling participants)
Solution information, including:
Mapping summary (including percentages of mapped source and target nodes and the percentages
of mapped source and target areas, depending upon the mapping algorithm that was used)
Convergence information at each coupling step and iteration
The information here includes the coupling step index, the current analysis time for transient
couplings, the coupling iteration index, the participant name and data transfer name, the
participant convergence status (for example, Not Yet Converged..., Converged, and so on),
and the data transfer convergence (for example, the RMS/Maximum normalized change).
Shutdown information, including:
Run completion status
During the execution of a run, the service log file, named scLog.scl_, is generated, evolving with
the analysis, and is finally renamed at the end of the run. The final log file is named with the convention:
scLog_##.scl, where the suffix _## denotes the run index. For example, scLog_13.scl corresponds
to the 13th run (that is, the 12th restart) executed for the analysis.
For more detailed information about the log file contents, see Understanding the System Coupling Log
File (p. 65).
System Coupling Results File (scResults_##_######.scr)

The system coupling results file contains important data generated and used by the system coupling
service during the analysis. This data enable you to:
Restart the analysis or continue from a previous analysis
Post-process the heavy weight interface data
Monitor the analysis convergence
Reconstruct the analysis
The specific data contained in the file are summarized as:
A history of the input (SCI) files used to drive the coupling services execution
Convergence data corresponding to the data transfers and solvers field equations
Heavyweight data corresponding to the source and target regions and variables for defined data transfers
A system coupling results file is always created at the end of the analysis. The default file naming con-
vention is of the form scResults_##_######.scr, where the run index is recorded in the _##
suffix and the coupling step index is recorded in the _###### suffix (for example, scRes-
ult_13_000101.scr corresponds to the 101st coupling step within the 13th run of the analysis). In-
termediate results files, with the same naming convention, can also be created at various coupling step
intervals (defined by you) during the analysis.
Important
All data stored in the System Coupling Result file(s) are written in the SI unit system.

The input XML file is composed of several different sections: participants, analysis, transfers, and execution
control.
The participant section contains information obtained through the coupling data interface (CDI) and
the connections to upstream solver systems. It is intended to be read-only. In the participants section,
you can view the Count (an integer representing the number of connected participants). For each
connected participant, you can view the following: Note that depending upon the type of participant
(co-simulation or static data), some of the options may or may not be applicable.
Type (integer attribute)
The type of coupling participant (0 co-simulation, 1 static data)
Name (string)
The name of the participant. This is the name with which the participant identifies itself to the system
coupling. This corresponds to the Component ID which is unique to a specific systems Solution
cell in the Workbench user interface.
DisplayName (wide string)
The display name of the participant provided by you in the in Workbench user interface.
FilePath (string)
The full path to the primary file used to access source data from a static data participant.
SupportsCouplingIterations (boolean)
Whether or not the co-simulation participant supports the execution of multiple coupling iterations
per coupling step.
UnitSystem
Regions (options below are applicable to an individual region)
Name (string)
The name of the region (intrinsic to the participant).
The display name of the region given by you in the Workbench user interface.
TopologicalDimensionality (integer)
The geometry type of the region (0 undefined, 1 point, 2 curve, 3 surface, 4 volume).
Variables (options below are applicable to an individual variable)
Name (string)
The name of the variable (intrinsic to the participant).
The display name of the variable given by you in the Workbench user interface.
PhysicalType (string)
The physical type of the variable (options include: Length / Force).
BaseUnits (strings denoting base units for all data of noted physical type)
Length (string)
Time (string)
Mass (string)
Luminance (string)
Angle (string)
SolidAngle (string)
Temperature (string)
ChemicalAmount (string)
Current (string)
The analysis section contains details used to define the coupled analysis. In the analysis section, you
can set the following:
AnalysisType (integer)
This setting defines the nature of the sequential steps used in coupling co-simulation participants.
Available option is 0 (general), and 1 (transient).
Initialization
This setting defines the initial time for the coupled analysis
Option (integer)
Available options are 0 (Program Controlled) and 1 (Start Time). The former is the default option
for coupling initialization. When this option is used, the coupling service will make the most appro-
priate choice of an initial time value. When the latter option is used, the coupling service will
override the initial/start time for the analysis with the value specified as part of Time (see below).
Time (double)
If option 1 is chosen above, then this is the initial time for the coupling analysis.
Duration
This setting defines the duration of the coupled analysis.
Option (integer)
Available options are 0 (NumberOfSteps) and 1 (EndTime).
NumberOfSteps (integer)
This option is available only if no end-time requirements exist for co-simulation participants.
Time (double)
Final time of coupling analysis.
Step
MaximumIterations (integer)
The maximum number of coupling iterations allowed per coupling step.
MinimumIterations (integer)
The minimum number of coupling iterations allowed per coupling step.
Size (double)
The size of the coupling step when it is associated with a time (this is done for transient analyses,
size is measured in seconds).
Option (integer)
Available option is 1 (coupling step size, used for transient analyses) and 0 (non dimensional step
size, used for general analyses).
UnitSystem (string)
The transfers section contains details used to define the data transfers between any static and co-sim-
ulation coupling participants. In the transfers section, you can set the Count (an integer representing
the total number of data transfers) as an attribute. For each coupling transfer, you can set the following:
Name (string)
The name of the transfer (which you provided) in the Workbench user interface.
ExecuteCouplingAt (integer)
This setting defines when the current data transfer is executed during the coupled analysis. The
only available option is 2 (Start of Iteration).
Source
The information related to the source participant involved in the data transfer.
Participant (string)
The name of the source participant.
Region (string)
The name of the source region (defined for a given participant) participating in the data transfer.
Variable (string)
The name of the source variable, the data corresponding to which is exchanged during the data
transfer (also defined for a given participant).
Target
The information related to the target participant involved in the data transfer
Participant (string)
The name of the target participant
Region (string)
The name of the target region participating in the data transfer
Variable (string)
The name of the target variable, the data corresponding to which is exchanged during the data
transfer
ConvergenceOption (integer)
Specifies the type of data transfer convergence check in an implicit coupling (that is, if more than
one coupling iteration per coupling step is specified; a value of 0 indicates the RMS normalized
change).
ConvergenceTarget (double)
The target value that determines the convergence of the data transfer
UnderRelaxationFactor (double)
The under-relaxation factor (URF) applied to the data increments between any two successive coupling
iterations. The URF has a range of . Note that when transferring incremental displacement,
the URF must equal 1. In this case, a value less than 1 can lead to an accumulation of errors, and the
following warning will be displayed in your SCL file:
The under relaxation factor for the data transfer named '<name of data transfer>' is smaller
than one. Under relaxation factor less than one for incremental displacement might lead to errors.
Ramping (integer)
This setting defines if and how ramping is used when applying data from the source-side to the target-
side of the data transfer. Valid options are: 0 none (that is, stepped), and 1 linearly ramped up to
the minimum number of coupling iterations. The default is none, which implies the target side of
the data transfer experiences the full value from the source side during the first coupling iteration.
The execution control section contains details used to define the solution sequence between the
coupling participants, the system coupling debug output, intermediate result files output, and expert
settings. For each participant, you can set the following:
CoSimulationSequence
This subsection is used to specify the sequencing of co-simulation coupling participants (most often
solvers) during a coupling iteration. In the CoSimulationSequence subsection, the 'Count' attribute
specifies the number of participants for which sequencing information will be provided.
Participant
A Participant subsection is required for each co-simulation participant.
Name (string)
The name of the participant.
SolutionSequence (integer)
The sequence number of the participant in the coupled solution. Within a coupling iteration, a
participant with a larger sequence number will solve later than another with a lower sequence
number.
DebugOutput
This subsection is used to specify the section(s) of debug output to write to the system coupling log
(SCL) file. As presented below, the level of detail is specified for each section or all sections (the default).
DefaultOutputLevel (integer)
This setting provides the default level for the different sections of debug output. If this entry is set
and another specific entry (for example, Startup) also exists, then the output level for the specific
entry will override the level set here.
Startup (integer)
This setting controls the level of output from the start of the coupling service until creation of the
Summary of SC Setup banner in the SCL file.
ParticipantConnection (integer)
This setting controls the level of output from the end of the setup validation until the Initial Syn-
chronization synchronization point.
AnalysisInitialization (integer)
This setting controls the level of output from the Analysis Initialization until the Solution syn-
chronization point.
SolutionInitialization (integer)
This setting controls the level of output during the setup of coupling steps and iterations. This
output does not include information related to the data transfers.
ConvergenceChecks (integer)
This setting controls the level of output from the Check Convergence synchronization point until
the next synchronization point, which may be either Shutdown or Solution.
Shutdown (integer)
This setting controls the level of output after the Shutdown synchronization point.
Transfers
This section is used to specify the debug output generated for data transfers. Note that header
information for mapping is generated whenever the mesh coordinate or mesh topology output is
requested. Similarly, header information for the data transfers is generated whenever the transfer
data output is requested.
DefaultOutputLevel (integer)
This setting provides the default level for the different kinds of debug output. If this entry is set
and another specific entry (for example, SourceMeshCoords) also exists, then the output level
for the specific entry will override the level set here.
SourceMeshCoords (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for mesh coordinates of the source region in all data
transfers.
SourceMeshTopol (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for mesh topology (elements and nodes) of the source
region in all data transfers.
SourceData (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for the source data in all data transfers.
TargetMeshCoords (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for mesh coordinates of the source region in all data
transfers.
TargetMeshTopol (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for mesh topology (elements and nodes) of the source
region in all data transfers.
TargetData (integer)
This setting controls the level of output for the target data in all data transfers.
The level of detail to include in debug output is controlled using one of the following integer values
for either the default or specific sections of output:
0: None
1: Level 1
2: Level 2
3: Level 3
4: Level 4
5: All Levels
Increasing values always generate more detailed output. Note, as well, that the output level settings
for each of the mesh coordinates and topology, and transfer data control the number of lines of
output generated. Specifically, 10L lines of data will be written for an output level setting of L (for
example, 100 lines will be written for an output level of 2, or Level 2).
IntermediateResultsFileOutput
This subsection is used to specify the frequency at which intermediate result files, which can be used
for restarts, are written by the System Coupling service.
FrequencyOption (integer)
Available options are 0 (every coupling step) and 1 (coupling step interval)
StepInterval (integer)
The coupling step interval at which intermediate result files should be generated (Note that this
is valid only when FrequencyOption is set to Step Interval). For example, using a step interval
of 3, results will be generated at steps 3, 6, 9, ...
The following entry may be reported in the SCI file, but is not used by the System Coupling service:
MappingSettings

The System Coupling Service log file (scLog.scl) provides key run time information and is divided
into four blocks:
start-up and executable information,
coupled analysis setup information,
solution details,
and shut-down information.
The start time and date, command line information and executable details for the run appear as follows:
Run start time and date: 10:15:41, Sep 19 2014
Command line used to start this service:
C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\v180\aisol\bin\winx64\Ansys.Services.SystemCoupling.exe -inputFile scInput.sci
======================================================================
======================================================================
======================================================================
| |
| ANSYS System Coupling Service |
| Version 16.0, Copyright 2014 |
| (Build Info. - 10:09:03, Sep 19 2014) |
| |
======================================================================
======================================================================
======================================================================
The command used to start the System Coupling service is given next as shown below:
Command line used to start this service: C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc
(Dev)\v180\aisol\bin\winx64\Ansys.Services.SystemCoupling.exe
An echo of the SC service input file is provided next in the log file below the following header:
======================================================================
======================================================================
| |
| Summary of System Coupling Setup |
| |
======================================================================
======================================================================
The information generally found in this section includes unit system data (for example, MKS, and so
on), as well as information relating to coupling (time versus coupling step), initialization (options such
as time value or initial coupling step), duration (for example, end time), and step size and the maxim-
um/minimum number of iterations.
Note
When the coupling is defined by coupling step (and not by time), then time-related inform-
ation (initial time, end time, or step size) is not displayed in this section of the log file, and
only step-related information is available (for example, initial step, number of steps, maximum
and minimum iterations).
Summary of System Coupling Setup
Under this section of the log file, there are sub-blocks (for example, Analysis Information, Coupling
Participant Information, Data Transfer Information, Execution Control Information, Setup Validation
and System Coupling Co-Simulation Summary). A brief description of these sub-blocks is provided
below.
The Analysis Information section includes basic information about the coupling definition, the unit
system, as well as time and step information.
======================================================================
| Analysis Information |
======================================================================
General :
Analysis Type = Transient
Unit System = MKS
Initialization :
Option = Automatic
Step :
Option = Step Size
Size = 0.05
Minimum Iterations = 5
Minimum Iterations = 5
Duration :
Option = End Time
Time = 0.05
The Coupling Participant Information section includes information about each of the solvers connected
to the system coupling simulations (for example, internal name, type (either Co-Simulation or Static
Data), units, and so on). Additional information for coupled regions and variables that appear in data
transfers is also displayed in this section of the log file. This additional information includes: the coupled
name and type (for regions); and the variable name and physical type (for variables). This information
is not displayed for regions and/or variables that do not participate in data transfers. If such regions or
variables exist, a message is written to indicate that the related information has been omitted from this
section of the log file.
======================================================================
| Coupling Participant Information (2) |
======================================================================
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Participant: Fluent |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
General :
Unit System = MKS_STANDARD
Type = CoSimulation
Name = Fluent
Summary of Coupling Regions (1)

Region : plate
Internal Name = plate
Type = Surface
Summary of Coupling Variables (2)

Variable : Displacement Display Name
Internal Name = INCD
Physical Type = Length
Variable : Force Display Name
Internal Name = FORC
Physical Type = Force
Summary of Base Units (9)

Angle = radian
ChemicalAmount = mol
Current = A
Length = m
Luminance = cd
Mass = kg
SolidAngle = sr
Temperature = C
Time = s
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Participant: External Data |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
General :
Unit System = SI
Type = Static Data
Name = Setup 2
File Path = external_load_data.xml
Summary of Coupling Regions (1)

Region : File1
Internal Name = ExtDataReg_Setup 2_0
Type = Surface
Summary of Coupling Variables (1)

Variable : Temperature1
Internal Name = ExtDataVar_Setup 2_0_1
Physical Type = Temperature
Summary above omits variables not used in data transfers.
Summary of Base Units (9)

Angle = radian
ChemicalAmount = mol
Current = A
Length = m
Luminance = cd
Mass = kg
SolidAngle = sr
Temperature = K
Time = s
The Data Transfer Information section includes:
Region and variable information for the source and target of each data transfer
Data transfer options, such as the convergence criteria and target
The under-relaxation factor
Ramping option
======================================================================
| Data Transfer Information (2) |
======================================================================
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Data Transfer: Mechanical Displacement to Fluent |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
Source : Mechanical
Region = Mechanical Wall Display Name
Variable = DISP Display Name
Target : Fluent
Region = plate
Variable = Displacement Display Name
General Information :
Name = Mechanical Displacement to Fluent
Execute Transfer At = Start Of Iteration
Convergence Option = RMS Change In Data
Target Value = 0.01
Under Relax. Factor = 0.25
Ramping = None
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Data Transfer: Fluent Force to Mechanical |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
Source : Fluent
Region = plate
Variable = Force Display Name
Target : Mechanical
Region = Mechanical Wall Display Name
Variable = FORC Display Name
General Information :
Name = Fluent Force to Mechanical
Execute Transfer At = Start Of Iteration
Convergence Option = RMS Change In Data
Target Value = 0.01
Under Relax. Factor = 0.25
Ramping = Linear to Min. Iterations
The Execution Control Information section includes a summary of the sequencing of co-simulation
participants, and requests for debug and intermediate result file output. Note that the debug and inter-
mediate result output summaries are generated only if such output is requested. For example:
======================================================================
| Execution Control Information |
======================================================================
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Co-Simulation Sequence |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
Sequence Index : 1
Fluent Solver
Sequence Index : 2
Mechanical Solver
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Debug Output |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
General Output :
Default = Level 1
Startup = None
Participant Conn. = None
Analysis Init. = None
Solution Init. = None
Convergence Checks = None
Shutdown = None
Data Transfer Output :

Default = Level 1
Source Coords. = None
Source Topology = None
Source Data = None
Target Coords. = None
Target Topology = None
Target Data = None
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Intermediate Restart Data Output |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
Output Frequency :
Option = Step Interval
Interval = 3
The Setup Validation section includes any warning or error messages that may have been generated.
For example:
======================================================================
| Setup Validation |
======================================================================
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Warnings ( 1) |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
1 ) Auto-Correction: The specified maximum iterations per step is less

than the specified minimum iterations. The maximum iterations will
be set to the minimum iterations.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Errors ( 1) |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
1 ) The solution sequence specified for the participant named 'Fluent'

is not greater than zero. Adjust this (and other) sequence
values appropriately.
The System Coupling CoSimulation Summary section includes a brief summary of the participants in
the co-simulation.
======================================================================
| System Coupling CoSimulation Summary |
======================================================================
Participant : Mechanical APDL

Version/Build Info = Mechanical APDL Release 16.0 UP20130905
DISTRIBUTED WINDOWS x64 Version
Participant : Fluent
Version/Build Info = ANSYS Fluent 16.0.0
Solution
Next is the Solution block. Under it, the following information is provided.
======================================================================
======================================================================
| |
| Solution |
| |
======================================================================
======================================================================
The Solution block contains a Mapping Summary section:
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| MAPPING SUMMARY |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Data Transfer | |
| Diagnostic | Source Side | Target Side |
+----------------------------------+----------------+----------------+
| Mechanical Displacement to Fluent| | |
| Percent Nodes Mapped | N/A | 100 |
| Fluent Force to Mechanical | | |
| Percent Nodes Mapped | 100 | 100 |
| Percent Area Mapped | 100 | 100 |
+----------------------------------+----------------+----------------+
The current coupling step number and the current simulation time are reported as shown below. This
information will be a part of a box that is repeated in the log file at the beginning of every coupling
step. It looks similar to the following:
+====================================================================+
| COUPLING STEP = 1 SIMULATION TIME = 0.001 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Solver | Solution Status |
| Data Transfer | |
| Diagnostics | Source Side Target Side |
+====================================================================+
Note that if the simulation is defined only by steps (and not by time), then the log file output will only
present step-related information.
Next is another box that repeats every coupling iteration of every coupling step. It looks like:
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| COUPLING ITERATION = 1 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Fluent | Not yet converged... |
|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| Mechanical Displacement to Fluent| Not yet converged... |
| Change:RMS | 1.00000e+000 1.00000e+000 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mechanical | Not yet converged... |
|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| Fluent Force to Mechanical | Not yet converged... |
| Change:RMS | 1.00000e+000 1.00000e+000 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| COUPLING ITERATION = 2 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Fluent | Converged |
|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| Mechanical Displacement to Fluent| Converged |
| Change:RMS | 2.82982e-005 1.42982e-004 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mechanical | Converged |
|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| Fluent Force to Mechanical | Converged |
| Change:RMS | 1.30000e-004 2.08200e-000 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
As indicated above, after every coupling iteration, the convergence status is given for each participant.
Common participant status values are Converged and Not yet converged..., however, Diver-
gence detected... and Status Unavailable could also be reported. Below the solver status
is a list of the data transfers for which the participant is the target, plus diagnostics used to evaluate
convergence of the data transfer. Any supplemental diagnostics (as described in the SC Log Output
Control Settings section in Understanding the System Coupling Input File (p. 58)) that have been re-
quested are also included here.
Notes specific to the execution of a given coupling step will be reported under the final coupling iteration
of the step. For example:
+====================================================================+
| NOTES |
| * During this coupling step, the target variable, Convection |
| Coefficient, was clipped for the data transfer: Upper HTC. |
| * Intermediate result file written: scResult_01_000475.scr |
+====================================================================+
Shutdown
Next is the Shut Down block under which the following information is included:
======================================================================
======================================================================
| |
| Shut Down |
| |
======================================================================
======================================================================
System Coupling Service shut down...
Run completed successfully.
The preceding output is generated under normal shutdown conditions. If a co-simulation participant
(or the coupling service itself ) fails during the analysis, the normal shutdown output will be replaced
by messages similar to the following:
+====================================================================+
| NOTICE |
| An exception has occurred and has been transmitted to the coupling |
| participants. These participants have been disconnected from the |
| coupling service. |
+====================================================================+
+====================================================================+
| System Coupling Exception |
+====================================================================+
| Origin : Fluids Problem (Solution 1) |
| Error Code : 2 |
| Error Description : |
| Fluent encountered fatal error after sync point Solve |
+====================================================================+
System coupling run completed with errors.
The first block indicates that all co-simulation participants have been notified of the problem. The
second block indicates the origin (that is, the coupling participant) of the failure, and an error code and
description. For additional information, see Troubleshooting Two-Way Coupled Analyses Problems (p. 74).
Best Practice Guidelines for Using System Coupling
This chapter presents ideas to facilitate the successful setup and execution of a coupled analysis via
the System Coupling infrastructure:
Building up a Coupled Analysis from Decoupled Systems
Troubleshooting Two-Way Coupled Analyses Problems
Improving Coupled Analysis Stability
Working with Surfaces that Meet at Small Angles
Building up a Coupled Analysis from Decoupled Systems

Coupling otherwise independent analysis systems often introduces additional non-linearity to the
solution and solution process. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you verify that all of
your constitutive analyses run independently before you systematically build up your one- and two-
way coupled analyses.
The independent analyses executed prior to coupled analysis should attempt to replicate the effects of
the coupled problem as closely as possible. For fluid-structure interaction problems, for example, the
fluid-only analysis could include user-specified motion that approximately models the expected motion
(or range thereof ) from the structural analysis. Similarly, the structure-only analysis could include a user-
specified load that approximately models the expected load (magnitude and distribution) from the
fluid analysis.
Prior to executing two-way coupled analyses, it is also strongly recommended that you execute a set
of one-way coupled analyses. The benefits of building up coupled analyses this way include:
Augmenting the fully decoupled analyses proposed above with a more accurate approximation of the
inputs expected from the independent analysis
Verifying the need for a two-way coupled analysis by assessing the sensitivity of the dependent analysis
to inputs expected from the independent analysis
For fluid-structure interaction problems, for example, loads exported from the fluid-only analysis could
be applied in the structure-only analysis. If, under these conditions, a significant deformation due to
the applied loads is observed, then a two-way coupled analysis may be appropriate. Note, however,
that two-way coupled analyses are significantly more computationally expensive (by approximately an
order of magnitude) than one-way coupled analyses.
Execution of a two-way coupled analysis follows once fully decoupled and one-way coupled analyses
are verified to run as expected and the need to execute a two-way coupled analysis is confirmed. Even
at this point, however, difficulties may be encountered during the execution of the two-way coupled
analysis due to the increased complexity of this problem. The following information will aid in debugging
such analyses.

Once any solution difficulties associated with executing fully decoupled and one-way coupled analyses
have been addressed, a two-way coupled analysis may be attempted. The information presented in this
section provides a summary of tools and strategies available to facilitate debugging two-way coupled
analyses. These focus on text based and graphical monitor output, and supplemental output for visual-
ization in ANSYS CFD-Post.
For more information, see the following sections:

Using Text-Based Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses
Using Graphical Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses
Using Supplemental Output to Debug Coupled Analyses
Supplemental Output for Diagnosing Mapping Problems
Using Text-Based Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses

Text-based monitor output is contained in the System Coupling Log (SCL) file that is created in the run
directory. Sections of the SCL file that are most relevant to the debugging process are identified below.
If problems are encountered, you should carefully review all of these sections.
Setup Validation: This section facilitates review and verification of the input settings made for the system
coupling service. These inputs are validated by the coupling service, and both warnings and errors generated
during validation are reported here. Any automatic corrections applied to the inputs are listed with validation
warnings.
Mapping Summary: This section summarizes the extent to which the source and target regions associated
with each data transfer are correctly mapped onto one-another. Under normal conditions, diagnostics should
report a nearly perfect mapping. Less than perfect mappings should be critically considered for their validity.
Coupled Solution Convergence History: This section summarizes the convergence of both the coupling
participants and the data transfers that target each of the participants. It is strongly recommended that
sufficient coupling iterations be executed, per step, to ensure that the field equations solved by all coupling
participants and the data transfers defined for the coupled analysis converge fully. Note, however, that the
coupling service will advance to the next coupling step, regardless of convergence, once the maximum
number of coupling iterations per step has been executed. You are advised to identify and understand all
reasons for poor convergence of coupling participants or data transfers.
Error Messages: Fatal errors are reported, as they occur, in the log output. These errors may have originated
either within the coupling service itself or within any of the coupling participants. When such an error occurs,
output from the service and all participants should be critically reviewed.
Shutdown Reporting: Under normal conditions, the end of the log output generated by the coupling service
reports whether or not the coupled analysis completed successfully. When the analysis does not complete
successfully, additional information is provided as to what may have caused the problem.
For more information on the content of the SCL file see System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_,
scLog_##.scl) (p. 57). Note, as well, that supplemental debug output can also be written to the SCL
file to facilitate debugging. This output is generated by adding debug output specifications to the system
coupling setup.
Similar output files often exist (either by default or by user request) for the coupling participants. For
example, the ANSYS Fluent solver can generate a text based transcript file and the ANSYS Mechanical
APDL solver can generate a text based output file. Please refer to Supported System Coupling Parti-
cipants (p. 3) for more information regarding the text based monitor output that they can generate.
Using Graphical Monitor Output to Debug Coupled Analyses

Graphical monitor output is provided in the form of charts within the System Coupling user interface.
This output is most useful to quickly identify convergence problems. Once such problems are identified,
a review of text monitor output is usually appropriate.
Data that can be displayed in the system coupling chart includes:
Data transfer convergence and diagnostics, corresponding to the numerical data written to the system
coupling log file.
Co-simulation participant convergence, most often corresponding to the (normalized) field equation con-
vergence values from the solvers.
Each co-simulation participant provides whatever convergence data it can. Different amounts of data
may be available for charting from each co-simulation participant.
Convergence data is collected from a co-simulation participant at the end of that participants solution
during a given coupling iteration. In particular, the set of solver substep and solver iteration convergence
data corresponding to the coupling iteration are updated all at once. If rapid divergence and failure of
a solver occurs during a given coupling iteration, this information will not be included in the charted
output for that iteration.
Using Supplemental Output to Debug Coupled Analyses

At your request, the system coupling service will generate output that supplements the text-based and
graphical monitor output. As discussed below, the supplemental output facilitates the diagnosis of
mapping problems.
Note that visualization of multi-dimensional features (for example, mesh interface regions) of a problem
currently requires the use of an external viewer such as the Results component system (that is, CFD-
Post) in the ANSYS Workbench environment.
Supplemental Output for Diagnosing Mapping Problems

Supplemental output, which is specifically aimed at diagnosing mapping problems, includes:
Data transfer source and target interface meshes.
A scalar field indicating (un)mapped nodes.
To enable this output, create and set the expert setting DumpInterfaceMeshes to the value CFDPost.
When this setting is made, one user surface definition file (in a comma separated value, CSV, format)
will be generated by the coupling service during the mapping process for each source and target for
each data transfer. This data is used in the CFD-Post application either using the "Import Surface or Line
Data" functionality or by creating a user surface location directly from the definition file(s).
Once the user surfaces associated with the source and target interface meshes are created in CFD-Post,
they may be visually examined for consistency (for example, if the source and target surfaces or nodes
are coincident). The surface may be colored by the Unmapped variable, which will report values of 0
and 1 for unmapped and mapped nodes, respectively. This corresponds to blue and red, respectively,
using the default color map.
Unmapped nodes may also be visualized by inserting a point location with the Method set to Variable
Minimum for the Unmapped variable on the surface of interest. Attributes of the plotted points, such
as the symbol shape and size, may be edited to facilitate visualization.
Improving Coupled Analysis Stability

There are several ways to improve the stability of a coupled analysis:
Data Transfer Ramping
Participant Solution Stabilization
Co-Simulation Participants Sequencing
Data Transfer Ramping

In some cases, applying the full magnitude of data on the target side of data transfer interface will ini-
tiate oscillatory convergence or even divergence within and between the coupled co-simulation parti-
cipants. For this reason, the target side data may be ramped from the final value observed in the previous
coupling step (or zero during the first coupling step) to the full magnitude during the initial coupling
iterations within the current step.
For more information about ramping behavior and controls, see Data Transfers (p. 14). For more inform-
ation about the algorithm used for System Couplings ramping, see Ramping Algorithm (p. 53).
Participant Solution Stabilization

Solution instabilities that manifest as a very rapid divergence of the coupled analysis may arise if a
given coupling participant is particularly sensitive to data obtained from another participant. In these
cases, it may be advantageous to use various solution stabilization algorithms that have been imple-
mented in the target participant.
For an example of participant solution stabilization, refer to the dynamic mesh system coupling solution
options used in ANSYS Fluent, described in System Coupling Motion in the Fluent User's Guide.
Co-Simulation Participants Sequencing

In general, the driver of the physical problem should be processed first (that is, given a lower sequence
index). If, in a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation, the fluid flow (such as air flow around a wing)
causes the structure (that is, the wing) to deform, then the fluid analysis should be first in the processing
sequence.
The System Coupling infrastructure allows the co-simulation of multiple coupling participants. In many
cases, the execution (for example, solve) sequence of the co-simulation participants is inconsequential.
In some cases, however, the sequence may affect solution stability and/or the time required to execute
the complete coupled analysis.
Note
To improve solution stability, sequential solutions are used by default. To facilitate syn-
chronization of interface geometry, participants that consume geometrical or mesh de-
formations (e.g., the Fluids solver in a Fluid Structure Interaction analysis) are executed
last.
Controlling Participant Sequencing

Participant sequencing controls the order in which co-simulation participants collect data (as prescribed
by defined data transfers) and execute their part of the coupled analysis. Ordering is specifically controlled
by assigning a sequence index to each of the co-simulation participants. Participants with the smallest
sequence index are processed first. If two (or more) participants are assigned the same sequence index,
they are processed simultaneously (that is, required data is first collected from other participants, and
then the participants all execute (for example, solve) simultaneously.
Care is taken to ensure that the geometry and mesh are properly synchronized at the end of each
coupling step for all co-simulation participants. This is required to ensure consistency during post-pro-
cessing and during restarts. An extra partial coupling iteration reprocesses all participants that are
targets of deformation or motion-related data transfers. An extra partial iteration is executed once after
all convergence targets are met or the maximum number of coupling iterations for the step is realized.
A warning that extra partial iterations will be performed is provided in the validation output that follows
the setup summary in the System Coupling Service Log File (scLog.scl_, scLog_##.scl) (p. 57).
When an extra 'partial' coupling iteration is used to properly synchronize the interface geometry and
mesh, there will be no noticeable change in the geometry and mesh during the first coupling iteration
of the subsequent step. In this case, the system coupling chart output will have near-zero values for
the change in motion for the related data transfer values.
Using Sequencing to Reduce Coupled Solution Execution Time

As noted above, all co-simulation participants that share the same sequence index will collect data and
execute their respective parts of the coupled analysis at the same time. This is a way of parallelizing
the coupled solution process and potentially reducing the overall execution time of the coupled analysis.
However, convergence difficulties (for example, more coupling iterations per step) and possible diver-
gence may occur when multiple participants run simultaneously. This is because each participant in the
group that is solved simultaneously collects and uses less up-to-date information from other participants.
The stronger the physical coupling between each participant is, the more likely convergence difficulties
will be encountered if the participants are processed simultaneously.

If the geometry has surfaces that meet at small angles, create separate interfaces to perform separate
data transfers. This will avoid possible mapping problems, including unmapped nodes. See the figure
below.
If separate interfaces are not possible, the expert setting ConsMapTol can be used to reduce the mapping
tolerances (see ???). This solution isnt ideal as there is a compromise between a small tolerance to
prevent the mapper picking up nodes from the wrong side of the mesh and a large tolerance to prevent
unmapped nodes on faceted curved surfaces.
Figure 12: Create two interfaces when faces meet at a small angle
System Coupling Tutorials
Tutorials for release 18.0 are available on the ANSYS Customer Portal. To access tutorials and their input
files on the ANSYS Customer Portal, go to http://support.ansys.com/training.
Duration Defined By property, 10
Index
E
A End Time, 10
analysis settings, 9
best practices, 12 G
Analysis Settings field, 9 general analysis type, 12
Analysis Type property, 9
I
B initialization controls, 10
best practices, 73 input file, 58
C L
chart monitors, 29 log file, 20
co-simulation participant scLog.scl, 65
controlled by the system coupling service, 1
co-simulation participant sequencing, 76 M
co-simulation participant stability, 76 maximum iteration, 11
ramping, 76 minimum iteration, 11
solution stabilization, 76
command line options, 34 O
command line usage, 33 Outline view, 8
coupled analyses output
debugging using graphical monitor output, 75 intermediate, 22
debugging using text based monitor output, 74 output frequency
restarting, 35 all steps, 23
coupled solution execution time at step interval, 23
using sequencing to reduce, 77 none, 22
coupling initialization, 10
coupling service P
files used by, 55 participant
exchanges data in a coupled analysis, 1
D summary, 13
Data Transfers performance
creating, 14 improving in system coupling, 77
data transfers, 16, 44 Properties view, 8
algorithms, 46
profile preserving, 47 R
conservative profile preserving, 47 ramping, 53
interpolation algorithms, 52 region
mapping algorithms, 46 part of the topology of a coupling participant, 13
bucket surface, 48 restart data
General Grid Interface (GGI), 51 intermediate, 22
postprocessing interpolated data, 53 restart points, 10
ramping, 53 results file
under-relaxation, 54 scResults_##_######.scr, 58
pre-processing algorithms, 45
Debug Output control, 20 S
debugging two-way coupled analyses, 74
Scene view, 9
using graphical monitor output, 75
sequencing of solution steps, 20
using text based monitor output, 74
sequential solutions, 20
duration controls, 10
Index
server file
scServer.scs, 56
service input file
scInput.sci, 55
service log file
scLog.scl_, 57
service overview, 41
service shutdown file
scStop.stop, 55
simultaneous solutions, 20
Solution Information view, 9
Step Controls property, 11
step size, 11
system coupling
analyze decoupled systems first, 73
context menus
Setup cell, 23
Solution cell, 32
overview, 1
workspace, 7
system coupling management, 41
convergence management, 43
evaluating convergence, 43
inter-process communication, 41
process synchronization, 41
system coupling states
Setup cell, 23
Solution cell, 32
T
transient analysis type, 13
U
under-relaxation, 54
V
view
convergence plots, 9
outline, 8
properties, 8
scene, 9
solution information, 9

System Coupling Users Guide

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

System Coupling Users Guide

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

System Coupling User's Guide

ANSYS, Inc. Release 18.0

2016 SAS IP, Inc. Unauthorized use, distribution or duplication is prohibited.

U.S. Government Rights

Published in the U.S.A.

Restarting a System Coupling Analysis .................................................................................................. 35

This manual contains the following chapters:

File and Directory Names

export -cgns [-verbose] file

Republic of Ireland: 1800 065 6642

SPAIN and PORTUGAL

TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Component Systems: Fluent, CFX, External Data

1. Create the project.

2. Add the individual, participant systems to the project.

3. Add the System Coupling system to the project.

7. Solve the coupled analysis by updating System Coupling.

Pause the analysis by interrupting its progress.

Restart the analysis as described in the Initialization Controls (p. 10).

Use CFD-Post to simultaneously analyze the results of the simulation by:

Supported System Coupling Participants

Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling

Distinct licenses are required for each coupling participant.

Table 1: Licenses Required for Participating Systems in System Coupling

System Commercial License Academic License Required

ANSYS Academic Research CFD,

ANSYS Academic Teaching

ANSYS Academic Teaching CFD

System Commercial License Academic License Required

ANSYS Academic Research

ANSYS Academic Research CFD,

ANSYS Academic Teaching

ANSYS Academic Teaching CFD

Static ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Associate

ANSYS Academic Research

ANSYS Academic Teaching

ANSYS Academic Teaching

Steady-State ANSYS Mechanical ANSYS Academic Associate

ANSYS Academic Research

ANSYS Academic Teaching

ANSYS Academic Teaching

External No license is needed to run External Data.

Setting Up a Simulation that Uses System Coupling

Components of the System Coupling Workspace

Figure 2: The System Coupling Workspace

See the following sections for additional information:

System Coupling Chart View

Solution Information View

Settings for Completing a System Coupling Setup

See the following sections for additional information:

The available options are:

Restart Points (indicated by Step and Time)

Available only when the Analysis Type is Transient

Available only when the Analysis Type is General.

The coupling analysis duration has not been reached, and

The available options are:

Analysis Settings Best Practices

General Analysis Type

Coupled Analysis solved using only one Coupling Step

Coupled Analysis solved using many Coupling Steps

Transient Analysis Type

Data Transfer Control

When the transfer is to occur.

The under relaxation factor applied to the transfer.