3.2.4 Face Macros

The macros listed in Table  3.2.20- 3.2.23 can be used to return real face variables in SI units. They are identified by the F_ prefix. Note that these variables are available only in the pressure-based solver. In addition, quantities that are returned are available only if the corresponding physical model is active. For example, species mass fraction is available only if species transport has been enabled in the Species Model dialog box in ANSYS FLUENT. Definitions for these macros can be found in the referenced header files (e.g., mem.h).

Face Centroid ( F_CENTROID)

The macro listed in Table  3.2.20 can be used to obtain the real centroid of a face. F_CENTROID finds the coordinate position of the centroid of the face f and stores the coordinates in the x array. Note that the x array is always one-dimensional, but it can be x[2] or x[3] depending on whether you are using the 2D or 3D solver.

Table 3.2.20: Macro for Face Centroids Defined in metric.h

Macro	Argument Types	Outputs
F_CENTROID(x,f,t)	real x[ND_ND], face_t f, Thread *t	x (face centroid)

The ND_ND macro returns 2 or 3 in 2D and 3D cases, respectively, as defined in Section  3.4.2. Section  2.3.15 contains an example of F_CENTROID usage.

Face Area Vector ( F_AREA)

F_AREA can be used to return the real face area vector (or `face area normal') of a given face f in a face thread t. See Section  2.7.3 for an example UDF that utilizes F_AREA.

Table 3.2.21: Macro for Face Area Vector Defined in metric.h

Macro	Argument Types	Outputs
F_AREA(A,f,t)	A[ND_ND], face_t f, Thread *t	A (area vector)

By convention in ANSYS FLUENT, boundary face area normals always point out of the domain. ANSYS FLUENT determines the direction of the face area normals for interior faces by applying the right hand rule to the nodes on a face, in order of increasing node number. This is shown in Figure  3.2.1.

Figure 3.2.1: ANSYS FLUENT Determination of Face Area Normal Direction: 2D Face

ANSYS FLUENT assigns adjacent cells to an interior face ( c0 and c1) according to the following convention: the cell out of which a face area normal is pointing is designated as cell C0, while the cell in to which a face area normal is pointing is cell c1 (Figure  3.2.1). In other words, face area normals always point from cell c0 to cell c1.

Flow Variable Macros for Boundary Faces

The macros listed in Table  3.2.22 access flow variables at a boundary face.

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See Section  2.7.3 for an example UDF that utilizes some of these macros.

Flow Variable Macros at Interior and Boundary Faces

The macros listed in Table  3.2.23 access flow variables at interior faces and boundary faces.

Table 3.2.23: Macros for Interior and Boundary Face Flow Variables Defined in mem.h

Macro	Argument Types	Returns
F_P(f,t)	face_t f, Thread *t,	pressure
F_FLUX(f,t)	face_t f, Thread *t	mass flow rate through a face

F_FLUX can be used to return the real scalar mass flow rate through a given face f in a face thread t. The sign of F_FLUX that is computed by the ANSYS FLUENT solver is positive if the flow direction is the same as the face area normal direction (as determined by F_AREA - see Section  3.2.4), and is negative if the flow direction and the face area normal directions are opposite. In other words, the flux is positive if the flow is out of the domain, and is negative if the flow is in to the domain.

Note that the sign of the flux that is computed by the solver is opposite to that which is reported in the ANSYS FLUENT GUI (e.g., the Flux Reports dialog box).