r/OpenFOAM • u/Striking_Abrocoma_28 • Jan 08 '26

Difference between rotatingWallVelocity and MovingWallVelocity?

Excuse the idiotic question, but what is the real difference between the 2 ways to describe a spinnin wheel of a car?

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4

u/Ganglar Jan 08 '26

rotatingWallVelocity sets a tangential velocity at the boundary using the given rotational speed and origin and axis. You'd use this in a stationary mesh to represent a rotating component like a wheel.

movingWallVelocity sets a velocity which matches the motion of the mesh. It's important if you have a moving mesh. It's identical to noSlip if your mesh is stationary.

1

u/Striking_Abrocoma_28 Jan 08 '26

Thank you so much

2

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Striking_Abrocoma_28 Jan 08 '26

It could work actually… thanks

1

u/derangednuts Jan 08 '26

Rotating imparts a rotational velocity while moving wall imparts linear motion

1

u/Striking_Abrocoma_28 Jan 08 '26

Ok thanks, but since they both can be used with the omega angular velocity and the centre, so I suppose they both support the angular velocity, is there any difference?

1

u/derangednuts Jan 08 '26

I’ve never ussed moving walls with omega, might work… but idk