Input data for a 3D cylinder
A complete cylinder.
The user specifies:
(1) The radius and the x,y,z coordinates of the centre of the first end of the electrode.
(2) The x,y,z coordinates of the centre of the second end of the electrode.
(3) The numbers nv1,nv2 that label the voltages that are applied to the electrode (the values of the voltages will be entered later)
-nv1 and nv2 are the same if the electrode is an equipotential
-they are different if a potential gradient is required in the z direction.
(4) If nv1 and nv2 are different, then the user specifies the values of z at which these 2 voltages are applied.
(5) Either:
(a) The numbers n1 and n2 of divisions along the axis and around the axis respectively.
Or (the usual recommended choice):
(b) The total number N of segments and 0. The 0 will trigger the program to partition N into n1 along the axis and n2 around the axis, in such a way that all the rectangles are as nearly square as possible. The final number of segments, n1*n2, might be slightly different from N (so if greater control is required, use n1 and n2). For important advice on subdividing please look at section 3.4 of the Users Guide or the general advice on segmentation.
The numbers n1 and n2 (or N) apply to the minimum sector, before reflections in any planes of symmetry.
There is no need to worry about any planes of reflection symmetry when entering the above information -you can enter a whole cylinder. The program will test for consistency with those planes and will remove the unnecessary parts (and this will be done before the subdivision into the more basic shapes). The total number of segments starts at the number given by the user but is then doubled for each reflection.
All types of electrodes can be scaled and/or shifted and/or reflected and/or rotated.
A spherical electrode can also be made solid, with a zero internal field -but be careful.
For users who are editing or constructing an 'input data file' without the use of the data-builder -that is, pre-processor:
But Manual editing is certainly not recommended -it is a relic from the time when the databuilder was not available All users are strongly encouraged to use the databuilder, which always gives the correct formats and which has many options for which the formats are not described or easily deduced.
Typical data for a cylindrical surface, taken from test3d02.dat, are:
cylindrical electrode
0.75 0. 0. 0. radius, centre of 1st end
0. 0. 0.25 centre of 2nd end
1 1 numbers of 2 applied voltages (can be same)
3 6 total number of subdivisions and 0, or divisions along axis and around axis -note 12
The data required are:
(1) radius and x,y,z coordinates of centre of 1st end of electrode -to disable the 'inscribing correction' (see the relevant note and the second relevant note), enter a negative radius
(2) x,y,z coordinates of centre of 2nd end of electrode
(3) numbers nv1,nv2 that label voltages that are applied to the electrode
(4) if nv1 and nv2 are different, then enter values of z at which these 2 voltages are applied
(5) an optional 'address', which is an integer and which can always be 0 -it is non-zero only when information on a large number of curved electrodes is being entered and when the user wants to reduce the number of lines of data -see the relevant note.
(6) Either:
(a) The numbers n1 and n2 of divisions along the axis and around the axis respectively.
Or (the recommended choice):
(b) The total number N of segments and 0. The 0 will trigger the program to partition N into n1 along the axis and n2 around the axis, in such a way that all the rectangles are as nearly square as possible.
For important advice on subdividing please look at section 3.4 of the Users Guide or the general advice on segmentation.