## 13.1. Coupling CFX to an External Solver: System Coupling Simulations

You can use a System Coupling component system in Workbench to perform coupled simulations that involve ANSYS CFX and ANSYS Mechanical. As described in the separate System Coupling Guide, you can set up a one-way or two-way fluid-structure interaction (FSI) design analysis in Workbench by connecting a System Coupling component system to your Mechanical system and to your Fluid Flow (CFX) analysis system.

Participants that can be coupled with CFX include:

- Static Structural

- Transient Structural

- Transient Thermal

- Steady-State Thermal

An extensive list of coupling participants is given in Supported System Coupling Participants in the System Coupling User's Guide.

Connecting the Setup cell from a Fluid Flow (CFX) analysis system to the Setup cell for the System Coupling component system signals the latter system that the CFX solver will act as a co-simulation participant in a coupled analysis. Most of the coupling related settings for your analysis are made through the System Coupling system’s Setup user interface. The few coupling related settings that are required in the CFX setup are described below, in the section System Coupling Related Settings in CFX. Once the coupling setup is complete, the coupled analysis is executed by updating the System Coupling system’s Solution cell, rather than the same cell in the connected co-simulation participant systems.

Additional information can be found in the following sections:

- Supported Capabilities and Limitations
- Variables Available for System Coupling
- System Coupling Related Settings in CFX
- Restarting CFX Analyses as Part of System Coupling
- Initializing a Coupled CFX Analysis from an Independent CFX Analysis
- Running CFX as a System Coupling Participant from the Command Line
- Product Licensing Considerations when using System Coupling

Release 18.2 - © ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.