Theory
With Per-field residual tolerances on, gate 2 judges the specific dissipation rate . The test is the one of Residual target: the largest initial residual over the last 50 iterations must be below this tolerance, or the residual must have fallen by the residual drop (Residual drop) from the start of the run, equation (1).
Like , usually converges further than velocity and pressure.
The residual is OpenFOAM's normalised initial residual (OpenFOAM user guide, 2026): dimensionless, whatever the unit of the field. The tolerance never stops the solver itself (its own residualControl stays at ); it decides whether gate 2 reports the residuals as converged.
Equations
| where | meaning | unit |
|---|---|---|
| Initial residual of field at iteration | - | |
| Tolerance of this equation (this setting) | - | |
| Residual drop, when set | decades |
Default and rule
- Default
- auto (= the residual target: 1e-3 steady)Computed by the program
- Rule
Auto: the single residual target ( for a steady run). A typed value is used only while per-field tolerances are on.
- Source
No separate default per equation has been measured; the auto value is the single target, whose basis is the program's residual-sensitivity study (see Residual target).
Valid range 0 < r < 1
Values
Between 0 and 1 (exclusive), or auto.