What is CFD?

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the analysis of fluid flows using numerical solution methods.
Using CFD, you can analyze complex problems involving fluid-fluid, fluid-solid or fluid-gas interaction.
Engineering fields where CFD analyses are frequently used are, for example aerodynamics and
hydrodynamics, where quantities such as lift and drag or field properties as pressures and velocities are
obtained. Fluid dynamics is involved with physical laws in the form of partial differential equations.
Sophisticated CFD solvers transform these laws into algebraical equations and can efficiently solve these
equations numerically.

Why use CFD?

CFD analyses have a great potential to save time in the design process and are therefore cheaper and
faster compared to conventional testing for data acquisition. Furthermore, in real life tests a limited
number of quantities is measured at a time, while in a CFD analysis all desired quantities can be
measured at once, and with a high resolution in space and time.

Because CFD analyses approximate a real physical solution, it should be noted that these CFD analyses
cannot fully exclude physical testing procedures. For verification purposes tests should still be performed.

How does it work?

 Preprocessing: The preprocessing stage involves creating the geometry of interest in 2D/3D,
preparing the geometry for CFD simulation, and breaking up the domain into small volumes/cells
in a process referred to as meshing or grid generation. Flow condition, fluid properties, laws of
physics, initial and boundary conditions and other variables are translated into mathematical
models and equations in this stage.
 Solving: Here, the CFD simulation software begins iteratively solving the discretized equations
using the CFD solver. This step can require significant time or computing resources. For complex
simulations, more enterprises are turning to cloud computing as a cost-effective solution to this
issue.
 Postprocessing: Once the solving is complete, the next step is to analyze and visualize the
results of the simulation qualitatively and quantitatively using reports, monitors, plots, 2D/3D
images, and animations. Verification and validation of the results is also included in this stage.

Capabilities/Usages:

CFD models can solve fluid flow problems and calculate the variation in velocity and pressure throughout
the fluid volume. The applications include complex physics like combustion, multi-phase, detailed
turbulence, aeroacoustics, and coupling with other physics solvers.

Heat transfer analysis is one of the areas where CFD can be used to solve the problems involving
conduction, convection, and radiation. It helps in calculating the heat transfer coefficients of various
types of flows, including natural, forced, and mixed convection. Also, more complicated heat transfer
effects like viscous heating, compressibility, real material models, phase change, evaporation, cavitation,
and boiling can be included.

CFD helps in modeling and analysis of turbomachinery to determine various associated performance
characteristics. The rotating frame of reference formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations are used to
include the motion of rotating components like rotors, impellers, and mixers. Dynamic mesh models have
the capabilities to solve transient & Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) problems.
By coupling the flow field and chemistry, many complex real-world reactions/combustion problems can be
solved. It can predict the evolution of chemical species in real geometries and provide better
understanding of the combustion process.