Fluent CFD Software: Overview

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Fluent CFD Software Overview
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A Suite of CFD Solvers

• Fluent provides a suite of computational fluid
  dynamics (CFD) solvers
• FLUENT (4.5 5) NEKTON
• FIDAP IcePak
• POLYFLOW MixSim
• All are software packages for modeling processes
  involving
• Fluid flow
• Heat transfer
• Mass transfer and chemical reactions
• Related phenomena
• They differ in the solver technology used and the
  industrial applications on which they are focused.

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Why Multiple Solver Technologies?

• Each CFD solution method performs best on a
  specific group of applications.
• As a result, distinct solver algorithms are
  needed to optimize speed, robustness, and
  accuracy on different applications.
• Fluent Inc. pursues multiple solver technologies
  in order to meet the diverse needs of our users.
• Recently, we have also developed products with
  capabilities and user interfaces that are tightly
  focused on specific industries/applications
  (e.g., IcePak and MixSim).

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FLUENT 4.5 and FLUENT 5

• FLUENT 5
• FLUENT 5 integrates FLUENT/UNS and RAMPANT
• Segregated-implicit, coupled-explicit/implicit
  FVM solver options
• Complete mesh flexibility
• Unstructured quad/hex, tri/tet, or hybrid meshes
  with solution-based mesh adaption
• FLUENT 4.5
• Pressure-based, segregated, finite volume method
• Structured quad/hex meshes
• Contains some models which have not yet been
  ported to FLUENT 5
• Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase flow model
• Deforming mesh

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FLUENT 5

• Ideally suited for
• Compressible and incompressible flows
• Able to handle full range of Mach numbers in
  single solution domain
• Flows involving complex geometries and complex
  physics
• Typical applications include
• Automotive external aerodynamics ? High-speed
  aerodynamics
• Underhood flows ? Compressible nozzle flow
• Fans, Pumps, Burners, Furnaces ? Turbomachinery
• Reactor Vessels, Heat Exchangers ? Internal
  rocket motor flows

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FLUENT 5 Flow in a Cooling Jacket
Surface pressure distribution in an automotive
engine cooling jacket
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FLUENT 5 Axial Compressor Blade
Surface grid (one periodic repetition)
Contours of pressure
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FLUENT 4.5

• Ideally suited for
• Incompressible and mildly compressible flows
• Flows involving complex physics
• Multiphase flows
• Flows requiring deforming grids
• Typical applications include
• Cyclones ? Mixing tanks (MixSim interface)
• Bubble columns ? Fluidized beds
• Unsteady piston/cylinder flows

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FLUENT 4.5 Multiphase Flow in a Riser
Instantaneous solids concentration in a riser,
which is a pneumatic solids conveying device.
Porous media (simulating a perforated plate) at
the top of the domain distributes the flow and
produces uniform delivery of catalyst (solids) to
the reactor.
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FIDAP

• Fully coupled or segregated finite element method
• Ideally suited for
• Incompressible and mildly compressible flows
• Flows involving complex geometries and physics
• Complete mesh flexibility
• Unstructured quad/hex, tri/tet, or hybrid meshes
• Solver of choice for applications involving
  turbulence, stiff chemistry, free surfaces,
  phase change, and shear dependent viscosity
• Typical applications include
• Biomedical flows
• Semiconductor flows CVD, crystal growth,
  electroplating
• Metal casting, solidification, and extrusion
• Extruders, complex die flows

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FIDAP Flow in a Blood Pump
Velocity vectors and pressure distribution inside
a blood pump.
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FIDAP Crystal Growth
Flow pattern and melt interface during crystal
growth using the Bridgman technique
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POLYFLOW

• Fully-coupled and segregated finite element
  methods
• Ideally suited for laminar, viscous flows
  involving
• Complex rheology (including viscoelasticity)
• Free surfaces
• Mesh flexibility
• Unstructured quad/hex, tri/tet, or hybrid meshes,
  wedge elements
• Solver of choice for polymer processing and
  related applications such as
• Extrusion, coextrusion, die design
• Blow molding, thermoforming
• Film casting, glass sheet forming/stretching,
  fiber drawing
• Chemical reactions, foaming
• Viscoelastic flows (memory effects)

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POLYFLOW Inverse Die Design

• Given desired part shape, POLYFLOW determines
  necessary die lip geometry.

desired part
die lip (calculated)
Requested part shape and calculated die lip shape
for a rubber car door seal.
extrusion direction
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POLYFLOW Blow Molding

• Uses 3D shell elements
• Simulation of
• Parison extrusion
• Pinch-off
• Inflation
• Cooling
• Prediction of thickness distribution
• Prediction of extrudate swelling due to
• Stress relaxation
• Other elastic effects

Initial configuration
Blow molding simulation of a gas tank using the
membrane element
Final thickness profile
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NEKTON

• Variable-order finite element method (spectral
  element method)
• Ideally suited for laminar, viscous flows with
  free surfaces
• Unstructured quad/hex meshes with solution-based
  polynomial adaption (2D)
• Linear stability analysis for coating
  applications
• Solver of choice for thin film coating flows such
  as
• Slide, slot, roll, curtain, and blade coating
• Multi-layer coatings
• Deforming boundaries (rubber-backed rolls,
  compressible substrates)

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NEKTON Coating Flow Analysis

• Template-based problem solving base solution can
  be parameterized to quickly study changes in
• Properties, e.g.,
• Density
• Viscosity
• Surface tension
• Boundary conditions, e.g.,
• Flow rates
• Web speed
• Vacuum
• Geometry, e.g.,
• Slide angle
• Gap

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NEKTON Template Example
2. You can make changes in one panel
1. Initial solution for slide coater

• 3. Web angle is automatically changed
• significant savings in problem setup and
  solution time

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IcePak

• IcePak is focused on electronics cooling design
• Cooling airflow, heat conduction, convection and
  radiation heat transfer
• The user interface and automatic meshing are
  tailored for applications such as
• Cabinet design
• Fan placement
• Board-level design
• Heat sink evaluation

Flow pathlines and temperature distribution in a
fan-cooled computer cabinet.
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MixSim

• MixSim is a specialized user interface that
  allows quick and easy set-up of mixing tank
  simulations.
• The tank size, bottom shape, baffle
  configuration, number and type of impellers, etc.
  are specified directly.
• The mesh and complete problem definition are then
  automatically created.

• Other features include
• Impeller libraries from leading equipment
  manufacturers
• Transient sliding mesh, steady-state multiple
  reference frame models
• Non-Newtonian rheology

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MixSim User Interface
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Overall Code Structure
Geometries and meshes can be imported from other
CAE packages.
direct input
FLUENT 4.5, FLUENT 5, NEKTON
import export
import export
POLYFLOW
FIDAP
model file
results file
results file
data file
case file
data file
Data can be exported to other CAE packages for
postprocessing.
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Long-Term Product Road Map
FIDAP POLYFLOW NEKTON
FLUENT 4.5 FLUENT 5
GAMBIT
Common User Environment
2000
Shared FEM Technology
Shared FVM Technology
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Summary

• As your applications for CFD expand, you can
  benefit from our multiple solver technology.
• Our goal is to provide the appropriate (best)
  solver for each application.
• Development of a common interface will allow you
  to more easily take advantage of different
  solvers.