Fluid Dynamics

1. Introduction to CFD

This is a quick introduction to the basic concepts underlying CFD. The concepts are illustrated by applying them to a simple 1D example. We discuss the following topics briefly: 1. Applications of CFD 2. The Strategy of CFD 3. Discretisation Using the Finite-Difference Method 4. Discretisation Using The Finite-Volume Method 5. Assembly of Discrete System and Application of Boundary Conditions 6. Solution of Discrete System 7. Grid Convergence 8. Dealing with Non-linearity 9. Direct and Iterative Solvers 10. Iterative Convergence 11. Numerical Stability 12. Turbulence Modelling

The material contained in this document is useful back up for the course you are attending, but it is not key to participating in the coursework module. While the CFD solutions are convergingwhy not have a browse through the material attached.

1. Applications of CFD

CFD is useful in a wide variety of applications and here we note a few to give you an idea of its use in industry. The simulations shown below have been performed using the FLUENT software. CFD can be used to simulate the flow over a vehicle. For instance, it can be used to study the interaction of propellers or rotors with the aircraft fuselage. The following figure shows the prediction of the pressure field induced by the interaction of the rotor with a helicopter fuselage in forward flight. Rotors and propellers can be represented with models of varying complexity.

The temperature distribution obtained from a CFD analysis of a mixing manifold is shown below. This mixing manifold is part of the passenger cabin ventilation system on the Boeing 767. The CFD analysis showed the effectiveness of a simpler manifold design without the need for field testing.

Bio-medical engineering is a rapidly growing field and uses CFD to study the circulatory and respiratory systems. The following figure shows pressure contours and a cutaway view that reveals velocity vectors in a blood pump that assumes the...