CFD software gets to grips with 3D motion

CFdesign v7.0 includes an industry-first solid motion module ideally suited for use by mechanical engineers during the conceptual and detailed design stages of the product development process.

CFdesign v7.0 includes an industry-first solid motion module ideally suited for use by mechanical engineers during the conceptual and detailed design stages of the product development process.

Available as an integrated solution for Autodesk Inventor, Pro/Engineer Wildfire, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Unigraphics and I-Deas, CFdesign v7.0 creates a compelling value proposition for small, medium, and large companies operating in all industry segments.

The new solid motion module provides an effective virtual prototyping environment to accelerate the cost-effective production of high performance pumps, fans, blowers, compressors, turbo machinery, valves, pistons, hydraulic rams and numerous other products.

CFdesign v7.0 puts native 3D solid components and assemblies in motion, showing the interaction and effects between the physical device and its fluids environment.

The simulation is parametric and associative with the MCAD model throughout the design optimisation process.

All design changes are made in the MCAD environment, CFdesign v7.0 automatically generates an optimal mesh to insure a quality solution, and first iteration simulation results are available for highly interactive viewing within minutes.

"We are extremely proud of our technology implementation in CFdesign v7.0", stated Blue Ridge Numerics President, Ed Williams.

"The scientific and mathematical knowledge behind our solid motion module is well proven, but it is our innovative implementation of this knowledge that allows us to offer this incredible capability in a simulation environment that makes sense to multitasking product development engineers.

Our team has developed a very powerful simulation engine and packaged it in a way that makes it simple to use during the early stages of product design.

This is real innovation that adds real value to the work being done by our customers".

For translating devices, CFdesign v7.0 allows user-controlled solid-body motion to occur within a flow regime.

Solid objects can move in and out of the fluid domain, and the flow will respond to their movement.

Application examples include pistons, hydraulic rams and belt-driven machinery.

For rotational devices, the user is given ability to analyse the flow within the blade passages.

The interaction between rotating and nonrotating geometry can be dynamically and interactively explored in a manner not possible with physical testing.

A classic example is the interaction between the rotor and the stator in an axial compressor or turbine.

Another example is the influence of a volute on the flow from a centrifugal pump impeller.

According to CFdesign Product Manager, Len Whitehead, CFdesign's new solid motion module is a quantum improvement over the rotating frame functionality available in traditional CFD.

"CFdesign v7.0 fully simulates rotating machinery.

This distinction is important, because in most cases rotating machinery is surrounded by, and must interact with, stationary objects.

Most 'rotating frame' implementations are suited only for analysing a single blade passage, and provide no provision for neighbouring stationary objects".

There are several other new features included in CFdesign v7.0.

Entity grouping is a capability that further simplifies the preparation of MCAD assemblies with large number of parts for simulation.

The total heat flux boundary condition enables parametric design changes without the user worrying about any changes to the surface area or recalculating the heat flux boundary condition.

Direct mesh import allows for the import of a finite element mesh created in any third party software, using either the Nastran or I-Deas formats.

In CFdesign, set up of the model is standard.

The proprietary CFdesign mesh enhancement technology can be applied to imported mesh models.

Temperature dependent heat generation allows heat generation to vary with temperature, ie a thermostat.

This simulates a heating component that shuts off (or greatly depowers) once a target temperature is reached and will adjust the heat input to maintain the target temperature.

Joule heating is the generation of heat bypassing an electric current through a metal.

Common applications include heating elements within water heater, space heaters, hair dryers, kilns, industrial and household ovens, and range top burners.

System-level pump/blower objects provide the capability to include a centrifugal pump or blower as a component within a system-level analysis.

Heat flux BC at a solid-solid interface simulates the presence of a thin heat source sandwiched within a solid.

Automatically generated component thermal summary reports provide a detailed description of the thermal results for every component in an assembly.

This report will prove very useful for all engineers analysing thermal systems, and in particular to those conducting electronic cooling studies.

Finally, the design communication centre features enhanced integration with MS Internet Explorer, PowerPoint and Word.

CFdesign v7.0 is currently in its final beta testing phase and will be shipped to customers worldwide this April.

The new solid motion module is $5000 per perpetual licence.

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