CFD update eases learning process

Version 10 of CFdesign upfront CFD software has improved navigation, deeper CAD associativity, powerful design review features, interactive void filling and external volume creation.

Blue Ridge Numerics has released Version 10 of CFdesign upfront CFD software, designed to provide engineers with CAD-driven tools that optimise fluid flow and thermal performance during the digital design phase.

Blue Ridge Numerics has focused on further shortening the learning curve for first-time users of CFdesign and adding industrial-strength problem solving capabilities to the engineering desktop.

"We focused on the total user experience from a first-timer's perspective", according to Blue Ridge Numerics President Ed Williams.

"CFdesign V10 is about democratising fluid flow and heat transfer simulation".

"An engineer with limited or no previous engineering analysis experience can achieve extensive flow and thermal design studies in a fraction of the time it would take most CFD experts".

"With its much reduced intimidation-factor we believe V10 makes it easier for companies to move CFD further upstream in the design process".

"For companies striving to deliver innovation and improve first-time quality while cutting time to market, the arguments for embracing upfront CFD are more compelling than ever".

Version 10 of CFdesign upfront CFD software has improved navigation, deeper CAD associativity, powerful design review features, interactive void filling and external volume creation.

This functionality, combined with CFD-tv on-demand multimedia tutorials, enables design engineers to get the job done faster than ever before.

Other innovative flow and thermal management capabilities include cavitation prediction and both quick forced and quick natural convection analysis options".

"CFD should be a tool, not a career path", Williams said.

Property tables provide a clear roadmap for setting up, launching and visualising simulations.

It allows the user to know what to do, when to do it and always have a summary of what was done.

Because many elements of the V10 user interface were inspired by CAD tools it uses familiar paradigms and workflow habits.

CFdesign V10 uses the intelligence built into the CAD model, including model orientation, part colours, background colour, part names and material properties.

Even mouse functions are identical.

CFdesign V10 makes it fast and easy to drill into analyses and extract the vital information for decision making.

The new multiview mode facilitates the review of different analysis results in up to four independent views.

Synchronous navigation allows the simulation model in each view to be rotated, zoomed and explored.

In CFD all openings (or voids) in a digital prototype must be closed off before conducting an internal flow simulation.

Historically this step has been completed within the CAD system.

CFdesign V10 provides tools to quickly find and fill voids.

Upon completion the flow volume is automatically generated for the user.

An external flow volume representing the environment surrounding a digital prototype is requisite for natural convection and aerodynamic simulations.

Instead of asking the user to perform this function in the CAD system it can now be done simply and easily within CFdesign V10.

CFD-tv from Blue Ridge Numerics provides users with on-demand, task-specific training in a Web 2.0 format that will appeal to multitasking engineers who want to add CFD to their armoury.

Each CFD-tv episode is a 'short video segment led by a CFdesign power user.

New training segments are added continuously to answer frequently asked questions.

CFdesign V10 cavitation prediction equips engineers involved in flow control, pumps and valves with a tool to predict the onset and location of destructive vapour bubbles.

The user can then confirm which design changes best mitigate this unwanted and costly physical phenomenon.

Cavitation occurs in many high-velocity liquid flows.

It occurs when the liquid pressure falls below the vapour pressure and vapour bubbles appear in the liquid, to accelerated material degradation and untimely product failures.

CFdesign V10 includes a library of manufacturer-supplied thermoelectric cooling (TEC) components to choose from, but users can easily define a new component using the material editor.

Thermoelectric coolers are routinely used in electronics applications and to drive product innovation in industries including appliance, automotive, medical device, military and power generation.

A quick forced convection option in CFdesign V10 supplies a practical approach for engineers to conduct early trend analyses during design sketch and concept design phases.

This new tool uses a proprietary technique that assumes an incompressible, ideal fluid and then automatically computes empirical film coefficients and solves for the heat transfer.

In this manner an engineer can interact with colleagues and consider dozens of scenarios involving a full spectrum of potential physical designs and operating conditions within the context of a single design review meeting.

CFdesign V10's new Quick Natural/Free Convection option gives engineers a realistic and reliable view into design-specific natural convection dynamics.

Considered one of the most computationally intensive CFD simulations, natural convection cases can sometimes be too time-consuming for design engineers working upfront in the product development process.

V10 speeds the process by running a small number of flow and thermal iterations together, accounting for the surrounding fluid before computing and applying film coefficients.

From there the simulation continues as a thermal-only analysis, providing timely insight to keep projects on schedule.

With the release of V10, CFdesign is now available with an optional HPC module that significantly decreases the time required to achieve flow and thermal solutions.

The new module distributes the computational load of CFD simulations across a cluster of processors networked by a Microsoft Windows HPC Server.

CFdesign V10 is available as an integrated, associative solution for Autodesk Inventor, Catia, CoCreate, NX, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, Solid Edge and SpaceClaim.

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