Virtual product design simulation is no longer an option but a necessity to bring products to market faster while enhancing product quality and performance. A wide range of high-fidelity fluid flow and heat transfer simulations can be carried out using computational fluid dynamics tools offered by Dassault Systèmes.
Most of us are already familiar with SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation – a proven parametric fluid flow analysis tool that is fully embedded inside SOLIDWORKS CAD software. It allows us to easily simulate liquid or gas flows through and around product designs to evaluate the performance of different designs.
We can account for heat transfer effects for a variety of applications including thermal management for optimum electronics cooling, enclosure, and PCB designs. It also allows for mixing of different types of liquids as well as simulating immiscible flows with free-surface option based on volume of fluid method.
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulations predicts both laminar and turbulent flow using Favre-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, considering time-averaged effects of the flow turbulence on flow parameters. For large scale time-dependent phenomena, it utilizes transport equations for turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate, known as k-epsilon model.
While SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can predict the region of flow separation and vortex shedding using k-epsilon model, depending upon the model complexity it can become challenging to trigger the vortex shedding. Therefore, capturing the vortices precisely becomes more difficult. For this type of analysis, a body fitted mesh that accurately represents the fluid solid interface with boundary layer and accurate near wall treatment are important. This is where Fluid Dynamics Engineer (FMK) role on 3D Experience Platform can help us out.
Fluid Dynamics Engineer (FMK) employs Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes system of equations and offers Eddy viscosity-based turbulence models such as Realizable k-epsilon, SST k-omega, Spalart-Allmaras.
In addition to an intelligent near-wall modeling option, this tool provides automated body fitted hex-dominant mesh with boundary layers and broader mesh choices for complex geometries. FMK complements SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, in that, it is a scalable cloud-based solution enabling users to handle large models and access high-performance computing options.
When SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation users hit the limits, FMK can provide advanced calculation models and compute power of 8 cores locally or up to 144 cores on the cloud. There is also an on-premise deployment option. FMK is capable of rigid body motion and mesh morphing, however, it cannot solve highly transient large eddy simulation or handle moving geometry. Solution to such highly transient flows with fluid structure interaction would be xFLOW.
Using a meshless technology and Lattice Boltzmann solver, xFLOW is well suited for gear lubrication simulation to evaluate oil distribution, splash pattern on wetted areas etc. It is a scalable solution with both on-premise or cloud compute option with GPU acceleration for fast turn-around time.
PowerFLOW is another CFD solution in Dassault Systèmes Fluid simulation portfolio. It employs Lattice Boltzmann solver with automated domain discretization, eliminating the need for manual meshing. With sophisticated modeling capabilities such as true rotating geometry, digital wind tunnel etc., PowerFlow can resolve highly transient aerodynamics, aerothermal and aeroacoustics problems.
As a highly parallelized and scalable solution, PowerFlow’s industry application is extensive and includes high-lift aerodynamics, wind noise or vehicle noise reduction, electronics, batteries and brake cooling, soiling-water management, windshield defrost /demist and many more.
Leveraging Dassault Systèmes fluid simulation portfolio, we can efficiently solve a range of fluid dynamics simulations, enabling us to virtually see few invisible unknowns and accurately predict the product performance needed for engineering innovative products.
