What commercial CFD code would you recommend? Main emphasis is on sub-sonic, ease of use, multi-phase flows....Thanks. I've been looking at Fluent, Phoenics, cfdesign, and aerosoft....any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Pete,

I'm a big fan of CFD-ACE+, but that could be because we develop it

Alton

<www.cfdrc.com>

This depend on what you want out of the software.

Fluent has Gambit, which is quite easy to use, but doesn't deal with CAD very well.

The physics are very limited in Fluent, though. Well not true, they have lots of models in name, but anything more difficult than simple flows are impossible to converge.

Phoenix is very old and not very user Friendly. Lots of models and has Dr Spalding, of course!

CFX is very fast and robust and tradionally very good with multi-phase flows.

Star has a lot of physics, but you need to be a bit of an expert to use it.

I dont know about the others. I hope it helps.

Hi Pete,

Ease of use, multiphase and sub-sonic flows are strong features in CFX I think, esp. in the new CFX-5.5 to be realased at the end of the month to update 5.4.1.

There's a post that you can check with the detailed list of features in the CFX forum I believe.

Multiphase covers wide areas: what kind of multiphase flow do you have in mind?

I am a STAR-CD user for many years, and its Spray-type of multiphase flow is very unique in commercial CFD codes. But you have to try out yourself - set out the examples you have in mind for all areas you will cover, then pass them to the CFD vendors and have a beauty contests, of course with you as a judge.

Just add one more thing: if you are likely to plug in your own models into the code, one advantage of STAR-CD is that you can almost add in anything you like through its user codes.

Hello,

You could take a look at www.fluidyn.com Fluidyn is not as well known a CFD package as the others but it has the advantage of being able to adapt to each client and deliver a tailormade software to specific needs. Anyway, I guess nobody is very objective in their answers, right ??

Amita

Hi Peter,

CFX-5.5 will also allow the user to extend the code through user fortran. Furthermore, the user can also extend the code by using the built-in CFX Expression Language (CEL) and CFX Command Language (CCL), which do not require any recompile (or programming experience.

User fortran in CFX-5.5 is pretty cool; rather than recompiling the code, the user compiles a shared library which may contain a collection of subroutines.

Regards, Robin

(1). There are already 5 commercial software packages mentioned, so, you have a total of eight now. (2). Are you getting the question answered? or are you getting more confused? (3). Here is the flea market. The advice is worth 2 Cents as some have said before. I normally spend my weekend at the nearby flea market. And the rule is: if it is less than one dollar, then you can buy it if you like it. But don't ask for a warranty on a Rolex watch selling for 60 dollars. (4). Everyone knows that if you are serious about getting a solution, then you would go to a professional for help.

I've discussed the topic with many others including my PhD Aerospace engineer cousin....we've narrowed it down to Fluent and possibly CFdesign. Thanks for everyone's input, it was much appreciated.

Hi,

Have you actualy used Fluent with multi-phase flow? I suggest you try before you buy, as it really doesn't work.

If you are going to have volume fractions of anything greater than 5%, you will need to use an Eulerian model and this doesn't work in Fluent (very well at all. v unstable and v v slow).

Dont be fooled by using ASM. If you VF are anything but v. small, this is not appropriate.

I haven't used CFDesign, but I would check their multi-phase as well. Its easy to implement a multi-phase model, but its very difficult to implement one that works.

Multiphase problem ... better forget Fluent ... if with Heat transfer ... then wait till new version of Fluent comes ... the present Fluent5 series dont have multiphase capabilities with heat transfer

(1). Don't worry. He said he was looking at commercial cfd codes. (2). He didn't even say that he is interested in getting "accurate solutions" at all. (3). If he does not come back to report the good news, we know that he is not getting any multi-phase solutions. (job security included)

Pete,

Ive been getting good 2 phase results using RADIOSS/ALE. Could be worth a look!

All the best

Christian.