I have worked with a number of CFD codes during the past 10 years which includes at least three of the top commercial codes. In terms of creating the geometry (not meshing) few of these codes offer true solid modeling capabilities apart from Fluent with their Gambit pre-processor (adding and subtracting solids etc.) Currently I am not using Fluent and have wondered about the possibility to use solid modeling software to create geametries and then import them into the pre-processor of the CFD software I am currently using. It would be interesting to hear from CFD users who are either employing this method or who have tried this in the past. What software do you recommend etc? (I am sure that given enough time using the code-based geometry modeling tools one will become as efficient as when using other solid modeling tools. No disrespect is intended towards the developers of any of the other commercial codes not mentioned here.)

STAR-CD has a direct interface into Solid Works. I think you can build a solid model in Solid Works, create a mesh and run a solution, without ever opening PROSTAR. I haven't used it myself though.

I have used Pro-E for years with a direct interface into Icem which works out quite well. The group families are transfered over as well which is great with multiple design changes. I save a block structure in hexa and keep importing new changes from Pro-E with out much fuss...

Check out www.efdlab.com! EFD.Lab is a standalone sister product of FloWorks www.floworks.com that was essentially built as an all-in-one solid modeling, meshing, and CFD tool. It also interfaces with common CAD formats. EFD.lab is relatively new to the market, and it is priced at a fraction of the cost compared to Fluent and some of the other 'big' CFD codes.

Have a look at "ThinkDesign" ( www.think3.com ). This package handles surfaces and solids which is very important if you have to cleanup geometries.

All the solid-only packages are simply not powerful enough if you have to deal with catia surface models which are very common in the automotive industry.

I think that for simple geometries the possibilities to create solids are sufficient within Gambit or CFX-Build (CFX will release a new solid modeler during the next 2 month or so which will be more capable than Gambit)

For complex geometries any native CAD system will work fine. The question only is how to create a volume mesh. From my experience there are two possible ways.

1: If the geometry is complex but with not too much details (like ducts of an car air system). Clean up the geometry in the CAD-System. Then use the direct interface ICEM or CFX-Build are offering for example for CATIA or ProE models and do the meshing. If you don't know how to handle the CAD system you should work on the geometry in a CAD cleaning tool (ANSA is excellent for that purpose, Hypermesh seems to be o.k. too). ANSA and Hypermesh are much easier to handle than a CAD system. The interface will be via IGES or VDA. After the cleanup you can tranfer the model via IGES into ICEM or CFX-Build and do the meshig.

2: If the geometry is complex with much detail (like a waterjacket, a complete car ...) or if you have to merge models from different CAD systems no direct interface can be recommended. In that case you should of course do a geometry clean up in the CAD system or with ANSA or Hypermesh (see point 1) and create a surface mesh (ProE surface meshes are nice, CATIA I do not know. Then import the surface mesh into ICEM and do your meshing there.

Which modelling kernel is the CFX solid modeller built on Parasolid or ACIS?

The new solid modeler is built on Parasolid. The older one works with B-rep solids

I am looking for information on how a model of an aircraft for cfd analysis is made. What dimensions of the actual aircraft need to be measured to make an accurate cfd model. This may not be the suject that u are dealing with, but if u could guide me or give any links i would be grateful.

thanks,

kjv

So it is still Patran/Build and not a new product?

It is an add on