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Flow Lab

This document describes FlowLab, CFD software designed for use in undergraduate engineering courses. FlowLab uses pre-defined exercises that guide students through CFD analysis without requiring them to learn a general CFD code. It is intended to supplement fluid mechanics and heat transfer courses by providing virtual experiments and design projects.

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Pritish Mohan
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
240 views

Flow Lab

This document describes FlowLab, CFD software designed for use in undergraduate engineering courses. FlowLab uses pre-defined exercises that guide students through CFD analysis without requiring them to learn a general CFD code. It is intended to supplement fluid mechanics and heat transfer courses by providing virtual experiments and design projects.

Uploaded by

Pritish Mohan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

In the last decade, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software has become a

critical technology in industry. Today, CFD analysis of fluid flow and heat transfer is
used to improve designs, cut costs, and understand equipment performance problems. Similarly, Fluents CFD software is widely used in academia for student projects
and funded research. The time is ripe for CFD to impact the teaching of fluid
mechanics and heat transfer fundamentals.

Flow simulation software for

the engineering curriculum


FlowLab software can help you deploy the power of CFD in the undergraduate classroom. It
uses FLUENTs full-featured CFD solver to analyze pre-defined, parameterized fluid mechanics and heat transfer problems. By presenting the full CFD process via parameterized examples, FlowLab eliminates the long learning curve associated with general-purpose CFD codes
and allows the student to focus on interpretation and understanding of results. The validated
exercises are tied to the traditional thermal/fluids curriculum and can be customized or extended for your specific needs.
FlowLab can be used in fluid/thermal courses at the undergraduate or masters degree level in
mechanical, chemical, aerospace, or civil engineering. You can use the exercises as a virtual
fluids laboratory, as homework assignments, or to augment existing lectures. The software is
ideally suited for introductory-level courses in fluid mechanics, aerodynamics or heat transfer.

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Easy to

deploy

For the Professor


The pre-defined exercises are tied to the basic curriculum, addressing concepts like flow profile development, flow separation, lift, and drag. FlowLab exercise notes are provided. You
may also replace the exercise notes with your own version. Additionally, it is possible to create your own exercises that cover new materials, using the full power of Fluents general
purpose CFD software. Training materials exist to help you through the template creation
process. In addition, technical support staff are available to assist with FlowLab template
creation.
For the Student...
Unlike other CFD software, FlowLab has virtually no learning curve. Students can get started immediately, using the program to focus on the parameterized exercises that are part of
the acompanying course curriculum materials. FlowLabs simple interface takes you through
the entire CFD process, but lets you focus on interpretation of results. The built-in postprocessor also makes it easy to create plots and graphics for laboratory reports.
Buttons for easy navigation through entire
CFD process from initial geometry to post-processing

View CFD results


graphically
Input parameters
and view CFD results

Pre-defined X-Y plots


can include comparison
to experimental data
View exercise notes

FlowLab showing the countours of stream function and convergence history of a


sudden pipe expansion.

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Top left: flow around


a cylinder; bottom:
flow around an airfoil

Pre-defined

exercises

FlowLab is based on pre-defined parameterized exercises called templates. Each FlowLab


template allows the student to set parameters defining the problem geometry, computational mesh density, flow/thermal boundary conditions, and fluid properties. By design, a template ensures that the problem is well-defined, allowing the student to focus on analyzing
validated results instead of troubleshooting input errors. The set of parameters available to
the student is defined when the exercise is created, which allows the template author to keep
things as simple or complex as desired. Exercises can include 2D or 3D problems, and if
desired, they can incorporate complex physics such as combustion, chemical reaction, or
multiphase flows. The exercises can cover classic text book flows or real-world extensions
to the curriculum that help instill interest in applied engineering.
FlowLab templates are provided as part of the software package and include exercises such as:
Developing Flow and Heat Transfer in a Pipe

Lift/Drag on an Airfoil

Fully-Developed Pipe Flow

Flow Through an Orifice

Flow Around a Cylinder

Flow Over a Heated Plate

Sudden Expansion in a Pipe

Heat Conduction

A complete library of templates is available on the Flowlab website at http://flowlab.fluent.com.


Templates authored by Fluent, as well as templates developed in academia, are located
at this site. Contact us if youd like to become a template author.
Each FlowLab template is accompanied by a set of electronic notes that describe the exercise
in detail, and these may be replaced by the teacher. They lead the student through the exercise, describing the modeling procedure as well as providing verification analysis.

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Bringing the power of CFD

to the classroom
Reinforce fundamental concepts
FlowLab presents the student with computing exercises that instill a deeper understanding of
basic concepts in fluid flow and heat transfer. The programs computer graphics provide visual reinforcement of basic ideas like boundary layer development, flow separation, pressure
loss, and pressure recovery.
Expand lab experiences easily and at low cost
FlowLab is a virtual fluids laboratory, augmenting traditional laboratory work. Students can
perform an expanded set of fluid flow and heat transfer experiments on the computer, without the investment in time, cost, and logistics that are required to expand the physical laboratory curriculum.
Stimulate interest in fluid mechanics
FlowLab can add real-world interest and fun to the fluid mechanics curriculum. Using simulation, students can explore what if what happens if changes are made to flow parameters
or geometry? It also allows students to apply basic concepts to real-world
examples that show the relevance of the curriculum to critical design problems.
Expose students to essential job skills
Literacy in computer modeling is a must for todays students. FlowLab exposes students to
the entire process of CFD modeling, setting the stage for more in-depth use of a generalpurpose CFD code, and teaching them the important concepts involved in accurate use of
computer modeling.

Flow through an orifice

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Licensing,
installation,
and support
Licensing
FlowLab is available for PCs running Windows XP or Windows 2000 and on Linux systems
operating with Redhat Enterprise Linux 3.0 and some compatible systems. It is licensed on
an annual basis as either a department or individual license. The department license is for
the professor or department who wants to use FlowLab in an upcoming course. The
FlowLab package includes installation on one faculty computer and on the departments
computing network. The individual license provides a 12-month individual node-locked
license of FlowLab, suitable for use by a single individual faculty member. For more information about pricing and license terms, contact us at [email protected].
Installation
FlowLab is installed from CD and includes electronic documentation on getting started, using
the templates and exercise notes, and creating your own parameterized templates.
Hardware requirements: for Windows, 128 MB of RAM and 260 MB of disk space are
required; for Linux, 128 MB of RAM and 200 MB of disk space are required.
Support
Each individual or department license entitles you to unlimited email-based technical support.

About Fluent
Fluent is the worlds largest provider of commercial CFD
software and services, with offices and affiliates around
the globe. We offer general-purpose CFD software for a
wide range of industrial applications, along with highlyautomated, application-focused packages. Our staff
includes applied CFD engineers as well as experts in
computational methods, mesh generation, and software
development. Fluent's clients are the market leaders in
industries such as automotive, aerospace, chemical and
materials processing, power generation, biomedical,
HVAC, and electronics. Fluent is committed to furthering
the body of knowledge on CFD, and to improving the effectiveness of computer modeling as a design and analysis
tool.

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Find out more...


flowlab.fluent.com
603-643-2600 x307
[email protected]

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