The Open Source CFD code dolfyn is an initiative in Noord-Brabant, a Dutch province in the south of the Netherlands, particularly in the region around Eindhoven. The Eindhoven Region presents itself as Leading in technology and ranks in the top three most technological districts in Europe. The goal of dolfyn is to promote, introduce and teach the use of modern numerical simulation techniques in general and the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in particular.
Heat and flow
Heat and mass transfer, transport phenomena, and fluid dynamics play an
important role in various products, machines and in our daily life.
Examples are:
- Automotive industry
- Drag resistance of vehicles
- Fouling
- Passenger comfort
- Heating and cooling
- Heat exchangers
- Cooling of electronics
- Flows in pipes and tubes
- Industrial installations
- Airconditioning
- Wind in the built environment
- Wind forces
- Wind nuisance for pedestrians and cyclists
Basic needs
In order to be able to teach and draw young polytechnical and academic students, graduated engineers, and new enthusiasts towards the wonderful world of Computational Fluid Dynamics a couple of issues have to be kept in mind:
- Courses and tutorials should focus in the first place on a general understanding of fluid dynamics (laminar/turbulent, buoyancy, boundary layers etc.).
- (Open Source) Software can play an important role in the teaching process (and can augment experimental practica, thus combining theoretical and practical results.).
- Therefore, the code has to be easy in use; simple variants must be easy to run and the results visualised.
- In order to catch the attention, real geometries such as cars, heatexchangers and walls should be used as well as flows along flat plates and through pipes.
- Only when the student has mastered the before mentioned items; then 'gridgeneration' or 'meshing' is the next, and very, very important, step. As gridgeneration is linked closely to the type of solver software, the capabilities of the preprocessor and the skills of the engineer, it is left out of the dolfyn project.
Dolfyn is based on the ideas, algorithms, and procedures presented
in the book by J.H. Ferziger & M. Peric "Computational
Methods for Fluid Dynamics" (Springer). This book is also acts as
Theoretical Manual.
Partners
In the dolfyn project a close cooperation was established between Fontys Hogescholen, Utrecht University, Syntens, and a number of small companies and large multinational corporations. In this way the relationships between small and medium sized enterprises on one hand and research institutions, polytechnical schools and universities on the other hand are thus naturally enforced. The Dolfyn Foundation is supported by the Innovatieve Acties Brabant (IAB) programme, operated by the NV Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM).
Summary
Dolfyn is aimed towards the fulfilment of the above mentioned basic
needs and to supply all necessary ingredients.
More specific:
- Easy to use CFD software for numerical simulations and visualisation of results.
- Training and courses in fluid dynamics in general, and Computational Fluid Dynamics in particular, accompanied by suitable training material.
- A network of students, users and specialists.
Enjoy the dolfyn site!
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