Computational Fluid Dynamics

Computer-aided design (CAD) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are distinct, yet interrelated tools used in engineering and design processes. CAD focuses on creating detailed 2D or 3D digital representations of physical objects, allowing engineers to visualize, design, and prototype products, structures, or systems. CAD is primarily concerned with geometry, dimensions, and spatial relationships.

CFD, on the other hand, deals with simulating and analyzing the behavior of fluids, such as gases or liquids, within or around these CAD-designed objects. CFD helps predict fluid flow, temperature distribution, pressure, and other parameters. While CAD creates the design, CFD evaluates its performance, optimizing aspects like aerodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid transport. In summary, CAD aids in design creation, while CFD focuses on evaluating how designed systems interact with fluids.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a versatile tool used in various industries and applications. It is primarily used for analyzing and simulating fluid behavior, including gases and liquids. Key applications of CFD include aerodynamics in aerospace and automotive design, optimizing HVAC systems for energy efficiency, and enhancing the performance of turbomachinery like pumps and turbines.

CFD aids the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields in drug delivery analysis and blood flow simulation. CFD is instrumental in environmental studies, assessing pollutant dispersion and natural water flow. Weather forecasting relies on CFD to model atmospheric conditions. Additionally, CFD plays a vital role in industrial processes, such as optimizing combustion in power generation and assessing fluid dynamics in chemical engineering.

Conservation of Mass: Continuity Equation

Conservation of Momentum: Newton’s Second Law

Conservation of Energy: First Law of Thermodynamics or Energy Equation

CFD can be immensely beneficial in a wide range of industries and applications. Whether you're an engineer, scientist, or designer, CFD provides valuable insights into fluid behavior, offering solutions to complex problems. It helps in optimizing designs for improved performance, reducing the need for costly physical prototypes, and accelerating product development. CFD aids in understanding airflow, heat transfer, and pressure distribution, which is crucial in fields like aerospace, automotive, HVAC, and turbomachinery. It also plays a vital role in medical and environmental research, offering insights into drug delivery, blood flow, and pollutant dispersion. In essence, CFD is a powerful tool for problem-solving and innovation across various domains.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is grounded in the Navier-Stokes equations, the foundation for modeling single-phase fluid flows. Simplifications lead to the Euler equations and the full potential equations by eliminating terms related to viscosity and vorticity. Linearized potential equations emerged for subsonic and supersonic flows. Early 2D methods, such as flow transformations around cylinders and airfoils, were developed in the 1930s. Lewis Fry Richardson's finite difference-based calculations and his book, "Weather Prediction by Numerical Process," laid the groundwork for CFD. CFD computations from the 1940s using ENIAC mirrored Richardson's techniques, shaping the field's evolution.