June 17, 2014 -- Innovation is a key objective that engineers are focused onto, when developing or devising products. Over the years, product development methodologies have advanced as market demands shifted from conventional requirements towards more energy efficient and innovative solutions. The collaboration between industrial engineers and research scholars has provoked innovative approaches in engineering design that encourages reverse engineering, use of smart materials and advanced simulation technologies. However, the vitality of emerging engineering solutions relies majorly on the computational capabilities, allowing design engineers to simulate real world scenarios.
Standard technology for most manufacturers
CFD being one of the realms of computer aided engineering is serving today as a standard technology for most manufacturers. From automotive to aviation, medical to process, architecture and construction, its use has profoundly increased across all the domains. As ongoing research pushes the CFD capabilities further, engineers can significantly carry out complex studies on turbulence, transience, instability, chemical species and other variables. It provides engineers a comprehensive environment to solve even the most complex problems with least turn around time.
Predicting individual process or Mechanism
For an engineer involved in developing or reverse engineering existing design, one of the prime concerns is to predict individual process or mechanism in as much detail as possible. Additionally, there is a need of comparative analysis to understand the actual behavior and identify performance restrictive parameters and geometrical regions in the design. This requires torrents of information, mathematical calculations, and complex physical testing environments, allowing the engineer to apply further engineering modifications. Conversely, advanced CFD solvers are capable enough to simulate exact conditions, solve complex governing equations at elemental level and predict flow behavior without wind mill tests.
Conclusion
The possibility of design optimization becomes endless with CFD as it provides an easy approach to address complex engineering challenges. Solving flow problems for several physics such as heat transfer, species transport, aerodynamic, combustion and multiphase flows, CFD provides a comprehensive environment, where engineers can develop, simulate, compare and improve product design with enhancement in problem solving capability.
