Topic outline

  • Course info

    Goals of the course

    The main goal of the course is to be able to perform a complete CFD simulation project from the definition of the research problem to reporting of the results and main findings. At the same time you will get familiar with the main steps required to complete a successful CFD simulation project and to gain understanding on the modelling approaches and techniques behind the tools.

    Tutorial

    You can use either StarCCM+ or OpenFOAM during the course. The course will start with an optional tutorial, which will give you an opportunity to get hands-on experience on either or both of the tools. Some of you are already familiar with OpenFOAM and in this case the purpose of the tutorial is to introduce some of the features that you might not be familiar with (turbulence models, generating mesh for a CAD geometry using snappyHexMesh). If you feel confident that you can master the tool of your choice already, you can skip the tutorial. More info on the tutorial can be found under the dedicated section.

    The recommended choice on the course is StarCCM+ due to the relative ease of use.

    Simulation project

    You will perform a simulation project either individually or in a pair. You will specify the simulation project and the related research question in the beginning of the course. If necessary, the topic will be adjusted so that it is manageable in the time allocated for the course. High-performance computing (HPC) resources will be provided upon request, if this is considered necessary for successful completion of the project. If you are doing the project in a pair, I expect the project to be more demanding than individual projects. During the project you will keep a working diary of the progress of the project. The progress of the project will also be checked through midterm review. You will document the project in the form of a conference paper, which will be peer-reviewed by a fellow student and which will be presented in a final seminar. Further information on the simulation project and final papers can be found under the dedicated sections.

    Reading circles

    In addition to the project work we will have reading circles in the first period. The purpose of this task is to build your understanding of the modelling techniques used in CFD softwares. You will read through the course literature, make notes on the reading and meet regularly to discuss the readings. For each circle one of you acts as a secretary (you should take turns). The secretary will return a memo of the meeting and we will use the memos as a basis for discussion in the sessions on Fridays. Further info on the reading circles can be found under the dedicated section.

    Sessions

    There will be two types of sessions. We will discuss the topics you have highlighted in the reading circles every Friday in the first period. In addition to this we will have helpdesk type sessions twice a week throughout the course providing support for your projects. Attendance to the helpdesk sessions is based on your need for support.

    The Friday reading circle sessions will be held on campus, whereas the helpdesk sessions are organised online (check the Teams workspace page for additional details).

    Assessment

    The course assessment will be based on the following items with the corresponding weights

    • final paper (60%)
    • seminar presentation (15%)
    • working diaries (10%)
    • notes on the reading (15%)
    Schedule

    In order to get a quick overview of the schedule of the course, consult the following spreadsheet.

    Course schedule