Using OPENFOAM to study various aerodynamic phenomenas

Project Title

Using OPENFOAM to study various aerodynamic phenomenas

Project Area of Specialization Mechanical EngineeringProject Summary

In this project we are making a Graphical User Interface for Opensource CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics ) software to help its users from the complex coding based linux environment to a user friendly interface like ANSYS FLUENT. The reason is that commercial softwares for CFD has very high license cost associated with them, for example a commercial CFD software SIMFLOW has anually license cost of $7500 which is too much for our educational institutes to pay. That's why we are making a GUI of an Opensource CFD software OPENFOAM which is absolutely free to use. 

Project Objectives

The primary objective of this project is to provide ease in making a transition from ANSYS Fluent to Opensource CFD codes. The long-term continuation of commercial softwares lines is often uncertain. If the software disappears from the market it becomes increasingly difficult for the user to obtain expert advice or support for the software. Same threat exists to Ansys Fluent or other commercial CFD softwares like simscale or simflow etc. Once these companies diminish production line of the free student versions Our CFD institutes will be in great trouble because licensing cost of these softwares is so high that our institutes will not be able to pay for it. In order to do so we will be making GUI to get rid of coding based environment in OPENFOAM and compiling a user friendly manual for its users to understand the working environment of Openfoam.

Project Implementation Method

1. First step in our project was learning the installation of OpenFoam in windows environment. OpenFoam in its original form is only available for Linux. In order to install it in windows we had to create linux based environment in windows. For this we have two options either install a virtual machine in windows that will generate a linux Operating system. Other Option was installing the linux command terminal which is available in windows store then using that terminal install OpenFoam.
2. In this phase we advanced by reading the user guide provided by the developers of OpenFoam. After having adequate knowledge about the working environment of OpenFoam and different libraries of OpenFoam we started a series of tutorials to implement all that knowledge acquired from the user guide of OpenFoam.
3. Once we were done with tutorials practice we came to know that most of the commands were repetitive. So in order to get rid of all these repeating commands we turned towards shell scripting and created different scripts. Shell scripting is writing a series of command for the shell to execute. This reduces the effort required by the end user. For example a shell script by the name of Allclean was created it will delete all the the result of previous simulations. Similarly short commands to navigate a specific folder were also generated.
4. Next step in our project was running a sample case in OpenFoam. We selected an airfoil and ran different simulations at 0,5 and 10 angle of attacks. Our purpose wasn’t the proper CFD analysis but rather we were more interested in how to select different fvSchemes, Turbulence models, and solvers on our own. We were running this case to explore all the options available in OpenFoam. Knowledge about all the options available in OpenFoam and their right syntax writing is very crucial for our next step.
5. We are currently in this phase of project and we are learning advance C++ i.e. Data Parsing and File Handling to create an algorithm that will generalize boundary condition scripts, Turbulence Modelling selection Scripts, Controlling Parameters scripts as well as fvSchemes Scripts and integrate them together in the form an interface.
6. Next Step is developing an integrated Interface which will facilitate a user to select his required parameters from all the available options in OpenFoam. This interface will facilitate Boundary conditions parameters selection, Turbulence model selection, Time intervals selection, Solver selection, Numerical Schemes Selection.
7. Once we are done with Interface Development next phase in our project will be pure CFD phase. In which first we will select an 2D airfoil run do its CFD at different angle of attacks. Then same thing will be performed on 3D airfoil or wing. And results will be validated.
8. After performing the CFD of external flows in OpenFoam. We will head to Ansys Fluent will run the same cases and will compare the results, computational performance of both these softwares.

Benefits of the Project

After completion of this project, it would be very easy for our CFD institutes to use OPENFOAM rather than buying license for other commercial CFD softwares which have very high license cost associated with them.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Final deliverable of our project will be a Graphical User Interface of OPENFOAM in windows enviroment and External Aerodynamics analysis of wing for both steady and highly unsteady cases. 

Final Deliverable of the Project Software SystemCore Industry EducationOther Industries Manufacturing Core Technology OthersOther TechnologiesSustainable Development Goals Quality EducationRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	80000
Professional GUI Developement	Miscellaneous	1	10000	10000
Workstation	Equipment	1	50000	50000
Prototype for Morphed Wing	Equipment	1	20000	20000