Economic Optimisation of Processes and Machines

Computational Fluid Dynamics - CFD - is a simulation technique which allows the prediction of transport phenomena. The transported fluid might be a gas, a liquid or a mixture. Heat transfer through solids can also be accounted for. Phase changes due to large temperature changes such as melting, solidification, vaporization or condensation may also be simulated.

Experimental studies often deliver integral values only, such as discharge coefficients. A certain degree of detailing might be reached when applying advanced optical techniques. The costs of these new methods are, however, quite high, and they are not always applicable. On the other hand simulations reveal more details and allow a better understanding of the variations occurring during a process or within a machine. Provided that fairly reliable models are available the investigation of extreme conditions can be made at a much lower cost than it would require by experimental work.

CFD thus helps engineers and physicists dealing with flowing media to meet the ever increasing requirements on innovation, marketing time, cost reduction and quality assurance. CFD is applied for the optimization of flow characteristics, heat transfer, combustion and reactions as found in technical appliances, environment and buildings. Such simulations effectively reduce production time and costs and enable a better understanding of complicated physical phenomena.