Who here uses OpenFOAM ? - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Cd · 12-21-2008, 10:41 AM

I would love to use the program, but I am horrible in math.
What I am looking for is a more visual program.
I can understand programs like Maya or 3DSMax, but it's because they are visual and not so much math is needed to understand the program.

Does anyone know of a CFD program that is more user friendly to non math types ?

PA32R · 12-23-2008, 08:40 PM

I'm bumping this in case someone who may use the program happened to miss it. I'm also contemplating downloading, installing, and learning to use the program and if anyone here has any insight into its usefulness, friendliness, etc. I'd like to hear about it.

Cd · 12-27-2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA32R

I'm bumping this in case someone who may use the program happened to miss it. I'm also contemplating downloading, installing, and learning to use the program and if anyone here has any insight into its usefulness, friendliness, etc. I'd like to hear about it.

It's a free program, so nothing is stopping you.

I have it downloaded, but I'm not smart enough to use it.

PA32R · 12-27-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cd

It's a free program, so nothing is stopping you.

I have it downloaded, but I'm not smart enough to use it.

Yup, that's the problem all right. The learning curve for such a program is pretty steep and time is an investment as well as money, so I was looking for some input as to whether the program is worth that investment.

ConnClark · 12-27-2008, 03:31 PM

I have used versiojn 1.4 with limited success. It has a very very steep learning curve however its flexibility is incredible. You can do just about everything with it if you have the skills. It will do subsonic, supersonic, compressible, incompressible, combustion, and more.

I guess the really big advantage it has is the ease at which you can use multiple computers as a cluster to solve problems.

The best way to learn it is to go through the tutorials and examples until you find an example that is closest to your problem. Its also a good idea to verify your simulation environment against case with an actual experiment like the ahmed bluff body for car aeordynamics simulations.

The thing that has me excited is the EngineFoam application that will allow simulation of engine combustion.

Cd · 12-27-2008, 07:20 PM

Has anyone used Dolfyn ? It too is free, and looks as if it has an extremely simple interface.

When I unzip the file and try and istall the program, I get several 'F90' files.

What is an 'F90' file ? I looked up what an 'F90' file is, and apparently is is for Macs and something called a flotran compiler ( or something like that ).

I'm pretty sure I downloaded the Windows version, but perhaps not ?

ConnClark · 12-27-2008, 07:29 PM

F90 files are fortran 90 computer code files

Cd · 12-27-2008, 07:36 PM

I don't know C++ , or any programming at all.
What I am looking for is a CFD program for dummies.
( No code writing, and extreme algebra )
I'd like to find a program that you just unzip the file, click 'install' on the .exe file, and it does it for you. The next screen that opens when you double click the icon is the welcome screen.

I'd feel like I accomplished something if I could get even that far ( because as of right now I can't even figure out how to install any of these CFD programs. )

Cd · 12-27-2008, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConnClark

F90 files are fortran 90 computer code files

What is a fortran 90 ? Is the fortran 90 a Mac file ?

ChrstphrR · 12-28-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cd

What is a fortran 90 ? Is the fortran 90 a Mac file ?

Fortran 90 is a particular standard of the Fortran language -- it's another computer programming language, like C++ is. Fortran's the great grandaddy of programming languages, and every few years, a new standard is made. It first came out in 1957, and other major standards along the way, including F90.

Where did you find that Dolfyn program, Cd?

----

Back on about your original question -- I'd tried, without too much success, to try and run the windows port of OpenFOAM. Very cryptic error messages, and thus, very little progress made to even try the tutorials on a windows platform.

My intent in my spare time over the winter months was to try it out on a spare machine that runs linux. We do lack a "poor man's virtual wind tunnel", and I was hoping to get familiar enough with the workings of OpenFOAM to find a way to make a more user friendly front end for the sort of testing you, I, and others have wanted to run on models of our own cars.