System-Level Computational Fluid Dynamics 

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) has been developing, enhancing, and applying advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation tools to the solution of clients’ problems for more than 20 years. The focus of all these activities is the solution of the client’s problems through the application of modeling and simulation tools. In particular, the staff uses these computational tools to solve problems related to the operational conditions and states of large-scale engineered and natural systems.

Capabilities

SwRI maintains a suite of CFD software and computer resources which provide a broad foundation to support modeling and simulation projects of widely different sizes and scope. SwRI is a member organization of Internet2.

The staff utilizes a suite of CFD codes and computer resources to solve a broad spectrum of large-scale system problems such as:

• Large-scale system design and analysis

  Software	Source
  NSC Codes	SwRI
  FLOW-3D	Flow Science
  Overflow	NASA
  CTH	Sandia
  Multiflo	SwRI
  ASPEN	SwRI
  HYTTAP	SwRI
  PHAT-LPS	SwRI

• Explosive hazard analysis in and around complex structures

• Hydraulic transient analysis in complex pipeline networks

• External aerodynamic analysis for complete structures

• Atmospheric dynamics for Earth and Mars

• Airflow distribution in multi-room buildings and hangars

• Chem/Bio hazard assessment in multi-room buildings and urban enviroments

• Fluid-structure interaction with six-degrees-of- freedom dynamics

• Simulation of fate and transport in atmospheric and regional subsurface environments

The Engineering Dynamics Department staff has the expertise to develop, enhance, and apply CFD codes to existing or new classes of problems that clients may need to address, and can accomplish this within the client’s cost and schedule constraints. An integrated approach using physical experiments, numerical simulations, and analytical methods is routinely employed to investigate and solve complex nonlinear fluid flow and heat transfer problems.

Aerodynamic simulation of a high-speed train showing contours of surface pressure

Curvilinear grid system used in the six-degrees-of-freedom simulation of twin rockets

Simulation of airflow distribution in a paint hangar showing airflow streamline ribbons (top) and contours of velocity magnitude (bottom)

Global circulation simulations for Earth (top) and Mars (bottom); contours display temperature fields at 300 km for Earth and 49 km for Mars

Simulation of explosive detonation in a hardened structure showing results for the actual structure (top) and results for an experimental facility with a structure designed to collect biological samples (bottom)

Simulation of explosive detonation in an urban center surrounded by four rigid buildings

This flyer was published in April 2009. For more information about System-Level Computational Fluid Dynamics, contact Christopher Freitas, Ph.D., (210) 522-2137 or Sidney Chocron, Ph.D., (210) 522-3698, Mechanical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

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