Developer(s) | Precise Simulation |
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Stable release | |
Repository | github |
Written in | MATLAB, C, Fortran |
Operating system | Windows, Linux, Mac OSX |
Type | Computer-aided engineering (CAE), multiphysics, finite element analysis (FEA), simulation software |
Website | www |
FEATool Multiphysics ("Finite Element Analysis Toolbox for Multiphysics") is a physics, finite element analysis (FEA), and partial differential equation (PDE) simulation toolbox. [2] FEATool Multiphysics features the ability to model fully coupled heat transfer, fluid dynamics, chemical engineering, structural mechanics, fluid-structure interaction (FSI), electromagnetics, as well as user-defined and custom PDE problems in 1D, 2D (axisymmetry), or 3D, all within a graphical user interface (GUI) or optionally as script files. [3] FEATool has been employed and used in academic research, [4] [5] teaching, [6] [7] and industrial engineering simulation contexts. [8]
FEATool Multiphysics is a fully integrated physics and PDE simulation environment where the modeling process is subdivided into six steps; preprocessing (CAD and geometry modeling), mesh and grid generation, physics and PDE specification, boundary condition specification, solution, and postprocessing and visualization. [9]
1. Geometry Mode | 2. Grid Mode | 3. Multiphysics Mode |
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4. Boundary Mode | 5. Solve Mode | 6. Post Mode |
The FEATool graphical user interface (GUI) shown above was designed for ease of use and minimal prerequisite knowledge. [10] Specifically, because of the full integration of CAD and simulation tools users can switch between pre-processing, analysis, and post-processing modes to change simulation parameters, modify geometry and meshes, to solution evaluation and visualization. In this way FEATool can make up for any performance overhead by saving users time with problem set up and analysis. [11]
FEATool has introduced a multi-simulation feature whereby interfaces to popular academic and open-source solvers are developed. This feature enables these solvers to be used from the FEATool GUI and CLI without detailed knowledge of the syntax or peculiarities of each solver.
The CFD solver interfaces allows fluid dynamics problems to be solved with the finite volume CFD solvers OpenFOAM [12] and SU2. Using the interfaces automatically converts incompressible Navier-Stokes FEATool models to compatible OpenFOAM/SU2 mesh, boundary, and control dictionary files, runs simulations, and afterwards imports and interpolates the resulting solutions back into FEATool. In this way more advanced, larger, and parallel CFD models, for example including turbulence, can be simulated without leaving the FEATool interface.
Similar to the OpenFOAM and SU2 solver interfaces, FEATool also features a fully integrated interface to the FEniCS general FEM and multiphysics solver. [13] Using the FEATool-FEniCS interface, as both codes feature PDE definition languages, multiphysics problems can automatically be translated and converted to FEniCS Python definition files, after which system calls to the FEniCS solver is made, and the resulting solution re-imported.
GUI operation is recorded as equivalent function calls, and therefore in addition to binary formats, FEATool simulation models can also be saved and exported as fully scriptable and editable MATLAB compatible m-script files. [14] The short MATLAB script below illustrates how a complete flow around a cylinder computational fluid dynamics (CFD) benchmark problem can be defined and solved with the FEATool m-script functions (including geometry, grid generation, problem definition, solving, and postprocessing all in a few lines of code). [15] [16] [17] Specifically, custom partial differential equations (PDE) and expressions can simply be entered and evaluated as string expressions as-is, without need for further compilation or writing custom functions. [18]
% Geometry and mesh generation.fea.sdim={'x''y'};fea.geom.objects={gobj_rectangle(0,2.2,0,0.41,'R1'),...gobj_circle([0.20.2],0.05,'C1')};fea=geom_apply_formula(fea,'R1-C1');fea.grid=gridgen(fea,'hmax',0.02);% Problem definition (incompressible Navier-Stokes equations multiphysics mode).fea=addphys(fea,@navierstokes);% Prescribe fluid viscosity (density is default 1).fea.phys.ns.eqn.coef{2,end}={0.001};% Boundary conditions (Non-specified boundaries are% per default prescribed no-slip zero velocity walls).% Inflow (bc type 2) at boundary 4.fea.phys.ns.bdr.sel(4)=2;% Outflow (bc type 3, zero pressure) at boundary 2.fea.phys.ns.bdr.sel(2)=3;% Parabolic inflow profile x-velocity expression.fea.phys.ns.bdr.coef{2,end}{1,4}='4*0.3*y*(0.41-y)/0.41^2';% Check, parse, and solve problem.fea=parsephys(fea);fea=parseprob(fea);fea.sol.u=solvestat(fea);% Alternatively solve with OpenFOAM or SU2% fea.sol.u = openfoam( fea );% fea.sol.u = su2( fea );% Postprocessing and visualization.postplot(fea,'surfexpr','sqrt(u^2+v^2)',...'arrowexpr',{'u''v'})p_cyl_front=evalexpr('p',[0.15;0.2],fea);p_cyl_back=evalexpr('p',[0.25;0.2],fea);delta_p_computed=p_cyl_front-p_cyl_backdelta_p_reference=0.117520
Similar to the external solver interfaces, FEATool features built-in support for the Gmsh [19] and Triangle [20] mesh generators. If requested instead of the built-in mesh generation algorithm, [21] FEATool will convert and export appropriate Gridgen2D, Gmsh, or Triangle input data files, call the mesh generators through external system calls, and re-import the resulting grids into FEATool.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the free-stream flow of the fluid, and the interaction of the fluid with surfaces defined by boundary conditions. With high-speed supercomputers, better solutions can be achieved, and are often required to solve the largest and most complex problems. Ongoing research yields software that improves the accuracy and speed of complex simulation scenarios such as transonic or turbulent flows. Initial validation of such software is typically performed using experimental apparatus such as wind tunnels. In addition, previously performed analytical or empirical analysis of a particular problem can be used for comparison. A final validation is often performed using full-scale testing, such as flight tests.
Numerical methods for partial differential equations is the branch of numerical analysis that studies the numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs).
COMSOL Multiphysics is a finite element analyzer, solver, and simulation software package for various physics and engineering applications, especially coupled phenomena and multiphysics. The software facilitates conventional physics-based user interfaces and coupled systems of partial differential equations (PDEs). COMSOL provides an IDE and unified workflow for electrical, mechanical, fluid, acoustics, and chemical applications.
Mesh generation is the practice of creating a mesh, a subdivision of a continuous geometric space into discrete geometric and topological cells. Often these cells form a simplicial complex. Usually the cells partition the geometric input domain. Mesh cells are used as discrete local approximations of the larger domain. Meshes are created by computer algorithms, often with human guidance through a GUI, depending on the complexity of the domain and the type of mesh desired. A typical goal is to create a mesh that accurately captures the input domain geometry, with high-quality (well-shaped) cells, and without so many cells as to make subsequent calculations intractable. The mesh should also be fine in areas that are important for the subsequent calculations.
Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp. is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) vendor. Formerly known as Abaqus Inc. and previously Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen, Inc., (HKS), the company was founded in 1978 by David Hibbitt, Bengt Karlsson and Paul Sorensen, and has its headquarters in Providence, Rhode Island.
Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) is the interaction of some movable or deformable structure with an internal or surrounding fluid flow. Fluid–structure interactions can be stable or oscillatory. In oscillatory interactions, the strain induced in the solid structure causes it to move such that the source of strain is reduced, and the structure returns to its former state only for the process to repeat.
In computational fluid dynamics, the immersed boundary method originally referred to an approach developed by Charles Peskin in 1972 to simulate fluid-structure (fiber) interactions. Treating the coupling of the structure deformations and the fluid flow poses a number of challenging problems for numerical simulations. In the immersed boundary method the fluid is represented in an Eulerian coordinate system and the structure is represented in Lagrangian coordinates. For Newtonian fluids governed by the Navier–Stokes equations, the fluid equations are
The FEniCS Project is a collection of free and open-source software components with the common goal to enable automated solution of differential equations. The components provide scientific computing tools for working with computational meshes, finite-element variational formulations of ordinary and partial differential equations, and numerical linear algebra.
The finite element method (FEM) is a popular method for numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering and mathematical modeling. Typical problem areas of interest include the traditional fields of structural analysis, heat transfer, fluid flow, mass transport, and electromagnetic potential.
code_saturne is a general-purpose computational fluid dynamics free computer software package. Developed since 1997 at Électricité de France R&D, code_saturne is distributed under the GNU GPL licence. It is based on a co-located finite-volume approach that accepts meshes with any type of cell and any type of grid structure.
Gmsh is a finite-element mesh generator developed by Christophe Geuzaine and Jean-François Remacle. Released under the GNU General Public License, Gmsh is free software.
KIVA is a family of Fortran-based Computational Fluid Dynamics software developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The software predicts complex fuel and air flows as well as ignition, combustion, and pollutant-formation processes in engines. The KIVA models have been used to understand combustion chemistry processes, such as auto-ignition of fuels, and to optimize diesel engines for high efficiency and low emissions. General Motors has used KIVA in the development of direct-injection, stratified charge gasoline engines as well as the fast burn, homogeneous-charge gasoline engine. Cummins reduced development time and cost by 10%–15% using KIVA to develop its high-efficiency 2007 ISB 6.7-L diesel engine that was able to meet 2010 emission standards in 2007. At the same time, the company realized a more robust design and improved fuel economy while meeting all environmental and customer constraints.
Gerris is computer software in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Gerris was released as free and open-source software, subject to the requirements of the GNU General Public License (GPL), version 2 or any later.
SU2 is a suite of open-source software tools written in C++ for the numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDE) and performing PDE-constrained optimization. The primary applications are computational fluid dynamics and aerodynamic shape optimization, but has been extended to treat more general equations such as electrodynamics and chemically reacting flows. SU2 supports continuous and discrete adjoint for calculating the sensitivities/gradients of a scalar field.
Nektar++ is a spectral/hp element framework designed to support the construction of efficient high-performance scalable solvers for a wide range of partial differential equations (PDE). The code is released as open-source under the MIT license. Although primarily driven by application-based research, it has been designed as a platform to support the development of novel numerical techniques in the area of high-order finite element methods.
CONSELF is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) platform used by engineers for design purposes. The platform, which highly relies on cloud computing, is developed by CONSELF SRL since its first release in October 2015. In March 2016 a new release of the platform defined guided workflows for the users with focus on turbomachinery, fire scenarios and flows with dispersed solid particles. Through the platform it is possible to run both Computational Fluid Dynamics and Finite Element Analysis. Among the solvers and libraries used by CONSELF platform, a number of open-source technologies are included, such as: