Software
- CPFD released Barracuda 17.2 for fluidized bed reactor simulations.
- ZephyCFD v.17 was released for simulation of wind farms.
- FEATool 1.7 was released with multi-simulation capabilities.
- Beta CAE released v18.0.0 of their software suite, including a new product for simulation data management, as reported by Engineering.com.
- Envenio shares how their software attempts to meet the needs of CFD users. [I am quoted in this article. That’s not why I’m reposting. Srsly.]
Events
- The 2nd XFlow User Conference is coming up soon: 2-3 October in Madrid.
- The Basilisk/Gerris Users’ Meeting 2017 will be held 15-16 November 2017 at Princeton University.
More on ANSYS
- WorldCAD Access asked ANSYS a few questions about the new Discovery Live, real-time simulation software, and posted the answers.
- “Grabowski: How is meshing done automatically? I assume it ignores small parts automatically.
- ANSYS: The simulation methodology is proprietary to ANSYS, and so we do not share details about how it works.”
- WorldCAD Access also shares a more detailed perspective on Discovery Live.
- Lifecycle Insights says Discovery Live’s value is self-evident.
Awards
- The 2017 Annual HPCwire Reader’s Choice Awards are open for voting. Vote for your favorite hardware, software, applications, and more by 01 October.
- Congratulations to Sandia National Labs’ Pavel Bochev for being awarded the Thomas J.R. Hughes Medal for outstanding and sustained contributions to CFD.
Applications
- CFD was used to redesign the wings of a P-51 Mustang so that it could set a world speed record for a piston-powered aircraft, 531 mph.
- CFD was used to compute the boil-off rate for LNG tankers.
- Newtecnic, UK-based architectural/civil engineering firm, uses CFD in the process of designing some of the world’s most unique structures. See image below.
- Rondo used CFD in the design of their HVRT aero road bike.
- Take 27 minutes to watch this video presentation of the DoE Exascale Computing Project.
- Simscale shares insight into the CFL number.

Who knew structured grids were so prevalent in leading-edge architectural design? The work of Newtechnic. Image from TheEngineer.co.uk. See link above.
Jobs and Books
- Amway [Amway?] seeks a mechanical engineer to extend existing CFD work on filtration systems.
- Fellowships are available for medical device R&D including CFD.
- Prof. Charles Hirsch’s book on Numerical Computation of Internal and External Flows is available in its second edition.
Fluid Particles
As originally seen on Colossal, Maxim Zhestkov brings virtual art galleries to life by filling them with billions of particles that he then animates to illustrate fluid phenomena such as flow, diffusion, and pressure. Who wouldn’t like to see this IRL?

Screen capture from the video Elements by Maxim Zhestkov. Original video on Vimeo.