Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to influence decisions early in the design process. In order to assess the state-of-the-art of CFD and its predictive capability for medical devices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed two benchmark models for validation. In this case study, the focus was to examine the influence of the turbulence model on the computed flowfield. The k-ω SST, standard k-ε, and realizable k-ε turbulence models were used. Results from all six pump test conditions were compared for each turbulence model.

Dr. Chris Sideroff, managing director at Applied CCM and Pointwise’s Josh Dawson will demonstrate in the video how to run these simulations using the Caelus flow solver, an OpenFOAM derivative, on meshes generated in Pointwise.

In addition to the simulation results for the various turbulence models, you’ll learn how to:

• Run a parametric analysis using Caelus and the Caelus Python Library.
• Write Caelus command line applications and usage.
• Use meshing techniques to improve volume grid quality in regions between surfaces in close proximity.

The video is available for you to watch now.

Previous work explored hybrid and multi-block structured meshing strategies and their impact on steady-state solution accuracy for one of the benchmark cases, a centrifugal blood pump. This video is available for you to watch next.