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Main Menu Session 1520

FlowLab: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Framework for Undergraduate Education

Richard D. LaRoche, Barbara J. Hutchings, and R. Muralikrishnan Fluent Inc., Lebanon, NH 03766 USA

Today, the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software in academia occurs primarily in the context of student projects or research. The potential of CFD as a tool to enhance teaching is largely untapped, despite growing interest in computer tools to assist learning. FlowLab (http://flowlab.fluent.com) is a CFD-based educational software package that will allow students to solve fluid dynamics problems without the long learning curve required by today's commercial CFD packages.

FlowLab provides students with a "Virtual Fluids Laboratory" which would use CFD to teach and visually reinforce concepts in fluid flow and heat transfer. FlowLab introduces students to the effective use of CFD for solving fluid flow problems, providing them with exposure to software tools that are increasingly important in industry. FlowLab allows students to get started immediately without having to spend the large time commitment to learn geometry and mesh creation skills that traditional CFD software require. It also allows lecturers and teachers to easily deploy CFD in undergraduate curricula using pre-defined examples and exercises, with the ability for the teacher to customize the exercises or create their own to tie directly into the existing curriculum. Fluent is working with university professors worldwide to develop a library of FlowLab exercises which would be available freely through the Internet. Below are the overall educational goals for the FlowLab framework:

• Reinforce basic concepts of fluid mechanics and heat/mass transfer using computer simulation • Use computing exercises to augment and complement existing laboratory-based curriculum • Expand the learning experience with real-world applications of fluid flow and heat/mass transfer • Expose students to CFD and CFD concepts – an increasingly important skill in the job market

Customizing FlowLab

FlowLab is designed to fit easily into existing curriculum by using the idea of customized exercises. Exercises consist of two parts. First, a parameterized template defines the inputs that drive the simulation. Those inputs can be as simple or as complex as the exercise authors desire, and are determined when the parameterized template is created. Secondly, each template is accompanied by exercise notes. The exercise notes tell the student what simulation tasks to perform and guide the student’s interpretation of results.

“Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education”

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LaRoche, R., & Muralikrishnan, R., & Hutchings, B. (2002, June), Flowlab: Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Framework For Undergraduate Education Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10204