Development Talks
2023
FLOW-3D products – A look ahead
Dr. Michael Barkhudarov, Flow Science
In this talk we will preview the development plans for the 2023R2 release later this year. For FLOW-3D HYDRO, a major expansion of the topological data interface is in the works, to include multiple data formats and the ability to easily convert geophysical coordinates to local coordinates suitable for simulation and visualization. FLOW-3D CAST will see an upgrade to the thermal die cycling model capabilities to include the filling stage and die sliders, as well as a simplified die spray model with a complete redesign of the user interface to the model. A new output format is under development for FLOW-3D POST to improve post-processing performance and quality, covered in a separate talk.
Faster postprocessing with FLOW-3D POST
Dr. Michael Barkhudarov, Flow Science
The ever-increasing size and complexity of CAE simulation models have placed a burden upon software developers to create user result interfaces that are both time-efficient and fully featured. To meet this technological challenge, Flow Science is developing a new results architecture based upon the HDF5 and EXODUS II file storage formats, which is network- and operating system-independent. The newly developed architecture aims to increase the GUI loading speed of simulations, reduce interactive post-processing times, provide visualizations of improved quality, and facilitate access to fully 3-dimensional objects for arbitrary slicing and more granular user interactions.
FLOW-3D products – Development overview
Dr. Michael Barkhudarov, Flow Science
We will present the new developments in the recent releases of the FLOW-3D family of products – FLOW-3D, FLOW-3D CAST, FLOW-3D HYDRO, as well as FLOW-3D POST and FLOW-3D (x). Enhanced performance remains a high priority, leading to the unification of the workstation and HPC solvers in the 2022R2 release. We continue to expand the modeling capabilities for hydraulic applications, where the primary focus is on the shallow water model and turbulence. In metal casting applications, high pressure die casting remains a priority, with a push to support ever larger parts, including Giga Castings. FLOW-3D POST has been updated to the latest ParaView engine. New filters have been added for improved particle display, and units can now be shown on all plots.
FLOW-3D (x) has been seamlessly integrated with FLOW-3D POST, making it easier to visualize and post-process simulation results. Several features have been added to simplify common tasks.
FLOW-3D (x): Expand your simulation experience
Raul Pirovano, XC Engineering
FLOW-3D (x) will dramatically change the way you do CFD, introducing automation, optimization, and batch-processing into your CFD workflow. FLOW-3D (x) lets you graphically and intuitively build automation and optimization workflows, connecting your FLOW-3D simulations with external software and tools to dynamically feed information into and from your simulation. Whether you are running the design parameter space, interested in design of experiments, or optimizing your geometric parts for best performance, FLOW-3D (x) allows you to construct batch workflows, conduct advanced parametric geometry studies, and combine automation with optimization to quickly meet your design objectives and arrive at an optimal solution.
2022
Upcoming developments
Dr. Michael Barkhudarov, Flow Science
This talk presents developments currently under way for all three main products – FLOW-3D, FLOW-3D CAST and FLOW-3D HYDRO. The focus continues to be on improved performance, accuracy and feature extensions. The cast iron and steel solidification model will be one of the main additions to FLOW-3D CAST, along with extensions to the thermal die cycling process and an improved slow-shot plunger motion calculator. A new, finite volume-based shallow water model will be available in FLOW-3D HYDRO, with improved treatment of the wet/dry front, which is important for flood modeling. Work continues on enhancing our TruVOF technology with the development of a new Lagrangian interface tracking method that promises exceptional accuracy in general 3D flows. A new output format for simulation results will greatly enhance performance and postprocessing quality.
FLOW-3D 2022R2: New features, advances in accuracy and performance
The last FLOW-3D World Users Conference took place in Milan in 2019, just after the release of version 12.0. Since then, major new releases of FLOW-3D have come out, and new products have been developed, among them FLOW-3D HYDRO and FLOW-3D POST. The most recent version 2022R1, released last fall, includes three main packages: FLOW-3D, FLOW-3D CAST and FLOW-3D HYDRO, all based on the same solver and user interface framework. This presentation reviews the main features that have come out since 2019, such as the chemistry-based aluminum solidification, dissolving oxygen, and tailings models, and the detailed cutcell method for improved shear stress calculation. The main part of the talk is dedicated to the upcoming FLOW-3D 2022R2, with a focus on performance and accuracy. The fully combined shared and distributed memory parallelization paradigms take advantage of modern processor architectures not only on clusters but also on workstations, as does vectorization of some computationally intensive parts of the solver. Smart preconditioning for the GMRES pressure solver and a multidimensional convective stability model for the time step both help to accelerate flow simulations across all applications.
FLOW-3D AM: New features and planned developments
John Wendelbo, Flow Science
Weld and additive manufacturing processes represent some of the most challenging free surface modeling applications in the industry today. The combination of complex heat source and substrate characteristics, with important surface tension effects, and complex pressure fields due to phase change dynamics all contribute to the challenges of modeling these applications. In recent years, Flow Science Japan has been at the cutting edge of these modeling efforts. In this talk, we will review the latest developments as well as upcoming features soon to be available for our user community. Notable improvements include more detailed representations of phase change and free surface pressure fields, advances in multi- material processes, and advances in heat transfer calculations for multi-layer materials. User interface improvements will also be covered in this presentation.
Postprocessing capabilities with FLOW-3D POST 2022R1
John Wendelbo, Flow Science
FLOW-3D POST 2022R1 brings our users full Python compatibility, allowing for the simplified deployment of macro commands as well as advanced batch processing and automation using PvBatch and PvPython. In this talk, we will showcase how to best take advantage of these new features by presenting numerous examples of workflows that can be executed with this latest release. Improvements in performance, 2D slicing functionality, and data extraction techniques for massively accelerated renderings are also covered.
FLOW-3D (x): Expand your simulation experience
Stefano Mascetti, XC Engineering
FLOW-3D (x) will dramatically change the way you do CFD, connecting automation, optimization, and batch-processing into your CFD workflow. FLOW-3D (x) lets you graphically and intuitively build automation and optimization workflows as well as connect external nodes like Solidworks, Rhino, and Excel to dynamically feed information into your simulation. Whether you are running the design parameter space, interested in design of experiments, or optimizing your geometric parts for best performance, FLOW-3D (x) allows you to construct batch workflows, conduct advanced parametric geometry studies, and combine automation with optimization to quickly meet your design objectives and arrive at an optimal solution.
2019
FLOW-3D v12.0 – Modernized interface, streamlined workflows and enhanced accuracy
John Wendelbo, Flow Science
The recent release of FLOW-3D v12.0 features significant graphical user interface developments that streamline the workflow for engineers to progress from their simulation setup through running models and post-processing results. A modernized interface improves the visibility of key modeling features while removing unnecessary options from the user’s view. Faster setup, fewer places to make mistakes in the model setup, an even more streamlined flow of commands and model accessibility, and enhanced run-time plot monitoring make this release a significant departure from previous versions. Additional solver developments include notable accuracy-enhancing features such as an Immersed Boundary Method for momentum advection and a new two-field temperature model.
2018
Accelerating Simulation Workflows through User Interface Design
John Ditter, Flow Science
As simulation becomes deeply embedded in the product design cycle, the need to improve simulation workflows increases. A number of productivity-enhancing features have been implemented in FLOW-3D’s user interface to improve the workflow. These features, which include runtime simulation monitoring, interactive geometry creation, remote solving, batch post-processing, and active simulation control with global conditions, will be discussed. New features coming soon include a new, high performance scenario results viewer, more efficient handling of raster topography, the HPC version of FLOW-3D CAST, and more plotting features in runtime simulation monitoring.
Solver Developments: FLOW-3D v12.0 and FLOW-3D CAST v5.1
Michael Barkhudarov, Flow Science
FLOW-3D users will see many exciting and far-reaching developments in 2018. Hydraulic applications will benefit from a significant upgrade of the sediment transport model and a new outflow pressure boundary condition, both resulting in more accurate and stable solutions. A new multi-component alloy model will mark a major enhancement of the solidification simulation capabilities in FLOW-3D CAST, opening the doors to predicting microstructure and mechanical properties. A full radiation model, along with the shell generation feature, will enable investment casting modeling. All users will benefit from the addition of general unit systems. The accuracy of the two-fluid solution has been advanced by extending it to a two-temperature approach, while the new Immersed Boundary Method improves the accuracy of the near-wall flow solution. There will be a debut of the HPC version of FLOW-3D CAST, which will be available on the POD cloud service, along with the HPC version of FLOW-3D.
