Overview
What is OpenFOAM?
OpenFOAM is a free and open-source software developed by The OpenFOAM Foundation for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It is designed to cater to companies of all sizes, including small startups and large enterprises. According to the vendor, OpenFOAM is widely used in industries such as aerospace...
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- About
- Tech Details
What is OpenFOAM?
OpenFOAM is a free and open-source software developed by The OpenFOAM Foundation for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It is designed to cater to companies of all sizes, including small startups and large enterprises. According to the vendor, OpenFOAM is widely used in industries such as aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, energy and power generation, chemical and process engineering, and environmental engineering.
Key Features
Easy Installation: OpenFOAM is packaged for simple installation on Ubuntu Linux and can be directly installed on Windows 10. It is also available as a Docker image for other Linux and macOS systems, according to the vendor.
Free and Open Source: OpenFOAM is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3, providing users with access to the complete source code for customization and modification, as stated by the vendor.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): OpenFOAM is specifically designed for CFD simulations, offering a wide range of solvers and models to simulate and analyze fluid flow, heat transfer, and other related phenomena, according to the vendor.
Extensive Documentation: OpenFOAM provides comprehensive documentation, including a User Guide, C++ Source Guide, and other resources. These guides cover topics such as running OpenFOAM, compilation, solvers, models, mesh generation, and post-processing, as stated by the vendor.
Mesh Generation: OpenFOAM offers powerful mesh generation capabilities, allowing users to create structured, unstructured, and hybrid meshes. It supports various mesh formats and provides tools for mesh manipulation and refinement, according to the vendor.
Wide Range of Solvers: OpenFOAM offers a wide range of solvers for different types of flow problems, including laminar and turbulent flows, compressible and incompressible flows, multiphase flows, and more. Users can choose the appropriate solver based on their specific requirements, according to the vendor.
Flexible Boundary Conditions: OpenFOAM provides a flexible framework for defining boundary conditions. Users can easily specify different types of boundary conditions, such as fixed value, zero gradient, inlet, outlet, symmetry, and more, as stated by the vendor.
Post-processing and Visualization: OpenFOAM offers tools for post-processing and visualization of simulation results. Users can generate plots, contours, vectors, and other visual representations of the simulation data. It also supports exporting data to popular visualization software, according to the vendor.
Parallel Processing: OpenFOAM supports parallel processing, allowing users to distribute the computational workload across multiple processors or computing nodes. This enables faster simulations and scalability for large-scale problems, according to the vendor.
Customization and Extensibility: OpenFOAM allows users to customize and extend its functionality. The open-source nature of the software enables users to modify the source code, add new features, and develop their own solvers and models, according to the vendor.
OpenFOAM Features
- Supported: Continuous Modeling
- Supported: Design Analysis
- Supported: Direct Manipulation
- Supported: Presentation Tools
OpenFOAM Technical Details
| Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Web-Based, Mac, Windows, Linux |
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Community Insights
- Recommendations
Users have made several recommendations for using OpenFOAM based on their experiences with the software. The most common recommendations include:
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Users suggest going through the user guide to solve most problems encountered and find it helpful in troubleshooting and solving various challenges that may arise during code development and programming.
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Users recommend acquiring theoretical knowledge and intuition before using OpenFOAM in order to enhance the user's ability to effectively utilize the software.
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Users advise trying tutorials or seeking guidance from experts in order to better understand OpenFOAM's capabilities and functionalities. This will help users get acquainted with the software and its features, allowing them to make the most out of it.
Overall, users find OpenFOAM to be a valuable software tool for code developers, programmers, students, and professionals interested in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). However, some users mention that OpenFOAM lacks user-friendliness and requires expertise to meet deadlines in an industry setting. Despite this, users still recommend trying OpenFOAM as a free alternative to expensive CFD software. Additionally, due to its open-source nature, users acknowledge the need for interface development in order to enhance its usability.