Multiphysics

CFD SIMULATION & ANALYSIS

Problem solving through advanced
CFD simulations

The use of advanced computer systems has changed engineering substantially and is now indispensable. Within the framework of CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering), it is CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) which enables the modeling of heat transfer and complex fluxes in defined areas. It describes the segmentation of a considered volume into multiple cells of a very small size and the numerical calculation of the cells’ properties and its local flux conditions.
Such simulations of the conditions in the entire area provide valid and accurate approximations of reality. The main constraint of the technology is the available computational power due to the calculations’ high demands in this regard.

01

Better Understanding
of your Problem

02

Efficient Evaluation
of Different Variants

03

Save Experiment Costs

04

Quick Results

BIOMEDICAL

Microfluidic Chip

MICROFLUIDIC CHIP

Identification of the critical areas regarding the formation of air bubbles and for fluid to remain behind. Validation of the baseline simulation and testing adequacy of different changes in the setup.

Cost- and time-efficient testing method for customer.

Defroster

DEFROSTER

Baseline 3D simulation to analyze the flow and heat flux within the defroster for multiple bags. Identifying areas with high pressure loss and determination of sources to optimize the system.

Optimization of flow for uniform defrosting.

Defrosting Analysis

DEFROSTING ANALYSIS

Stationary 3D simulation to check the baseline defrost time of a bag and shaking 3D simulation to analyze the effect of shaking. Identification of possible system optimizations to reduce the defrost time.

Quicker defrosting with optimized efficiency.

Cell Trap Chip

CELL TRAP CHIP

Multiphase simulation that imitates the behavior of the cell trap and matches the test conditions, using the videos sent by the client as a reference. Geometry optimization using the simulation.

Performance increase of the cell trap.

Microfluidic Chip

MICROFLUIDIC CHIP

In-house tests and simulations with a microfluidic chip to improve the design before the master mold production. Fluid flow optimization to reduce the air bubble occurrence.

Limited testing effort for new chip design.

Micro Mill

MICRO MILL

Simulation of a micro mill, a device for high-resolution grinding for chemical analysis. Investigation of the velocity distribution, strain rate, and molecular viscosity during the grinding process.

Improved know-how and inhomogeneity detection.

ENERGY

Turbofan

TURBOFAN

CFD simulation of the jet engine fan stage for 3 different operating points and Riblet impact on rotor and stator. Improvement of total pressure rise and efficiency due to Riblet application.

Potential efficiency increase for jet engine.

Wind Tunnel Fans

WIND TUNNEL FANS

Investigation of the Riblet impact on rotor and stator of a 0.5m model of a wind tunnel ventilator. Simulations for three different operating points, design of Riblets, and performance tests.

Proof of concept for efficiency increase.

Wind Turbine

WIND TURBINE

Evaluation of the Riblet impact on a wind turbine. Baseline simulation to identify the ideal Riblet size and calculation of the benefit from the application on the suction and pressure side.

Estimate for efficiency increase with Riblets.

TCF Hot Streaks

TCF HOT STREAKS

Investigation of the influence of hot streaks on the turbine center frame using CFD and Large Eddy Simulations. Comparison of unheated and heated scenarios to understand flow and mixing behavior in the turbine.

Better understanding of the machinery wear.

Wind Turbine Model

WIND TURBINE MODEL

Evaluation of the power output increase at a model wind turbine with Riblets in a wind tunnel. Analysis of Riblet optimal size and design impact on wind turbine performance.

Enhanced power output and performance of wind turbines.

Laser Functionalization

LASER FUNCTIONALIZATION

Intereuropean research project for laser engraved riblets on industrial surfaces like turbines and fans. Evaluation of efficiency increase for manufacturable samples with CDF simulation.

Optimization of samples before prototype production.

1MW Heat Exchanger

1MW HEAT EXCHANGER

Assessment of the water and gas flow in a heat exchanger through CFD simulation and comparison with real data. Determination of velocities and heat flux.

Optimized heat exchanger via CFD flow analysis.

500KW Heat Exchanger

500KW HEAT EXCHANGER

Evaluation of various heat exchanger designs, aiming to replace the existing model. Analysis of the roles of radiation and water circulation, and recommendations for optimization.

Understanding important system parameters.

Centrifugal Compressor

CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSION

CFD simulation of the impact of Riblet foil on the diffuser of the compressor and Riblet coating on the split volute. Increase of polytropic efficiency when Riblets are applied on the volute.

Performance increase of the compressor.

UAV

UAV

Testing lasered Riblets on the pressure and suction sides of a UAV rotor blade. CFD simulation to determine optimal riblet size and impact. Validation of results performed by research partners.

Power reduction and lift increase for UAV.

Pellet Boiler

PELLET BOILER

Calculation of the dust particle trajectories to the electrostatic precipitator in a pellet boiler. Optimization proposals to increase the dust particle separation efficiency.

Enhanced dust separation for cleaner pellet boilers.

Axial Compressor

AXIAL COMPRESSOR

Evaluation of the impact of ideal-sized Riblets on the rotor and rotor-hub of the transonic axial flow compressors through CFD simulation. Comparison to the aerodynamics of a smooth surfaced compressor.

Riblets improve adiabatic efficiency.

Jet Propulsion

JET PROPULSION

Feasibility study for a boat jet propulsion system with CFD flow analysis to simulate the thrust for different geometries. Determination of the suitability of the propulsion system for a speed boat.

Informed choice for optimal boat propulsion systems.

Radial Pump

RADIAL PUMP

Investigation of the hydraulic behavior of a radial pump. CFD simulation of the water velocity distribution and calculation of the Riblet application impact.

Better understanding of the pump behavior.

Gas Turbine

GAS TURBINE

CFD simulation of Riblets on a gas turbine impeller. Calculation of isentropic efficiency gain and power consumption reduction. Identification of other suitable areas for Riblet application in the turbine.

More efficient gas turbine.

Radial Compressor

RADIAL COMPRESSOR

Impact analysis of laser-generated riblets on the impeller of a vacuum cleaner. Calculation of the efficiency gain and the increase in mass flow.

Better sales position due to performance increase.

PLANT & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Industrial Furnace

INDUSTRIAL FURNACE

CFD simulation of the current rotary hearth furnace setup to verify the functionality and identify problematic areas to improve flow behavior at the fan and heat rods.

Better understanding and suggestions for improvements.

Cyclone Filter

CYCLONE FILTER

Simulation of a standard geometry of an axial cyclone for centrifugal particle separation with regard to pressure loss and particle separation. Flow analysis and optimization proposal for cyclone geometry.

Improved geometry for particle separation.

Cleaning Device

CLEANING DEVICE

Analysis of the flow path of a high-pressure cleaning system including pressure loss, cavitation areas, erosion zones, and influence of the manufacturing roughness to optimize the system geometry.

Design improvements for client's device.

Demister

DEMISTER

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulation of a planned droplet separator with additional particle analysis. Better understanding of the flow behavior and suggestions for fixes for design flaws.

System test and fixes ahead of prototype development.

Cabin Ventilation

CABIN VENTILATION

Calculation of the cabin ventilation. Analysis of the volume flow and velocity distribution on the outflow nozzles. Proposal for optimization of channels for a better flow distribution.

Competetive advantage through human comfort analysis.

High-Pressure Cleaning

HIGH-PRESSURE CLEANING

Development of a submodel based on the results of the base simulation to verify the dust removal process, done by the injection of air through a pipe system, and suggestions for optimization.

Submodel for more complex system.

Heat Transfer Analysis

HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS

Investigate whether a structured inner pipe surface achieves better heat output than a smooth surface. CFD calculation of the heat transfer performance of different surfaces using LES simulation.

Customer gains knowledge about Riblet applicability.

Cooling Module

COOLING MODULE

Investigation of the flow field in a refrigerated trailer considering the heat transfer at the evaporator using CFD simulations. Suggestions to reduce pressure losses and attain a more uniform flow.

Performance increase of the refrigerating capacity.

Flat Spray Nozzle

FLAT SPRAY NOZZLE

3D CFD simulation with multiphase flow (water-sand mixture and air) and erosion model to improve a flat spray nozzle. Optimizations proposed to increase lifetime by reduced erosion and improved nozzle power.

Performance and lifetime increase of machinery.

Aircraft Cabin Ventilation

AIRCRAFT CABIN VENTILATION

CFD simulation of the volume flow for an airplane cabine ventilation system. Calculation of maximum velocity and backpressure on the outlet and optimization proposals to meet industry standards.

Optimization of proposed system to reach requirements.

Freezer

FREEZER

CFD analysis of the flow distribution of a freezer's cooling system. Identification of problematic zones to prevent ice formation leading to reduced energy consumption.

Reduced energy use by preventing ice buildup.

Freezer Evaporator

FREEZER EVAPORATOR

CFD simulation of the mean heat flux, temperature, and velocity in an evaporation unit. Optimization of the temperature distribution, the evaporation power, and reduction of the pressure loss.

Energy saving through improved performance.

Heating Plate

HEATING PLATE

Calculation of the time required to carry out the air change in an oven and determination of the uniformity of oven purging. Comparison of pressure loss changes with different geometries.

Simulation helped to determine the best geometry.

PROCESSES

Defrosting Analysis

DEFROSTING ANALYSIS

Stationary 3D simulation to check the baseline defrost time of a bag and shaking 3D simulation to analyze the effect of shaking. Identification of possible system optimizations to reduce the defrost time.

Quicker defrosting with optimized efficiency.

Fourdrinier Headbox

FOURDRINIER HEADBOX

Simulation of total headbox area with a mixture model of pulp and water. Comparison of different variations of the turbulence block to the vorticity behavior in the baseline scenario.

Improved vorticity control for better pulp quality.

Reactor Gas Mixing

REACTOR GAS MIXING

Comparison of baseline and variant 3D simulation to investigate the thermal mixing of two gas streams in SO3 reactors. No gas condensation was desired on the system components due to corrosion danger.

Optimized design through precise 3D thermal simulations.

Pulp Container

PULP CONTAINER

Design and optimization of a new pulp container. Simulations for stirring and extraction conditions, and identification of target parameters. Design recommendations to achieve uniform mixing behavior.

Uniform mixing with optimized pulp container design.

Pulper

PULPER

Evaluation of the mixing behavior in a pulper with different rotational speeds to assess optimal velocity for dissolving the pulp. Suggestion for a rotational speed for efficient pulp processing.

Machinery can run in optimum settings.

µ-CT + CFD Simulation

µ-CT + CFD SIMULATION

CFD simulation to obtain porosity, Gurley time, and tortuosity of different paper samples and comparison to measurements and analytical calculations. Geometries were obtained from the µ-CT images.

Use results to check new image processing techniques.

PULP & PAPER

Pressure Screen Rotor

PRESSURE SCREEN ROTOR

Comparison of two different pressure screen rotor geometries with CFD simulation. Checking if the alternative generates improvement in terms of losses and screening quality.

Potential loss reductions highlighted by simulations.

Dust Extraction Pipe

DUST EXTRACTION PIPE

Analysis of a new dust extraction pipe design. Simulating different shapes and openings for the pipe to optimize the geometry with a simplified domain.

Better dust extraction uniformity along the pipe.

Drying Cylinder

DRYING CYLINDER

Simulation of the drying cylinder with the water flow inside, the solids of the cylinder, and the air on the outside to investigate the temperature distribution as well as suggestions for optimized design.

Uniform temperature distribution improves drying.

Deformation In Paper Machinery

DEFORMATION IN PAPER MACHINERY

Understanding thermal deformation in paper machinery to find the source of varying cutting quality. CFD simulation of the temperature distribution to identify critical components with high deformation.

Efficient location of problematic parts.

Dust Removal In Paper Machinery

DUST REMOVAL IN PAPER MACHINERY

CFD Simulation of the whole geometry in a pulp & paper machine to get the global flow situation. Estimation of the flow influence on dust extraction, steam exhaust, and air reject.

Understanding of the flow situation.

Fourdrinier Headbox

FOURDRINIER HEADBOX

Simulation of total headbox area with a mixture model of pulp and water. Comparison of different variations of the turbulence block to the vorticity behavior in the baseline scenario.

Improved vorticity control for better pulp quality.

Pulper Dust Injection

PULPER DUST INJECTION

Optimization of volume flow distribution in dust injection pipes of a pulper. CFD simulation to find the optimal pipe geometry.

Performance increase through efficient dust flow.

Pulp Container

PULP CONTAINER

Design and optimization of a new pulp container. Simulations for stirring and extraction conditions, and identification of target parameters. Design recommendations to achieve uniform mixing behavior.

Uniform mixing with optimized pulp container design.

Screen Bar Profiles

SCREEN BAR PROFILES

2D simulation and comparison of results for different bar profile geometries. Quick analysis is possible with reduced 2D model containing relevant information to deduce the best geometry, which will be tested.

Reduction of testing effort for client.

Air Reject Conveyor

AIR REJECT CONVEYOR

Investigation of the volume flow distribution over the machine width and the separate chutes. CFD simulation of different geometries, evaluation of their impact as well as pressure loss optimization.

Better understanding of machine geometry.

Fourdrinier Headbox

FOURDRINIER HEADBOX

Investigation of turbulence problems in the sieve with simulation of the total headbox area with a mixture model of pulp and water. Detection of the turbulence origin and correlation to the mixture ratio.

Precise issue detection and description.

Pulper

PULPER

Evaluation of the mixing behavior in a pulper with different rotational speeds to assess optimal velocity for dissolving the pulp. Suggestion for a rotational speed for efficient pulp processing.

Machinery can run in optimum settings.

Suction Press Roll

SUCTION PRESS ROLL

Investigation of the vacuum flow in a suction press roll to identify problems with the paper web. CFD simulation of different operating points, web and valve positions, and proposal to fix the problem.

Effortless problem detection for customer.

Vibration Analysis in Suction Box

VIBRATION ANALYSIS IN SUCTION BOX

Investigation of vibrations in a flat suction box. Modal analysis at three different water levels, determination of resonance frequency and potential exitation sources. Suggestions to reduce vibrations.

Equipment longevity through decreased vibrations.

Fly Knife Cooling

FLY KNIFE COOLING

Problem detection for the cooling system in a fly knife. Simulation of three different geometries to reduce pressure loss and optimization suggestions to increase the water flow rate for better cooling.

Performance increase in the cutting process.

µ-CT + CFD Simulation

µ-CT + CFD SIMULATION

CFD simulation to obtain porosity, Gurley time, and tortuosity of different paper samples and comparison to measurements and analytical calculations. Geometries were obtained from the µ-CT images.

Use results to check new image processing techniques.

Flat Suction Box

FLAT SUCTION BOX

Investigation of the air release valve's impact on volume flow rate and pressure distribution in a flat suction box. CFD simulation to assess the valve in half-open and fully-open positions.

Optimized valve settings for balanced flow.

Wedge Zone Overflow

WEDGE ZONE OVERFLOW

Transient multiphase CFD simulation for a machine's drainage zone. Determination of optimal design to minimize areas of problematic drainage through the wedge zone.

Cost-efficient way to test different constructions.

Dilution Control Unit

DILUTION CONTROL UNIT

CFD simulation of the consistency distribution of pulp in a machine at a specific processing step. Examination of the influence of different local dilutions and allocation of inhomogeneities.

Simulation replaces complex machinery tests.

TRANSPORT

Motorcycle Cooling System

MOTORCYCLE COOLING SYSTEM

CFD simulation of a motorcycle's external aerodynamics. Evaluation of the heat flux and cooling properties through radiator and fan airflow. Suggestions for optimization of motorcycle cooling.

Increased comfort for the driver.

Luge

LUGE

CFD analysis and evaluation of drag, lift, and flow rate under the sledge for three different geometries. Comparison of aerodynamic properties to find the best sledge geometry.

Competitive advantage with improved sledge.

Sea River Coaster

SEA RIVER COASTER

Simulation to determine the optimal Riblet size for different locations on a riverboat. Evaluation of the Riblet design and their impact on drag reduction. Creation of an application plan for the boat.

Offer for Riblet application for client's customers.

Wind Tunnel Model

WIND TUNNEL MODEL

Baseline simulation of the car in the wind tunnel and optimal riblet size determination. Riblet application and impact test in wind tunnel with different conditions like height, speed, rear geometries.

Enhanced aerodynamics for peak performance.

Solar Car

SOLAR CAR

Strategic use of Riblets on solar racing cars crossing Australia, to reduce drag and increase sail effect, calculated with CFD simulations. Application of riblets by the teams with a sticking plan.

Good classification for all teams using Riblets.

Nacra 17 Sailing

NACRA 17 SAILING

Understanding the influence of foil surface roughness, water depth, and angle of attack on the phenomenon of 'ventilation' in sailing. Analysis through multiphase simulation (air and water).

Gained knowledge gives an advantage in competitions.

Car

CAR

Evaluation of the potential drag decrease with Riblets on a standard car and determination of ideal Riblet size: baseline simulation and comparison with the CFD data from the customer.

Reduced drag and fuel consumption.

Helicopter

HELICOPTER

Assessment of changed helicopter blade angle on riblet size. Adding a User Defined Function (UDF) to the CFD program to control the blades rotation and angle.

Implementation of UDF for more realistic simulation.

Speed Boat

SPEED BOAT

Evaluation of the forces on a boat hull. Simulation with simplification of the pump with mass flow boundary condition. Optimization proposal for the hull to decrease drag and increase the top speed.

Better performance and fuel-saving potential.

Motorcycle Aerodynamic

MOTORCYCLE AERODYNAMIC

Evaluation of various windshield geometries for a motorcycle at different speeds. Recommendation of the optimal geometry to reduce drag and enhance rider comfort.

Precise geometry analysis through simulations.

Race Car

RACE CAR

CFD simulation of the aerodynamics of a race car and evaluation of the Riblet impact. Improved settings of the race car and application of Riblets allow a drag reduction while keeping a constant lift.

Improved performance for competitive advantage.

Aerospace Rocket

AEROSPACE ROCKET

CFD simulation of riblets on a rocket to reduce drag, save fuel, and simultaneously maintain high performance. Calculation of the optimal Riblet size and proposal for geometrical optimizations.

Higher altitudes possible for rocket in competition.

Skeleton

SKELETON

Simulation of a skeleton bobsled to decrease drag and increase speed. Optimization of the sled geometry and calculation of the positive effect when applying Riblets.

Advantage in the competition through speed increase.

Rowing Boat

ROWING BOAT

CFD simulation to calculate drag reduction and speed increase with Riblets on a rowing boat. The predicted advantage matched competition times, leading to the team's victory multiple times.

Advantage in competition due to speed increase.