CFD

whupass

(For those who don't know CFD = Computational Fluid Dynamics)

I recently downloaded OpenFOAM onto my computer. I had to create a linux virtual machine to do it. Does anyone here have experience with OpenFOAM?

For some reason the installation didn't work. Just hoping someone else has encountered it.

You've to install it using terminal prompts so I just copy and pasted the instructions given in the website but one step won't work

As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

CatFromHue

haven't a clue myself but did you check on http://www.cfd-online.com/ to see if there's any help on there?

whupass

Great link, thanks. To be honest I was gonna just reinstall the virtual machine and start over if it wouldn't start working, but maybe someone there can help. Thanks!

Donelson

How do you know it didn't work?
What flavour of linux are you using?
What version of openfoam?
What type of machine are you running it on, ie pentium 64bit etc?

chris85

Anyone tell me what OpenFOAM is like. Is there much options available in terms of turbulence modelling and the likes. I use Fluent a lot for masters thesis and will continue to do so but wouldnt mind testing out the OpenFOAM stuff at a later point if its of some use.

whupass

Hi Donelson,

I have a macbook pro, 17" 2.2ghz i7 quad core.
Running ubuntu 12.4 in a vm.
Newest version, 2.1.1

It comes up with the error "icoFoam: command not found" during the user configuration stage.

Do you have OpenFoam? Are you familiar with the user config stage?
Step 3: test that the icoFoam application is working by typing "icoFoam -help" in a new terminal window. That's the part that ain't working

chris85

Maybe this thread on the CFD online forum will help.

http://www.cfd-online.com/Forums/openfoam-installation/77641-icofoam-command-not-found.html

whupass

Wow, that may very well be perfect!

Donelson

I run it on ubuntu, yes it's a solid solver, but not as point and click as a commercial code. If it has a general weakness it's on the meshing side but even that is improving. You will find it in a lot of large companies as an In house solver with specially developed modulus. And in sectors where black boxing is frowned on eg nuclear. We have some special purpose nuclear codes where I work but they won't give me access

whupass

Chris, That was the problem. But to be extra sure I just reinstalled the VM and got my dad to do the install. He's a Software engineer, that was waaaaayyyy easier!

Thanks a million! Now to go teach myself some CFD.

chris85

Donelson wrote: »

I run it on ubuntu, yes it's a solid solver, but not as point and click as a commercial code. If it has a general weakness it's on the meshing side but even that is improving. You will find it in a lot of large companies as an In house solver with specially developed modulus. And in sectors where black boxing is frowned on eg nuclear. We have some special purpose nuclear codes where I work but they won't give me access

Very good. May try learn it when finish master at the end of the Summer. Just to know it really. Would be interesting to see how the meshing and solver would work. Does it allow much input from the user on the mesh like edge sizing, inflations and all that business?

whupass wrote: »

Chris, That was the problem. But to be extra sure I just reinstalled the VM and got my dad to do the install. He's a Software engineer, that was waaaaayyyy easier!

Thanks a million! Now to go teach myself some CFD.

Enjoy it. Boundary conditions and patience are key.

whupass

I think a lot of patience. Have zero CFD experience. Trying to learn it so I have some basis for trying to do a project in it next year. I'm studying Mechanical Engineering.

chris85

whupass wrote: »

I think a lot of patience. Have zero CFD experience. Trying to learn it so I have some basis for trying to do a project in it next year. I'm studying Mechanical Engineering.

Cool, plenty of tutorials out there for it. Really would recommend doing some reading a bit of literature before you jump into it. Just some basic stuff about mesh quality and the different solvers to use.

I have notes which are related to Fluent CFD program but should be very much transferable to OpenFOAM, same theory will apply to both. If you want any of it just drop me a PM and will send it on to you.

A few books can recommend also.

whupass

I stumbled on this a while ago and I've been waiting to be able to use it. Hopefully it can be of use to someone else too.

It's videos of a cfd course in Boston University.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/computational-fluid-dynamics/id452560554

CatFromHue

This guy has a channel on how he set up a CFD simulation which could be of help too.

http://www.youtube.com/user/eoescipy

chris85

CatFromHue wrote: »

This guy has a channel on how he set up a CFD simulation which could be of help too.

http://www.youtube.com/user/eoescipy

They look good but would be best to start with some 2D problems to get going with.

OP, sent you on some info I have. I also have some 2d tutorials which guide through it. They are for fluent though so you would need to work through it to adapt for Openfoam, they are step by step and have mesh for them also.

whupass

Will do. I'm planning on going through that course on itunesU as well. Gonna try to follow the assignments.

Thanks Chris.