CFD Modelling-Natural and Mechanical Ventilation

[friartuck]

My company wants to get into CFD modelling and the modelling of natural and forced airflow patterns for ventilation design. Many clients in the UK want this so they can predict how well the natural or mechanical ventilation systems will work.

There appear to be a number of CFD programmes about... (all fairly expensive). Has anybody got experience of the various software options and perhaps point me in the right direction.

The systems need to be well proven and fairly easy to use.

PS (Metric units prefered)

Our budget for software would be about £4000 to £5000. (or am i being a bit optimistic)






Friar Tuck of Sherwood

 

[imok2]

Tuck: This may not be much help but I thought I would send it along anyway

http://airpak.fluent.com/solutions/pdfs/large_occupied_spaces.pdf

http://www.hpac.com/member/information_tech_tips/2001/0103ittips.html

 

[friartuck]

Thanks Imok. That was very interesting. The subject looks a lot more complex than I thought. I assume that the programmes are written in such a way that you don't need to be Einstein to use them. Otherwise I might as well down load a chess programme instead. (thinking about it, I'm not very good at chess either)

Incidentally, if anyones used one of these programmes, how accurate are the results? Have real life comparisons been documented?



Friar Tuck of Sherwood

 

[PHYFE]

I was an original user of AirPak - It is pretty easy to use... I've modeled things ranging from bank vaults in a fire senario to large airport spaces with solar loading natural and forced ventilation...

The interface is designed to work you though model creation (assuming the user doesn't have a large CFD background) - the CFD mesh is created automatically allowing the user to specify as much or as little as possible... The solution post-processing isn't quite as automated but with the training included in the software you should be all set.

I was able to generate results fast and accurately (the modeling efforts were benchmarked to test data). I found for these types of analysis it to be much more efficient then using the it's big brother "FLUENT".

the local fluent office would be more then willing to work through a demo problem with you...

It should be noted although the software is a "lite" version of the "big brother" depending it could still require pretty good hardware requirements depending the size of your spaces...