CFD Explorer: Notes on OpenFOAM & Beyond

Welcome!

I'm diving into Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, starting with OpenFOAM. This site tracks my progress—tools, tips, and experiments. Follow along or reach out!

CFD Tools Overview

Here's a quick comparison table of tools I'm eyeing. I'll update with hands-on reviews as I test them.

Tool Type Why I'm Exploring It
OpenFOAM Open-Source Free, extensible for custom solvers—perfect for learning turbulent flows.
SU2 Open-Source Aero-focused optimization; I'll try it for wing simulations.
Ansys Fluent Commercial Pro-level GUI; free student version for initial benchmarks.

My OpenFOAM Exploration Log

Adding notes as I go—installs, first runs, gotchas. (Dates in GMT)

Nov 16, 2025: Getting Started

  • Installed via Docker (easiest for Ubuntu/Windows): docker pull openfoam/openfoam11
  • Ran cavity tutorial: Simple lid-driven cavity flow. Mesh gen with blockMesh—velocity contours look spot on!
  • Tip: Use ParaView for post-processing; it's bundled and visualizes vectors beautifully.
  • Next: Try icoFoam for incompressible flows.

[Future Date]: SU2 Experiments

Placeholder—Euler equations test incoming...

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