Our mission is to make computational fluid dynamics (CFD) accessible and inclusive by developing free, open source CFD software — OpenFOAM — and providing services to its users.
OpenFOAM Training
Unlock the power of OpenFOAM to deliver robust CFD solutions. Essential, Applied, Programming and Cloud OpenFOAM Training courses from the Architects of OpenFOAM.
OpenFOAM Development
Our team undertakes OpenFOAM Development projects and code customisation, with experience of managing and executing over 100 development projects.
OpenFOAM Support
OpenFOAM Support, direct from the founders and architect of OpenFOAM, covering software deployment and operation, CFD practice, and code customisation.
OpenFOAM Non-Conformal Coupling
In May 2022, CFD Direct released Non-Conformal Coupling (NCC) in OpenFOAM to connect regions of a domain with independent meshes for applications including rotating geometry. NCC is a robust replacement for the Arbitrary Mesh Interface (AMI) and associated ACMI and Repeat AMI functionalities. Unlike the AMI functionalities, NCC ensures conservation which is essential for accuracy but also for stability, in particular in numerical schemes designed to maintain boundedness, e.g. in multiphase flows. NCC naturally works for partially-overlapping geometries, as illustrated by the case of opening and closing of a three port ball value.
Using NCC in OpenFOAM
In May 2022, CFD Direct released Non-Conformal Coupling (NCC) in OpenFOAM to connect regions of a domain with independent meshes for applications including rotating geometry. NCC is a robust replacement for the Arbitrary Mesh Interface (AMI) and associated ACMI and Repeat AMI functionalities. This document describes how to use NCC to enable OpenFOAM users to transition from the AMI functionality to NCC. Due to its popularity, AMI remains in OpenFOAM for the next version 10 release in July 2022, but will thereafter be removed. The unreliable ACMI and Repeat AMI functionalities are removed.
CFD Direct Year 7: 2021-2022
In Year 7 of CFD Direct, our developments of OpenFOAM included a generalised load balancer for parallel running . We provided core maintenance, including standardisation of fluid properties, and repaired issues, e.g. to stablise multiphase simulations. We managed the OpenFOAM Foundation, releasing OpenFOAM v9, packaging OpenFOAM-dev and publishing websites and documentation. We produced our book , “Notes on Computational Fluid Dynamics: General Principles”, delivered 56 days of Live Virtual OpenFOAM Training, and provided cloud CFD with CFDDFC® to over 1000 subscribers.
CFD Book for OpenFOAM
CFD Direct is delighted to announce its publication of a book Notes on Computational Fluid Dynamics: General Principles. The book is written for people who use CFD in their work, research or study, providing essential knowledge to perform CFD analysis with confidence. It offers a modern perspective on CFD with the finite volume method, as implemented in OpenFOAM and other popular general-purpose CFD software. Fluid dynamics, turbulence (and RAS modelling) and boundary conditions are presented alongside the numerical methods and algorithms in a series of short, digestible notes.