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FlowLab 1.2 builds on existing classroom success:
Fluent Inc. recently announced the release of FlowLab 1.2, it's student-friendly
fluids laboratory educational software. FlowLab is a unique piece of software
that uses the power of flow visualisation through classical CFD exercises
to teach basic fluid mechanics principles in the engineering classroom.
The software runs Fluent's general purpose CFD code, FLUENT 6, and pre-processor,
GAMBIT 2, in the background, with a user-friendly, student-specific graphical
user interface (GUI) as its front end. Students have been using FlowLab
as a complement to traditional laboratory exercises for four years and
this release is directed at extending the usability of the software as
well as introducing a variety of new features.
In comparison to general purpose CFD software such as FLUENT, FlowLab
provides a structured interface designed specifically for student learning.
This interface greatly reduces the learning curve requirement for a student
to become productive with CFD software, which is critically important
for professors wishing to augment an existing lecture-based fluids course,
or a laboratory course where there is little time available to become
familiar with a new software package.
Professor Rajesh Bhaskaran of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
department at Cornell University, who was an early adopter of FlowLab,
notes, "The streamlined interface of FlowLab 1.2 has enabled us to
introduce CFD simulations into the tight timetable of a required laboratory
course. Students simulate their heated pipe flow experiment using FlowLab
and compare the results with the experiment. They gain an improved physical
understanding of the experiment through the contour and vector plotting
capabilities of FlowLab."
Ease-of-use improvements in FlowLab 1.2 target interface functionality,
including file management and post-processing features, based upon student
observations and field surveys conducted at a number of key academic institutions
in 2004. These included Cornell University, Iowa State University, Penn
State University, and the University of Iowa in the U.S.
After evaluating a pre-release of FlowLab 1.2, Dr. John Cimbala, professor
of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University, commented, "In
comparison to FlowLab 1.1, the new version is more user friendly. Improvements
made to the user interface have reduced the amount of effort required
for post-processing and the overall quality of graphics in this version
is better. These improvements are significant and should enhance the learning
experience for students using the software."
Shane Moeykens, Fluent's FlowLab Product Manager, expanded on the feedback
he has been getting: "FlowLab 1.2 is clearly a significant step forward
in university fluids education, having been released with a library of
15 well known fluid dynamics exercises. These have been field tested extensively
and are able to converge readily across a wide range of operating conditions
while providing accurate predictions. Four new exercises of the fifteen
available have been developed under U.S. National Science Foundation funding,
in collaboration with academia, and are also available for use with FlowLab
1.2."
New Fluid Mechanics Textbook Uses Examples Based on Fluent CFD Software:
Fluent Inc. also recently announced that FlowLab will be incorporated into the latest version of the undergraduate engineering textbook by Bruce Munson, Donald Young, and Ted Okiishi; Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The book is intended for third and fourth-year engineering students who are interested in learning more about the fundamentals of fluid mechanics. The principles they seek to teach are classical and have been well-established. The book therefore reflects many years of teaching experience by the authors and is built on previous Editions and their introductory courses in fluid mechanics. This textbook also reflects the evolution of classroom teaching ideas and new technologies related to the education of this interesting and important engineering subject. Feedback to the authors after the 4th Edition identified the growing importance of CFD in engineering design and analysis. Fluent has helped the authors integrate CFD into the textbook through the addition of its FlowLab educational software to the offering.
Commenting on the importance of CFD in fluid mechanics curricula, Dr. Munson notes that, “There are many topics that a fluid mechanics student should learn, or at least be exposed to. Many of these topics have been around for a long time; other topics have emerged only recently. I believe that CFD is, perhaps, the most important of these recent topics. In only a few years, if not already, the practicing engineer will need to be at least familiar with the concept of CFD for various design, manufacturing, and research work. It probably will not be necessary for the engineer to know a lot related to the specific details of CFD, but many believe that a minimal exposure to the topic will be common place. It is our hope that the CFD material presented in this book will allow users to become ‘up-to-date' in the fluids world.”
Further information may be found here: http://www.fluent.com/about/news/pr/pr97.htm
For more information on FlowLab software trials and pricing, please contact
sales@fluvius.com.au
