An Introduction Of Cfd Into The Undergraduate Engineering Program
Robert E. Spall, Christine Hailey
Abstract
Advances in the performance of personal computers and workstations, as well as improved commercial solvers, permit computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes routinely be used in industry which requires undergraduate students have some exposure to CFD prior to graduation. In the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Utah State University, some fundamental concepts of CFD are introduced in the junior-level fluid mechanics course. Concepts of mesh design on solution accuracy and the influence of solver parameters such as relaxation are introduced using an in-house CFD code written primarily for undergraduate students. Three goals are met through the junior-level experience: 1) to improve the students understanding of basic fluid mechanics, 2) to motivate students to take a CFD elective course in their senior year, and 3) to provide a basic exposure for students who use CFD tools during their summer internship programs. In the senior year, students are exposed to commercial solvers and the use of CFD as a design tool in elective courses such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Senior-level students can also take an elective course in CFD which combines the application of commercial solvers and code development experiences.