What is the Best Software for Virtual Wind Tunnel and CFD Analysis?

AI Thread Summary
Virtual wind tunnel software is essential for designing nose cones and analyzing shock wave formation at supersonic speeds. While Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) serves as a virtual wind tunnel, access to commercial software can be expensive, leading to suggestions of open-source options like OpenFOAM. The NACA 1135 report is highlighted as a valuable resource for understanding supersonic gas dynamics, particularly for simple wedges and cones, providing key relationships between cone half angle, shock angle, and Mach number. For more advanced analysis beyond basic properties, numerical methods may be necessary. Overall, combining theoretical resources and software tools can effectively support supersonic design efforts.
vincentryan
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HI
i am looking some virtual windtunnel software that there i have to desgin a various nose cone and i have to find the shock wave formation at supersonic speed
please some one help me to find the virtual windtunnel and CFD software


regards
Ryan
 
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CFD in general 'is' kind of a "virtual windtunnel." However, unless you have scholastic access to some, typically a single user won't be able to afford one. I thought I heard of an open-source one a while back, openFOAM or something like that, but have no idea of anything about it and couldn't say a thing to save my life.

However, for practice, it wouldn't be that hard to write a quasi-2D solver for the Euler equations. That's something that we did in my CFDII class a while back. It was a full internal flow, so I'm not real sure how hard it would be to convert the equations for an external flow, but it would be doable.

I don't think I have the equations anymore, but they should be available somewhere. The only odd term was the A(x) term which I believe was multiplied by a derivative term.
 
hi thanks for your reply, can u suggest some CFD books and website for my further reference
 
CFD books are typically the theory and development behind the solvers. I personally have "Computational Fluid Dynamics" by Tannehill,Anderson, and Pletcher.

Try this as well:
http://www.cfd-online.com/Wiki/Fluid_dynamics
 
vincentryan said:
HI
i am looking some virtual windtunnel software that there i have to desgin a various nose cone and i have to find the shock wave formation at supersonic speed
please some one help me to find the virtual windtunnel and CFD software


regards
Ryan

the NACA 1135 report covers supersonic gas dynamics. there's a table on conical shock formation. essentially all you need to know is 2 of the three to find the third: cone half angle, shock angle, and mach number. the report also has it for oblique shocks.

could probably do 90% if not all of your work with that report
 
That analysis IIRC is for simple wedges and cones. If you're just looking for shock angle and downstream properties then it will work. If you're looking for more advanced analysis, you might need something numerical.

The 1135 is a great reference though.
 
minger said:
That analysis IIRC is for simple wedges and cones. If you're just looking for shock angle and downstream properties then it will work. If you're looking for more advanced analysis, you might need something numerical.

The 1135 is a great reference though.

yup. just for simple wedges and cones. however, lots of problems can be simplified to simple wedges and cones. depending on the OP's exact problem, a rocket maybe, you can find pressure, density, temp, speed behind the shock.

its just missing the pretty CFD pictures...
 
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