OpenFOAM CFD - Theories and Practical Applications from Udemy

Do you want to run a Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation without having to purchase expensive software licenses?

At this point, more than 100 000 students and working professionals are taking advantage of OpenFoam all around the world. Gone are the days that OpenFoam is hard to learn and too involved with programming.

Whether you are a student or a working professionals in fluid dynamics area, conducting a Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation using a free software such as OpenFOAM will give you the edge over your colleagues and competitors who are using the expensive commercial software.

OpenFOAM is the most comprehensive open source CFD software in the market and is being used widely in both academia and industries.

This course will take you through the step-by-step process of how to install OpenFOAM in your PC and will also introduce you the background theory on Computational Fluid Dynamics.

We will then work on our very first simulation which uses incompressible flow as the working fluid. I will explain to you how the geometry is created, and subsequently how to mesh them according you your requirement.

We will then run the simulation and view the results using ParaView, which comes preinstalled with openFOAM.

From Beginner to Advanced

You will see that wherever you are in your CFD journey, this course is definitely for you. For the complete beginner, I've included the theoretical CFD background to get you equipped with the knowledge necessary for running your first OpenFOAM simulation.

At advanced level, I'll show you how to use tools like SnappyHexMesh to literally mesh any geometry that you would like using OpenFOAM. This course also shows you steps to validate your simulations against experimental data. Perhaps, most importantly, you will learn how to efficiently extract data from the results using your very own post-processing script.

On Going Content

To maximize the value you get for your money, new contents are uploaded every week. You will be notified once new content is uploaded.

What you will learn

OpenFOAM installation
Background of CFD
Incompressible flow simulation
Manipulation of grid mesh
How to test and validate your results
Meshing and simulations of complex geometries
Building Post-processing script

Who am I

Hi, I'm Hasbullah (Has). I have obtained a PhD in Fluid Dynamics and Turbomachinery area from Imperial College London.

As a researcher in Fluid Dynamics area, I have been performing Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations for over 10 years. I have worked on many CFD simulations, which includes both for academic publications and also industry solutions.

Numerical simulation is a great tool to enable flow visualisation around an object in order to understand how it works, and also to improve the design with short turnaround time.

I am also professionally teaching Fluid Dynamics in a university for more than 5 years.

This will allow me to effectively introduce underlying theories while performing tasks in this course. This enables you to gain greater understanding about the simulations, which in turn makes it easy for you to analyse and make sense of the results during post-processing.

I am excited to have you as a student, and I hope that the materials provided in this course would serve you long and well in your career.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Comfortably use free openfoam software to solve fluid dynamics problems
Refresher on background of computational fluid dynamics

Step-by-step customisation of geometry and meshing prior to the simulation
Easily create custom script for fast and efficient post-processing

Comfortably use free openfoam software to solve fluid dynamics problems
Refresher on background of computational fluid dynamics
Step-by-step customisation of geometry and meshing prior to the simulation
Easily create custom script for fast and efficient post-processing

Syllabus

At the end of this section, students will understand the overall aim of this course and how it is structured to give maximum benefit to them

Introductory video to the overall course. Looking forward to see you there!

Course outline

Introductory video to Section 2 where you will learn about installation process. Get excited!

Video describing the OpenFoam installation process

Introductory video to Section 3. Hope you guys enjoy this section!

Background of CFD Part 1. For a complete beginner this would be useful to understand what are the equations that are simulated in OpenFOAM. For a regular CFD practitioners this could be a brief refresher course.

Background of CFD Part 2. For a complete beginner this would be useful to understand what are the equations that are simulated in OpenFOAM. For a regular CFD practitioners this could be a brief refresher course.

Introductory video to Section 4. Let's get started with our very first simulation.

Introduction to OpenFOAM folder structure

Get started running your first OpenFOAM simulation by setting up the geometry and meshing part1. Please download the pdf file for your reference.

Get started running your first OpenFOAM simulation by setting up the geometry and meshing part2. Please download the pdf file for your reference.

This video takes you to setting up of the boundary conditions and solver parameters in preparation for you first simulation.

Run your solver and start to learn paraView to view the results

Create contours, vectors and streamlines properly in order to be able to present your results to the world

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Uses OpenFOAM, a comprehensive open-source CFD software widely used in both academia and industry, providing practical skills applicable in various professional settings

Includes theoretical CFD background for beginners and advanced techniques like SnappyHexMesh for complex geometries, catering to a wide range of skill levels

Focuses on OpenFOAM, a free software, which allows learners to conduct CFD simulations without the need for expensive commercial software licenses, making it accessible to a broader audience

Demonstrates steps to validate simulations against experimental data, which is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of CFD results in both research and practical applications

Teaches how to efficiently extract data from simulation results using custom post-processing scripts, enhancing learners' ability to analyze and interpret CFD outcomes effectively

Taught by an instructor with a PhD in Fluid Dynamics from Imperial College London and over 10 years of CFD simulation experience, offering valuable insights and practical knowledge

Reviews summary

Openfoam cfd fundamentals and practice

According to learners, this course provides a solid introduction and covers the fundamental theories and practical applications of using OpenFOAM for Computational Fluid Dynamics. Students appreciate the step-by-step approach, especially for tasks like installation (though some face issues), geometry setup, meshing (including SnappyHexMesh), and post-processing with ParaView. The instructor's expertise is often highlighted as a positive, making complex topics accessible. While suitable for beginners with some technical background, some reviewers note the course might not delve deep enough for advanced users seeking comprehensive customization or complex solver details. Overall, it's seen as a valuable resource for getting started with free CFD software.

Instructor is knowledgeable and explains well.

"The instructor clearly knows the subject matter very well."

"Explanations were clear and easy to follow, thanks to the instructor's teaching style."

"I found the instructor's approach to explaining the concepts very effective."

Introduction to essential tools like SnappyHexMesh.

"Learning how to use SnappyHexMesh for complex geometries was a big plus."

"The sections on ParaView were very useful for visualizing results."

"Appreciate the coverage of essential tools needed for a full CFD workflow."

Good starting point for those new to OpenFOAM/CFD.

"As a complete beginner, this course helped me grasp the basics of CFD and OpenFOAM."

"It's a great introduction if you have some engineering background but are new to this software."

"The theoretical background section was a good refresher and helpful for getting started."

Hands-on examples and simulations are highly valuable.

"The practical part of running simulations and using ParaView is the most useful takeaway for me."

"I really liked the walk-throughs for setting up the first simulation and meshing."

"Getting hands-on experience with simpleFoam and post-processing results is exactly what I needed."

"The course gave me practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."

May lack depth for experienced CFD practitioners.

"While good for basics, I felt it could go deeper into advanced solvers or customization for complex cases."

"If you already know OpenFOAM basics, this might be a bit too introductory in some sections."

"Could use more in-depth coverage on complex topics or optimization techniques."

Setting up OpenFOAM can be challenging for some.

"Setting up OpenFOAM was the hardest part, especially on Windows with virtualization, but the guide was useful."

"The installation guide is helpful, but be prepared for potential issues depending on your OS and setup."

"I had trouble getting OpenFOAM to install correctly following the instructions, which was frustrating."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in OpenFOAM CFD - Theories and Practical Applications with these activities:

Review Fluid Dynamics Fundamentals

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Solidify your understanding of fluid dynamics principles before diving into OpenFOAM. A strong foundation will make the course material easier to grasp.

Browse courses on Fluid Dynamics

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Review key concepts like viscosity, pressure, and flow rate.
Work through practice problems related to fluid dynamics.
Consult textbooks or online resources for clarification.

Read 'An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The Finite Volume Method' by Versteeg and Malalasekera

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Gain a deeper understanding of the finite volume method used in OpenFOAM. This book will provide the theoretical background necessary for advanced simulations.

View By H. Versteeg An Introduction to Computational... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to discretization schemes and boundary conditions.
Work through the example problems provided in the book.
Relate the concepts in the book to the OpenFOAM tutorials.

Practice OpenFOAM Tutorials

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Reinforce your understanding of OpenFOAM by working through the official tutorials. This hands-on practice will solidify your skills.

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Select a tutorial relevant to your area of interest.
Follow the tutorial steps carefully and understand each command.
Modify the tutorial case to explore different parameters and settings.
Document your findings and any challenges you encounter.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Read 'The Finite Volume Method in Computational Fluid Dynamics' by F. Moukalled, L. Mangani, and M. Darwish

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Expand your knowledge of the finite volume method with a more advanced text. This book covers topics relevant to complex CFD simulations.

View The Finite Volume Method in Computational Fluid... on Amazon

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Focus on chapters related to advanced discretization techniques.
Study the examples of complex flow simulations.
Consider how these techniques can be applied to your own projects.

Simulate Flow Around a Cylinder

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Apply your OpenFOAM skills to a classic CFD problem. This project will challenge you to set up, run, and analyze a simulation from scratch.

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Create the geometry of a cylinder in a flow domain.
Generate a mesh suitable for resolving the flow around the cylinder.
Set up the simulation parameters, including boundary conditions and solver settings.
Run the simulation and analyze the results, such as velocity and pressure distributions.
Compare your results with experimental data or published results.

Document Your OpenFOAM Projects

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Improve your understanding and share your knowledge by documenting your OpenFOAM projects. This will help you solidify your learning and contribute to the OpenFOAM community.

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Choose a project you have completed in OpenFOAM.
Write a detailed description of the project, including the problem statement, setup, and results.
Include screenshots and visualizations to illustrate your work.
Share your documentation on a blog, forum, or other online platform.

Contribute to the OpenFOAM Community

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Deepen your understanding of OpenFOAM by contributing to the open-source project. This will expose you to advanced concepts and best practices.

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Explore the OpenFOAM source code and documentation.
Identify a bug or feature that you can contribute to.
Submit a patch or pull request with your changes.
Participate in discussions on the OpenFOAM forums and mailing lists.

Career center

Learners who complete OpenFOAM CFD - Theories and Practical Applications will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

CFD Engineer

A Computational Fluid Dynamics Engineer utilizes simulations to analyze and optimize fluid flow in various engineering applications. They often work on projects related to aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, heat transfer, and combustion. Becoming a competent CFD Engineer requires expertise in meshing, simulation setup, and post-processing, all areas covered in this course. OpenFOAM is a powerful tool for any CFD Engineer. This course helps build a foundation in using OpenFOAM, including installation, meshing complex geometries, and creating post-processing scripts. This allows one to validate simulation results against experimental data. Furthermore, the course helps one gain an understanding of the underlying theories. This allows one to effectively analyse and make sense of the results during post-processing.

See salaries and explore the career path for CFD Engineer

Simulation Specialist

Simulation Specialists are responsible for developing and running computer simulations to analyze and predict the behavior of complex systems. Simulation is used in many industries, ranging from aerospace to construction. This course may be useful for future Simulation Specialists. By undergoing a thorough training on OpenFOAM, they are able to simulate fluid flow, manipulate grid meshes, and validate simulation results. The course also provides instruction to help with meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts, enabling efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Specialist

Energy Engineer

Energy Engineers work to improve energy efficiency and develop sustainable energy solutions. Many energy systems, such as wind turbines, solar thermal collectors, and geothermal systems, involve complex fluid dynamics. Energy Engineers can use CFD to model and optimize these systems. OpenFOAM is a tool that can be used by energy engineers. This course will help energy engineers use OpenFOAM by covering the installation process, CFD background, incompressible flow simulation, and grid mesh manipulation. The course also covers meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This allows for efficient data extraction and validation of results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Engineer

Environmental Engineer

Environmental Engineers work to protect the environment and human health through the design of solutions to environmental problems. This can include pollution control, water treatment, and air quality management. Many of these applications involve fluid dynamics, such as the dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere. This course helps Environmental Engineers use OpenFOAM. It will cover OpenFOAM installation, a background of CFD, incompressible flow simulation, and grid mesh manipulation. Furthermore, the course covers meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This allows for efficient data extraction and validation of results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Engineer

Product Development Engineer

Product Development Engineers focus on designing and improving new products. CFD can play a crucial role in optimizing the performance and efficiency of products involving fluid flow or heat transfer. Many product development engineers use CFD to bring their ideas to life. This course helps Product Development Engineers use OpenFOAM. The course covers OpenFOAM installation, CFD background, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. Additionally, the course covers meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts, which enables efficient data extraction and validation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Development Engineer

Thermal Engineer

Thermal Engineers specialize in the design, analysis, and optimization of thermal systems. They work on projects involving heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics. This course may be useful for future Thermal Engineers. By undergoing a thorough training on OpenFOAM, they are able to simulate fluid flow, manipulate grid meshes, and validate simulation results. The course also provides instruction to help with meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts, enabling efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Thermal Engineer

Fluid Mechanics Consultant

Fluid Mechanics Consultants offer specialized expertise in analyzing and solving fluid flow problems for various industries. These consultants often need to choose the right software for simulation. This course may be useful for future Fluid Mechanics Consultants. By undergoing a thorough training on OpenFOAM, they are able to simulate fluid flow, manipulate grid meshes, and validate simulation results. The course also provides instruction to help with meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts, enabling efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fluid Mechanics Consultant

Research and Development Engineer

Research and Development Engineers are involved in creating new products and improving existing ones. These engineers utilize CFD to determine the viability of their designs. This course helps Research and Development Engineers use OpenFOAM by building a foundation with topics like installation, a background of CFD, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. It also includes meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This helps with efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research and Development Engineer

Automotive Engineer

Automotive Engineers design and develop vehicles. They routinely use CFD to optimize vehicle aerodynamics, engine cooling, and exhaust systems. This career role requires engineers to use software tools. This course helps build a strong foundation in OpenFOAM. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of how to set up and run simulations, from geometry creation to post-processing. The course covers grid mesh manipulation and the creation of custom post-processing scripts for efficient data analysis. With this knowledge, Automotive Engineers will be better equipped to optimize vehicle designs, simulate complex geometries, and validate results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Automotive Engineer

Hydraulic Engineer

Hydraulic Engineers specialize in the behavior and movement of water and other fluids, often working on projects like dams, canals, and coastal protection. OpenFOAM is a free software that can be used to simulate fluid movement. This course helps Hydraulic Engineers use OpenFOAM by building a foundation with topics like installation, a background of CFD, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. It also includes meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This helps with efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hydraulic Engineer

Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace Engineers design, develop, and test aircraft and spacecraft. A significant part of their work involves analyzing airflow and aerodynamic performance using computational methods. A key aspect of this role involves using software to simulate fluid dynamics and optimize designs. This course may be useful for Aerospace Engineers because it covers OpenFOAM, a widely used open-source CFD software. Its focus on installation, background theory, incompressible flow simulation, mesh manipulation, and post-processing helps Aerospace Engineers solve complex fluid dynamics problems. By learning to create custom post-processing scripts and validate results, Aerospace Engineers can refine designs and improve the performance of aircraft and spacecraft.

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Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineers design and oversee the manufacturing of machines and mechanical systems. Many of these systems involve fluid flow, such as pumps, turbines, and HVAC systems. This means that simulation is crucial. This course may be useful for Mechanical Engineers as it will give them experience with OpenFOAM. This course helps build a foundation for Mechanical Engineers to effectively use OpenFOAM, including installation to advanced post-processing methods. The course demonstrates how to manipulate grid meshes, validate simulation results, and efficiently extract data. Ultimately, this enables more efficient designs and optimizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mechanical Engineer

Research Scientist

Research Scientists conduct experiments and analyze data to advance scientific knowledge. In many fields, such as fluid dynamics and heat transfer, CFD simulations are essential for understanding complex phenomena. This course may be useful for Research Scientists because it helps them use OpenFOAM. This course covers OpenFOAM installation, CFD background, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. Furthermore, the course discusses meshing of complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This enables efficient data extraction and validation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist

Chemical Engineer

Chemical Engineers apply the principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design and operate chemical processes. Many chemical processes involve fluid flow, heat transfer, and mixing, making CFD a valuable tool. OpenFOAM is an open source software that can be used to perform CFD analysis. This course helps Chemical Engineers use OpenFOAM by building a foundation with topics like installation, a background of CFD, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. It also includes meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts. This helps with efficient data extraction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chemical Engineer

Civil Engineer

Civil Engineers design, construct, and maintain infrastructure projects such as bridges, dams, and water distribution systems. These projects often involve fluid dynamics, particularly in hydraulic engineering. This course may be useful for Civil Engineers. The course covers OpenFOAM installation, CFD background, incompressible flow simulation, grid mesh manipulation, and results validation. Additionally, the course covers meshing complex geometries and building post-processing scripts, enabling efficient data extraction and validation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Civil Engineer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in OpenFOAM CFD - Theories and Practical Applications.

An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics

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Provides a comprehensive introduction to the finite volume method, which is the numerical method used by OpenFOAM. It covers the theoretical foundations of CFD and provides practical guidance on implementing finite volume schemes. This book is particularly useful for understanding the underlying principles of OpenFOAM and for developing custom solvers. It is commonly used as a textbook in CFD courses.

By H. Versteeg An Introduction to Computational...

Paperback

$$$

An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics:...

Paperback

$$$$

The Finite Volume Method in Computational Fluid...

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Provides an in-depth treatment of the finite volume method, covering advanced topics such as unstructured grids, higher-order schemes, and multiphase flows. It valuable resource for researchers and practitioners who want to develop custom solvers or improve the accuracy and efficiency of their simulations. This book builds upon the introductory material and provides more advanced techniques.

The Finite Volume Method in Computational Fluid...

Paperback

$$$

OpenFOAM CFD - Theories and Practical Applications

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Openfoam cfd fundamentals and practice

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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