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As a part of the Collegiate Competition Sponsorship Program, Blue Ridge Numerics will provide free commercial grade CFdesign licenses and access to technical support to all teams that qualify. Students will have access to the newest version of the software, CFdesign 2010, which was released earlier this month. The new version will provide students with an easier interface than ever before and new features to help them easily integrate CFD into their design process.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our CFdesign Collegiate Competition Sponsorship Program to include 7 cutting edge programs this year,” said Rebecca Porter, Communication Manager, Blue Ridge Numerics. “Engineering competitions such as the ones we selected provide students with the opportunity to think outside the box and gain beneficial hands-on experience that can only be learned outside the classroom. By giving the students access to our latest version, CFdesign 2010, we are providing them with a new and better way to engage with CFD as a decision-making tool through the use of multi-scenario design studies. Using upfront CFD will help them not only optimize their vehicle designs in the competition, but also help provide valuable experience to prepare them for the future.”
Using CFdesign software, student teams are able to create multi-scenario fluid flow and heat transfer design studies as a part of their CAD-driven design process. Teams working on creating a hybrid vehicle, for example, can leverage CFdesign to optimize airflow through an engine intake design or create a cooling system for a lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery pack (as in the example from Penn State below). For teams working a solar design, CFdesign can be used to simulate both heat transfer within a solar panel and wind loading on the panel. Upfront CFD can help students optimize their designs quickly and easily and enable them to look at options they may not have thought of before.
“The Penn State Advanced Vehicle Technology Team sought out CFdesign to design and simulate an effective cooling network for a Li-ion battery pack to be included in our EcoCar vehicle design,” said Shawn Getty, Penn State AVT Team Member. “Using CFdesign, our team was able to easily simulate the heat generation cycles of the battery pack to analyze and improve the design of the cooling system. This helped us to ensure peak battery performance throughout the life of the vehicle.”
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