The Unified Process Management System (UPMS) is a valuable CFD tool that utilizes NASA’s CFD codes: PAB3D, CFL3D and TLNS3D.

Each of these CFD codes has a specific format for input files. So far, the choice of a particular CFD code depends upon its reliability, its ease of use and the availability of technical support. However, it is difficult to find a CFD code that combines all of these requirements. Simple modifications in problem definition often require extensive alterations to these formats. Often, users must be trained by CFD code suppliers to enable them to model the problem correctly, and to use the available options in the code efficiently. Familiarization with more than one code becomes difficult.

The UPMS alleviates these difficulties with the use of an expert Graphical User Interface (GUI) system. The system also includes interactive adaptive grid capabilities and grid modification processes. The significance of this work is its flexibility in allowing these CFD grid structured codes to be coupled with the UPMS without any modifications whatsoever to the CFD solvers. It automatically generates documentation of code-independent project/ problem setup in engineering terms.

The UPMS was written in the object-oriented and highly portable JAVA programming language. The project is completed under fund from SBIR. You can get your copy of UPMS from http://www.asm-usa.com/software/UPMS/ASM-UPMS.html

The Conference will include two days of presentations, a variety of demonstrations from hardware and software vendors as well as a User Forum. An informal reception will be held at the end of the first day where you are welcome to meet other users, chat with CD adapco Group employees and enjoy the food and drink prepared by the catering staff at the beautiful Atheneum. For users driving to Detroit a complementary valet parking service is available.

Presentations will be given by our clients from a variety of industries including automotive, power generation, combustion, aerospace and architectural engineering.

So, reserve May 6 and May 7 on your calendar and plan to be a part of the 2002 STAR-CD North American Users’ Conference!

For more information, please visit www.cd-adapco.com/company/ugmUS02.htm

Sandia researchers have been developing DAKOTA for about eight years. The initial work focused on optimization methods, but has since branched out into uncertainty quantification and other areas. It has been used internally at Sandia and externally by researchers at Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories in conjunction with DOE’s Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) program.

Dr. Peric notes that the increase in available computing power, along with ease-of-use technologies is causing the widespread adoption of CFD in the engineering field.

"Furthermore, CFD tools will become part of a global computer-aided engineering environment, interacting with other design tools to make optimization tasks faster, easier, and more reliable," Peric said.

The application stories feature the optimization of tangentially fired boilers and sand erosion in petroleum pipeline equipment.

This will be what all the fashionable desktop computers will be wearing this year. Now if I could only get one or two to try out...