CFD modelling

CFD modelling of flows in hydraulic structures and process equipment using ANSYS-CFX

The design of reliable hydraulic structures and process equipment requires an understanding of the internal flow behaviour. Design guidelines can be defined and used for simple structures with standard flow conditions. When the application is unique, engineers need to revert to modelling to observe and understand its hydraulic behaviour.

The role of CFD in specialist advice

Deltares has extensive experience in both experimental and mathematical modelling of hydraulic structures and process equipment. Experimental models are based on scaling laws to correctly reproduce the flow phenomena on the system at a smaller, more economical scale. Mathematical models are based on the conservation laws of mass, momentum and energy. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the name given to the approach where computers are used to solve mathematical models of fluid flows. CFD models are preferred above experimental models when the cost of experimental work is prohibitive or when the flow conditions cannot be reproduced correctly to scale in the laboratory.

We make use of different CFD software packages to address a broad range of flow problems. The commercial software package ANSYS-CFX is used, among others, to simulate flows in the near-field. Also, flows in or around hydraulic structures and in confined process equipment are simulated successfully with this software package. Examples include intake and outfalls, shipping locks, bridge piers, pipelines, valves, pumps and mixing vessels.

Deltares serves customers in power and desalination industry, process industry, drink/ waste water industry, and public institutes (water boards). A broad experience (approximately 10 years) has been built with the CFX software package.

Services

We provide the following services:

• Specialist advice (hydraulic design review, hydraulic design optimization, energy optimization)
• Contract research (validation studies, development of new innovative hydraulic structures
• Troubleshooting

Download the brochure