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COOLFluiD is a simulation environment focused on multi-physics simulations. Its applications vary widely from aerodynamics to structural analysis, from aeroacoustics to heat transfer.
It is focused on high-performace computing in large parallel machines (using MPI) and where it shows very good parallel scalability.
The coolfluid3 is the new open-source generation of the coolfluid2 environment, developed by the Von Karman Institute over the last 10 years.
Note that we are currently working hard towards the first release of coolfluid3, which is expected around October 2011
COOLFluiD aims to be a flexible yet sufficiently simple environment for complex multi-physics simulations. It enables to pool together expertise from different knowledge fields to build simulations that otherwise would require the involvement of multiple experts.
To achieve this aim we develop a component environment, where each functionality is nicely wrapped within a component which can be reused for different purposes. It is a bit like building Lego(R) - we build complex simulations from simple building blocks.
The environment is based on components which plug into a kernel. Components are solvers, equations, numerical discretizations, functional spaces, etc. For example: the finite volume method, the finite element method, the Navier-Stokes and Magnetohydrodynamics equations, are examples of isolated components that collaborate together to form a simulation.
The Kernel combines the components together like Lego(R) bricks, using the best methodology for each application. This creates high-performant solvers, each dedicated to a specific application, while reusing the same components. This approach differs from typical monolithic solvers which employ only one methodology, and thus are sub-optimal in a variety of applications.
COOLFluiD is very flexible and every Physical Model or Numerical Method is a separate plug-in component which is loaded on demand. Developers contribute with their own components as plug-in's, in the form of numerical solvers, acceleration methods, new physical models, equation terms, etc...
The environment is also a collaborative platform, where diverse research centers join together their developments. Combining each other expertise we provide state-of-the-art solutions to complex multi-disciplinary problems.