Centre for

Computational Fluid Dynamics

University of Leeds

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a design
tool that has been developed over the past few
decades and will be continually developed as
the understanding of the physical and chemical
phenomena underlying CFD theory improves.
The goals of CFD are to be able to accurately
predict fluid flow, heat transfer and chemical
reactions in complex systems, which involve
one or all of these phenomena.
Presently, CFD is being increasingly employed
by many industries either to reduce
manufacturing design cycles or to provide an
insight into existing technologies so that they
may be analysed and improved. Examples of
such industries include power generation,
aerospace, process industries, automotive,
chemical engineering and construction.
As a design tool, CFD presently sits behind
experimental analysis due to the fact that
CFD does not produce absolute results.
The reason for this is that the numerical
methods, which govern the solutions in
a CFD problem, rely on several modelling
assumptions that may not have been validated
to a satisfactory level. However, CFD presently
offers itself as a powerful design tool and even
more so in the future because:
Centre for
Computational Fluid Dynamics
(a) Dangerous or expensive trial and error
experiments can be simulated and
design parameters observed prior to
any physical prototype
constructed;
(b) Computers are becoming even more
powerful and less expensive,
allowing larger CFD simulations to be
calculated, or more detailed
simulations of present CFD problems;
(c) The numerical schemes and physical
models that are the building blocks of
CFD are continually improving.
(d) If a CFD model can be established
yielding accurate results on
particular design, then the model can
be used as a tool of prediction for that
design under many different operating
conditions.
EXAMPLES OF CURRENT RESEARCH
MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
CFD is gaining popularity within the Bio-
Chemical and Medical Science world. The
CFD centre is working in close collaboration
with the Silesian University of Technology in
using CFD to investigate all the major physical
phenomena taking place inside an infant
incubator. Combined heat and mass flow
processes are analyzed to help design more
efficient and reliable medical equipment.
MULTI-PHASE MODELLING
The Volume of Fluid (VOF) formulation can be
used to model stratified/free-surface flows as
it relies on the fact that two or more fluids
(or phases) are not interpenetrating.
University of Leeds
The CFD centre has been directly involved in
explaining events that led to the tragic Air
France Concorde disaster that took place in July
being 2000. Flying rubber from a burst tyre led to a
ruptured fuel tank on the underside of the left
wing. The emerging fuel flow characteristics
thus were modelled using FLUENT’s VOF model and
it was found that a flame was able to stabilise
under the wing from a recirculating air zone
created within the landing gear bay.
Image Courtesy of Fluent Inc.
one
FUEL CELLS
High temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)
are the most efficient devices for converting
hydrocarbon fuels into electricity and can
drastically reduce the greenhouse emissions in
power plants by using a SOFC and gas turbine
hybrid system. The CFD Centre has worked
on the development of fuel cell predictive
capability for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)
and Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
(PEMFC) using CFD technology.
COMBUSTION MODELLING (GAS TURBINES)
CFD can be used to predict species
concentrations within extremely hostile
environments where experimental sampling
may not be practical. The requirement of
a modern gas turbine aero-engine is for
reduced emissions of pollutants to meet both
civil legislation and military aircraft plume
invisibility needs. Sophisticated combustion
models have been developed that allow for
accurate predictions of important intermediate
species which can be used to accurately predict
pollutant formation.

COMBUSTION MODELLING (AN EXERCISE IN
BIO-MIMETICS)
The bombardier beetle illustrates a combustion
process that takes place in nature that may be
applicable to the re-ignition of aircraft and
land based gas turbines. An intriguing pressure
relief induced steam explosion technique is
involved.
AIRFLOW OVER MOUNTAINS
Airflows over hills and mountains generate
atmospheric turbulence and eddies which cause
wind hazards, not only over the mountains
but also particularly in the lee. Researchers
in the CFD Centre are responsible for the
development of new turbulence forecasting
and warning models. These are actively used by
the Met Office for forecasting in the Falkland
Islands and for airfields in Eastern England. The
modelling is particularly challenging because
of the need to incorporate near-real-time
data from atmospheric observing systems
and to produce results quickly enough for the
warnings to influence planning decisions.
CIRRUS CLOUD MODELLING
There is a strong research interest in cirrus
clouds including both mid-latitude and tropical
anvil outflows. Inter-comparisons of cirrus
models show that there is huge variability
in predictions from different models. The
environment centre’s involvement in the
GCSS inter-comparison is directed towards
resolving this. Current research focuses on
understanding the effects of aerosols such
as mineral dust on the evolution of tropical
anvils to background cirrus using Crystal-Face
observations.
INVERSE PROBLEMS
Whilst direct formulations consist of
determining the effect of a given cause, in
inverse formulations the situation is completely
or partially reversed. Typical practical
applications where inverse problems arise
are flows in porous media, heat conduction
in materials, tomographic scans of objects,
thermal barrier coatings, heat exchangers,
corrosion, aerosols, elasicity, acoustics, etc.
The objectives are to investigate the existence,
uniqueness and stability of the solution to
the problem that mathematically models a
physical phenomenon under investigation, and
to develop new convergent, stable and robust
algorithms for obtaining the desired solution.
ELASTOHYDRODYNAMIC LUBRICATION (EHL)
EHL relates to the branch of tribology
concerned with the separation by a lubricant
film of two bodies in relative motion and under
a sufficiently high applied load to cause them
to deform. Examples include journal bearings,
gear teeth and other engine components. These,
normally rigid bodies, deform elastically under
the very high operating pressures (commonly
up to 3 GPa). It is important to be able to
understand and predict the performance of
lubricants under their often-extreme working
conditions in order to achieve efficiency
(generally reduced friction) and durability of
the machine components. These calculations
are also used in the development of new
lubricants with desired physical properties.
ADAPTIVE NUMERICAL METHODS
Many fluid flow problems contain local solution
features that exhibit much smaller length and
time scales than others. In the development
of CFD software this is typically accounted for
through the use of adaptivity in space and time,
respectively. Some of the major challenges that
are faced by software developers include how to
implement this adaptivity and how to control it.
Image Courtesy of Fluent Inc.
ROCK DEFORMATION
The Rock Deformation Research Group (RDR) is
a group of geoscientists conducting sponsored
research and consultancy in structural geology
and fluid flow for the petroleum and minerals
industries. Recognised as international leaders
in structural analysis, RDR aim to understand,
predict and advise on the mechanical evolution
and fluid flow properties of fault and fracture
arrays. In particular, they aim to assess the
impact of faults and other structures on
hydrocarbon reservoirs and mineral deposits
and their pioneering knowledge has been
applied to hydrocarbon and mineral resources
worldwide.
TURBULENCE IN RIVER FLOWS
Although the flow of water in the natural
environment may seem more simple than the
study of combustion or other applications
of CFD, the large size of rivers and their
complex boundary conditions actually make
representation in a numerical model an
interesting problem. Recent work at Leeds has
focused on trying to improve the representation
of boundary conditions in these models.
Rather than using steady-state simulation
methods, much of the more recent work has
been based upon a technique called Large-Eddy
Simulation, where one can look at transient
flow behaviour, such as the development of
vortices at the confluence of two stream
tributaries.

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEEDS CENTRE FOR
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD)
• To promote the CFD discipline, both within
the University and with outside bodies, by
means of collaborative research, joint research,
grant applications, joint industrial contracts,
seminars, lectures, short courses, etc.
• To provide an environment in which the
teaching and research into CFD can proceed as
effectively and efficiently as possible.
• To encourage the interaction between
experimental observation, mathematical
modelling and numerical simulation.
• To exploit the capabilities of the high
performance computing in furthering the
frontiers of CFD.
• To promote the production of high quality,
robust and reliable software for CFD. These
software packages could be for either academic
and/or commercial use.
• To run an M.Sc. course in CFD.
• To encourage and co-ordinate inter
departmental applications to research councils
for specialised computing facilities.
Image Courtesy of Fluent Inc.
M.Sc. TRAINING PACKAGE IN CFD
The overall aim of this program is to raise the
national level of skill in CFD, by providing a
masters training package geared to training
industrial CFD users for UK industry. In
addition, the importance of industrial and
academic re-training through the modular
structure will be emphasised. Over the last few
Centre for
Computational Fluid Dynamics
years we have identified the need for a more
flexible training program which is suitable
for applicants from industry. Therefore this
innovative proposal will build on the existing
very successful M.Sc. CFD Course with the
following specific objectives:
• To simulate the creation of advanced training
activities in all fields related to Computational
Fluid Dynamics with a truly interdisciplinary
program.
• To the harnessing of a CFD training course
which has a direct benefit to UK industry,
whilst preserving an environment for creative
innovation and academic excellence.
• To develop and implement a distance learning
scheme, which will provided accessible,
customized, supported and connected learning,
a pathway to professional excellence.
THE ROLE OF POSTGRADUATES IN THE
DEPARTMENT
Research in the Centre for CFD at Leeds is a
highly stimulating experience. The friendly and
informal atmosphere encourages free discussion
of problems between all categories of research
workers, from senior academic staff to research
students and post-doctoral fellows.
CFD CENTRE
University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, UK
www.leeds.ac.uk/cfd
University of Leeds
The doctoral training programme is based on
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies,
which can be tailored to meet almost any
aspect of university-based research in CFD. It
can involve CFD which is fundamentally based
to industrial applications. The approved Fellows
will be based in the CFD Centre but attached
to one of the 13 constituent departments/
schools in the CFD Centre, namely Applied
Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry,
Civil Engineering, Computer Studies, Earth
Sciences, Environment, Fire and Explosion,
Geography, Fuel and Energy, Mechanical
Engineering, Mining and Minerals and Physics.
In addition to performing CFD research,
the site offers a comprehensive training
environment which also covers theory and
experimentation.
Image Courtesy of Fluent Inc.
Finally, the Fellow will be able to attend
high level MSc CFD modules as well as other
specialized postgraduate modules.
Contacts
All first contacts should be made to Professor
D.B. Ingham
Tel: +44(0)113 343 5113
Fax: +44(0)113 343 5090
amt6dbi@amsta.leeds.ac.uk
Or
Professor M. Pourkashanian
Tel: +44(0)113 343 2512
Fax: +44(0)113 246 7310
fue6mtz@leeds.ac.uk
CFD CENTRE
University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT
www.leeds.ac.uk/cfd