Question Topics :

Answer: I am sorry but I do not know what the question is. If the question is about finite element method, then I suggest that you look at video and web courses available at NPTEL on FEM. If the question is generally on whether FEM can be used for CFD, the answer is yes. It has been successfully used by many for many problems. However, normally finite element methods are considered to be more difficult to implement and therefore for problems involving complicated physics and thus complicated equations tightly coupled together, one normally uses finite volume or finite difference methods. Hope this answers the question raised. Sreenivas Jayanti

Answer: Two topics that spring to mind where there is still some scope for work are cfd-based optimization and fluid-structure interaction. In the first case, you are for example trying to find the most optimal shape of a diffuser or a valve etc to do a given duty. You can use a cfd code such as ANSYS to do a series of "what if?" kind of simulations and progressively arrive at an optimal shape. In the second case, you are looking at coupling the effect of flow on a solid and vice versa. This can also be a more generic two-way interaction for example a heat transfer problem coupled to a thermal stress evaluation or a mass transfer/ chemical reaction problem leading to dissolution or conversion-affected shape. This does not mean you cannot work on other problems. You can look at current literature in your area of interest and see what is being done by way of CFD or where you can bring in CFD to throw new light on the issue. Regards, Sreenivas Jayanti

Answer: von Neumann analysis can be done only for uniform grids and does not consider the influence of boundary conditions; it assumes that the flow has periodic boundary conditions. In finite volume approach, we get a discretized equation for a cell. When you put all these together, we get a matrix equation at a given time which includes the boundary conditions which are not necessarily periodic. In this case, we can still do a stability analysis but using matrix stability analysis. You can look it up in the first volume of the book by C. Hirsch (1990). The complete reference is given in the course website at NPTEL. You can also google it up! Hope this answers your question. Regards, Sreenivas Jayanti

Answer: I am sorry but I do not know what the question is. If the question is about finite element method, then I suggest that you look at video and web courses available at NPTEL on FEM. If the question is generally on whether FEM can be used for CFD, the answer is yes. It has been successfully used by many for many problems. However, normally finite element methods are considered to be more difficult to implement and therefore for problems involving complicated physics and thus complicated equations tightly coupled together, one normally uses finite volume or finite difference methods. Hope this answers the question raised. Sreenivas Jayanti

Answer: Two topics that spring to mind where there is still some scope for work are cfd-based optimization and fluid-structure interaction. In the first case, you are for example trying to find the most optimal shape of a diffuser or a valve etc to do a given duty. You can use a cfd code such as ANSYS to do a series of "what if?" kind of simulations and progressively arrive at an optimal shape. In the second case, you are looking at coupling the effect of flow on a solid and vice versa. This can also be a more generic two-way interaction for example a heat transfer problem coupled to a thermal stress evaluation or a mass transfer/ chemical reaction problem leading to dissolution or conversion-affected shape. This does not mean you cannot work on other problems. You can look at current literature in your area of interest and see what is being done by way of CFD or where you can bring in CFD to throw new light on the issue. Regards, Sreenivas Jayanti