CFD Online Discussion Forums - HOW TO START KNOWING ABOUT CFD

(1). CFD is to obtain information (data) from the computer simulation of the fluid dynamics and related problem on computers through the computer generated 3-D geometry model, 3-D computational mesh, turbulence model and physical model by solving a set of non-linear coupled partial differential equations. Naturally, the only way to use a computer is through a computer program. You need a computer program to build a 3-D geometry model( a CAD program can do that). You also need a mesh generation program to create a computational mesh.... etc...etc.... (2). The best place to start is a school ( college or university). The ME department or the AERO department are two good places to start your search for answer. (3) It is like asking the question: " I like to be a medical doctor, where is the best place to start?" Anyway, you need to know something about the computer programming, the fluid dynamics and heat transfer, the turbulence modeling, the numerical solution to the partial differential equations, the 3-D geometry modeling, post-processing,... It takes time to learn all of these subjects and I don't think one can learn all of these on his own. (4). If you are talking about running a computer code, then I think, almost anyone with some basic knowledge of using a computer can handle that.