CFD Online Logo CFD Online URL
www.cfd-online.com
[Sponsors]
Home > Forums > Software User Forums > OpenFOAM > OpenFOAM Running, Solving & CFD

Lunar applications

Register Blogs Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old   February 21, 2009, 14:00
Default Hello, I'm a volunteer with
  #1
New Member
 
Anders Feder
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1
Rep Power: 0
anders_feder is on a distinguished road
Hello,

I'm a volunteer with Team FREDNET, the only Open Source contestant in the Google Lunar X PRIZE competition to land a robotic rover on the surface of the Moon.

I'm considering the use of open source CFD such as OpenFOAM for development of our mission. Can you kindly tell me if you think there may be any applications for this software on such a mission?

Some of the possible applications that I can think of (but is not sure of) includes:
Modeling of exhaust plume interaction with the lunar surface?
Modeling of soil mechanics for rover mobility?
Modeling of lunar dust dynamics?
Thermodynamics / thermal management modeling?

What do you think? Would software like OpenFOAM be of use for any of the above or similar applications?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Best regards,
Anders Feder
Team FREDNET Volunteer
anders_feder is offline   Reply With Quote

Old   February 21, 2009, 18:26
Default Hi Anders and welcome to OpenF
  #2
Senior Member
 
Michael Jaworski
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Champaign, IL, USA
Posts: 126
Rep Power: 17
mike_jaworski is on a distinguished road
Hi Anders and welcome to OpenFOAM.

The beauty of OpenFOAM is that new solvers can be created to provide solutions to most, if not all, problems you can dream up. As long as you know what the basic PDEs are, any physical models that you want to use in addition to those PDEs, and a bit of know-how with computational modeling, OpenFOAM will likely provide a solution to you.

The drawback of OpenFOAM is that new solvers must be created to provide solutions to new problems. You need to know the basic PDEs, any relevant physical models and be competent at computational modeling. Otherwise, it might be difficult to put confidence in the output of the program.

I'd suggest that you examine the list of existing solvers to get an idea of what portions of each might be needed to create a solution to your specific problems.

Good luck!

Mike J.
mike_jaworski is offline   Reply With Quote

Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
CFD and its applications Unaware Main CFD Forum 1 April 14, 2008 20:31
CFD for marine applications Darwin Main CFD Forum 10 December 24, 2007 10:17
DES, LES and DNS applications James M Main CFD Forum 4 May 8, 2007 05:58
What does an applications engineer do? Numerouno Main CFD Forum 1 August 26, 2004 14:14
LES Applications. Joshua Main CFD Forum 0 November 29, 2002 01:27


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:02.