Engineering fluid dynamics package

Paul Boughton

Nika, a leading provider of fluid flow and heat transfer simulation software for engineers, is releasing the latest version of its powerful engineering fluid dynamics (EFD) product family.

The product family - consisting of EFD.Lab, EFD.V5 for Catia V5 and EFD.Pro for Pro/Engineer - will feature an expanded list of physical models such as thermoelectric coolers for more realistic operating environments.

In addition, it will offer improved mesh generation algorithms for easier meshing of complex models, and new animation capabilities for even more realistic visualisation of designs.

“Our development team succeeded to broaden the range of applications for engineering fluid dynamics more than ever before in Nika's history,” says Roland Feldhinkel, the company managing director. “We are confident that the latest EFD product family is the best choice of state-of-the-art, reliable and high-quality fluid flow and heat transfer simulation software with a high potential for innovation and cost savings in the product development process.”

The latest improvements were developed and implemented according to company usability standards, thereby ensuring that an easy-to-use tool is available to engineers for simulating even highly complex physical tasks successfully.

The latest release of EFD.Lab, EFD.Pro and EFD.V5 features a number of new capabilities and technologies.

The addition of new physical modelling capabilities, for example, offers enhanced simulation of 'reality'. For instance, a new model considers valve or pump cavitation effects, helping engineers to localise and eliminate this often unwanted phenomena earlier during the design cycle. Also, a new compact model for thermoelectric coolers (TECs) helps to optimise sophisticated thermal management concepts for electronic designs efficiently. Lastly, EFD offers a new model for considering humid air for simulating the temperature and humidity distribution in rooms. This new feature will help engineers create designs that comply with building regulations as well as health and safety issues.

Version 7.0 now offers an even more efficient Rectangular Adaptive Mesh technology. The new algorithm meshes extremely complex CAD geometries involving a large number of very thin structures in a highly efficient way. Using this technology, users can automatically mesh even the most complex CAD models on the desktop. For instance, simulations in the areas of electronics cooling, heat exchangers or HVAC will experience a reduction in computation time by a factor of up to 10 using the new meshing technology.

The product family also features a new flexible tool to animate simulation results. Cut Plots, Flow Trajectories or Isosurfaces, as well as CAD parts and assemblies, can now be animated simultaneously and saved in an AVI format. The program arranges all object movements and positions of the virtual camera over a timeline. The resulting animation can then be used to gain comprehensive insight into the model behaviour and communicate design ideas.

In addition to the new capabilities, the EFD product family offers analysis of compressible and incompressible liquids and gases, laminar and turbulent flows, heat transfer and species transport for steady-state and transient flow regimes as well as numerous other sophisticated physical models. The EFD product family can be used for the development and optimisation of various products such as automotive parts, computer housings, valves and regulators within a shorter time frame and with better quality.

The latest versions of EFD.Lab, EFD.V5 and EFD.Pro are available for immediate shipment.

For more information, visit www.nika.biz

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