Simulating DrivAer Model with Flow360
Introduction
In 2024, Flexcompute participated in the AutoCFD4 workshop, where we presented our highly accurate and fast results for the DrivAer model. The AutoCFD4 workshop is an international forum for researchers and practitioners in the field of automotive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The workshop provides a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences on the latest developments in automotive CFD.
DrivAer Model
The AutoCFD4 workshop focuses on two test cases: the Windsor model and the DrivAer model. However, it’s the DrivAer model that generally garners more attention, primarily because it’s a reasonably accurate representation of a real-life commercial car It is a complex geometry that is used to benchmark the accuracy and efficiency of CFD solvers. While the geometry, boundary condition, and computation grid are provided by the committee, the workshop offers interesting insights into various turbulence models and numerical schemes.
Speed and Accuracy of Flow360
Traditional CFD tools require days or even weeks to perform a simulation of an automotive geometry. In contrast, Flow360 requires only 10-15 min for a RANS simulation and 1-2 hours for a DDES simulation of the DrivAer model with the committee-provided grid. With this speed, CFD engineers working on Formula 1, commercial cars, or sports cars no longer need to wait for lengthy periods to evaluate design changes. Design iterations can be done at a much faster pace, with the advantage of high accuracy of DDES simulations. Flow360’s accuracy aids automotive companies in making informed design decisions, while its speed significantly reduces time for design cycles, resulting in faster time-to-market.
A comparison of Flow360’s DDES results for the DrivAer model with the test performed in the Pininfarina wind tunnel shown above highlights the capability of Flow360. For a CFD tool to be used in the rigorous design and optimization of automotive, it’s essential to capture complex flow features including corner flow, origin and evolutions of vortices, and tiny wake structures. Without this capability, it is challenging to determine whether a marginal design change is acceptable or not. Flow360’s accuracy with the combination of speed exactly addresses this concern by providing an efficient solution.
Conclusion
Flow360’s remarkable speed, coupled with the high accuracy of its results, showcases its potential to revolutionize automotive CFD workflows. We invite you to experience the Flow360 advantage today. Talk to an expert to learn more about Flow360.
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