The Complete Introduction to OpenFOAM

Name: The Complete Introduction to OpenFOAM
Rating: 4.2 (1042 reviews)

Learn CFD through Solid Mechanics with OpenFOAM and the FOAM-Extend Solid Mechanics library

Created byPhilip Baldock

Last updated 6/2021

English

What you'll learn

Understand the basic requirements of OpenFOAM computational modelling
Be able to take any tutorial file in OpenFOAM, set the case up for yourself and use geometries and boundaries of your choosing. Though we can't cover the majority of solvers, you should be in a position to explore particular solvers for yourself and learn on your own.
Create meshes and set up boundaries/initial conditions compatible with OpenFOAM
Be able to use the FOAM-Extend solid mechanics solver library.
Understand the foundations of steady/time dependent Linear Elasticity, Thermal Conduction, Friction and Plasticity for use in Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing engineering applications

Course content

5 sections • 100 lectures • 7h 55m total length

Introduction4:50
Build your foundation in OpenFOAM using the finite volume method to solve differential equations on three-dimensional meshes, yielding cell-wise fields for fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, and electromagnetism.
The Structure of This Course5:12
What You Will Learn2:16
Why OpenFOAM?8:52
Side Note - For Windows 10 Users Part 16:39
Side Note - For Windows 10 Users Part 24:34
Side Note - Windows 10 Summary + Part 3: The Best Solution (is XMing)6:23
Installing OpenFOAM 7 Part 16:18
Installing OpenFOAM 7 Part 22:45
Installing OpenFOAM 7 Part 34:11
Installing OpenFOAM 7 Part 4 - Aliases6:23
Master managing multiple OpenFOAM installations with aliases that load different environment variable sets. Use the dot command to source the bashrc and avoid version conflicts, then test with blockMesh.

OpenFOAM 7 Tutorials5:27
The Run Folder6:46
OpenFOAM Case Architecture Part 14:55
OpenFOAM Case Architecture Part 24:26
OpenFOAM Case Architecture Part 35:05
OpenFOAM Case Architecture Part 44:59
Explore how OpenFOAM solves problems using solver algorithms and boundary conditions, and how to set up case architecture with block mesh, snappy hex mesh, control dict, and constants for simulations.
The .Allrun Bash Script and blockMesh5:44
ParaView5:06
A First Look at Our Mesh3:19
Running the Solver4:34
First Look at the Solution6:24
The Initial Values Directory Part 16:21
The Initial Values Directory Part 23:27
The Initial Values Directory Part 35:15
The temperature initial values file T defines a uniform 300 kelvin temperature across a two dimensional domain, with zero gradient boundaries and symmetry planes, while front and back are empty.

The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 15:01
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 24:15
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 36:26
Convert geometry to a block mesh by listing eight corner coordinates in zero-based order, and apply the right-hand rule to define outward boundary faces and patches.
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 46:35
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 55:42
Master blockMesh patch setup in OpenFOAM by applying right hand rule. Define edge sequences and coordinates, manage local x/y directions, and run blobfish to verify a near two dimensional domain.
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 63:09
The Fundamentals of blockMesh Part 75:04
Installing Blender and swiftBlock4:38
Install blender and swift block to enable meshing for openfoam, guiding linux and windows installation, python and pip setup, and blender add-ons configuration.
Running Blender Compatibly3:56
Blender Basics Part 13:15
Explore Blender basics: object mode, adding a cube mesh, and editing vertices; switch views, see vertices through the object, and note block mesh limitations for simple geometries.
Blender Basics Part 22:34
Blender Basics Part 33:22
Blender Basics Part 42:43
Blender Basics Part 53:01
Blender Basics Part 63:22
Blender Basics Part 74:12
Blender Basics Part 82:25
swiftBlock - Blocking4:08
swiftBlock - Preview Meshing4:03
swiftBlock - Setting Edges4:43
swiftBlock - Setting Boundaries5:25
Select z direction faces, create a patch, assign empty for z and walls for others; define front load, back load, and bottom patches with constant displacement to zero in blockMesh.
swiftBlock - Export blockMeshDict4:51
swiftBlock - Unpack blockMeshDict and Build3:56
swiftBlock - Reading a swiftBlock blockMeshDict6:24
swiftBlock - Initial Values Setup Part 15:13
swiftBlock - Initial Values Setup Part 25:29
swiftBlock - Initial Values Setup Part 35:00
Ensure consistent naming across patch names and the T file when setting initial values for OpenFOAM. Configure front load, backload, and patch bottom boundary conditions to control forces and movement.
swiftBlock - Initial Values Setup Part 44:04
GMSH Part 13:50
GMSH Part 24:48
GMSH Part 33:18
GMSH Part 43:52
Select the square boundary to define a plane surface, press e to exclude holes, then extrude in the z direction with a vector to form a wedge for meshing.
GMSH Part 55:27
GMSH Part 62:13
GMSH Part 73:41
GMSH Part 83:50
GMSH Part 94:26
First Section Summary4:01

Gaining Modelling Experience8:17
Gain modeling experience with OpenFOAM by exploring mesh quality, convergence analysis, and residuals, then compare CFD results to analytical solutions and experiments to ensure real-world validity.
Installing Foam-Extend 4.1 Part 17:04
Installing Foam-Extend 4.1 Part 24:39
Learn to install foam-extend 4.1 on ubuntu by cloning from GitHub, creating a dedicated folder, compiling, sourcing environment variables, and managing multiple OpenFOAM versions with aliases, including behind-firewall options.
Installing Foam-Extend 4.1 Part 34:20
Installing Foam-Extend 4.1 Part 45:03
Installing Foam-Extend 4.1 Final + First Look6:03
First Look at the Foam-Extend PlateHole Case5:57
plateHole Case: The Analytical Solution3:39
plateHole Case: Increasing Mesh Fineness7:10
plateHole Case: Increasing Mesh Fineness Further5:34
plateHole Case: Extending the Domain Size Part 14:52
plateHole Case: Extending the Domain Size Part 25:15
Extend the plateHole domain by editing vertex coordinates to increase domain size along x and y, updating twelve coordinates. Run the simulation to compare max stress with the analytical solution.
Convergence Part 17:27
Convergence Part 25:38
OpenFOAM applies conservation equations with finite volume schemes, using benchmarks and residuals to illustrate convergence and guide learners in creating and validating new solutions.
Convergence Part 34:47
Convergence Part 45:10
Convergence Part 56:15
Post Processing Part 13:43
Post Processing Part 23:50
Post Processing Part 34:42
Post Processing Part 43:39

Time Varying Cases Part 14:33
Time Varying Cases Part 23:11
Time Varying Cases Part 35:55
Explore time varying solid traction on a plate with a hole in OpenFOAM, and observe interpolated stress changes as traction steps from 10k to 20k and back to 1k.
Plasticity Part 15:12
Plasticity Part 23:52
Plasticity Part 33:44
Plasticity Part 43:09
Friction Part 13:03
Friction Part 24:44
Friction Part 33:31
Friction Part 41:54
Thermal Models Part 12:51
Thermal Models Part 23:33
Thermal Models Part 35:13
Conclusion13:38
Course Completed2:07

Requirements

Basic geometry and engineering skills
A passion for science and engineering
CFD is at its core a way to solve calculus problems without actually doing calculus - an understanding of what differential equations mean is highly beneficial but you don't need to be able to solve them on a blackboard.
A Linux installation or emulation is not essential but greatly simplifies use of OpenFOAM and hence this course uses the terminal extensively. That said, no prior Linux experience is necessary, all Bash scripting is supplied in course.

Description

Computational modelling is already central to modern engineering and industry with the demand for skilled professionals steadily rising with time. Unfortunately the software suitable for these roles often costs tens of thousands of dollars for a license and/or is prohibitively complicated to learn and put into practice. Being opensource and used in many active companies today, OpenFOAM is an excellent way to learn these methods and greatly enhance your ability to solve engineering problems. While structured in a way that makes it highly flexible and ideal for making your own projects, learning OpenFOAM without help can be a daunting prospect.

The purpose of this course is to give a simple and straightforward introduction to OpenFOAM covering common bugs and mistakes so that you can easily pass through the steep initial learning curve at your own pace. While the lessons learned here can be applied to any OpenFOAM solver (of which there is a substantial range), the focus is on solid mechanics since the implementation is typically much simpler than more popular applications (high speed flow, etc.). In addition, since solid mechanics is necessary for most engineering disciplines even if it isn't that discipline's primary interest (aerodynamics centres around the interaction between solid objects and fluid flows for example), solid mechanics is an excellent core skill to have and a necessary theoretical precursor to a healthy understanding of fluid dynamics of all forms.

Disclaimer:

This course is not a substitute for a degree in aerospace engineering or specialist consultancy, by purchasing this course you agree that the course instructor is in no way liable for any disputes, claims, losses, injuries, or damage of any kind that might arise out of or relate to the content of this course or any supporting communications between instructor and student.

Who this course is for:

Beginner engineers looking to learn the full power of computational modelling but frustrated with the mostly incomprehensible material available online.
Researchers and professionals looking for a simple and tractable introduction to getting OpenFOAM to work.

The Complete Introduction to OpenFOAM

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction11 lectures • 58min

Fundamentals of Case Structure14 lectures • 1hr 12min

Practical Meshing and Boundary Conditions38 lectures • 2hr 42min

Advanced Solid Mechanics With Foam-Extend21 lectures • 1hr 53min

Advanced Solid Mechanics Modelling16 lectures • 1hr 10min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: