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Lecture 1 - Introduction to CFD
Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics
Instructor: André Bakker
http://www.bakker.org
© André Bakker (2002-2006)
© Fluent Inc. (2002)
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Fluid dynamics
• Fluid dynamics is the science of fluid motion.
• Fluid flow is commonly studied in one of three ways:
– Experimental fluid dynamics.
– Theoretical fluid dynamics.
– Numerically: computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• During this course we will focus on obtaining the knowledge
required to be able to solve practical fluid flow problems using
CFD.
• Topics covered today include:
– A brief review of the history of fluid dynamics.
– An introductory overview of CFD.
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Antiquity
• Focus on waterworks: aqueducts,
canals, harbors, bathhouses.
• One key figure was Archimedes -
Greece (287-212 BC). He initiated
the fields of static mechanics,
hydrostatics, and pycnometry (how
to measure densities and volumes of
objects).
• One of Archimedes’ inventions is the
water screw, which can be used to
lift and transport water and granular
materials.
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Leonardo da Vinci - Italy (1452-1519)
• Leonardo set out to observe all
natural phenomena in the visible
world, recognizing their form and
structure, and describing them
pictorially exactly as they are.
• He planned and supervised canal
and harbor works over a large part
of middle Italy. In France he
designed a canal that connected the
Loire and Saone.
• His contributions to fluid mechanics
are presented in a nine part treatise
(Del moto e misura dell’acqua) that
covers the water surface, movement
of water, water waves, eddies, falling
water, free jets, interference of
waves, and many other newly
observed phenomena.
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Leonardo da Vinci “A Gigantic Explosion”