The CFD team at CERFACS develops and applies high-performance codes for fluid mechanics applications in two main fields:
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Aerodynamics.
Developing advanced simulation codes
for aerodynamics applications in Europe was one of the initial goals of the CFD activity at CERFACS for Airbus and is still a central theme. After the NSMB code was stopped in 2003, most efforts have focused on elsA which is developed by ONERA and CERFACS. New collaborations with DLR in 2004 and 2005 have also started around the tau code. Unsteady aerodynamics, fluid structure interaction, vortex dynamics, efficient numerical methods on high-performance machines are central themes for the group. They are now accompanied by shape optimization, CFD for turbomachinery and aeroacoustics.
- Combustion.
The LES tool developed by CERFACS and IFP (AVBP) has become a standard tool for reacting flows at many places in Europe (CNRS laboratories, ONERA centers, Universities in Spain, England, Netherlands or Germany, etc). Industrial partners (SNECMA, Turbomeca, Siemens, Alstom)
have continued their collaboration with CERFACS to increase
AVBP capabilities and validate it in multiple cases. LES is not yet industrialized but is used on a daily basis for industrial applications. LES tools are also being coupled to other solvers to predict acoustic fields or structure mechanical and thermal loading. A significant work of consolidation of CFD tools for combustion is also underway by comparing and coupling existing RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes) tools with LES. This task is necessary to understand the respective strengths, limitations and potential combined use of RANS and LES
With more than 50 scientists (including PhD students), the CFD team is an active partner in various fields: research, teaching, formation, interaction with industry. In terms of man-power, the turn-over of the team remains high with only 10 permanent scientists and more than 40 others staying less than 4 years. Most scientists leaving CERFACS find positions right away and many keep in touch with CERFACS. The collaboration with french laboratories is also excellent: CERFACS provides codes to many CNRS or university laboratories and participates to multiple contracts with other research institutions. European support is very strong with multiple FP'6 programmes (Fluistcom, Fuelchief, Preccinsta, Intellect, FarWake, Vital, Molecules...) which were active in 2004 and 2005 and will be replaced by new projects (Quantify, Timecop, Eccomet, Simsac, TLC...). The EST Marie Curie project Eccomet is an excellent example of recent CERFACS success: it will allow CERFACS to hire 12 European PhD students in the next 4 years as well as 10 visitors. These scientists will be working on two-phase flow combustion at CERFACS, ONERA and IMFT and strongly contribute to the advancement of fundamental research in this field. The Eccomet project was initiated and is coordinated by CERFACS (Dr B. Cuenot): it also shows that CERFACS is now well integrated in the research community.
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