Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the industry standard method for simulating the flow of gasses and liquids both through and around solid bodies (think of the flow around a car, or through a faucet).
CFD can be used to solve for very complex flows
Even the simplest of these fluid flow problems are prohibitively complicated to solve for by hand. For example, in 1953 M. Kawaguti spent 20 hours a week for 18 months to hand-calculate the flow around a cylinder. This problem can now be solved in minutes using CFD on readily accessible computing hardware.
CFD can in some ways be viewed as the fluid version of FEA in that it works by breaking up the problem space into discreet chunks (the mesh), applying materials and boundary conditions to each of these pieces, and solving them together numerically. CFD simulation works by iteratively solving mathematical approximations of the Navier-Stokes and Energy Equations to reach the solution. The software iterates these equations over the entire simulation model until an unchanging (converged) solution is attained.
If done correctly, this process yields extremely useful information on the flow characteristics of various design options (read some of NASA’s process for CFD). However, to be effective the CFD user, like the FEA user, requires experience and training.
If a CFD analysis is not set-up correctly, it can produce convincing results that are actually wrong. To prevent misleading results, users of CFD need to start with a firm understanding of the underlying physics, and the limitations of the simulation tool.
Perhaps the largest benefits of CFD are realized when it is used to comparatively test many design iterations, without the need for costly physical prototypes at each step. Often, it is most important to understand the basic behavior of the flow as your product changes, as opposed to getting the "exactly right answer."
To understand how to run valid CFD simulations, and get the most out of your analysis, it’s important to understand uncertainty and error. NASA has an excellent description of the difference between these two issues.
Uncertainty can be addressed by running multiple simulations with different models or slightly different inputs.
Errors can be either caused by the user or the software. Avoiding human errors comes with experience and avoiding software errors requires understanding how the tools work and knowing documented issues.
CFD, when used correctly, can both greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to bring a product to market and the environmental impact of that product. For these reasons CFD is an integral part of designing and creating sustainable products.
More resources
This website by André Bakker contains a great deal of fantastic information on CFD, especially his lectures page.
CFD Workflow
Dive Deeper
CFD Sustainability Goals
The benefits of CFD are that it allows you to optimize your designs based on flow dynamics, heat transfer, and pressures without having to build a large number of prototypes. This optimization can improve the energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of the use phase of your product.
CFD Workflow 1: Model and Estimate Results
Using well modeled geometry and having an understanding of the expected simulation results helps the process of achieving a successful analysis. By taking special care with modeling and your simulation setup at the beginning of the analysis process it is possible to save a great deal of time in the long run.
CFD Workflow 2: Boundary Conditions and Materials
For a CFD simulation to produce a result, the environment around the design must be defined. This environment is described by the boundary conditions. These conditions are the inputs for your simulation and so using them properly is necessary for good simulation results.
CFD Workflow 3: Meshing
The definition of the CFD mesh is one of the most important aspects of running an accurate and computationally manageable analysis.
CFD Workflow 4: Solving and Convergence
This is the point in the simulation workflow where you define the flow settings, choose the physics models, and, optionally, set various solver control options.
CFD Workflow 5: Interpreting Results
There are many powerful visualization tools in Autodesk Simulation CFD to help you interpret your CFD simulation results, and to make decisions for modifying the design based on the results. These tools allow you to look at different variables in numerous ways to best understand the behavior of the fluid flow.