Mechanical Analysis Blog

Downdraft Range Vent Hood Flow Analysis   One of the cool kitchen features that caught our attention when we saw what would become our house was that the stove had a retractable range vent.  It would pop up behind the stove, and sucks the air away from the side, then down through the counter, down through the floor, and out the side of the wall.  What really makes these things great is they open up … Read More

Stove, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Concentration, CFD, Range, Steam, Downdraft Vent, FloEFD

I’m not a fan of soccer (urm I mean football). I’m more of a Rugby gal myself. But on Saturday I along with 100+ fans played sardines in a small  pub and jostled for the best viewing position in front of one of the handful of TVs to watch the European Cup game.  The pub erupted when England scored the winning penalty shot. I had not seen so many grown men scream, dance and cry with joy at the same time. … Read More

Bronswerk Heat Transfer, CFD, Air-Cooled Cooler, ROI, Whizz-Wheel, fans, FloEFD

Hockey Puck Aerodynamics   This blog has been in the works for about a year.  I think it was worth the wait.  Let me explain, as a number of things were at play here.  First, I had just attended a Siemens NX CAD system training in advance of our release of FloEFD for NX last year.  So I was looking for an application I could cut my teeth on for my first FloEFD for NX analysis.  Something with CAD … Read More

Computational Fluid Dynamics, FloEFD for NX, CFD, Puck, Flow, Hockey

I admire mechanical engineers. I really mean it. If the world ever implodes, then I want to be hanging out with you guys. You know how to build and fix things. I on the other hand can probably contribute to the betterment of future society by picking berries (so long as I don’t have to deal with any creepy crawlies) or by spreading good cheer – I can’t help it I’ve got a sunny disposition (that … Read More

Design Engineer, FloEFD, CFD

 Smoke, Smoke, Everywhere? This has the possibility to be my most unpopular blog ever, which I’m ok with.  The topic of this blog is smoking, specifically the second hand kind.  Let me start by saying I am not a smoker.  I don’t care for the smell, and am happy that it is not allowed in most building, Vegas casino’s being the main exception. My mom was for a long time though, and in general it seems … Read More

Smoke, parts per million, CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamics, California, isosurfaces, Park, Concentration, FloEFD

From a software user’s perspective it really doesn’t matter exactly how that application was developed. A user is concerned with functional capability (what the software does), non-functional performance (how the software behaves) and ultimately their personal experience when using the software. Those tasked with creating the application though need to meet such user expectations whilst … Read More

FloTHERM PCB, Agile development, FloVENT, SCRUM

It has been almost 3 years since I started this blog and I hope you’ve found it as interesting as I have cathartic. Although I’m not as yet bereft of topic ideas, I thought this would be a good time to solicit a guest blog from industry. It was either that or a Simponsesque montage of previous posts. I covered the highly successful provision of FloTHERM models of power packages from NXP … Read More

NXP, Electronics Cooling, thermal design guide

One of the more significant obstacles to automotive start-stop systems is how to keep the car comfy with the engine off. Saving fuel is great, but not if the infotainment system, HVAC et al were to shut down at every red light. At the SAE World Congress in Detroit last week, Delphi Automotive introduced a Phase Change Material (PCM) Evaporator that it said will keep start/stop vehicle cabins cooler … Read More

phase change material evaporator, hybrid vehicles CO2 emissions, SAE World Congress, Delphi automotive, Delphi Thermal Systems, Delphi, start-stop systems, heat pump air conditioner, HVAC, exhaust gas heat exchanger, Fuel Economy

A virtual version of one of the MGC data center representing one of the configurations tested. Image courtesy of Mentor Graphics. Over the weekend I realized I have become English. No, I haven’t picked up the accent. Nor do I eat Marmite. Actually eating Marmite can be relegated to one of those things I’d never do. Never, ever. So why have I become English? I tend to discuss the weather and temperature … Read More

FloVENT, HVAC, CFD, Optimize

In 1989 Flomerics was the first organisation to provide application specific CFD based simulation software where all pre and post-processing capabilities were contained within a single WIMP based graphical user interface. That pioneering period involved missionary sales to add simulation to the arsenal of the design engineer, enabling virtual prototyping to be used as a precursor to physical build and … Read More

FloVENT, Electronics Cooling, HVAC, XML

I suddenly find myself needing to buy a car in England. I won’t bore you with why I had to let go of my beloved Audi but instead let me tell you that renting cars in England especially when you don’t drive stick shift is really really expensive. That is a very pleased blogger sitting in her fave car last year (and so happens her fave color too) Being a rather sensible person, at first I thought … Read More

FloEFD

The UK government has a policy for all year 10 or year 11 students to undertake a week’s work experience. Last week we welcomed a 15 year old student to the Mentor office where the FloTHERM and FloVENT software development is done. The student was tasked with simulating the air flow and temperature distribution in the office space using FloVENT. Using our own software to model our own offices … Read More

Electronics Cooling, FloVENT, CFD, HVAC, thermal comfort

I admit it. I am a bit of an Apple junkie. It was an affair that started in the early 90s when I got my first Mac but I had to give up the habit because I married a Linux man. He declared the house an Apple-Free zone and since he was my sole source of tech support, I capitulated. But in my heart I always remained a fan. When the guys in the office brought in their iPads I looked at them jealously and … Read More

I grew up in Southern California where the threat of the big one is always there – by the big one I mean the big San Andreas fault earthquake which according to experts the world over is overdue by many decades. Over the weekend San Francisco got a couple of tremblers … nothing too scary but enough to remind all Californians that the big one is lurking out there. Alas so far science has … Read More

myths of CFD, Concurrent CFD

The other day I was watching this show on the recent cruise ship sinking over in Italy.  It was very interesting.  They had ship experts looking over the data from the cruise ship, specifically GPS position and speed.  One of the important factors that they said saved a lot of lives that night was the wind.  After the ship had hit the underwater rocks and started taking on water, it continued out to … Read More

FloEFD CFD Wind Ship Cruise Boat Computational Fluid Dynamics