Basic Usage of OpenFOAM, 2 ECTS, 2025

Start date: 14th April 2025
End date: 1st June 2025
On-line meetings typically on Mondays, 14:00-16:00 CET. (21st April moved 2025 due to holiday)

Maximum number of participants: 30

NOTE: ALL SEATS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY 25th FEBRUARY 16:27CET. ANY COMING REQUEST WILL BE PUT IN QUEUE IN CASE OF DROP_OUTS.

Please update the page to make sure that you get any recent changes.

Requests to participate 2025 can be submitted at earliest 1st February 2025. Note that the seats fill up quickly. The information on this page will be updated for the 2025 course. Make sure to update the page in your browser.

Initial notes:

·       The course is the first of two courses found at https://www.tfd.chalmers.se/~hani/kurser/OS_CFD

·       It has been decided that the “Basic Usage of OpenFOAM” (BUOF) course will be given also this year, but it has NOT yet been decided if the advanced course “CFD with OpenSource Software” (OSCFD) will be given. In the case that the OSCFD course will be given, it may not be given exactly as previous year(s). Particularly students who only take the BUOF course to be eligible for the OSCFD course should be aware of this.

·       To save time for us, the BUOF course may be given exactly the same as last year, without any kind of updates. We would definitely like to update it, but we do not have time to do it. That means in particular that assignments should work on a version of OpenFOAM that is not the latest one, and no exceptions will be given.

·       The course is based on active learning in a flipped-classroom design, and relies to a large extent on the interaction between the students. The teachers are responsible for setting up a framework for learning and to assess the completion of compulsory parts of the course. The teachers are responsible for setting up a discussion forum and for planning on-line meetings. The teachers will be active in discussions and meetings, and will try to answer questions, but may also leave many questions for the other students to answer.

·       The teachers have many years of experience with OpenFOAM usage and development, but are NOT original developers and do NOT know everything related to OpenFOAM.

·       The teachers are primarily active in research on incompressible flow in turbomachines (water turbines). They may also have some other knowledge. They do NOT have any knowledge in e.g. chemistry and combustion, which many students seem to be interested in. Thus, the interaction between the students is very important to cover details out of scope for the teachers. The tutorials created by former students are based on the student knowledge and the knowledge they gained through the courses, to a significant extent by interacting with the other students. The tutorials do not necessarily reflect the knowledge of the teachers.

·       The students are responsible for handing in quizzes and assignments that are correct and follow the instructions, and that are handed in before the deadlines. Most students are able to pass the course using the resources and (student) interactions provided, but some are not. It is up to the students to use the provided resources, plan their time, and work hard enough, in order to pass the course. Incorrect and/or late hand-ins are not passed.

Syllabus:

·       Purpose:

o   To learn the basic skills of using the OpenFOAM open source CFD tool

o   To learn efficient use of Linux (scripting), ParaView and plotting software.

·       Learning outcomes:

o   The student will be able to efficiently set up, run, post-process, and validate CFD simulations in OpenFOAM

·       Contents:

o   We go through the basic settings and structure of OpenFOAM cases.

o   We practice the use of OpenFOAM solvers, utilities and functionObjects.

o   We validate the results of academic test-cases.

o   We script the work processes to make them efficient and reproducible.

o   The examination is by hand-in of assignments.

·       Prerequisites:

o   You are enrolled as a PhD student the entire duration of the course.

o   You should have a background in Fluid Dynamics, and ideally some CFD experience and/or a course in CFD. The present course does not teach the basics of Fluid Dynamics nor CFD. It is focusing on tools for CFD, assuming some background knowledge.

o   Linux skills are preferable, or will have to be gained by additional efforts at the start of the course.

·       Preparations (before the start of the course):

o   Installation of required software (a specific OpenFOAM version, which may not necessarily be the latest one).

o   Get access to Canvas.

o   Make sure to have good Internet connection for the on-line gatherings.

o   Set aside time for the course! It is indeed a lot of work! See the requested hand-ins below, under Examination.

·       Flipped-classroom arrangement:

o   Learning platform: https://canvas.chalmers.se/

o   Approx. 13h recorded lectures, with distributed lecture notes.

o   Scheduled on-line discussion time (on the material in the lectures).

o   Discussion group for active sharing of student knowledge.

·       Examination, with a sharp deadline:

o   Linux quiz

o   Basic usage quiz

o   Set-up, simulation, and validation of two academic cases. To be handed in perfectly cleaned up, and with scripts that can be used by us to check that everything has been correctly done. The scripts should work at first attempt, and it is thus important that it has been made sure that a change of user or installation directory does not break the script.

Registration:

Registration starts 1st  February, and the course is usually full soon.

Information requested to show interest to register (send to hakan.nilsson@chalmers.se):

·       Full name (first, middle, family)

·       Birth date (YYYY-MM-DD, for certificate)

·       Preferred email address

·       University of PhD student enrolment

·       Start and end dates of PhD studies (YYYY-MM)

·       Name of supervisor

·       Email address to supervisor

·       A scan of a signed letter from supervisor, showing that you are a PhD student during the duration of the course, that she/he wants you to participate in the course “Basic Usage of OpenFOAM”, 2 ECTS, and that you will have time to fulfil the requirements of the course.

Approximate time spent on the course, reported by student(s):

·       Preparations: 3h

·       Linux tests: 3h

·       Lectures, discussions and quizzes: 12h

·       Assignment: 40h

·       Total: 58h (approx. 1.45 weeks full time)
Highly dependent on student background!

Box plot distribution of the time spent on the main tasks (BUOF assignment belongs to the present course). Data from 2021 and 2022:

A graph with numbers and lines Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Certificate

·       PhD students at Chalmers and other Swedish universities will have their result reported in Ladok, under course code FMMS055

·       Other PhD students will get a signed certificate in scanned pdf (and sent by regular mail if requested). The certificate may contain statements of how the work in the course has progressed.

FAQ

·       “I already have basic OpenFOAM knowledge. Can I then skip the BUOF course and only register to the OSCFD course?”

o   No, if you already have basic OpenFOAM knowledge you should easily complete this first course. In addition to making sure that all who pass this first course have enough knowledge to participate in the second course, I also want to see how you are working and that I will not get any requests for exceptions…

·       “Can I hand in other assignments than the ones requested in the course, to prove that I already have basic OpenFOAM knowledge?”

o   No, we have to make this as efficient as possible for us. Therefore, all students have to hand in the same assignments. We are also building on those assignments in the OSCFD course.