Computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) uses numerical methods to approximate fluid motion and its interactions with surfaces, forces, and heat transfer.

Navier–Stokes equations: Partial differential equations expressing conservation of momentum and mass in fluid motion. They supply the governing flow equations that most CFD methods approximate.
Boundary conditions: Mathematical constraints specifying solution values or behavior at a domain's boundaries. They encode inlets, outlets, walls, and far-field conditions in a CFD problem.
Aerodynamics: The study of forces and motion associated with air flowing around bodies. CFD predicts lift, drag, and flow separation around aircraft and vehicles.
Wind tunnel: A facility that produces controlled airflow for testing models or objects. Wind-tunnel measurements offer physical data, while CFD predicts flow computationally.
Finite volume method: A numerical method that enforces conservation by balancing fluxes across discrete control volumes. Its local flux balances make it a dominant discretization approach in CFD.
Initial conditions: Values assigned to the variables of a time-dependent problem at its starting time. Transient CFD simulations need an initial flow field from which to evolve.
Weather forecasting: The prediction of atmospheric conditions using observations and numerical models. Atmospheric models use numerical fluid dynamics to evolve winds and other flows.
Particle image velocimetry: An optical technique that measures fluid velocity by tracking illuminated tracer particles. It measures flow fields experimentally and can validate CFD predictions.
Finite element method: A numerical method that approximates equations using functions defined over subdivided domains. It handles complex geometries and coupled physical equations in CFD.
Reynolds number: A dimensionless ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces in fluid flow. It helps identify the flow regime and informs modeling and resolution choices.

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