ANSYS Fluent vs OpenFOAM

Struggling to choose between ANSYS Fluent and OpenFOAM? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

ANSYS Fluent is a Science & Engineering solution with tags like cfd, fluid-flow, heat-transfer, turbulence, finite-volume-method.

It boasts features such as Computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer analysis, Broad physics modeling capabilities for gases, liquids, multiphase and solid media flows, Advanced turbulence and transition models, Conjugate heat transfer and multiphysics coupling, Robust meshing and geometry preparation tools, Automation and customization with journal files and user-defined functions and pros including Powerful and accurate simulation capabilities, Wide range of applications across industries, Extensive material property database, Highly customizable workflows, Strong technical support from ANSYS.

On the other hand, OpenFOAM is a Science & Engineering product tagged with cfd, fluid-flow, meshing, solvers, parallel-processing, visualization.

Its standout features include Mesh generation and processing tools, Wide range of physical modeling capabilities including compressible/incompressible fluids, multiphase flows, chemical reactions, turbulence, heat transfer, electromagnetics, solid mechanics, Parallel processing support, Pre- and post-processing utilities for visualization and data analysis, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Large user community, Modular code structure allows customization, Good parallel scaling, Wide range of applications.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

ANSYS Fluent

ANSYS Fluent

ANSYS Fluent is computational fluid dynamics software used to model flow, turbulence, heat transfer and reactions for industrial applications. It utilizes finite volume method to solve fluid flow problems.

Categories:
cfd fluid-flow heat-transfer turbulence finite-volume-method

ANSYS Fluent Features

  1. Computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer analysis
  2. Broad physics modeling capabilities for gases, liquids, multiphase and solid media flows
  3. Advanced turbulence and transition models
  4. Conjugate heat transfer and multiphysics coupling
  5. Robust meshing and geometry preparation tools
  6. Automation and customization with journal files and user-defined functions

Pricing

  • Subscription-Based
  • Pay-As-You-Go

Pros

Powerful and accurate simulation capabilities

Wide range of applications across industries

Extensive material property database

Highly customizable workflows

Strong technical support from ANSYS

Cons

Steep learning curve

Requires high-performance computing resources

Limited pre- and post-processing capabilities compared to other ANSYS products

Expensive licensing costs


OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM is an open source computational fluid dynamics software package used to simulate fluid flow problems. It includes tools for meshing, solvers, parallel processing, visualization, etc.

Categories:
cfd fluid-flow meshing solvers parallel-processing visualization

OpenFOAM Features

  1. Mesh generation and processing tools
  2. Wide range of physical modeling capabilities including compressible/incompressible fluids, multiphase flows, chemical reactions, turbulence, heat transfer, electromagnetics, solid mechanics
  3. Parallel processing support
  4. Pre- and post-processing utilities for visualization and data analysis

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Large user community

Modular code structure allows customization

Good parallel scaling

Wide range of applications

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited user-friendly interfaces

Lacks some features found in commercial CFD packages

Documentation can be lacking