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Wind turbines, petrochemical equipment, turbomachinery and nuclear reactors are all common applications in the energy sector, depending on the industry. The CFD software HELYX is used by our customers, in conjunction with the add-ons HELYX-Hydro, HELYX-Coupled and HELYX-Adjoint, to tackle the mixture of complex physics and diverse flow problems encountered with these applications at the design and operation stages.
CFD is an essential tool for oil & gas applications. The methods available in HELYX (and HELYX ADD-ONS) allow for an accurate prediction of the expected flow properties in pipe line components interference, separation systems and heat exchangers. Results are used to predict the performance of the overall system.
The typical CFD applications solved by our customers in the oil&gas industry using HELYX include:
> Multi-phase flow: Separation systems / slug catchers.
> Heat transfer: Heat exchangers / burners.
> Interference of pipe line components: filters, valves, pump inlet/outlet, etc.
> Load (bearing) assessment on flow components.
> Coupled particle simulations modelling sands/rocks in water.
> Inline pumps and compressors.
For wind power, HELYX and HELYX-Coupled have been used in multiple ocassions to characterise the performace of the blades. CFD is also employed for siting analysis and wind farm assesesment using the specialised turbulent inlet boundary condition for atmospheric boundary layers provided with our software.
For critical applications, such as nuclear reactors, the VOF two-phase flow methods in HELYX and HELYX-Hydro have been employed to simulate the performance of the water cooling systems.
CFD models are easily revised and offer a detailed insight into the flow physics of every problem. In this context, HELYX can be used as an alternative to expensive and time-consuming experimental methods, or as a complete replacement for testing when no measurements are possible.
Contact your nearest ENGYS office today to discuss your specific applications with one of our engineers and learn more about how we can help you realise your designs using our open-source CFD software products and services.