Overview
Integrative Simulations & Computational Fluids Lab researchers from SEMTE (School for
Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy) at the Arizona State University (ASU) wanted to
use the commercial code HyperMesh as a general preprocessor to mesh complex geometries
for use with the spectral element CFD code Nek5000. The challenge was to benefit from the
rich functionality of existing meshing tools such as HyperMesh while using the Nek5000 code,
since this CFD code requires 3D hexahedral elements. SEMTE researchers set up a project to
develop a converter tool with which a HyperMesh mesh could be exported into a format the
Nek5000 code could work with. With this export template the overall process is now much
more user-friendly and less error-prone. The mesh is generated in HyperMesh and the export
template organizes all the data and sorts it so it can be imported in the proper formats into
the Nek5000 user template.

In this session, Marc Ratzel will give a quick overview of automotive aerodynamic studies before presenting HyperWorks tools in action. Amongst other topics this will include model preparation, design changes using morphing, solver technology (Navier-Stokes as well as Lattice Boltzmann) and shape optimization.