Products
Flownex Simulation Environment
Fluid-Thermal Simulation Without Limitations
Flownex Simulation Environment (SE) delivers simulation software that enables you to study how flow and heat transfer systems will behave in the real world, where fluid is the driving factor.
Flownex SE
As fluid systems become more complex and more optimized to meet the demands of more demanding missions, Flownex has emerged as the preferred system-level modeling tool for fluid-thermal simulation across industries and applications.
Fast and accurate digital twins
Delivering unparalleled integration, customization, and usability, engineers across industries are fully optimizing their systems in the design phase and leveraging powerful digital twins for a deep understanding of in-service systems.
GET TO KNOW
FLOWNEX SE
FAST AND ACCURATE DIGITAL TWINS
CONSULTATION
When you fold Flownex into your workflow, you also partner with PADT’s global recogized multiphysics simulation consulting team.
SUPPORT
Backed by Flownex’s dedicated and passionate development and support team, PADT provides front-line support from consulting engineers who use the tool every day.
QUALITY & STANDARDS
Flownex SE is ASME NQA-1 compliant and is developed using an ISO9001:2015 certified quality management system.
A HISTORY OF CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Founded in 1986 as “Flownet” as a tool to solve air and water distribution networks in deep shaft mines, the tool soon found extensive use at Rolls-Royce Engines starting in 1992 to model combustion systems. Over the next three decades, the growing development team added new capabilities every year to deliver applicability to a growing list of industries. An object-oriented version was released in 2010 and the name FLOWNEX was adopted. along the way, integration was added for everything from CAD tools, Excel, industry specific programs like RELAP and of course, Ansys.
Flownex SE Cabilities
Flownex SE is a modular, object-oriented platform that combines multiple capabilities in a single, easy-to-use interface that also integrates with a wide range of third-party tools.
The best way to understand the capabilities of Flownex is to contact PADT’s engineers and talk with them about what you want to do.
Modules to Deliver the capability you need
The list below shows functionality found in each of the Flownex Modules. If you don’t see a physics. component, tool, or integration you need, we can work with you to add whatever you need using equations or customization. Sometimes the terms we use are a little different as well, so please do reach out.
And if you are still trying to get your head around what Flownex is and where it fits into your product development process, take a look at “What is Flownex?”
Core Modules
Basic Thermal and
Fluids Module
- Basic Flownex Component Library
- Basic Heat Transfer Components
- Compound Components
- Liquid Fluid Models
- Gas Fluid Models
- Flow Solver
- Visualization Tools
- Result Tools
- Alarms
Advanced fluids and
Thermal Module
- Advanced Heat Transfer Components
- Turbo Secondary Flow Components
- Combustion Components
- Scripted Components
- Excel Components
- Gas Mixture Models
- Incondensable Fluids Models
- Slurry Models
- Two-Phase Models
- Trace Elements Models
Design and
Analysis Module
- Designer Tools
- Optmization Tools
- Sensitivity Analysis Tools
Transient
Module
- Transient Solver
Nuclear
Module
- Nuclear Reactor Components
- RELAP Coupling
Library Modules
Control
Module
- Control Component Library
- OPC (Object Linking and Embedding, OLE, for Process Control) Coupling
Electrical
Module
- Electrical Component Library
Extendability
Module
- Solver Extendability (Outside Solvers)
Integration Modules
API
Module
- Application Programming Interface (API)
- Ansys Coupling
- Caesar II Coupling
- LabVIEW Coupling
- MathCAD Coupling
Ansys Co-Simulation
Flownex can couple to a range of Ansys products, opening a new co-simulation frontier. This gives users the ability to simulate complete and integrated engineering systems quickly and accurately using refinement for fluid, mechanical, and thermal simulation when needed, all in the context of a full Flownex system model
Works With:
- Ansys Fluent
- Ansys CFX
- Ansys Mechanical
- Ansys ROM Builder
- Ansys Workbench
- Additional Ansys Products through API/Text Link
Design
Quick Iterations to influence your design early in the process enabled by fast 1D system level with detailed 2D/3D models only where needed.
Or, use ROMs to go even faster.
Analysis
Carry out detailed analysis of your system by including the entire system in the model and extract important information like thermal stress distribution and complex flow.
Optimization
Use built-in tools to optimize your entire design using parameters in Ansys and Flownex.
Fast runtimes allow more runs and faster convergence on an optimal design.
Examples
Transient Thermal Stresses
Effect of Start-Up & Dynamic Load Changes
Couple Flownex to Ansys Mechanical to determine the thermal stress distribution in materials surrounding the flow area.
Boiler tubes in thermal power plants experience a wide range of thermal stresses due to cyclical thermal loading. The boiler walls need to be designed such that it can handle these thermal stresses, especially during start start-up conditions — coupling delivers accurate loading.
Simplified Heat Exchanger
3D Complex External Geometry with 1D Internal Flow
Couple Flownex to 3D CFD software packages such as Ansys CFX and Ansys Fluent to include complex 3D flows into your 1D thermal system.
Datacenter HVAC systems are highly integrated and complex. Flownex can be used to model the thermal management system and cooling, while Ansys Fluent or CFX can be used to include complex 3D flows inside the data center rooms.
Long Transient Thermal-Fluid Model
Coupled Flow Simulation in a Shell Tube Heat Exchanger
Solving transient conjugate heat transfer models in full 3D CFD can be computationally prohibitive. By capitalizing on Flownex’s solve speed for internal tube flow and heat transfer through the pipe walls we can shorten solve time significantly. This allows a significantly smaller mesh and much shorter timesteps. Convergence issues for flow in the small passages also disappear and transient solves are feasible.
WHY USE FLOWNEX WITH ANSYS?
State-of-the-art fluid models in Flownex can accurately model 1D flow and 2D heat transfer. Using Ansys-Flownex co-simulation, you can replace 3D meshed models with a 1D Flownex model. This drastically reduces solve times.
Flownex contains component models ideal for modeling large, interconnected systems and can be coupled to 3D simulations to transfer the change in component performance to a change in overall system performance.
With Flownex-Ansys Coupling, you truly get the best of both worlds. And with PADT, the Ansys experts providing support, you will get your coupled models up and running faster. Reach out, and we will answer any questions you have.
Flownex Academic Program
The Flownex Academic Program is for Universities and Colleges who want to leverage Flownex’s thermal fluid simulation capabilities in their teaching and academic research. Students and researchers can get licenses to the entire product suite* with no limitations on capability or problem size when a school participates in the program. Students and instructors can also access the comprehensive training library, online support, and the user forum where students and professors can mingle with commercial users. PADT also offers pre-built curriculum that instructors can build class content around.
Join some of the world’s leading universities by making Flownex part of your engineering curriculum and leverage its power for simulation in your research projects. Contact us today to talk details.
*there are export restrictions on some Flownex modules
Participating Universities
Flownex Startup Program
Fostering the growth of new technology companies is core to both Flownex and PADT because both are small technology companies themselves. They also know that a tool like Flownex can be the enabling technology that gets a product to market faster and with better performance. That is why they offer the Flownex Startup Program.
The program gives access to the complete suite of Flownex modules* with no limitation on capability, problem size, or usage. And you get access to PADT’s world-class technical support and an opportunity to promote your company and products through co-marketing with PADT and Flownex.
Contact us today to talk details.
*there are export restrictions on some Flownex modules
Participating Startups
Molten Salt Fission Reactors
Clean Energy from Nuclear Waste
EV Battery
Cooling Systems
Flownex Resources
The Flownex user community is growing every day, and so are the resources for users. We have gathered some of the best sites, videos, and other resources here on this page, to help new and existing users get more out of their Flownex investment.
If you can’t find what you are looking for, contact us, and we can find what you need.
On the web
Visit Flownex.com
The international home page for all things Flownex, this is where you can learn about the product, download software, and access their resources.
PADT’s Flownex
Blog
Read all about how to use Flownex on PADT’s blog. We provide tips and hints, application examples, and news about Flownex.
Download
Flownex
Get the latest version of Flownex on the user portal.
Flownex Videos on YouTube
Over the years users, resellers, and the Flownex team have developed a large library of videos sharing what Flownex can do.
The Flownex FAQ
PADT has created an FAQ with the most common questions we get in support. Most also link to a blog post that gives more detail.
Flownex
Case Studies
Looking for a real world example on how Flownex can be used? Browse the Case Study Library, which is orgnizied by industry, to find the right example.
Learning
Training
Videos
Learn Flownex from scratch or brush up on a new area with this comprehensive library of training videos under the User Portal.
Flownex
Webinars
Visit the Webinars page for presentations on how to use Flownex and New Features.
Academic Course Material
Instructors can use Flownex’s academic course material to build a curriculum that uses Flownex.
Other Resources
Script Library
TBD
