What is Flownex?

A tool with as much breadth and depth of capability as Flownex can be hard to pin down. We call it a thermal-fluid simulation tool, but that is really isn’t deep or detailed enough.

So we have put together this page to help you understand what Flownex is and how it can help you make better products.

A System Level Simulation Environment for Modeling Fluid Thermal Systems

Flownex models the temperature, pressure, and density of gasses and liquids. You specify the simplified geometry containing the fluid, any devices that add or remove energy from the fluid, and the boundary conditions over time of the system you want to model. Then Flownex does a transient analysis to determine the temperature, pressure, and volume over time, as well as derivatives of those values like velocity and heat-flux.

A 1-D Network Numerical Solver Under the Hood

Users specify simplified geometry because Flownex is a 1-D solver. It solves for temperature, pressure, and density degrees-of-freedom (DOF) at points you specify in the model, but not for any given direction.
Besides specifying the geometry, users can also specify components that change the value of a given DOF. Take a pump as a common example, the user can specify how much momentum the pump adds to the fluid based on the rotational speed of the pump.
The advantage of a 1-D network solver is that it solves very fast, even transient problems. It is also much easier to create a model because you specify approximate geometry and basic operating characteristics.

A Windows Based Software Program

You should also know that Flownex is a single software executable that can be run on any Microsoft Windows computer, locally, on a self-hosted server, or in the cloud. It is written in C++ under an ISO9001:2015 certified Quality Management System.

An Intuitive User Experience

If the solver under the hood is the engine, the user interface is the control center. Everything runs in a single, tabbed window environment with a consistent look and feel throughout.

A Connected and Open Environment

Although Flownex is a comprehensive fluid-thermal modeler, there are some parts of your system that you may want to model in another tool. That is why Flownex is completely open, allowing co-simulation or importing of externally created information. Connections to the most common tools already exist, or you can create your own.

A System Modeler

Rather than modeling a single component, Flownex is a System modeling tool designed to connect components together and measure the thermal and fluid behavior across the entire system. The component library, reduced-order models, or co-simulation can be used to represent any specific component in your system.

A Digital Twin Creator

Flownex can also be used to create a digital twin for virtual testing of your system in real-time or faster. With a digital twin, you can do what-if studies or create predictive diagnostics for your system.

A Design Tool

The parametric nature, ease of use, and solve speed of Flownex make it an ideal design tool. It is set up to do “what if” studies as well as optimization. Basically, Flownex lets you answer questions about your design quickly and accurately, conduct experiments, and get creative with your design.

An Optimization Tool

Because Flownex was written as a parametric tool from the ground up, it is ideal for optimization. The solve speed also enables you to quickly conduct optimization simulations. The program has standard optimization tools built in. But, because it is an open platform, you can also connect it to the optimization tool of your choice.

A Community

Flownex is also a growing community consisting of developers, distributors, and users around the world. As more people find the power of Flownex, the community grows. But it does so while remaining supportive and helpful.

If You are Still Trying to Get Your Head Around Flownex…

The best way to understand what Flownex can do is to see it in action. Reach out to PADT and one of our engineers will ask a few questions to understand what your needs are, and then prepare a demonstration that will put the tool in the context of the products you design and support.

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