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OpenFOAM 12 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 12 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 12 takes advantage of modular solvers and non-conformal coupling (NCC) to improve simulations with multiple regions, including simplifying meshing and coupling.  Work has continued on the rewrite of particle code, e.g. injection and distribution, parallel decomposition, redistribution and load balancing.  There are some new, useful boundary conditions and the option  to include units, e.g. [bar], with input values, which are converted accordingly.  The installation of third party software is easier, with the openfoam12 package for Ubuntu 24.04 & 22.04 now using the standard paraview package.

OpenFOAM 12 includes the following highlights.

  • Modular Solvers: support source terms for one variable for equations of other variables.
  • Multiphase: improved models for mass, momentum and heat transfer, and solid phases.
  • Turbulence Modelling: robust limiting of fields simplified and corrected wall functions.
  • Heat: added viscous heating model and improved naming in thermodynamic properties.
  • Particle Tracking: generalised injection and particle distributions.
  • Meshes: upgraded mesh generation and coupling of multiple mesh regions.
  • Parallel Running: efficient options for load-balancing, decomposition and redistribution.
  • Function Objects: moved to a system/functions file, and added new function objects.
  • Models: added volume and mass sources which are added to mass continuity.
  • Boundary Conditions: new pressure, velocity and temperature boundary conditions.
  • Case Configuration: parameters can include units, e.g. [bar]
  • Programming: foamFind script to search source code; example coded function objects.
  • Other: Easier installation of ParaView and decomposition libraries.

9th July 2024

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OpenFOAM 11 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 11 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 11 introduces modular solvers written as classes, in contrast to the traditional application solvers, integral to OpenFOAM since icoFoam in 1993.  Modular solvers are simpler to maintain and extend, and are more flexible for multi-region simulations, e.g. conjugate heat transfer (CHT) with any type of flow, e.g. multiphase. Everything is  backward-compatible, so: 1) application solvers will still compile in OpenFOAM; 2) launching an old application solver, e.g. simpleFoam, executes a script which  runs the incompressibleFluid module on a single region.

OpenFOAM 11 includes the following highlights.

  • Modular Solvers: class-based solvers for greater flexibility, e.g. multi-region simulations.
  • Multiphase: vastly improved consistency and conservation in the multiphaseEuler module.
  • Transport: added anisotropic thermal conductivity.
  • Thermophysical: standardised the specification of property names in input file keywords.
  • Heat transfer: simplified critical boundary conditions for heat transfer between regions.
  • Particle tracking: generalised statistical distributions for size distributions in particles.
  • Liquids Films: full replacement which conserves mass and integrates to other models.
  • Meshes: redesign of dynamic mesh functionality and consolidated NCC.
  • Function Objects: improved field averaging and visualisation function objects.
  • Models and Constraints: numerous new models and constraints.
  • Boundary Conditions: consolidated mapped conditions and introduced MRF conditions.
  • Case Configuration: new foamToC application lists models and options in OpenFOAM.
  • Programming: new finite volume functions and improvements to algorithm sequences.

11th July 2023

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OpenFOAM 10 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 10 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 10 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version which, through sustainable development, is always-releasable. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, robustness and extensibility. OpenFOAM 10 includes the following key developments:

  • Multiphase: added models and improved performance / robustness of multiphase solvers.
  • Transport: properties consolidated into a single physicalProperties file.
  • Thermophysical: improved handling of conductivity and added documentation.
  • Heat transfer: improved thermal coupling in conjugate heat transfer.
  • Particle tracking: can now be plugged into any solver using the clouds fvModel.
  • Reactions: chemistry now solve for mass fractions to account for thermal expansion.
  • Parallelisation: new framework for load-balancing, decomposition and redistribution.
  • Mesh: general improvements to snappyHexMesh, blockMesh and other tools
  • Dynamic Mesh: non-conformal coupling (NCC) for rotating geometry, to replace AMI.
  • Dynamic Re-meshing: mesh-to-mesh mapping for mesh motion including engines.
  • Function Objects: more efficient output for sampling, and new field calculations.
  • Models and Constraints: now work for moving mesh cases and with function objects.
  • Boundary Conditions: new general conditions of pressure, velocity and temperature.
  • Case Configuration: created userTime to provide a customised measure of time.
  • Computation: improvements to distance-to-wall calculations, time handling and I/O.

12th July 2022

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OpenFOAM 9 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 9 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 9 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version which, through sustainable development, is always-releasable. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, robustness and extensibility. OpenFOAM 9 includes the following key developments:

    • Multiphase: improved the performance, numerics and robustness of multiphase solvers.
    • Transport: significant redesign of thermophysical transport models.
    • Thermophysical: automatic compilation of model packages, mixing rules, tabulated input.
    • Heat transfer: made calculations consistent between solvers, BCs and post-processing.
    • Particle tracking: cloud types selected by user, not hard-coded into solvers.
    • Reactions: improved robustness of numerics and chemistry and added general controls.
    • Mesh: refactored parts of snappyHexMesh, decomposition and manipulation tools.
    • Surface Film: introduced standard thermophysical modelling.
    • Function Objects: overhaul of packaged function objects for improved usability.
    • Models and Constraints: fvOptions replaced by more flexible fvModels and fvConstraints.
    • Case Configuration: enhanced scripts and added new Function2 functions of 2 variables.
    • Computation: improved robustness and performance of I/O, compilation, numerics.

20th July 2021

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OpenFOAM 8 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 8 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 8 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version which, through sustainable development, is always-releasable. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, robustness and extensibility. OpenFOAM 8 includes the following key developments:

  • Multiphase: selectable interpolation for interface-capturing, PLIC scheme.
  • Reacting multiphase: consolidated multiphaseEulerFoam solver and model development.
  • Transport: new MomentumTransportModels and ThermophysicalTransportModels libraries.
  • Thermophysical: thermodynamics and equation of state models, data input, refactoring.
  • Surface Film: huge performance improvements and better surface handling.
  • Heat transfer: better numerics and case setup, new thermal comfort modelling.
  • Particle tracking: renamed uncoupled solvers, improved tracking efficiency, injection.
  • Other models: transient/steady-state solvers, boundary conditions, reactions.
  • Mesh: improved snappyHexMesh and blockMesh, face centre calculation, cyclic patches.
  • Function Objects: improved visualization/field, residence time and configuration.
  • Case Configuration: new configuration/initialisation tools, coded Function1.
  • Computation: better data I/O, field caching, support for Arm processors.

22nd July 2020

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OpenFOAM 7 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 7 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 7 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version which, through sustainable development, is always-releasable. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, robustness and extensibility. OpenFOAM 7 includes the following key developments:

  • Heat transfer: consolidated solvers and improved convergence and robustness.
  • Particle tracking: improved robustness and optimized computation.
  • Multiphase: wave damping, configurable inlet phase properties, better settling numerics.
  • Reacting multiphase models: heat transfer, population balance, breakup, coalescence, etc.
  • Reactions/combustion: simplified case setup.
  • Turbulence: improved consistency and stability of wall functions, added sources.
  • Thermophysical: thermodynamic functions, temperature-strain-dependent viscosity.
  • Other models: atmospheric, rigid body dynamics, boundary conditions, sources.
  • Mesh: standardized dynamic mesh capability, improved motion solvers.
  • Case Configuration: improved data visualization, setup tools, function objects.
  • Computation: improvements to containers, fields, parallel running, etc.

8th July 2019

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OpenFOAM 6 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 6 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 6 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version which, through sustainable development, is always-releasable. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, robustness and extensibility. OpenFOAM 6 includes the following key developments:

  • Conjugate heat transfer (CHT): improved usability, with simplified set up and running.
  • Rotating/sliding geometries: more robust AMI, and support for periodic cases.
  • Particle tracking: optimised computation and improved robustness.
  • Reacting multiphase models: phase change, reactions, drag, breakup, coalescence, etc.
  • Reactions/combustion: faster, full algebraic Jacobian, significant code redesign.
  • Other models: water waves and films, turbulence, thermophysics, atmospheric flows.
  • General: new case setup tools, boundary conditions, function objects, etc.

10th July 2018

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OpenFOAM 5.0 Released

The OpenFOAM Foundation is pleased to announce the release of version 5.0 of the OpenFOAM open source CFD toolbox. Version 5.0 is a snapshot of the OpenFOAM development version that is “always-releasable” quality, through rapid-turnaround feedback between code maintainers and users. It provides new functionality and major improvements to existing code, with strict demands on usability, reliability and maintainability. It is produced for the benefit of all users, rather than a handful of commercial organisations. OpenFOAM 5.0 is distributed under the General Public Licence by the OpenFOAM Foundation for:

  • Ubuntu Linux: packaged installation for Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04 and 17.04;
  • Other Linux: installation with a Docker container; or compilation from source code;
  • Windows 10: installation using Windows Subsystem for Linux with Ubuntu packs;
  • macOS: installation with a Docker container.

26th July 2017

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OpenFOAM 4.1 Released

OpenFOAM version 4.1 is a patch release of version 4.0 with approximately 50 commits that fix critical issues, improve usability and consistency in the code. As a patch release, we strongly recommend users of v4.0 upgrade to this version; users of the packaged version for Ubuntu (openfoam4) can receive 4.1 as part of a system upgrade. OpenFOAM 4.1 is supplied as:

  • a packaged installation for Ubuntu Linux — the simplest installation option for OpenFOAM;
  • a source pack for compilation on other Linux distributions.

13th October 2016

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OpenFOAM 4.0 Released

OpenFOAM version 4.0 is a major new version of OpenFOAM that increases CFD productivity by significant improvements to general usability, post-processing, case management and software management. It provides a solid platform for the future, sustainable development of OpenFOAM through reimplementation of core and major libraries, over 120 bug fixes and much better consistency, robustness and performance. It is packed with numerous new and improved boundary conditions, new rigid body dynamics libraries, and developments in turbulence and transport modelling, meshing, ACMI and multiphase, reacting flow. OpenFOAM 4.0 is supplied as:

  • a packaged installation for Ubuntu Linux — the simplest installation option for OpenFOAM;
  • a source pack for compilation on other Linux distributions.

28th June 2016

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