OpenFOAM 2.0.0: Chemistry

Pyrolysis modelling As part of OpenFOAM’s continual development for fire safety simulation, we have introduced modelling of pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures, and is usually the primary chemical reaction that occurs in the burning of solid matter, such as wood. The process produces gases which can result in visible […]

OpenFOAM 2.0.0: Thermophysical Modelling

View Factor Radiation Model In addition to the P1 model and finite volume discrete-ordinate method (fvDOM), OpenFOAM now has an implementation of a view factor model for radiative heat transfer, specifically between surfaces. The method begins with the generation of rays between discrete faces of the surfaces, using the viewFactorsGen utility in OpenFOAM. Radiative heat […]

OpenFOAM 2.0.0: Particle Tracking

Discrete Element Modelling In this version of OpenFOAM an implementation of the discrete element method (DEM) has been introduced for particle simulations. The implementation of DEM includes the following features. runs efficiently in parallel with no restriction on the shape or size of mesh cells, and with interactions occurring between particles (and walls) in non-neighbouring […]

OpenFOAM 2.0.0: Surface Film

A new surface film modelling library offers the capability to predict the complex behaviour of thin films with optional coupling to the bulk flow, both continuum and discrete (particle) phases, in parallel. The film equations are solved on a separate mesh region, typically defined at a surface region of a mesh, by extrusion of the […]

OpenFOAM v12 | Patch Releases

For Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, Windows and macOS

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.