The Numerical Simulation Laboratory of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler supports research in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Presently, laboratory usage is limited to several sponsored and unsponsored projects. Undergraduate students are selected to participate in these research projects and learn how to use a variety of CFD softwares.

Current facilities include two Dell PC computers, one with twin processors for limited parallel numeric processing, and two UNIX-based Sun Ultra 10 workstations. Recently, funds have been allocated to procure a new Sun Ultra 80 4-processor workstation for more complex parallel processing simulations, which will come online shortly.

Available software includes many state of the art CFD codes including GASP for external supersonic and hypersonic chemically reacting flowfield simulations, VULCAN for internal chemically reacting flows. In addition to the conventional CFD codes, there are several molecular-based codes such as G2 and DSV2 for the direct simulation of molecular flows based on the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) methods. In addition, the PC computers have the full Microsoft Office suite of tools and the Tecplot graphics software for the post-processing of data.

Simulation Showing Pressure Contours
During Manufacture of a Carbon Nanotube
(Research sponsored by NASA)