Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Within Undergraduate Programs

Abstract

There has been a rapid increase over the past three decades in the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis by industry as a tool to design and manufacture products. It is currently a vital part of the engineering process for many companies around the world, and utilized in nearly every manufacturing industry. Employers of engineering students who perform this type of analysis have expressed the need for students at the undergraduate or B.S. level to have some CFD experience. As a result, engineering programs in the United States have begun to respond to this need by developing new curriculum and by exposing students to the use of CFD for research. The level of incorporation and implementation of CFD into the undergraduate curriculum and research at institutions varies widely. The objective of this paper is to conduct a survey of the current use of CFD in the undergraduate curriculum within mechanical engineering departments in the United States. Twenty ABET accredited U.S. schools that offer a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering are investigated in this study that are a representative sample of engineering schools in the U.S. today in terms of admission standards, private versus public, predominate terminal degree, size, and geographic location. Topics investigated include if CFD classes are offered to undergraduates whether they are required or optional, when they are first introduced into the curriculum, number of credit hours dedicated to CFD, types of courses that include CFD, and whether commercial or in-house codes are utilized.