Open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics Research Articles

Energy buffer mechanism for heat transfer enhancement in grooved channel cooling with flow intermittency

Driven by the ever-growing heat load in industrial applications such as fast charging electrical vehicle batteries and high-performance processors, advanced cooling technologies for efficient thermal management are urgently needed. This numerical work demonstrates the great potential of flow intermittency in grooved channels for thermal performance improvement at laminar condition, and aims to reveal the underlying mechanism that governs the heat transfer enhancement. The open-source computational fluid dynamics code OpenFOAM is employed to resolve the intermittent channel flow with triangular surface grooves. The time-averaged Reynolds number Re m = 100 and the Strouhal number St = 0.2 are maintained, while the close time ratio γ ranges from 0.1 to 0.9. The thermal performance improvement is attributed to the “energy buffer” mechanism by cavity vortices, which induces strong near-wall reverse flow and promotes effective mainstream-boundary flow mixing. The results indicate that the averaged surface Nusselt number consistently increases with the close time ratio and at γ = 0.9 reaches 1.9 times of the steady-flow value. Particularly the heat transfer performance inside grooves is remarkably improved by a maximum of 175%. This novel concept of synergizing flow intermittency and surface structure achieves notable heat transfer enhancement under constant coolant consumption, and shows ample design space for further optimization.

Computational analysis of strut effects on a BB2 submarine at drift angle 0, 6, and 12°

Struts are attached to a submarine to maintain its submerged depth when conducting the model tests. While previous studies have mentioned that the attachment of the struts has a negligible effect on the performance of a submarine, it is difficult to find studies that clearly explain the effects of the struts. The present study examines the effect of struts with a circular cross-section on the resistance and propulsion performances of a submarine under both straight-ahead (β = 0°) and static-drift (β = 6° and 12°) conditions. For this analysis, the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) toolkit OpenFOAM was utilized. A generic submarine Joubert BB2 was selected as a test model, which was modified by the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN). Analyses of resistance were conducted in straight-ahead and static-drift conditions, and the flow characteristics such as pressure, velocity, vorticity, and turbulent kinetic energy were compared to identify differences caused by the struts on the BB2 submarine. The results showed that as the drift angle increased, the struts had a smaller effect on the submarine along the hull to the propeller plane. From the results, it was predicted that the effect of the struts should be considered during the design process for the submarine.

An extensive study of shear thinning flow around a spherical particle for power-law and Carreau fluids

We develop and implement a high-order finite element formulation to solve incompressible shear thinning flows using power-law and Carreau rheology models. We verify the implementation using the Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS) and demonstrate that the implementation preserves the order of accuracy of the FEM scheme. We run high-order flow-past-a-sphere simulations for Re ∈ [ 0 . 1 , 100 ] for Newtonian and shear thinning flows. Power-law simulations cover n ∈ [ 0 . 3 , 0 . 9 ] , Carreau simulations cover the same range of n and dimensionless relaxation times Λ ∈ [ 0 . 1 , 100 ] . We use 3D Cartesian grids, adopting a high-order sharp-interface immersed boundary method (IBM) to impose the no-slip boundary condition on the surface of the sphere. We use dynamic mesh adaptation with a Kelly error estimator to adaptively refine the grid. Newtonian drag coefficients are compared to Clift et al.’s model. Using the power-law model for shear thinning flow, results show that when decreasing n : the drag coefficient increases for Re ⪅ 5, it decreases for Re ⪆ 5, and that for higher Reynolds the wake region is longer and the separation point is moved upstream. These drag coefficient results are in adequation with previously established simulation results. We provide a new drag coefficient correlation for power-law fluids that is valid for a wide range of n and for Re ∈ [ 0 . 1 , 100 ] , with R 2 = 0 . 998 . The power-law model is singular in the zero-shear limit, and this limit is bound to occur in a flow-past-a-sphere geometry. For that matter, the Carreau model is well-posed. As the Carreau-modeled results show, the drag force on the sphere is considerably affected by the initial Newtonian plateau of the fluid. Drag coefficient results in the creeping flow regime are compared to experimental results, allowing validation of the numerical model. This work provides a better understanding of shear thinning flow past a sphere, for which the relationship between drag and flow regimes are highly nonlinear. • The effect of shear thinning flow past a sphere on the drag force is studied. • The open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software Lethe using a Finite Element Method (FEM) is employed. • A correlation for the drag coefficient for power-law fluid flow past a sphere is given, with a coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.998. • Power-law and Carreau drag coefficients are compared.

Automated MUltiscale simulation environment.

Multiscale techniques integrating detailed atomistic information on materials and reactions to predict the performance of heterogeneous catalytic full-scale reactors have been suggested but lack seamless implementation. The largest challenges in the multiscale modeling of reactors can be grouped into two main categories: catalytic complexity and the difference between time and length scales of chemical and transport phenomena. Here we introduce the Automated MUltiscale Simulation Environment AMUSE, a workflow that starts from Density Functional Theory (DFT) data, automates the analysis of the reaction networks through graph theory, prepares it for microkinetic modeling, and subsequently integrates the results into a standard open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. We demonstrate the capabilities of AMUSE by applying it to the unimolecular iso-propanol dehydrogenation reaction and then, increasing the complexity, to the pre-commercial Pd/In2O3 catalyst employed for the CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. The results show that AMUSE allows the computational investigation of heterogeneous catalytic reactions in a comprehensive way, providing essential information for catalyst design from the atomistic to the reactor scale level.

Numerical Generation of Solitary Wave and Its Propagation Characteristics in a Step-Type Flume

This work concerns the numerical generation of stable solitary waves by using a piston-type wave maker and the propagation characteristics of a solitary wave in a step-type flume. The numerical generation of solitary waves was performed by solving N-S (Navier–Stokes) equations on the open source CFD (computational fluid dynamics) platform OpenFOAM. To this end, a new module of dynamic boundary conditions was programmed and can be applied to prescribe the horizontal linear motion of a paddle. Two kinds of paddle motions, based on both the first-order and ninth-order solutions of solitary waves, were first determined. The time history of paddle motion was restored in a file, which was then used as an input for the virtual wave maker. The solitary wave in water with a constant depth was generated by both numerical simulation and experiment in the wave flume installed with a piston wave maker. The results show that the amplitudes of trailing waves based on the first-order solution are larger than those based on the ninth-order solution and that wave height based on the first-order solution decays more quickly. The numerical wave profiles are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The propagation characteristics of a solitary wave in a step-type flume was numerically investigated as well. It was found that a part of the solitary wave is reflected when the solitary wave passes the step due to blockage effects, and the forward main wave collapses quickly when it enters shallow water. This work presents a very successful numerical study of stable solitary wave generation and reveals the phenomena when a solitary wave propagates in a step-type flume.

Numerical Modelling of an Innovative Conical Pile Head Breakwater

When moderate wave activity at the shoreline is acceptable, pile breakwaters can serve as an alternative to conventional breakwaters. Increasing the size of the pile breakwater in the vicinity of the free surface increases the hydraulic efficiency, as most of the wave energy is concentrated around the free surface. Therefore, a conical pile head breakwater (CPHB) is proposed in the present study by gradually widening the diameter of the piles towards the free surface. Using the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model REEF3D, the transmission, reflection, and dissipation characteristics of the CPHB with monochromatic and irregular waves are examined. The investigation is carried out for both perforated and non-perforated CPHBs using monochromatic waves, and the numerical results are validated using experimental data. Further, optimally configured non-perforated and perforated CPHBs are investigated numerically by subjecting them to irregular waves using the Scott–Wiegel spectrum. The wave attenuation characteristics of the CPHBs are found to be better with irregular waves compared to monochromatic waves. With irregular waves, the minimum transmission coefficients for non-perforated and perforated CPHBs are 0.36 and 0.34, respectively. Overall, the CPHB appears to be a potential solution for coastal protection.

Direct numerical simulation of compressible turbulence accelerated by graphics processing unit: An open-source high accuracy accelerated computational fluid dynamic software

This paper introduces open-source computational fluid dynamics software named open computational fluid dynamic code for scientific computation with graphics processing unit (GPU) system (OpenCFD-SCU), developed by the authors for direct numerical simulation of compressible wall-bounded turbulence. This software is based on the finite difference method and is accelerated by the use of a GPU, which provides an acceleration by a factor of more than 200 compared with central processing unit (CPU) software based on the same algorithm and a number of Message Passing Interface processes, and the running speed of OpenCFD-SCU with just 512 GPUs exceeds that of CPU software with 130 000 CPUs. GPU-Stream technology is used to implement overlap of computing and communication, achieving 98.7% parallel weak scalability with 24 576 GPUs. The software includes a variety of high-precision finite difference schemes and supports a hybrid finite difference scheme, enabling it to provide both robustness and high precision when simulating complex supersonic and hypersonic flows. When used with the wide range of supercomputers currently available, the software should be able to improve the performance of large-scale simulations by up to two orders on the computational scale. Then, OpenCFD-SCU is applied to a validation and verification case of a Mach 2.9 compression ramp with mesh numbers up to 31.2 × 109.

Local overshoot and wind effects on wave overtopping at vertical coastal structures

Wind effects on wave overtopping over a fully impermeable vertical sea wall were studied numerically using the open-source computational fluid dynamics library OpenFoam. A pressure gradient correction term was incorporated in the momentum equations. In recent studies, it was found that, in the absence of wind, an increase in wave steepness results in a reduction of wave overtopping. This is related to the instability of the standing wave formed at the front of a vertical structure. Such instability was noticed in the range of steepness 0.285–0.443 from previous physical experiments for a regular wave interacting with a vertical structure. The existence of this regime was confirmed in the current study. It was also found that the stability of the standing wave determines the shape and volume of the overshooting jet, which has a strong effect on wave overtopping. When the wind is relatively weak (e.g. a wind speed of 10 m/s) it is unable to alter the overshooting jet very much, meaning a weak wind effect on wave overtopping. When the wind is strong (e.g. a wind speed of 30 m/s) it completely deforms the overshooting jet resulting in overtopping discharge almost three times that without wind.

Hybrid discontinuous Galerkin-finite volume techniques for compressible flows on unstructured meshes

In this paper we develop a family of arbitrarily high-order non-oscillatory hybrid Discontinuous Galerkin(DG)-Finite Volume(FV) schemes for mixed-element unstructured meshes. Their key ingredient is a switch between a DG method and a FV method based on the CWENOZ scheme when invalid solutions are detected by a troubled cell indicator checking the unlimited DG solution. Therefore, the high order of accuracy offered by DG is preserved in smooth regions of the computational domain, while the robustness of FV is utilized in regions with strong gradients. The high-order CWENOZ variant used has the same spatial order of accuracy as the DG variant, while representing one of the most compact applications on unstructured meshes, therefore simplifying the implementation, reducing the computational overhead associated with large stencils of the original WENO reconstruction without sacrificing the desirable non-oscillatory properties of the schemes. We carefully investigate several parameters associated with the switching between DG and FV methods including the troubled cell indicators in a priori fashion. For the first time in the literature, we investigate the definition of the bounds for an admissible solution, the frequency by which we use the troubled cell indicators, and the evolution of the percentage of troubled cells for unsteady test problems. The 2D and 3D Euler equations are solved for well established test problems and compared with computational or experimental reference solutions. All the methods have been implemented and deployed within the UCNS3D open-source high-order unstructured Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver. The present coupling has the potential to improve the shortcomings of both FV-DG in a computational efficient manner. The improved accuracy and robustness provided is a characteristic of paramount importance for industrial-scale CFD applications, and favours the extension to other systems of governing equations.

Numerical Simulation of Wave Overtopping of an Ecologically Honeycomb-Type Revetment with Rigid Vegetation

Traditional concrete revetments can destroy the ecological environment and the water landscape. An increasing number of ecological revetment structures have been applied in coastal, lake, and river regulation projects. It has been found that honeycomb-type revetments display a better performance in the attenuation of wave overtopping when compared to experimental data collected using the Eurotop and Muttray’s formula; recording a 40% decrease in the wave run-up in comparison to the latter. To further investigate the wave run-up and overtopping of the ecologically vegetated honeycomb-type revetment, based on OpenFOAM, an open source computational fluid dynamics software, a three-dimensional numerical wave tank was established. The Discrete Particle Method (DPM) was used to simulate gravel movement, and the flexible plant move boundary model was developed to simulate vegetation. The results of wave run-up calculated by the numerical model and those obtained by the experiments were in good agreement, with errors less than 20%. The modeled results of wave overtopping were within the same order of magnitude as those from the experiments; however, critical limitations were noticed due to effects of plant generalization and grid restrictions imposed by DPM methods. The results showed that wave overtopping increased with increasing wave period and wave height. However, with an increase in the wave overtopping, the influence of the wave period on wave overtopping decreased. The increase in vegetation density effectively reduced wave overtopping. Furthermore, an empirical formula for wave overtopping, considering the effects of vegetation density, was proposed.

Estimation of hydrodynamic derivatives of an appended KCS model in open and restricted waters

The paper studies and compares the manoeuvring capabilities of an appended KRISO Container Ship (KCS) hull model in both open and restricted waters. The KCS hull model with a static rudder and body force model-based propeller is simulated using the open-source computational fluid dynamics toolkit OpenFOAM. Initially, open water simulations are performed for the propeller model to replicate experimental open water curves and estimate parameters for the body force model. Next static drift, pure sway, and pure yaw simulations are performed using both overset and static mesh, from which hydrodynamic derivatives are calculated. Next, restricted water simulations are performed using overset mesh for the ship in a channel with defined width and depth. Finally, manoeuvring derivatives are predicted for restricted waters and compared against the open water values. The study concludes that consideration of appendages notably influences the manoeuvring study outcome, and the ship experiences notably larger forces during manoeuvring in restricted water and the manoeuvring capabilities are also notably compromised.

An extension of the all-Mach number pressure-based solution framework for numerical modelling of two-phase flows with interface

In this paper, we present the extension of the pressure-based solver designed for the simulation of compressible and/or incompressible two-phase flows of viscous fluids. The core of the numerical scheme is based on the hybrid Kurganov — Noele — Petrova/PIMPLE algorithm. The governing equations are discretized in the conservative form and solved for velocity and pressure, with the density evaluated by an equation of state. The acoustic-conservative interface discretization technique helps to prevent the unphysical instabilities on the interface. The solver was validated on various cases in wide range of Mach number, both for single-phase and two-phase flows. The numerical algorithm was implemented on the basis of the well-known open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics library OpenFOAM in the solver called interTwoPhaseCentralFoam. The source code and the pack of test cases are available on GitHub: https://github.com/unicfdlab/hybridCentralSolvers The research was supported by Russian Science Foundation (proj. 17-79-20445).

BROADCAST: A high-order compressible CFD toolbox for stability and sensitivity using Algorithmic Differentiation

The evolution of any complex dynamical system is described by its state derivative operators. However, the extraction of the exact N-order state derivative operators is often inaccurate and requires approximations. The open-source CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code called BROADCAST discretises the compressible Navier-Stokes equations and then extracts the linearised N-derivative operators through Algorithmic Differentiation (AD) providing a toolbox for laminar flow dynamics. Furthermore, the gradients through adjoint derivation are extracted either by transposition of the linearised operator or through the backward mode of the AD tool. The software includes base-flow computation and linear global stability analysis via eigen-decomposition of the linearised operator or via singular value decomposition of the resolvent operator. Sensitivity tools as well as weakly nonlinear analysis complete the package. The numerical method for the spatial discretisation of the equations consists of a finite-difference high-order shock-capturing scheme applied within a finite volume framework on 2D curvilinear structured grids. The stability and sensitivity tools are demonstrated on two cases: a cylinder flow at low Mach number and a hypersonic boundary layer. Program summaryProgram Title: BROADCASTCPC Library link to program files:https://doi.org/10.17632/hcf893cr2n.1Developer's repository link:https://github.com/OneraHub/BroadcastLicensing provisions: Mozilla Public License 2.0Programming language: Python, FortranNature of problem: The extraction of the exact N-order state derivative operators useful to study complex dynamical systems is often inaccurate and requires approximations from the user.Solution method: This program discretises the compressible Navier-Stokes equations and then extracts the linearised state derivative operators through Algorithmic Differentiation providing a toolbox for laminar flow dynamics.

Investigation of wave-driven hydroelastic interactions using numerical and physical modelling approaches

Wave-driven hydroelasticity is of great importance to a wide range of applications within offshore and coastal engineering. Harnessing the benefits of hydroelasticity or minimising its impacts, depending on the application, has recently led to substantial investment in research effort in this field. However, the complex and strongly-coupled nature of the problem generally make the impacts very case specific, highlighting the importance of accurate numerical tools for assessing the impact on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, this study aims to provide novel experimental data to assist with the development of a coupled numerical methodology for simulating fully nonlinear hydroelastic interactions with highly-flexible floating structures. Novel physical data from a laboratory campaign conducted at the University of Plymouth is presented, and used as a reference for assessing the capabilities of an existing coupled numerical approach. The numerical model is a partitioned approach based within the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM and consisting of a two-phase fluid solver; a linear solid model for small deformations solved via the block-coupled method; and strongly-coupled through the Dirichlet–Neumann method with dynamic Aitken under-relaxation. The numerical model is shown to capture well the wave-induced deformation, and the qualitative differences between structures of varying dimensions. However, the high computational cost limits the scope of this work to 2-D, and future work should focus on optimising the approach to allow for application in 3-D problems.

Hydroelastic Investigation on A Pile Breakwater Integrated with A Flexible Tail for Long-Wave Attenuation

A novel concept of wave attenuator is proposed for the defense of long waves, through integrating a flexible tail to the lee-side surface of a pile breakwater. The flexible tail works as a floating blanket made up of hinged blocks, whose scale and stiffness can be easily adjusted. A two-phase-flow numerical model is established based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code OpenFOAM to investigate its wave attenuation performance. Incompressible Navier—Stokes equations are solved in the fluid domain, where an additional computational solid mechanics (CSM) solver is embedded to describe the elastic deformation of the floating tail. The coupling of fluid dynamics and structural mechanics is solved in a full manner to allow assess of wave variation along the deforming body. The accuracy of the numerical model is validated through comparison with experimental data. Effects of the flexible tail on performance of the pile breakwater are investigated systematically. Dynamic behaviours of the tail are examined, and characteristics of its natural frequency are identified. For safety reasons, the wave loads impacting on the main body of the pile breakwater and the stress distribution over the tail are specially examined. It is found that both the length and stiffness of the tail can affect the wave-attenuation performance of the breakwater. A proper choice of the length and stiffness of the tail can greatly improve the long-wave defending capability of the pile breakwater. The maximum stress over the flexible tail can be restrained through optimising the deformation and stiffness of the tail.

Development of an Open-Source Autonomous Computational Fluid Dynamics Meta-Modeling Environment for Small-Scale Combustor Optimization

Abstract This work presents an open-source autonomous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) metamodeling environment (OpenACME) for small-scale combustor design optimization in a deterministic and continuous design space. OpenACME couples several object-oriented programing open-source codes for conjugate-heat transfer, steady-state, multiphase incompressible Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes CFD-assisted engineering design metamodeling. There are fifteen design variables. Nonparametric rank regression (NPRR), global sensitivity analyses (GSA), and single-objective (SOO) optimization strategies are evaluated. The Euclidean distance (single-objective criterion) between a design point and the utopic point is based on the multi-objective criteria: combustion efficiency (η) maximization and pattern factor (PF), critical liner area factor (Acritical ), and total pressure loss (TPL) minimization. The SOO approach conducts Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) for reacting flow CFD for subsequent local constraint optimization by linear interpolation. The local optimization successfully improves the initial design condition. The SOO approach is useful for guiding the design and development of future gas turbine combustors. NPRR and GSA indicate that there are no leading-order design variables controlling η, pattern factor (PF), Acritical , and TPL. Therefore, interactions between design variables control these output metrics because the output design space is inherently nonsmooth and nonlinear. In summary, OpenACME is developed and demonstrated to be a viable tool for combustor design metamodeling and optimization studies.

The Effect of Wind Screens on the Performance of an Induced Draft Air-Cooled Condenser Under Windless and Windy Conditions

Abstract Wind generally reduces the thermal effectiveness of air-cooled condensers (ACCs). Therefore, this study investigates wind screens as a means to improve the performance of a 20-fan induced draft ACC under windy conditions. Two wind-screen configurations are tested: walls extending above the fan platform (termed wind walls) and walls extending below the fan platform (termed wind skirts). The performance of this five-by-four ACC is evaluated using the open-source computational fluid dynamics code, OpenFOAM. The performance is first analyzed under windless operating conditions and then when the ACC is subjected to wind speeds of 3, 6, and 9 m/s directed along the shorter and longer axes of the ACC. Under windless conditions, wind walls increase the ACC’s thermal effectiveness by 1.0%. Wind skirts, however, reduce the effectiveness by 1.8%. Depending on the wind speed and direction, wind walls increase the mean thermal effectiveness of the ACC by 0.3–3.9% under windy conditions. Wind skirts, on the other hand, are only beneficial at higher wind speeds: At 3 m/s, the effectiveness declines by 1.4–2.1%; at 6 m/s, the change in effectiveness ranges from −0.4% to 2.2%; and at 9 m/s, the effectiveness increases by 2.4–3.8%. Wind walls are therefore considered more effective than wind skirts for the tested range of wind speeds.

Performance of a coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid method combined with free surface turbulence damping boundary condition for simulating wave breaking in OpenFOAM

In the present study, an extension of the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method used in the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software OpenFOAM was developed, taking the advantages of the VOF and the level-set (LS) methods with an additional free surface turbulence damping (FSTD) boundary condition to restrict the overprediction of turbulence near the free surface. The coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid (CLSVOF) method has been developed, scripted, validated and proposed. The free surface elevation with the proposed CLSVOF method was validated in a developed numerical wave tank (NWT) against turbulence models used so far in OpenFOAM. Further, the validity of the present numerical model was evaluated for the case of plunging breaking waves against relevant experimental and numerical data. The outcome of this study demonstrates that the performance of the wave generation is improved with the proposed numerical model compared to existing turbulence models in OpenFOAM, creating a useful simulation add-on that generates long-term waves without unphysical dissipation, wave damping, and wave decay. The overprediction of turbulence created due to the significant difference in the fluid's density close to the free surface is limited by applying the FSTD boundary condition leading to a better representation of the flow field.

Simulations of Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Transition over a Flat Plate with the Spalart-Allmaras One-Equation BCM Transitional Model

Transitional flow has a significant impact on vehicles operating at supersonic and hypersonic speeds. An economic way to simulate this problem is to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. However, not all CFD codes can solve transitional flows. This paper examines the ability of the Spalart–Allmaras one-equation BCM (SA-BCM) transitional model to solve hypersonic transitional flow, implemented in the open-source CFD code Eilmer. Its performance is validated via existing wind tunnel data. Eight different hypersonic flow conditions are applied. A flat plate model is built for the numerical tests. The results indicate that the existing SA-BCM model is sensitive to the freestream turbulence intensity and the grid size. It is not accurate in all the test cases, though the transitional length can be matched by tuning the freestream intensity. This is likely due to the intermittency term of the SA-BCM model not being appropriately calibrated for high-velocity flow, though if the model can be recalibrated it may be able to solve the general high-velocity flows. Although the current SA-BCM model is only accurate under certain flow conditions after one calibration process, it remains attractive to CFD applications. As a one-equation model, the SA-BCM model runs much faster than multiple-equation flow models.

A user-friendly lithium battery simulator based on open-source CFD

The growing use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for automotive and stationary storage applications has put increasingly stringent requirements on battery thermal management and battery safety. An open-source platform that can bridge battery electrochemical models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be of great benefit for designing advanced battery thermal management systems and safety countermeasures by allowing the simulation and prediction of battery responses to various thermofluidic environments and thermal boundaries. Here we develop a user-friendly battery simulator based on the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM. The simulator contains the in-house solvers for the two mostly used physics-based battery models, the single particle model, and the pseudo-two-dimensional model. GUIs are also developed based on Qt for simulation automation and ease of use. To demonstrate the functionality of the developed simulator, the electrochemical performance and internal states of half LIB cells and full LIB cells with different chemistries at different operating conditions are simulated. The obtained results agree well with other existing battery simulators. Due to its native integration with OpenFOAM, the new battery simulator is readily extendable to incorporate various CFD models and other physics to meet the simulation needs of thermal management and safety design for LIBs.