DS SIMULIA PowerFLOW 2026

SIMULIA PowerFLOW 2026

SIMULIA PowerFLOW 2026 is a leading-edge computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software that uses a proprietary, highly scalable Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM) solver instead of traditional Navier-Stokes-based methods. This technology excels at simulating complex, unsteady, turbulent flows with moving parts and detailed geometry, making it particularly powerful for external aerodynamics, aeroacoustics (wind noise), thermal management, and HVAC applications. Its key advantages include automatic handling of complex motion (e.g., rotating wheels, moving ground), inherent transient simulation capability, and highly accurate flow-induced noise prediction.

It is the go-to tool for industries where accurately predicting real-world, time-varying fluid behavior and its acoustic effects is critical, such as automotive wind noise reduction and aircraft cabin airflow optimization.

Primary Users: Aerodynamicists, Aeroacoustics Engineers, Thermal Management Engineers, and CFD Analysts in Automotive, Aerospace, Architecture, and Energy industries.

Key Features & Capabilities

PowerFLOW’s LBM-based approach provides a different paradigm for CFD, especially for challenging problems.

Core Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM) Solver:

1. Automated Cartesian Meshing:

   • Voxel-Based Grid: Automatically generates a perfectly orthogonal Cartesian grid around any complex geometry, eliminating the weeks-long manual meshing bottleneck of traditional CFD. Grid refinement is handled automatically via embedded octree levels.

   • Handles “Dirty” CAD: Tolerates gaps and imperfections in surface geometry better than body-fitted mesh solvers, reducing CAD cleanup time.

2. Transient & Turbulence Modeling:

   • Inherently Transient: All simulations are time-accurate by nature of the LBM, capturing unsteady flow phenomena (vortices, separation) without the added cost of switching to an unsteady solver.

   • Very Large Eddy Simulation (VLES): Uses a turbulence model that accurately resolves large scales and models small scales, providing excellent results for aerodynamic drag, lift, and aeroacoustics without the extreme cost of pure LES.

3. Advanced Physics & Applications:

   • Aeroacoustics: Directly computes flow-induced noise by extracting acoustic sources from the transient flow field. Industry standard for simulating wind noise around vehicles and buildings.

   • Thermal Management: Simulates conjugate heat transfer (fluid + solid) for underhood cooling, electronics cooling, and climate control.

   • Multi-Phase Flows: Model water wading, sloshing, and other liquid-gas interactions.

   • Complex Motion: Native handling of moving parts (rotating wheels, fan blades, opening doors) with overset grid technology.

4. Workflow & Post-Processing:

   • PowerCASE: The GUI for setting up simulations, defining boundary conditions, motion, and solver parameters.

   • PowerVIZ: Advanced, interactive post-processor for visualizing complex 3D flow fields, generating plots, and creating animations.

   • Integration: Seamless connection with other 3DEXPERIENCE apps for geometry (CATIA) and structural analysis (Abaqus).

What’s New in the 2026 Release:

• Performance & Scalability: Enhanced solver performance for even larger models on HPC clusters, including cloud HPC via the platform.

• Improved Usability: Streamlined workflows in PowerCASE and PowerVIZ.

• Expanded Physics: Continued enhancements in thermal, aeroacoustic, and multiphase modeling.

• Tighter Platform Integration: Deeper connectivity with the 3DEXPERIENCE data model and collaboration tools.

🖥️ System Requirements

PowerFLOW is a high-performance computing (HPC) application. The front-end (GUI) has modest needs, but solving requires significant cluster resources.

Client/Workstation (for Pre/Post-Processing):
Windows 10/11 (64-bit) or Linux, a modern multi-core processor, 32+ GB RAM, a professional NVIDIA/AMD GPU with 4+ GB VRAM, fast SSD storage, and a high-resolution monitor.

Solver (HPC Server/Cluster Requirements – Typical):
Linux cluster (Red Hat, CentOS) with high-core-count nodes (AMD EPYC/Intel Xeon), InfiniBand interconnect, large memory per node, and substantial parallel file system storage (Lustre, GPFS). Simulations often run on dozens to thousands of cores.