The main objective of the "Horsepower Lab 2D" is to provide an environment for the numerical modeling of flows of compressible gases through local flow restrictions (LR) to make the possible to determine total pressure losses and discharge coefficients from numerical experiments.

Flows on LR are simulated by using a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) numerical technique. Flow evolution for each case is modeled until the steady state, when the required integral parameters of computed flow become valid.

After doing the series of computations, the table of the total pressure losses and discharge coefficients depending of flow regime can be constructed. Flow regime parameters are: characteristic Mach number - for the restrictions with a duct on either (or both) sides, or: pressure ratio - for the restrictions that are set between two vessels.

Geometry of the flow domain is now limited to 2D. Detailed theory and instructions for usage are found in User's Manual.

The developer team is doing its best in attempt to create the convenient integrated environment for numerical modeling of flows on LR!

Here are some key features of "Horsepower Lab 2D ":

Project management:
All the information needed to simulate each flow case is being collected within the project directory. Projects can be created, copied and edited independently. Editing the flow domain, mesh generation, running and stopping solvers and flow visualization tasks are managed by user with the help of integrated GUI.

Description of geometry of the computational domain:
The layout of the flow domain is prescribed by collection of convex polygons (positive and "negative" ones) whose vertexes are listed in anti-clockwise order. This method is flexible enough... The description of the domain is edited in text mode, and when needed, the changes may be viewed graphically.
The Cartesian computational mesh made of rectangles is used, and it is is locally refined where the arbitrary-shaped boundaries are located.

Choosing the numerical scheme:
It is possible to choose one of the solution algorithms built into solver - a program that solves fluid dynamics equations on a computational mesh. All four algorithms use explicit numerical conservative Godunov-like schemes - of the first and the higher order of accuracy in space and in time. The higher order of accuracy is achieved by usage of piecewise-parabolic interpolation of solution in cell and by two-step scheme in time, which is more computationally expensive (but more accurate and is preferable). Schemes of both types are present for solving planar and axisymmetrical two-dimensional problems.

Visualization capabilities:
Visualization is possible for the 3 flow parameters: Mach number, pressure and density, in an adjustable ranges. User can optionally view the rendered (interpolated) flowfield with or without the computational mesh plotted over it.

Exporting the computed data:
The results of CFD simulations - coefficients of total pressure losses and coefficients of discharge given by numerical experiments are being written to the log file. User (as for this version) has to extract this data manually to accommodate it to his or her needs...


What's New in This Release:

· [+] Descriptive explanations of the purpose of menu items appearing in the status bar
· [!] Project [dir]names can contain spaces from now (bug #4 fixed)
· [+] Page "docglossary.htm"
· [+] Install/uninstall support, changed version number to 0.96
· [+] Images next to menu items in main menu
· [+] Tool 'Sigma' (experimental) for editing tabular pressure loss (and other {x, y}) data and interpolating data by cubic splines
· [+] Page "doc ools.htm" to document tool 'Sigma'
· [+] Project "prjsigma" as a place to start testing tool 'Sigma'
· [*] Input data dialog: tab order and checkboxes that can disable text fields