Computational Fluid Dynamics
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a form of numerical modelling where a system, component, or a room – can be analysed to understand the flow patterns and fluid behaviour.
This powerful tool enables LCI to:
- Test the impact of extreme conditions
- Model proposed changes
- Investigate multiple scenarios for engineering services before design implementation
- Verify that existing installations function as expected under all conditions
How is CFD beneficial to our clients?
Our team leverages cross-disciplinary knowledge to address engineering services with shared physics but different parameters. This specialist form of simulation is particularly suited for assessing building performance and their environmental impact.
The primary benefits of CFD analysis for our clients include:
- Testing and substantiating proposed design solutions
- Verifying performance claims during the design process
- Ensuring the effectiveness of critical installations where air movement, pressurisation, and infection control are paramount
Capabilities
- Thermal Comfort Analysis:Predicting comfort in terms of air and radiant temperatures, air velocity, PMV, and solar heat gain.
- Risk of Draft: Assessing draft risks imposed by air movement from wind, thermal buoyancy, or mechanical ventilation.
- Natural Ventilation: Evaluating buoyancy/wind-induced natural ventilation and resulting comfort levels.
- Ventilation System Efficiency: Assessing the efficiency of ventilation, cooling, and heating systems.
- Pedestrian Wind Comfort and Urban Comfort Assessments: Evaluating wind deflecting/funneling effects in urban environments.
- Air Ventilation Availability: Ensuring adequate air ventilation.
- Contaminant Dispersion: Modelling the dispersion of contaminants, moisture, and heat from building plants.
- Smoke and CO Control Ventilation Systems: Enhancing safety through effective smoke and CO control.
- Data Centres: Optimising cooling and ventilation system efficiency.
- Moisture Content and Transport: Analysing moisture content in the air and moisture transport.
- Thermal Bridging and Façade Analysis: Conducting 2D and 3D thermal bridging analysis and façade analysis.
- Granulate Transport: Modelling dispersion of snow, hail, sand, dust, and solid contaminants.
- Fluid Flow: Simulating fluid flow in pipes or channels.
Applications
- Natural Ventilation
- Mixed Mode Ventilation
- Forced Ventilation
- Thermal Control
- Radiant Heating / Cooling
- Contaminant Migration
- Data Centres
- Pharmacy Aseptic Suites
- Laboratory Cleanrooms
- Operating Theatre Suites
- Isolation Rooms
- Pandemic Ward
- Airport Terminals