Fluent and PFD Announce Internet-Based Simulation Tools
Reactor Simulation for Chemical Engineers takes to the Internet at www.pfd.ie
Fluent Inc. (Nasdaq:AATT) April 7, 1999, Lebanon, NH --
Performance Fluid Dynamics (PFD), an engineering consultancy and software company based in Dublin, Ireland, and Fluent Inc., a market leader in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, have teamed to provide 3-D simulation of chemical reactors on the Internet. The Internet-based simulation tool, Net.Re@ction, gives engineers access to pre-solved CFD flow simulations from the FLUENT software, coupled with PFD's PFDReaction software for prediction of the reactor system chemistry.
Net.Re@ction focuses on simulation of chemical reactors in which complex chemical syntheses are carried out. Computer simulation can improve the understanding of reactor performance, reducing waste from chemical processes, and increasing the yield of bulk chemical products such as polyethylene or pharmaceutical products such as penicillin. Compared to traditional analysis tools, Net.Re@ction simplifies the simulation process by employing a set of pre-solved CFD results for flows in predefined reactor configurations.
According to Ahmad Haidari, Fluent's US Chemical Industry Business Unit Manger, "By teaming with PFD, Fluent demonstrates our commitment to enhanced reactor modeling for our many customers in the chemical industry. Net.Re@ction combines the outstanding flow modeling of FLUENT with the PFDReaction software for sophisticated reaction modeling - and makes it available in a format that can be accessed by a much larger group of engineers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries."
"One of the challenges to a deeper penetration of reactor simulation into the industrial workplace is the steep learning curve required for proficiency. As a result, reactor simulation is removed from many people with manufacturing problems that could benefit from such analysis," explains Dr. Joe Hannon, Managing Director of PFD. "By making pre-solved CFD solutions available on the Internet or on corporate intranets, Net.Re@ction has the potential to open the power of CFD to a wider audience - allowing companies to deploy reactor simulation throughout their enterprise," concludes Dr. Hannon.
Users can access limited Net.Re@ction services free of charge during a trial period at http://www.pfd.ie. PFD offers the service through an IBM SP-2 supercomputer provided by the Centre for Supercomputing in Ireland. "We're using the Net.Re@ction test period to measure the response of industry to simulation services on the web", notes Dr. Hannon.
Company Background
Fluent Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aavid Thermal Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:AATT). Fluent is a world leader in the rapidly growing field of computerized design and simulation software. Fluent's software is used to predict fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, chemical reaction and related phenomena. Fluent's software products and services help engineers in leading corporations worldwide with detailed product development, design optimization, trouble shooting, scale-up and retrofitting. Fluent's software significantly reduces engineering cost, while improving the final design of products in applications ranging from design of electronic components and systems to automotive engineering, and from combustion system design to process plant troubleshooting. Fluent's corporate headquarters are located in Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. Fluent's European headquarters are located in Sheffield, England, with local offices in France, Germany, and Italy. Fluent's CFD software is also available around the world through joint ventures, partnerships and distributors in Japan, Korea, Australia, the Czech Republic, and most European countries.
Additional information on Fluent's products can be obtained on the World Wide Web at http://www.fluent.com or by E-Mailing info@fluent.com. More information on Aavid Thermal Technologies is available at http://www.aavid.com. FLUENT, FIDAP, POLYFLOW, MixSim and Icepak are trademarks of Fluent Inc.