For Immediate Release

Fluent and PFD Announce Internet-Based Simulation Tools
Reactor Simulation for Chemical Engineers takes to the Internet at www.pfd.ie

Lebanon, NH - April 7, 1999. 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.

Corporate Background

PFD is a leading provider of chemical reactor consultancy and software to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, with extensive experience in the modeling of industrial reactions and the use of advanced tools such as CFD.  Key objectives of the company are to equip CFD with the functionality required by these industries and to make the technology accessible to engineers and chemists throughout customer organisations.
 
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. A broad spectrum of companies worldwide use CFD-based virtual prototyping in order to reduce design times and improve performance. The software enables the engineer to build a computer model of a design and simulate fluid flow, heat transfer, chemical reactions or related phenomena. Because designs can be tested and optimized before physical prototyping, time and cost are saved throughout the design process. 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 can be 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 is a trademark of Fluent Inc.



Net.Re@ction interface: Users select a reactor type, reaction chemistry and some operating conditions, then launch the simulation from their browser.  Within minutes, results are returned as colour images and a summary of the important reactor data.



Polyethylene manufacture in a tube.  CFD predictions can show when hot spots occur, potentially leading to  an uncontrollable pressure rise in the reactor.

























Stirred tank reactor:
CFD can predict the flow patterns and progress of reactions in the tank.