An extensive set of OpenFOAM solvers has evolved (and is forever growing)
that are available to users.
OpenFOAM is used mainly for CFD but has found use in other areas such as
stress analysis, electromagnetics and finance because it is fundamentally a tool for
solving partial differential equations rather than a CFD package in the traditional
sense.
Below is a list of solvers available to our users.
‘Basic’ CFD codes
laplacianFoam
Solves a simple Laplace equation, e.g. for thermal diffusion in
a solid
potentialFoam
Simple potential flow solver which can be used to generate
starting fields for full Navier-Stokes codes
scalarTransportFoam
Solves a transport equation for a passive scalar
Incompressible flow
boundaryFoam
Steady-state solver for 1D turbulent flow, typically to generate
boundary layer conditions at an inlet, for use in a simulation.
icoDyMFoam
Transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of Newtonian
fluids with dynamic mesh
icoFoam
Transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of Newtonian
fluids
nonNewtonianIcoFoam
Transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of
non-Newtonian fluids
simpleFoam
Steady-state solver for incompressible, turbulent flow of
non-Newtonian fluids
turbFoam
Transient solver for incompressible, turbulent flow
Compressible flow
rhopSonicFoam
Pressure-density-based compressible flow solver
rhoSimpleFoam
Steady-state solver for turbulent flow of compressible fluids
for ventilation and heat-transfer
rhoSonicFoam
Density-based compressible flow solver
rhoTurbFoam
Transient solver for compressible, turbulent flow
sonicFoam
Transient solver for trans-sonic/supersonic, laminar flow of a
compressible gas.
sonicFoamAutoMotion
Transient solver for trans-sonic/supersonic, laminar flow of a
compressible gas with mesh motion
sonicLiquidFoam
Transient solver for trans-sonic/supersonic, laminar flow of a
compressible liquid
sonicTurbFoam
Transient solver for trans-sonic/supersonic, turbulent flow of
a compressible gas
Multiphase flow
bubbleFoam
Solver for a system of 2 incompressible fluid phases with one
phase dispersed, e.g. gas bubbles in a liquid
cavitatingFoam
Solver for compressible liquid flow including cavitation
modelled by a barotropic equations of state
interFoam
Solver for 2 incompressible fluids, which captures the interface
using a VOF method
lesInterFoam
Solver for 2 incompressible
fluids capturing the interface. Turbulence is modelled using a
runtime selectable incompressible LES model
multiphaseInterFoam
Solver for an arbitrary number of incompressible immiscible
fluids, capturing the multiple interfaces using a VOF method
rasInterFoam
Solver for 2 incompressible
fluids capturing the interface. Turbulence is modelled using a
runtime selectable incompressible RAS model
settlingFoam
Solver for 2 incompressible fluids for simulating the settling
of the dispersed phase
twoLiquidMixingFoam
Solver for mixing 2 incompressible fluids
twoPhaseEulerFoam
Solver for a system of 2 incompressible fluid phases with one
phase dispersed, e.g. gas bubbles in a liquid
Direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large eddy simulation (LES)
channelOodles
Incompressible LES solver for flow in a channel
coodles
(Currently no description)
dnsFoam
Direct numerical simulation solver for boxes of isotropic
turbulence
oodles
Incompressible LES solver
Combustion
coldEngineFoam
Solver for cold-flow in internal combustion engines
dieselEngineFoam
Diesel engine spray and combustion code
dieselFoam
Diesel spray and combustion code
engineFoam
Solver for internal combustion engines
reactingFoam
Chemical reaction code
XiFoam
Compressible premixed/partially-premixed combustion solver
with turbulence modelling
Xoodles
Compressible premixed/partially-premixed combustion solver
with large-eddy simulation (LES) turbulence modelling
Heat transfer
buoyantFoam
Transient Solver for buoyant, turbulent flow of compressible
fluids for ventilation and heat-transfer
buoyantSimpleFoam
Steady-state solver for buoyant, turbulent flow of compressible
fluids for ventilation and heat-transfer
Electromagnetics
electrostaticFoam
Solver for electrostatics
mhdFoam
Solver for magnetohydrodynamics (MHD): incompressible,
laminar flow of a conducting fluid under the influence of a
magnetic field
Stress analysis of solids
solidDisplacementFoam
Transient segregated finite-volume solver of linear-elastic,
small-strain deformation of a solid body, with optional
thermal diffusion and thermal stresses
solidEquilibriumDisplacementFoam
Steady-state segregated finite-volume solver of linear-elastic,
small-strain deformation of a solid body
Finance
financialFoam
Solves the Black-Scholes equation to price commodities
