1D thermo-fluid system simulation
Simcenter Flomaster
formerly Flowmaster
Model pumps, valves and pipes as one network. Size the lines, then check surge and failure cases in the same 1D model.
Miller data
Component pressure losses
Measured on industrial-scale test rigs and validated by users over many years.
Smart Expert
Support from engineers
Siemens-certified expertise, and a Top European Partner award for customer support.
What is Simcenter Flomaster?
Simcenter Flomaster, formerly Flowmaster, is a 1D thermo-fluid system simulation tool from Siemens Digital Industries Software that models gas, liquid and two-phase systems as networks of pipes, pumps, valves and heat exchangers. As a 1D CFD tool, it predicts pressure, flow and temperature throughout the network, in steady state and during transients.
Where 3D CFD looks inside one component, Flomaster shows how the components interact. You can carry the engineering model into operation as a digital twin for virtual sensing and online monitoring.
Answer sizing questions before detailed CAD exists
Test pump trips and valve closures without touching hardware
Balance branch flows so each outlet gets its design flow
Play video · 3:23
A three-minute overview: modelling complete fluid systems, such as pipe networks and cooling circuits, in Simcenter Flomaster.
Book a demo with an engineerDeveloper
Siemens Digital Industries Software
Typical analyses
Steady‑state and transient flow, pressure surge (water hammer), heat transfer, two‑phase flow
Used in
Aerospace, automotive, marine, oil and gas, power generation, process industries and water distribution
Related tools
Simcenter Amesim (via FMI), Simcenter HEEDS (design exploration)
Capabilities
Size, balance and protect the network
Empirical component library
The component library takes its pressure losses from the empirical data in Don Miller’s Internal Flow Systems. That lets you size lines and choose components early in a project, before supplier figures are available. Where your own hardware differs, add test results or supplier performance curves.
Water hammer and pressure surge
A fast valve closure or a pump trip sends pressure waves through the network. The transient solver, based on the method of characteristics, predicts the resulting pressure peaks and cavitation risk, so you can set closure times and size surge protection before commissioning. It also accounts for line packing and visco-elastic plastic pipes.
Thermal and two-phase systems
Flomaster solves heat transfer together with the flow, so you can follow temperatures through the system and judge the effect of pipe insulation under varying loads. The two-phase solver covers refrigerant loops and steam systems, and models whole Rankine cycles with steam or supercritical CO2, predicting pressure drop and heat transfer throughout.
3D CFD, FMI and automation
Characterise bespoke components from 3D CFD results, or couple Flomaster with 3D CFD for 1D-3D co-simulation. Export a network as an FMU to run inside Simcenter Amesim, or import FMUs from other tools. Automate runs with Python through the COM or .NET API, explore designs with HEEDS and manage models in Teamcenter.
Related tools
Often used with Simcenter Flomaster
System simulation
Simcenter Amesim
Model hydraulic, thermal, electrical and mechanical systems together in 1D, early in development.
→
Design optimisation
Simcenter HEEDS
Set up your CAD and CAE workflow once, and HEEDS searches for designs that meet your targets.
→
Electronics cooling
Simcenter Flotherm
Thermal design of electronics, from chips and boards to enclosures and data-centre racks.
→
Learn Simcenter Flomaster
Predicting heat transfer behavior is a fundamental aspect of thermo‑fluid system design. Whether the objective is to enhance cooling performance, […]
Simulating and properly analyzing complex thermo-fluid systems is a difficult endeavor. The complexity stems from the critical need to fully […]
Simcenter Flomaster provides multiple options for importing your system’s geometry into the tool. Some of the benefits of working in […]
Questions about Simcenter Flomaster
Answers reviewed by
Fabian Hasselby
Senior Application Specialist, M.Sc.
Is Simcenter Flomaster the same as Flowmaster, and will my old models open?
Simcenter Flomaster is the same product, formerly known as Flowmaster and FloMASTER, but older models are best checked case by case. Send us a technical question with the version your models were built in, and we will tell you what to expect before you plan an upgrade.
How is Simcenter Flomaster licensed, and what do you need for a quote?
Simcenter Flomaster comes in four base licences, and the right one depends on the systems you model and how your team works. Tell us the number of users, any add-ons, the licence term and how your team will share access, and one of our business developers will help you choose. Request a licence quote.
Can I see a demo or try Simcenter Flomaster first?
You can see Simcenter Flomaster in a demo with one of our engineers. Book a demo and tell us about the system you work with, such as a cooling circuit or a pipe network. For a trial or evaluation licence, ask us what is possible for your project.
Simcenter Flomaster or Simcenter Amesim: which do I need?
Use Simcenter Flomaster for pressure losses, flow distribution and surge in pipe networks, and Simcenter Amesim for the wider system around them. The two can also run together through FMI, so you do not always have to choose. Tell us what you need to predict and we will suggest where to start.
When is 1D system simulation enough, and when do I need 3D CFD?
1D is enough when the question concerns the system as a whole: line and pump sizing, flow balancing or pressure surge. Move to 3D CFD when you need the detailed flow field in a single part, such as a valve body, manifold or heat exchanger. We also supply Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Simcenter FLOEFD for 3D CFD.
Why buy Simcenter Flomaster through Volupe?
Our simulation engineers handle your support questions, and every Volupe business developer holds an engineering degree. We are a Siemens Platinum Partner at Smart Expert level, with a Top European Partner award for customer support. We sell, support and train the full Simcenter portfolio, including the former Altair tools, with sales and support in 27 countries across Europe.
Talk to an engineer in your region
Every Volupe business developer holds an engineering degree. Find your regional contact below, or send us a message.
Ask us about Simcenter Flomaster
Use this form for licence quotes, demos, training and technical questions.
What happens next
- A reply within one day.
- A scoping call with one of our engineers.
- A quote, demo or other next step that fits your enquiry.
After purchase: support from Volupe simulation engineers.