Simcenter User Conference 2023, a brief summary

The Simcenter User Conference, meticulously organized by the whole Volupe team, proved to be a dynamic and enlightening event that dove into the world of simulation software solutions and their real-world applications. The conference kicked off with a fascinating keynote address by Jonas Colting, who passionately discussed the pressing issue of the “Comfort crises.” Colting introduced two pivotal concepts, “Potential” and “Meaningfulness,” and stressed that consistency in one’s pursuits is the unrivaled key to success. 

Day 1

Siemens, took the stage to present the remarkable optimization capabilities of their software, HEEDS. Excitement filled the room as it was announced the upcoming release of HEEDS will featuring AI-accelerated optimization algorithms, promising a new era of efficiency in optimization. 

What truly set the conference apart was Siemens’ unveiling of a forward-looking roadmap for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the Simcenter portfolio, like the AI-based CAD geometry recognition tool. These pioneering AI integrations hold the potential to revolutionize the simulation and design landscape and go well along with VoluBob, Volupe´s AI support, which could be tried out in between the sessions. The most valuable enrichment of the conference experience came, however, from customer presentations, shedding light on innovative approaches and practical applications of Simcenter software solutions:

• REDEN showcased their ingenious use of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to simulate air bearings, employing their own model, comparable to the  fluid film model. They shared their journey of harnessing software potential to venture into unkown design spaces while leveraging their custom reduced-order model.
• VOLUPE demonstrated their ability to seamlessly integrate Simcenter AMESIM and Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for realistic marine applications, leveraging Simcenter STAR-CCM+ templates to enhance consistency and efficiency.
• MINESTO‘s presentation centered on simulating kite motion controlled by an external PID controller defined in Simulink, a groundbreaking approach contributing to the development of sustainable energy solutions.
• AKER SOLUTIONS showcased their environmental commitment by simulating floating wind turbines, cooling superconductor power cables, and achieving zero-emission natural gas combustion. Their work aligns seamlessly with global efforts to combat climate change and promote energy efficiency.

 

Day 2

• ABT demonstrated their impactful work in improving urban comfort through the utilization of porous media, radiation, and solar loads models within Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Their innovative approach has the potential to enhance urban environments significantly.
• RISE shared their latest findings in propeller simulation, comparing RANS with the gamma transition model to an extended LES study of the same propeller (INSEAN E1658). Their research sheds light on advanced methods for propeller analysis and design.
• BRINK provided a fascinating glimpse into the world of heat recovery in homes and buildings, showcasing their modeling of heat exchangers using porous media and the Dual Stream Heat Exchanger model. Their successful coupling of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with LES simulations for aeroacoustics simulations represents a “plug and play” solution with immense potential.
• AFRY presented their innovative solution for novel chemical reactors powered by synthesis gas, with a focus on modeling flow and chemical reactions within Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Their work holds promise for advancing chemical reactor technology.
• FS Dynamics concluded the presentations with a flourish, offering insights into FSI (Fluid-Structure Interaction) simulations of a paraglider, from an outstanding Master’s thesis. Their work highlights the capabilities of Simcenter software in tackling complex and dynamic simulations.

 In essence, Volupe Simcenter User Conference served as a vibrant hub where professionals and experts from diverse fields converged to exchange insights, innovations, and real-world applications of simulation software. It provided a captivating platform for staying abreast of the latest advancements within Siemens’ Simcenter portfolio and the ingenious ways in which customers are leveraging these tools to surmount intricate engineering challenges. This event underscored the profound influence of simulation in driving innovation and fostering sustainable solutions across various industries. 

Screenplay video from Brink climate systems

The great presentation from Brink climate systems, presented by Luc Evertzen and Thijmen Kroeze, was an eye-opener for many of the participants at the conference. With their technically high level simulations in both Simcenter 3D for FEM and acoustics and Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for heat transfer and fluid flow simulations, they showed the wide range of physics that is able to capture with the Simcenter software. In the presentation there were also several pedagogical screenplay videos to visualize their geometries and results. Brink agreed to share parts of these videos with all of us to showcase what can be possible to create in terms of post-processing within Simcenter STAR-CCM+, see video below. We are looking forward to hear about the progress you have made at Volupe user conference 2024!If any of you readers are interested in learning how to create screenplays and other visualization methods of your results, we at Volupe have an Advanced post-processing training available, so do not hesitate to register for the training.  

The Author

Florian Vesting, PhD Contact: support@volupe.com +46 768 51 23 46