Workshops for learning in Computational Fluid Mechanics

Workshops for learning in Computational Fluid Mechanics

By M. T. Parra, J. R. Pérez and F. CastroUniversity of Valladolid - EII. Paseo del Cauce 59

47011 Valladolid (Spain)

Mª Teresa Parra [email protected]

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Track 2. Educational Innovation

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The must-do of teaching Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the practical component.

Computational fluid dynamics is a key design tool in mechanical engineering. Its growth in recent years has been bolstered by the increased calculating power of computers.

The danger lies in using the commercial codes as a kind of black box where information is introduced and output is produced without understanding the basics and being unable to identify the weaknesses.

ExamplesCFD Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD Color-Ful Drawings

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Learning CFD must be eminently practical.

Comprehension and assimilation of concepts is more easy while students collaborate in workshops.

Dale [4] evidenced in 1969 that the retention capacity was around the 75% when the student have an active role on a practical task.

Proposing workshops as a way of learning by doing. When benchmarks are conveniently scaled-down and parameterized, students improve their understanding of the strong and weak points of the numerical models and gain an insight into the processes learnt different subjects.

AIM

MotivationCurrent scenario for engineering student: • Good scientific knowledge but an obvious disability

to communicate it. • Unaware of the relationship between theory and

industrial applications.• Credulity to results provided by numerical or

experimental tools. • Competitiveness preventing collaboration.• Frightening to make creative decisions.

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Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Facilitates: • Development of collaborative/competitive

workshops • Objective assessment• Allows current iteration between the learning agents.– Meeting forums – Feedback

• Students work at their own pace and in different locations.

• Access to information 2nd International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality – Salamanca 1-3 october 2014 6

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Final Objectives of Collaborative Workshops

• Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of numerical techniques Develop a critical spirit to identify strong and weak points of

the model. Creativity and self-sufficiency to propose improvements Collaborative work.

• Identification of the fluid-mechanical phenomena Application of multidisciplinary concepts.

• Description of flow patterns: Ability to verbally transmit graphic information Synthesis capacity.

• Optimization of available resources for the project

Selection criteria of workshops• Prerequisites of the

practical workshops

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Simple geometries

Complex flow patterns

Parametric analysis

Available experimental data

Industrial applications

Methodology:

• Follow a tutorial and fill up the corresponding questionnaire • Perform different tasks of the

project and obtain conclusions • Peer evaluation

Outline of tasks to complete a workshop• Fragmentation of the project into

different tasks with different deadlines, increases the success rate.

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Mesh generation

Steps

Algorithm selection

Turbulence treatment

Validation

Description of flow pattern

• Benefits of active learning through workshops:

Creative Work

Numerical Skills

Comprehension of concepts

Critical thought

Transversal Skills

Writing of technical reports

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Offer of workshops Prácticos

Driven Cavities (Lubrication):

Ahmed car (vehicles’ aerodynamics)

Roback & Johnson (swirling burners)

H-Darrieus (wind turbines)

Evaluation System• Peer evaluation (another student and the teacher) • It rewards: – The consistency of decisions – The ability to synthesize – Efficient consume of resources – A critical analysis of the performance of the model (weak

points a suitable solutions)– The appropriate vocabulary in reports – The objective and justifiable assessment of the reviewed

work.

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Survey results

• Regarding the utility of the workshop …

• regarding the perception of the workshop …

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0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Very agreed

Agreed Slightly agreed

Slightly disagreed

Disagreed Very Disagreed

No opinion

Useful to understand fluid concepts

Useful for other subjects

Basic understanding of CFD

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Very agreed

Agreed Slightly agreed

Slightly disagreed

Disagreed Very Disagreed

No opinion

Learning practical aspects

I can be self-sufficient

Intention to use the tool in the future

Conclusions• There is an evident increase of the success rate in

a complex subject. • An actual project must be simplified to a teaching

scale• Students:– demand more contents in virtual environments. – appreciate the collaborative activities– apply concepts from other subjects and to sum up, any

work ends up being multidisciplinary.– realize that they know more than their priori

perception.2nd International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for

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Acknowledgments

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Support Actions to Educational Innovation from the University of Valladolid.

Ref. PID/2011/78: Methodology to Teach Computational Fluid Mechanics in Mechanical Engineering courses.

Ref. PID/2013/7 and PID/2014/30: Development of an OWC

about Computational Fluid Mechanics

Thank you for your attention.

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