Forty Years of Computational Fluid Dynamics Research in India-Achievements and Issues

Abstract

A review of the emergence and maturing of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research in India over the last four decades is presented. The status of in-house developed CFD codes in various aerospace laboratories and academic institutions in the country is described along with their strengths and weaknesses. Although, some level of maturity is achieved in CFD to address the external flow problems of an aerospace vehicle, the slow growth of indigenous reacting CFD codes forced Indian aerospace industry to depend solely on the commercial software for addressing the internal flow problems related to propulsion and combustion. A brief account of various technical and managerial issues in CFD development is presented. A roadmap is proposed for the graduation of CFD codes, from analysis tool to design tool.