Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve fluid flows. CFD is a tool for analyzing fluid-flow problems, and if used correctly, it can provide useful information cheaply and quickly. CFD is widely applied in the field of mechanical engineering, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, where quantities such as lift and drag or field properties as pressures and velocities are obtained.
CFD is an analysis of the physical phenomena involved in fluid flow and heat conduction by computer numerical calculation and graphical display. The numerical method simulates the complexity of the physical problem and the precision of the numerical solution, which is directly related to the hardware speed of the computer and the hardware such as memory. CFD analyses have a great potential to save time in the design process and are therefore cheaper and faster compared to conventional testing for data acquisition.
To get into CFD, one needs to understand the mathematical end, differential equations, and the math behind the models and schemes. Courses in turbulence modeling, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics are helpful for CFD. The Navier-Stokes equations govern the motion of fluid, and at its most basic definition, CFD is just solving these equations numerically.
In summary, CFD is a tool for analyzing fluid-flow problems, and it has been widely applied in the field of mechanical engineering. It involves numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve fluid flows. Courses in turbulence modeling, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics are helpful for CFD.