4th Automotive CFD Prediction Workshop — Belfast 2024

Summary

Following the success of the previous three workshops in Oxford (2019), Berlin (2021) and Barcelona (2022), the 4th Automotive CFD Prediction Workshop (AutoCFD4) was held in person on 26–27 September 2024 at Queen’s University Belfast.

The main objective of the 4th Automotive CFD Prediction Workshop was to assess the predictive capability of CFD codes for road-car geometries. Through mandatory geometry, boundary conditions and computational grids, the workshop aimed to provide practical modelling guidelines to the automotive community, including best practices for turbulence modelling, meshing and numerical schemes. It also brought together the automotive CFD community from academia and industry to discuss future directions. The test cases remained the same as those used for the 3rd workshop, enabling participants to continue their research on existing cases with unresolved challenges.

Computing the test cases was not required for attendance, although participants were strongly encouraged to submit results.

Technology Focus Groups

AutoCFD4 used a Technology Focus Group (TFG) model, inspired by the 4th AIAA High-Lift CFD Prediction Workshop, in which each participant was asked to join a TFG covering one of five core areas. The groups met every four to five weeks and collaboratively shared findings and results in the run-up to the workshop. The aim was to encourage deeper discussions over a longer period than the two workshop days alone. The TFG leaders and their contact details are retained below as part of the archive.

Meshing TFG - Vangelis Skaperdas (BETA-CAE Systems)
Noise Factors TFG - Burkhard Hupertz (Ford)
AI/ML TFG - Neil Ashton (AWS) and Astrid Walle (Siemens Energy)
Scale Resolving Simulations (SRS) TFG - Charles Mockett and Marian Fuchs (Upstream CFD)
HPC TFG - Hebert Owen and Oriol Lehmkuhl (Barcelona Supercomputing Center)

Read the scope and goals of the AutoCFD4 Technology Focus Groups.

Read the AutoCFD workshop data policy.

Dates

Abstract deadline: 14 June 2024 (extended)
Notice of acceptance: 1 July 2024 (extended)
Data-submission deadline: 9 August 2024
Workshop: 26–27 September 2024

Due to the large number of registered contributors and the limited number of speaking slots, participants submitting results were also asked to submit a 250-word abstract in Word or PDF format describing their preliminary findings and methodology. The historical AutoCFD4 abstract template remains available. Abstracts went through a light peer review by the organising committee to select speaking slots. Participants who were not selected to speak had an opportunity to record a video for the workshop website. Abstracts were submitted to the following TFG leads:

Meshing TFG - Vangelis Skaperdas (BETA-CAE Systems)
Noise Factors TFG - Burkhard Hupertz (Ford)
AI/ML TFG - Neil Ashton (AWS) and Astrid Walle (Siemens Energy)
Scale Resolving Simulations (SRS) TFG - Charles Mockett and Marian Fuchs (Upstream CFD)
HPC TFG - Hebert Owen and Oriol Lehmkuhl (Barcelona Supercomputing Center)

Test cases

Case 1

Case 1 is the Windsor Squareback body at 2.5 degrees yaw and is the same test-case studied in the 3rd Automotive CFD Prediction Workshop. The problem is at a Reynolds number of 3 million based on vehicle length and is within a wind-tunnel like domain. As well as force, moment and surface pressure data, there is also available non intrusive PIV measurements in the wake. The baseline grid is similar to the ‘eddy resolving’ grid from the second workshop and contains 37 million cells. The alternate grids halve and double the core cell size to give 7 million and 197 million cell grids. The grid type follows the second workshop using the ‘trimmer mesh’ and prism layer approach from Simcenter STAR-CCM+.

Case 1 documents

Case 1 submission archive

Submissions are closed. During AutoCFD4, results were uploaded to the AutoCFD4 Dropbox request, followed by an email to admin@autocfd.org. Organisations with restricted access to cloud-upload services could contact the administrators to arrange an alternative.

Case 1 grids

Case 2

Case 2 is the notchback version of the DrivAer and is the same as that used in the 3rd Automotive CFD Prediction Workshop. It includes the base DrivAer variant (Case 2a), which was analysed in the 2nd and 3rd workshops, and a variant featuring a front-wheel air deflector (Case 2b), which was studied for the 3rd workshop. The detailed test-case description is linked below; SAE Technical Paper 2021-01-0958 by Hupertz et al. provides further information about the base variant. For both DrivAer variants, AutoCFD4 focused on a closed-cooling configuration with static wheels and a static floor. A comprehensive set of experimental data from the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel (courtesy of Ford), including aerodynamic forces, surface pressure, velocity profiles and 2D flow-field measurements, was available for correlation with the CFD analyses presented at the workshop. The meshes retained below were created using ANSA by BETA-CAE Systems. The mesh of the base variant (Case 2a) is identical to the “Case 2 – Wall-Function Grid” used in the 2nd workshop. The Case 2b mesh is identical to the Case 2a mesh except for the front-wheel air-deflector region.

Case 2 documents

Case 2 submission archive

Submissions are closed. During AutoCFD4, results were uploaded to the AutoCFD4 Dropbox request, followed by an email to admin@autocfd.org. Organisations with restricted access to cloud-upload services could contact the administrators to arrange an alternative.

Case 2 grids (updated April 2024)

Agenda

Final detailed Agenda (v2.0 - Sept 2024)

Workshop booklet (including presentation titles)

Presentations

1st mini virtual workshop (October 2023)

• Mini-workshop presentations from each TFG
• Mini-workshop video recording

Main workshop (September 2024)

• Workshop booklet (including presentation titles)
• Explore the AutoCFD4 results dashboard

Day 1 — Opening

Day 1 — Meshing TFG

Day 1 — SRS TFG

Day 1 — HPC TFG

Day 2 — Noise Factors TFG

Day 2 — AI/ML TFG

Day 2 — TFG leader and automotive OEM panel discussions

Venue

The workshop was held in Riddel Hall, located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Belfast city centre.

DIRECTIONS

The transport information below is retained as part of the 2024 workshop archive and may no longer be current. Travellers should check current routes, timetables and fares with the relevant operators.

The following information helped attendees plan their journey by air, train or road to Riddel Hall, 185 Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5EE, UK. Riddel Hall is approximately 15 minutes from the city centre by several buses; the 8d was the fastest and ran every 20 minutes from Great Northern Mall in the city centre. Alternatively, it is a 40-minute walk.

BY AIR

GEORGE BEST BELFAST CITY AIRPORT

The airport is situated just three miles from Belfast City Centre. The Airport Express 600 bus service runs from the airport terminal to the city center every 20 minutes (06.00-22.05) Monday to Friday. (Please check timetable for services on Saturday & Sundays).

BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Belfast International Airport is situated just 18 miles north-west of Belfast and is easily accessed via the major road and motorway network. For up to date traffic information log on to the Roads Service website: www.trafficwatchni.com Regular bus and coach services are available from the front of the terminal building to Belfast. Airport Express 300 operates a 24 hour service between the airport and Belfast with buses departing every 15 minutes for the majority of the day on weekdays, with reduced frequencies at off peak times and weekends. The bus leaves from the bus stop located opposite the terminal exit. The International Airport Taxi Company, official taxi operator for the Belfast International Airport, are available for hire 24 hours a day 7 days a week outside the right hand door of the airport Exit lobby. Only taxis approved by Belfast International Airport are permitted to use the taxi rank. A list of sample fares is displayed in the exit hall of the terminal building.

DUBLIN AIRPORT

Dublin airport is approximately 160km south of Belfast. The Dublin Airport Express Coach Service operates from Dublin Airport 24 hours a day, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours. Tickets and seat reservations +44 (0)28 9066 6630 www.translink.co.uk

BY SEA

Belfast is easily accessed by sea with crossings from both Scotland and England. Travel by modern ferries takes from 2 hours 15 minutes. See the Stena Line and P&O Ferries websites for details.

BY RAIL

The Enterprise service ran eight times daily (five times on Sunday) from Dublin to Belfast, with a journey time of approximately two hours. Enterprise tickets and seat reservations were available by telephone on +44 (0)28 9089 9409 and through Translink. Queen’s University Belfast also provided local transport information.

Accommodation

Many hotels, short-term rentals and guest houses were available in Belfast. The Visit Belfast website provided information on accommodation and things to do.

A 12% delegate discount was negotiated at both Clayton Hotel Belfast and Maldron Hotel Belfast City. Attendees used the promotional code “CONF12” when booking:

Clayton Hotel Belfast

Maldron Belfast City

Useful links

• Delegate Offers
• Brochures and Downloads (including City Guide and city Map)
• Getting Here
• Things To See & Do
• Places To Eat & Drink
• Ideas and Inspiration
• Sustainable Belfast
• What’s On
• Essential Information

Organisers

• Ben Thornber (Queens University Belfast) - Local Organiser
• Neil Ashton (Amazon Web Services)
• Burkhard Hupertz (Ford)
• Gary Page (Loughborough University)
• Charles Mockett (Upstream CFD)
• Astrid Walle (Siemens Energy)
• Vangelis Skaperdas (BETA-CAE Systems)
• Oriol Lehmkuhl (Barcelona Supercomputing Center)
• Herbert Owen (Barcelona Supercomputing Center)
• Charles Ribes (Stellantis)