Research Capabilities
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics models readily adapt to new geometries, and typically physics models are added with application. New physics models are being incorporated, and existing models are being tested and improved. PNNL's TEMPEST code is currently being used for modeling chemically reactive flow in radioactive waste tanks and Joule-heated glass flow in waste glass melters. The commercial CFD code STARCD is being applied to the complex flow in cold-crucible melters for reactive metals and in dynamic behavior in solid oxide fuel cell stack operation.