Super Soaker Central forums

Silence · 07-21-2006, 04:57 PM

Huh, my first new thread in ages...

It might be both possible and effective to use CAD/flow-simulator software, such as Fluent, to predict the flow of water through and out of a three-dimensional model of a soaker. I realized that this could be a professionally-made method of determining stream lamination as well as the measurements used for WBLs and even for spud cannons. Not only that, but if I can find a free one, we can use it as a 3D (but admittedly more complex) version of Scavenger's PVC Designer!

These applications are pretty much just CAD programs that simulate fluids--gases or liquids, in this case the water we're shooting--as they flow over the objects you design. I'm not sure, but it might be possible to account for wind resistance and even the pressurization of air inside the PC. That said, these aren't like the "complete and ultimate physics engines" that Ageia's PhysX pretend to be, so I am probably wrong. However, with some complex coding and rendering, this might be possible even with free and thus probably feature-limited programs.

More links to CFD software can be found under "Fluid Mechanics and Dynamics" in Google Directory. This would probably be a complicated project even if I could get my hands on Fluent or another good program, but I'll give it a try if possible.

Ben · 07-21-2006, 05:09 PM

I've seen these programs before, but have doubted their usefulness to us. My use of such a program wouldn't change how I design at all if I were going for theoretically perfect performance. That and there's no free ones.

07-21-2006, 04:57 PM	#1
Silence Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,293 UserID: 576	Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Huh, my first new thread in ages... It might be both possible and effective to use CAD/flow-simulator software, such as Fluent, to predict the flow of water through and out of a three-dimensional model of a soaker. I realized that this could be a professionally-made method of determining stream lamination as well as the measurements used for WBLs and even for spud cannons. Not only that, but if I can find a free one, we can use it as a 3D (but admittedly more complex) version of Scavenger's PVC Designer! These applications are pretty much just CAD programs that simulate fluids--gases or liquids, in this case the water we're shooting--as they flow over the objects you design. I'm not sure, but it might be possible to account for wind resistance and even the pressurization of air inside the PC. That said, these aren't like the "complete and ultimate physics engines" that Ageia's PhysX pretend to be, so I am probably wrong. However, with some complex coding and rendering, this might be possible even with free and thus probably feature-limited programs. More links to CFD software can be found under "Fluid Mechanics and Dynamics" in Google Directory. This would probably be a complicated project even if I could get my hands on Fluent or another good program, but I'll give it a try if possible. __________________ Forum rules

07-21-2006, 05:09 PM	#2
Ben Founder Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: College Park, Maryland Posts: 6,054 UserID: 1	I've seen these programs before, but have doubted their usefulness to us. My use of such a program wouldn't change how I design at all if I were going for theoretically perfect performance. That and there's no free ones. __________________ email: / Forum rules / Read this page before emailing me. Do not send me a PM or email with a water gun question if someone else could answer the question. Post at the forums. You will get a response from me along with others' views or ideas.

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