CFD with OpenSource Software, 2019
A first look at the source code of applications
Håkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Mechanics and Maritime Sciences / Fluid Dynamics 1
CFD with OpenSource Software, 2019
Finding the source code of the applications in OpenFOAM
• The source code for the applications is arranged in a structure that is useful for
finding the application you need.
• Use the pre-defined alias app to go to the applications directory: $FOAM_APP
• You will find: Allwmake solvers test utilities
(No test in foam-extend, but instead a bin)
(In 1706+, bin is instead here: $WM_PROJECT_DIR/platforms/$WM_OPTIONS)
• Allwmake is used to compile all the applications.
• solvers contains the source code of the solvers.
• utilities contains the source code of the utilities.
• test contains source code for testing specific features of OpenFOAM.
Håkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Mechanics and Maritime Sciences / Fluid Dynamics 2
CFD with OpenSource Software, 2019
Solvers in OpenFOAM
• In $FOAM_SOLVERS (use alias sol to go there) you find the source code for the
solvers arranged according to (version-dependent):
basic discreteMethods financial lagrangian
combustion DNS heatTransfer multiphase
compressible electromagnetics incompressible stressAnalysis
• In sub directory incompressible you find the solver source code directories:
adjointShapeOptimizationFoam nonNewtonianIcoFoam shallowWaterFoam
boundaryFoam pimpleFoam simpleFoam
icoFoam pisoFoam
• Inside each solver directory you find a *.C file with the same name as the direc-
tory. This is the main file, where you will find the top-level source code and a
short description of the solver. For icoFoam:
Transient solver for incompressible, laminar flow of
Newtonian fluids.
For a more complete description, you have the source code right there.
Håkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Mechanics and Maritime Sciences / Fluid Dynamics 3
CFD with OpenSource Software, 2019
Utilities in OpenFOAM
• In $FOAM_UTILITIES (use alias util to go there) you find the source code for the utili-
ties arranged according to (version-dependent):
doc miscellaneous postProcessing surface
mesh parallelProcessing preProcessing thermophysical
• In sub directory postProcessing you find:
dataConversion lagrangian miscellaneous postProcess
graphics lumped noice
• Inside each utility directory you find a *.C file with the same name as the directory. This
is the main file, where you will find the top-level source code and a short description of
the utility. For noise:
Utility to perform noise analysis of pressure data.
• The number of utilities have been greatly reduced in recent versions, since they are
being moved into functionObjects.
Håkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Mechanics and Maritime Sciences / Fluid Dynamics 4
CFD with OpenSource Software, 2019
A quick look at the icoFoam solver directory
• The icoFoam solver source code is located in $FOAM_SOLVERS/incompressible/icoFoam
where you can find two files, createFields.H and icoFoam.C, and a Make directory.
• The Make directory contains two files, files and options, that specifies how icoFoam
should be compiled.
• We will have a look at the code later.
Håkan Nilsson, Chalmers / Mechanics and Maritime Sciences / Fluid Dynamics 5
