Troy-based Altair Introduces Virtual Wind Tunnel Testing

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tWind tunnel simulations just got a bit easier thanks a new solution introduced by Troy-based Altair on Thursday.

tAltair, a product design and development company, says its HyperWorks Virtual Wind Tunnel uses advanced technologies — including computational fluid dynamics simulation and advanced meshing capabilities — to accurately and quickly predict a vehicle’s external aerodynamic performance.

tAerodynamic forces influence a vehicle’s fuel consumption to its windshield-wiper performance, therefore, external aerodynamic simulation plays an important role in modern automotive design.

tBenchmarking tests show that Altair’s virtual wind tunnel correlates well with actual wind tunnel results — which ultimately translates into a more simplified process. Because wind tunnel simulations employing computational fluid dynamics allow engineers to study aerodynamic loads, using a virtual solution can reduce the number of physical wind tunnel test experiments required during a vehicle's development process.

t“We anticipate that the ease, flexibility, accuracy, and speed of (the virtual wind tunnel) will make it very popular not only across the auto industry but also in other fields where external aerodynamic simulation is crucial, such as architectural design and construction and wind-turbine development,” Farzin Shakib, vice president of CFD technology at Altair, said in a statement.