Introduction 📖

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is an incredibly popular topic among students but can be difficult to study, let alone to apply in practice.

This article introduces you to the best CFD books to assist your studies, reduce frustration & help you gain some practical knowledge. I saved you some precious time grooming Google – you're welcome! 🙂

General Books on CFD 📚

Computational Fluid Dynamics

This books provides an excellent introduction to CFD at the senior level in aerospace and mechanical engineering, and to some extent, chemical and civil engineering.

It can also serve as a one-semester introductory course at the beginning graduate level, as a useful precursor to a more serious study of CFD in advanced books. It is presented in a very readable, informal, enjoyable style.

Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics

This book is a guide to numerical methods for solving fluid dynamics problems. The most widely used discretization and solution methods, which are also found in most commercial CFD-programs, are described in detail. Some advanced topics, like moving grids, simulation of turbulence, computation of free-surface flows, multigrid methods and parallel computing, are also covered.

This 4th edition includes major revision of all chapters; some new methods are described and references to more recent publications with new approaches are included. Former Chapter 7 on solution of the Navier-Stokes equations has been split into two Chapters to allow for a more detailed description of several variants of the Fractional Step Method and a comparison with SIMPLE-like approaches.

An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The Finite Volume Method

This established, leading textbook, is suitable for courses in CFD. The new edition covers new techniques and methods, as well as considerable expansion of the advanced topics and applications (from one to four chapters).

This book presents the fundamentals of computational fluid mechanics for the novice user. It provides a thorough yet user-friendly introduction to the governing equations and boundary conditions of viscous fluid flows, turbulence and its modelling, and the finite volume method of solving flow problems on computers.

Finite Volume Methods for Hyperbolic Problems

This book, first published in 2002, contains an introduction to hyperbolic partial differential equations and a powerful class of numerical methods for approximating their solution, including both linear problems and nonlinear conservation laws.

These equations describe a wide range of wave propagation and transport phenomena arising in nearly every scientific and engineering discipline. Several applications are described in a self-contained manner, along with much of the mathematical theory of hyperbolic problems. High-resolution versions of Godunov's method are developed, in which Riemann problems are solved to determine the local wave structure and limiters are then applied to eliminate numerical oscillations.

The methods studied are implemented in the CLAWPACK software package and source code for all the examples presented can be found on the web, along with animations of many of the simulations. This provides an excellent learning environment for understanding wave propagation phenomena and finite volume methods.

The Finite Volume Method in Computational Fluid Dynamics: An Advanced Introduction with OpenFOAM® and Matlab

This textbook explores both the theoretical foundation of the Finite Volume Method (FVM) and its applications in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Readers will discover a thorough explanation of the FVM numerics and algorithms used for the simulation of incompressible and compressible fluid flows, along with a detailed examination of the components needed for the development of a collocated unstructured pressure-based CFD solver.

Two particular CFD codes are explored. The first is uFVM, a three-dimensional unstructured pressure-based finite volume academic CFD code, implemented within Matlab. The second is OpenFOAM®, an open source framework used in the development of a range of CFD programs for the simulation of industrial scale flow problems.

With over 220 figures, numerous examples and more than one hundred exercise on FVM numerics, programming, and applications, this textbook is suitable for use in an introductory course on the FVM, in an advanced course on numerics, and as a reference for CFD programmers and researchers.

Computational Fluid Dynamics: A Practical Approach

Computational Fluid Dynamics: A Practical Approach, Third Edition, is an introduction to CFD fundamentals and commercial CFD software to solve engineering problems. The book is designed for a wide variety of engineering students new to CFD, and for practicing engineers learning CFD for the first time.

Combining an appropriate level of mathematical background, worked examples, computer screen shots, and step-by-step processes, this book walks the reader through modeling and computing, as well as interpreting CFD results. This new edition has been updated throughout, with new content and improved figures, examples and problems.

Computational Fluid Dynamics: Principles and Applications

Computational Fluid Dynamics: Principles and Applications, Third Edition presents students, engineers, and scientists with all they need to gain a solid understanding of the numerical methods and principles underlying modern computation techniques in fluid dynamics. By providing complete coverage of the essential knowledge required in order to write codes or understand commercial codes, the book gives the reader an overview of fundamentals and solution strategies in the early chapters before moving on to cover the details of different solution techniques.

This updated edition includes new worked programming examples, expanded coverage and recent literature regarding incompressible flows, the Discontinuous Galerkin Method, the Lattice Boltzmann Method, higher-order spatial schemes, implicit Runge-Kutta methods and parallelization.

An accompanying companion website contains the sources of 1-D and 2-D Euler and Navier-Stokes flow solvers (structured and unstructured) and grid generators, along with tools for Von Neumann stability analysis of 1-D model equations and examples of various parallelization techniques.

Fundamental Algorithms in Computational Fluid Dynamics

Intended as a textbook for courses in computational fluid dynamics at the senior undergraduate or graduate level, this book is a follow-up to the book Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics by the same authors, which was published in the series Scientific Computation in 2001. Whereas the earlier book concentrated on the analysis of numerical methods applied to model equations, this new book concentrates on algorithms for the numerical solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. It focuses on some classical algorithms as well as the underlying ideas based on the latest methods.

A key feature of the book is the inclusion of programming exercises at the end of each chapter based on the numerical solution of the quasi-one-dimensional Euler equations and the shock-tube problem. These exercises can be included in the context of a typical course and sample solutions are provided in each chapter, so readers can confirm that they have coded the algorithms correctly.

Turbulence 🌊

Turbulent Flows

This is a graduate text on turbulent flows, an important topic in fluid dynamics. It is up-to-date, comprehensive, designed for teaching, and is based on a course taught by the author at Cornell University for a number of years.

The book consists of two parts followed by a number of appendices. Part I provides a general introduction to turbulent flows, how they behave, how they can be described quantitatively, and the fundamental physical processes involved. Part II is concerned with different approaches for modelling or simulating turbulent flows. The necessary mathematical techniques are presented in the appendices.

This book is primarily intended as a graduate level text in turbulent flows for engineering students, but it may also be valuable to students in applied mathematics, physics, oceanography and atmospheric sciences, as well as researchers and practising engineers.

Statistical Fluid Mechanics, Volume 1: Mechanics of Turbulence

Written by two of Russia's most eminent and productive scientists working in the fields of turbulence, oceanography, and atmospheric physics, this two-volume survey is renowned for its clarity as well as its comprehensive treatment. Volume One begins with an outline of laminar and turbulent flow. The remainder of the book treats a variety of aspects of turbulence: its statistical and Lagrangian descriptions, shear flows near surfaces and free turbulence, the behavior of thermally stratified media, and diffusion.

"If ever a field needed a definitive book, it is the study of turbulence; if ever a book on turbulence could be called definitive, it is this book." — Science

Additional subjects include general concepts of the local structure of turbulence at high Reynolds numbers, the theory of fully developed turbulence, the propagation of electromagnetic and acoustic waves through a turbulent medium, and the twinkling of stars. The book closes with a discussion of the functional formulation of the problem of turbulence, presenting the equations for the characteristic functional and methods for their solution.

Turbulence in the Atmosphere

Based on his over forty years of research and teaching, John C. Wyngaard's textbook is an excellent up-to-date introduction to turbulence in the atmosphere and in engineering flows for advanced students, and a reference work for researchers in the atmospheric sciences.

Part I introduces the concepts and equations of turbulence. It includes a rigorous introduction to the principal types of numerical modeling of turbulent flows. Part II describes turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. Part III covers the foundations of the statistical representation of turbulence and includes illustrative examples of stochastic problems that can be solved analytically.

The book treats atmospheric and engineering turbulence in a unified way, gives clear explanation of the fundamental concepts of modeling turbulence, and has an up-to-date treatment of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. Student exercises are included at the ends of chapters, and worked solutions are available online for use by course instructors.

A Voyage Through Turbulence

Turbulence is widely recognized as one of the outstanding problems of the physical sciences, but it still remains only partially understood despite having attracted the sustained efforts of many leading scientists for well over a century.

In A Voyage Through Turbulence we are transported through a crucial period of the history of the subject via biographies of twelve of its great personalities, starting with Osborne Reynolds and his pioneering work of the 1880s.

This book will provide absorbing reading for every scientist, mathematician and engineer interested in the history and culture of turbulence, as background to the intense challenges that this universal phenomenon still presents.

Compressible Fluid Flow 💨

For those of you who are into high velocity flows, here's a small list of books that cover compressible flows!

Modern Compressible Flow

Anderson's book provides the most accessible approach to compressible flow for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering students and professionals. In keeping with previous versions, the 3rd edition uses numerous historical vignettes that show the evolution of the field. New pedagogical features "Roadmaps" showing the development of a given topic, and "Design Boxes" giving examples of design decisions will make the 3rd edition even more practical and user-friendly than before.

Compressible Fluid Dynamics and Shock Waves

This book offers comprehensive coverage of compressible flow phenomena and their applications, and is intended for undergraduate/graduate students, practicing professionals, and researchers interested in the topic. Thanks to the clear explanations provided of a wide range of basic principles, the equations and formulas presented here can be understood with only a basic grasp of mathematics.

The book particularly focuses on shock waves, offering a unique approach to the derivation of shock wave relations from conservation relations in fluids together with a contact surface, slip line or surface; in addition, the thrust of a rocket engine and that of an air-breathing engine are also formulated.

Large Eddy Simulation 📕

Large Eddy Simulation for Incompressible Flows: An Introduction

First concise textbook on Large-Eddy Simulation, a very important method in scientific computing and engineering

From the foreword to the third edition written by Charles Meneveau: "... this meticulously assembled and significantly enlarged description of the many aspects of LES will be a most welcome addition to the bookshelves of scientists and engineers in fluid mechanics, LES practitioners, and students of turbulence in general."

Large Eddy Simulation for Compressible Flows

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of compressible flows is still a widely unexplored area of research. The authors, whose books are considered the most relevant monographs in this field, provide the reader with a comprehensive state-of-the-art presentation of the available LES theory and application. This book is a sequel to "Large Eddy Simulation for Incompressible Flows", as most of the research on LES for compressible flows is based on variable density extensions of models, methods and paradigms that were developed within the incompressible flow framework. The book addresses both the fundamentals and the practical industrial applications of LES in order to point out gaps in the theoretical framework as well as to bridge the gap between LES research and the growing need to use it in engineering modeling.

Large-Eddy Simulations of Turbulence

Large-Eddy Simulations of Turbulence is an ideal introduction for people new to LES (large-eddy simulation), direct numerical simulation and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulation, and as a reference for researchers. Of particular interest in the text are the detailed discussion, in Chapter 2, of vorticity, pressure, and the velocity gradient tensor, quantities useful for probing the results of a simulation, particularly when looking for coherent vortices and coherent structures. Chapters 4 and 5 feature an in-depth discussion of spectral subgrid-scale modeling.

Although physical-space models are generally more readily applied, spectral models give insight into the requirements and limitations in subgrid-scale modeling and backscattering. A third special feature is the detailed discussion in Chapter 7, of large-eddy simulation of compressible flows previously only available in articles scattered throughout the literature. This will be of interest to those dealing with supersonic flows, combustion, astrophysics, and other related topics.

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