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ANSYS Fluent VS SU2

Compare ANSYS Fluent VS SU2 and see what are their differences

ANSYS Fluent logo ANSYS Fluent

ANSYS engineering simulation and 3D design software delivers product modeling solutions with unmatched scalability and a comprehensive multiphysics foundation.

SU2 logo SU2

The open source CFD code.
  • ANSYS Fluent Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-26
  • SU2 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-03-15

ANSYS Fluent features and specs

  • Comprehensive Physics Modeling
    ANSYS Fluent offers extensive modeling capabilities encompassing fluid dynamics, heat transfer, turbulence, and various multiphase flows, enabling accurate simulations across a wide range of applications.
  • High Accuracy
    With advanced numerical algorithms, Fluent provides highly accurate results, which are validated across numerous industries and academic studies.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The software features a user-friendly graphical interface, making it easier for both beginners and experienced users to set up and analyze simulations.
  • Extensive Post-Processing Tools
    Fluent includes a suite of post-processing tools that allow users to visualize and analyze simulation results in detail through contour plots, vector plots, and animations.
  • Strong Technical Support and Community
    ANSYS offers extensive documentation, tutorials, and customer support, as well as an active user community that can help with troubleshooting and learning.
  • Scalability
    Fluent is highly scalable and can run on a wide range of platforms, from personal workstations to high-performance computing clusters, making it suitable for different project sizes.

Possible disadvantages of ANSYS Fluent

  • Cost
    ANSYS Fluent is a high-end software, often accompanied by significant licensing fees, which may not be affordable for smaller companies or individual users.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the comprehensive features and advanced functionalities of Fluent can result in a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running complex simulations in Fluent can be computationally demanding, requiring significant processing power and memory, which might necessitate high-performance computing resources.
  • Dependency on Accurate Input
    The accuracy of Fluent simulations is heavily dependent on the quality of input data and initial conditions, which means that inaccurate or insufficient input can lead to unreliable results.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Users sometimes report stability issues or crashes during large, complex simulations, which can disrupt workflow and require troubleshooting.

SU2 features and specs

  • Open Source
    SU2 is an open-source software package, allowing users to freely access, modify, and distribute the source code to suit their needs, contributing to a collaborative development environment.
  • Multiphysics Capabilities
    SU2 supports a wide range of physical models including aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer, enabling comprehensive multiphysics simulations.
  • Community Support
    An active user and developer community provides extensive support, documentation, and forums for troubleshooting and collaboration.
  • High Customizability
    The ability to customize the software allows users to tailor simulations specifically to their unique needs and integrate custom modules.

Possible disadvantages of SU2

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Users may face a steep learning curve due to the complexity and broad scope of features, requiring time to master the software.
  • Performance Limitations
    As with many open-source solutions, there may be limitations in performance and scalability compared to commercially available software.
  • Limited Professional Support
    While community support is active, professional support or custom development services may not be as readily available as with commercial alternatives.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running complex simulations can be computationally demanding, requiring significant hardware resources and expertise in parallel computing.

Analysis of ANSYS Fluent

Overall verdict

  • ANSYS Fluent is highly regarded as a powerful CFD tool and is generally considered a good choice for professionals and organizations seeking detailed and accurate fluid simulation results. Its comprehensive features and strong support infrastructure make it a valuable asset for complex engineering applications.

Why this product is good

  • ANSYS Fluent is considered a leading computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software due to its advanced physics modeling capabilities and high precision in simulating fluid flow, heat transfer, turbulence, and reactions. It is widely used in industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and manufacturing for its robust solver and extensive range of features that allow for accurate and reliable simulation outcomes.

Recommended for

  • Aerospace engineers
  • Automotive engineers
  • Energy sector professionals
  • Researchers in fluid dynamics
  • Manufacturing process analysts
  • Anyone needing precise fluid flow simulations

ANSYS Fluent videos

ANSYS Fluent: Overview of the Mapped Interface Technique for CHT Simulations

SU2 videos

Review:SU2 M82 first impressions

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ANSYS Fluent and SU2)
Numerical Computation
84 84%
16% 16
Technical Computing
83 83%
17% 17
Simulation Software
74 74%
26% 26
CFD
86 86%
14% 14

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ANSYS Fluent seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ANSYS Fluent mentions (1)

  • Cannot access the ansys.com website (Access denied)
    I live in Iraq and whenever I try to access "ansys.com", I get the error. Source: over 2 years ago

SU2 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SU2 yet. Tracking of SU2 recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ANSYS Fluent and SU2, you can also consider the following products

OpenFOAM - OpenFOAM® - Official home of The Open Source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Toolbox.

MATLAB - A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming

Simscale CFD - SimScale CFD is a cloud-based leading CAE platform that offers access to CFD, FEA, and thermodynamics simulation capabilities 100% via a standard web browser.

SimScale - SimScale makes high-fidelity engineering simulation truly accessible. From anywhere. At any scale. In the cloud.

CFDTool - An Easy to Use MATLAB Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD Simulation GUI Toolbox

SimFlow - SimFlow is a powerful CFD software, focused on engineering and science.