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OpenFOAM VS elmer

Compare OpenFOAM VS elmer and see what are their differences

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OpenFOAM logo OpenFOAM

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

elmer logo elmer

Elmer is an open-source software package that solves partial differential equations. Combined with its ability to run various equations in parallel, it is an effective tool for running multiphysical simulations. Read more about elmer.
  • OpenFOAM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-02
  • elmer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-24

OpenFOAM features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenFOAM is free to use and its source code is openly available under the GPL license, allowing for extensive customization and transparency in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
  • Extensibility
    Users can extend and modify the functionality of OpenFOAM to suit specific needs or integrate new algorithms, making it highly adaptable to various projects and research requirements.
  • Community and Support
    A robust community of users and developers contributes to forums, documentation, and collaboration, providing substantial peer support and shared knowledge.
  • Versatility
    OpenFOAM supports a wide range of physical models and simulation types, from simple incompressible flow to complex multiphase flows and chemical reactions, making it suitable for diverse applications.
  • Parallel Computing
    Optimized for parallel processing, OpenFOAM can run efficiently on high-performance computing systems, thereby handling large-scale simulations effectively.

Possible disadvantages of OpenFOAM

  • Steep Learning Curve
    OpenFOAM requires a significant investment of time to learn and master, as it involves understanding complex physics, programming concepts, and software-specific syntaxes.
  • Limited GUI
    Unlike some commercial CFD software, OpenFOAM lacks a sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI), necessitating users to rely on command-line input and scripting for setup and execution of simulations.
  • Documentation Quality
    Although community-driven, the documentation can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, making it challenging for new users to find reliable and up-to-date instructions and tutorials.
  • Performance Variation
    Performance and stability can vary depending on the specific simulation setup and hardware used, which may require users to conduct extensive testing and optimization.
  • Dependency Management
    Installing and maintaining OpenFOAM and its dependencies can be complex, often requiring specific versions of libraries and compilers to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

elmer features and specs

  • Open Source
    Elmer is open-source software, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This allows for collaboration and contribution from a wide community of users and developers.
  • Multi-Physics Capabilities
    Elmer is designed to handle multiple types of physical problems simultaneously, making it suitable for complex simulations involving interaction of various physical phenomena.
  • Customizability and Extensibility
    Users can develop their own models and solvers or modify existing ones, providing flexibility to tailor the software for specific needs.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Elmer provides extensive documentation, including tutorials and user manuals, which aid users in understanding and utilizing its features effectively.
  • Active Community and Support
    The software benefits from an active user community and support from developers, offering a platform for assistance and sharing of knowledge and experiences.

Possible disadvantages of elmer

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive capabilities and the need for understanding underlying physical principles, new users may find Elmer challenging to learn initially.
  • Graphical User Interface Limitations
    While Elmer includes a graphical user interface, it is not as advanced or intuitive as some other commercial simulation software, which might hinder ease of use for some users.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    As an open-source tool, Elmer may not offer the same level of professional support or guaranteed updates and ongoing maintenance as commercial software solutions.
  • Performance
    In some cases, Elmer might not perform as efficiently or quickly as specialized, commercial software optimized for specific types of simulations.
  • Integration Challenges
    Elmer might require additional effort to integrate with existing workflows or to use in conjunction with other software tools that organizations currently use.

OpenFOAM videos

What is OpenFoam? | Skill-Lync

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to run your first simulation in OpenFOAM® - Part 1 - tutorial
  • Tutorial - CFD tutorial for beginners | What is OpenFOAM? | SKILL-LYNC

elmer videos

NEW Elmer's Slime Honest Review! Is it worth it?!

More videos:

  • Review - The Whisk(e)y Vault - Episode 21 - Elmer T. Lee Bourbon
  • Review - Elmer T Lee Bourbon Review! Breaking the Seal Ep #7!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenFOAM and elmer)
Technical Computing
75 75%
25% 25
Numerical Computation
72 72%
28% 28
Simulation Software
100 100%
0% 0
CFD
56 56%
44% 44

User comments

Share your experience with using OpenFOAM and elmer. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenFOAM seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times 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.

OpenFOAM mentions (19)

  • OpenFOAM on Debian 12
    In openfoam.org, there is not compiled binaries for Debian (any version). So one should install it using docker (I prefer to do not use it) or by compiling the code from the source. I consider compiling from source, but I do prefer binaries. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Please help me get running OpenFOAM
    Hello I am a mechanical engineering student in my last year. So I made the wisest decision to learn OpenFOAM. But there is the catch. I have no idea how to use Linux or how to emulate Linux on Windows 10. I found a lot of videos on Youtube how to download an start OpenFOAM but every one of them was using different methods each time so I got confused. Can anyone please help or direct me? Thank you for your answers... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Step by Step (Written not Video) Tutorial for FEM with Air
    As far as air flow simulation, I got slightly farther with Open Foam than I did in FreeCAD directly. Still, I got in way over my skill level and stopped before getting anything useful. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Open source FEA tools instead of ANSYS Workbench and APDL
    There are two versions of openfoam, one closed source (which is the one I linked to in my original comment, my apologies about that) and the open source version. But what you're describing makes it sound like fenics might be your best option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • command not found and looping
    I suggest you install per the instructions at openfoam.com or openfoam.org instead of using apt. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

elmer mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenFOAM and elmer, you can also consider the following products

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

COMSOL Multiphysics - COMSOL is the developer of COMSOL Multiphysics software, an interactive environment for modeling and simulating scientific and engineering problems.

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

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processing—and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

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

Code_Saturne - Code_Saturne solves the Navier-Stokes equations for 2D, 2D-axisymmetric and 3D flows, steady or...