Introduction

Aither (Accurate Implicit Three-dimensional High-order Effcient RANS), pronounced ee-thir, is an open source CFD code written in C++11/14. Aither is a structured multi-block Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes code. The Aither project is hosted on Github.

Motivation

Aither began as side project to learn more about the inner workings of a CFD code. It is very thoroughly commented in hopes that this would allow someone else to learn from the code and/or contribute to the project.

Features

  • Parallel: Domain decomposition via MPI
  • Implicit: LU-SGS method used for implicit solver; Euler and Bdf2 time integration methods available
  • Explicit: Explicit Euler and 4-stage low-storage Runge-Kutta methods available
  • Inviscid Flux: Roe approximate riemann solver used for inviscid flux
  • Viscous Flux: Central difference method used for viscous flux
  • Spatial Accuracy: MUSCL extrapolation used for 2nd order accuracy in space
  • Temporal Accuracy: Bdf2 (implicit) and RK4 (explicit) methods for 2nd order accuracy in time
  • Turbulence Modeling: Wilcox K-Omega 2006 and Menter’s K-Omega SST 2003 models
  • Equation of State: Ideal gas equation
  • Input: Input file is a text file and input grid is PLOT3D format
  • Output: Output is a PLOT3D function file which is readable from Paraview

Direction Forward

Aither will be continuously improved. The next couple of items on the to-do list are to implement an implicit solver with more accurate jacobians to facilitate faster convergence. A block LU-SGS method will most likely be used. The SST turbulence model will be extended to work with the DES and IDDES variants. A higher order face-state reconstruction will also be implemented to allow the code to accurately run Hybrid RANS/LES and LES simulations.