One of the popular methods of engineers to design, check and optimize various systems is simulation. ANSYS is a huge software company that strives to provide products for all branches of simulation. In the field of CFD several products, such as ANSYS Discovery and ANSYS Fluent, are part of the ANSYS package. In this article, we compare these two software options and help you choose between them.
ANSYS Fluent is one of the ANSYS products that is specially made for CFD simulations. This software has been in development for decades and is the choice of CFD engineers. All CFD simulation models, including multiphase flows, compressible flows, ultrasonic flows, turbulent flows, etc., are simulated with the most advanced and up-to-date methods in this software.
ANSYS Discovery is one of the products of ANSYS, which is a partial and limited combination of two other products, ANSYS Fluent, and ANSYS Mechanical. The purpose of ANSYS Discovery is product development and modification. This work is done with little precision but very simply and quickly. ANSYS Discovery has only been on the market for a few years.
Comparison of Different Aspects of Simulation and Capabilities of ANSYS Discovery and ANSYS Fluent
In the following, we compare different aspects of ANSYS Discovery and ANSYS Fluent:
Geometry Modeling
Since both software programs are included in the ANSYS package, all products from this company, such as SpaceClaim, can be used for geometry modeling. Additionally, you can transfer geometry files from specialized CAD software, such as SOLIDWORKS, to ANSYS. Both software programs have equal capabilities in this area, although it is possible to modify the geometry in ANSYS Discovery.
Meshing
The mesh may be generated or imported to ANSYS Discovery, but before using ANSYS Fluent, one of the ANSYS meshing products needs to be utilized, and then the final file is transferred to ANSYS Fluent. If a simple mesh is desired by the user, ANSYS Discovery can create it quickly. However, in many simulations, a complex and detailed mesh is required, which needs an experienced and skilled designer. In terms of meshing, both software can use the same mesh, but ANSYS Discovery is not suitable for solving complex meshes.
Solver
ANSYS Discovery uses the ANSYS Fluent solver for CFD products. This means that, with the same mesh in simple fluid problems, these two software programs yield the same results. However, in complex problems, such as turbulent flows, non-Newtonian fluids, and ultrasonic flow, ANSYS Discovery is not a suitable option for simulation, and ANSYS Fluent is recommended.
Note that ANSYS Discovery offers a combination of ANSYS Fluent and ANSYS Mechanical solvers and provides the capability for CFD, heat transfer, and structural analysis simulations, although primarily for simple problems. ANSYS Fluent and ANSYS Mechanical can be used together for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations, which require more skill and experience than ANSYS Discovery.
Post Processing
For both software, it is possible to use the very good features of the ANSYS package in this field. But in terms of showing the results while the software is running, ANSYS Discovery offers more features with a much higher visual beauty.
License
Both softwares require a license. To see the prices, refer to the ANSYS website.
User Interface
ANSYS Fluent has many options and it needs an experienced user to understand its features. On the other hand, ANSYS Discovery has a simpler appearance and features. It is designed in such a way that by simply selecting any part of the geometry, the possible settings are shown.
Real-Time Feedback and Interactive Simulation
During running the simulation, it is not possible to change the settings of ANSYS Fluent. While the simulation details can be changed in ANSYS Discovery. You can change the mesh in the simulation, or change the geometry. Suppose you are designing a water valve, you can easily start simulating in ANSYS Discovery and see the water flow, and make changes in the structure of the valve and see the result of those changes on the water flow at the same moment. This feature is the main advantage of ANSYS Discovery. The purpose of this software is to design industrial products with high speed but with low accuracy. Of course, these simulations are related to simple problems, for example, don’t think of simulating compressible infrasonic flow with this method.
ANSYS Fluent home page. This software offers more features for CFD simulation than ANSYS Discovery.
ANSYS Discovery home page. It is easier to work with this software than ANSYS Fluent. The CFD simulation features in this software are very few compared to ANSYS Fluent, and there are partial features for adjusting the fluid flow.
Conclusion
In this article, different features of ANSYS Fluent and Ansys discovery were compared. In summary:
- If you are an experienced engineer in need of complex engineering calculations, or you are a student and want to master simulation, we recommend ANSYS Fluent for CFD simulation. Working with this software requires high skill and experience, but its capabilities are much more than ANSYS Discovery.
- If you have very little time, or you find a very little need for simulation, we recommend ANSYS Discovery. It is much faster to learn and easier to work with, but it is not at all suitable for complex problems.
Whether you have little time to do your simulation project, or you do not have enough skills and experience, trust our CFD simulation experts at CFDLAND and order ANSYS Fluent Project. Our experts have done many projects with ANSYS Fluent, some of which you can see in CFD project page.
more information:
Using ANSYS Fluent for Multiphase Flow Simulations: Techniques and Tips
What are the differences between ANSYS CFX and Fluent?