I'm asking because I don't even know what to search for.
I'm looking for a program that can simulate airflow AND heat. Something I could punch in temperature, fan speed, container volume, intake and exhaust sizes, and maybe other variables and get a visual representation as an output, like those aerodynamic picture demonstrations. The ability to add or modify stuff inside the chamber would be spectacular but not entirely necessary.
I'm preparing to rebuild my new smoker, because it never should have left the factory in the condition that it is in.
I've built smokers before, I know the theory, I know the practice, but I'd like to try to optimize without needing to make a thousand physical changes. I don't have an unlimited supply of metal to work with, after all. I do already know about how things are going to look when I'm done, but cardboard prototyping doesn't work when fire is involved and I'd like to try a few things out for optimal efficiency.
So does something like I'm looking for exist or are there key terms I should be looking for? Or is this some sort of specialized industrial $100k piece of software I'm describing?
You're describing most CFD softwares. This is what I do for a living. I use the expensive packages at work, like ANSYS and Solidworks Flow (which aren't even that advanced for CFD), but there is probably something simple and open-source out there I am unaware of.
I don't use this, but found it listed as a free, open source CFD software - OpenFOAM
The reviews I could find are very positive.
As far as free/open-source the main go to is OpenFoam. It is a linux based system, but can be made to run on windows machines. It is a huge pain to get setup and running for a first timer. It also does not have native geometry setup (CAD), so that would have to be a separate project but may work with Sketchup outputs or any other typical transfer format.
Like Maschinenbau, we use some expensive code (StarCCM+) as well as a mildly customized version of OpenFoam and we have a few guys that spend their working lives keeping the cluster humming.
You might be able to do some very basic 2 dimensional flow analysis with JavaFoil. I have used it for some somewhat complicated wing/body interactions in the past, but it also requires a bit of time to learn it and get useful results.
Ok that gives me some places to start looking. I have the typical, older, cad suites at my disposal already which sounds like it will help if I can pull proper measurements.
Luckily, time is the only real resource I have, so I can spend a lot learning.
