FEFLOW 5.4 Release

FEFLOW 5.4 is available for download from the download web page.

All users with a current SMA will receive their new license automatically by email. The new User's manual and the release DVD will be sent out in early 2009.

This new release offers many new graphical and scientific features.

Here is an overview of the new features and improvements:

Borehole heat exchanger simulation

Many near-surface heat transport applications in FEFLOW deal with borehole heat exchangers. Previously these were either simulated in a fully-discretized way, leading to very detailed, but huge models, or only considering the net heat abstraction/injection via boundary conditions. While in the first case the simulation of larger arrays of heat exchangers is not feasible, the latter option might for example be oversimplifying the short-term processes when heat exchangers are run with changing input temperatures. With the new heat exchanger simulation option, heat transport in borehole heat exchangers can be simulated by a special 1-D element, calculating the heat transportin the pipes (u-shape, double-u-shape, or coaxial) and the transfer of heat via the grout into the surrounding underground.

Anisotropy of the heat conductivity

The heat conductivity of the solid can be made anisotropic by applying an anisotropy factor.

New SAMG solver without extra license

The algebraic multigrid solver package SAMG has been further improved and is now included in FEFLOW without the need for separate licensensing. The new version internally selects between a conjugent-gradient or algebraic multigrid solution for each time step, choosing the optimal solution strategy automatically.

Spline interpolation for parametric relationships in unsaturated flow

Alternatively to applying one of the pre-defined parametric relationships for unsaturated flow it is now possible to create user-defined relationships based on a list of data pairs and a spline-type interpolation between the points. A convenient editor makes it easy to input the data and to compare to the standard relations.

Parameter zones in FEFLOW Explorer

FEFLOW Explorer now supports plotting all data also onto parameter zones, i. e., bodies built from elements with like properties defined by a parameter interval. 

Elemental reference distribution for porosity values used for isochrone calculation

Isochrone calculations for pathlines are based on porosity to calculate real flow velocities. In previous FEFLOW versions, it was possible to use a constant porosity, the storativity parameter (specific yield), or - in transport simulations - the porosity for mass/heat transport for this. In confined flow models, for example, only constant porosity values could be used. Now an arbitrary elemental reference distribution can be alternatively chosen as the source of the porosity values, allowing a better isochrone calculation in pure flow models.

Output (simulation) times in different units

In alternative to the default simulation time output in days, different time units can now be selected (seconds, minutes, hours, days, years).

Pressure is available as a variable in the viscosity editor

In the viscosity editor used to define a user-defined relationship between temperature, concentration and viscosity now also pressure can be used as an input variable.

Improved parallelization

For operations performed for all finite elements, e.g., assembly of matrix systems, parallelization has been improved. An efficient domain decomposition (DD) and OMP programming methods have been introduced which allow higher speedup on machines with multiple and/or multicore CPUs.

Grafic-less batch mode

While in previous versions of FEFLOW the graphical user interface was invoked even when using the -hide option in batch mode, it is now possible to use the simulation kernel without any graphical interface. For this, a separate command-line executable for FEFLOW is provided. This can speed up especially batch simulations with many small and fast-running models, avoiding the significant initialization time for the graphical interface.

Alternative search algorithm with spatial indexing

The alternative searching option with spatial indexing may speed up internal search functions in very large models, e.g., when doing pathline analysis or when using IFM functions that include element searches based on an X - Y - Z location. The option is available via the Quick Access Menu.

New IFM functions

Set transfer boundaries at single nodes with the transfer rate * area as a parameter:

IfmSetCoupledRiverBndNodes (IfmHandle, int, int*, double*, double*);
IfmSetCoupledMassTransBndNodes (IfmHandle, int, int*, double*, double*);
IfmSetCoupledHeatTransBndNodes (IfmHandle, int, int*, double*, double*); 

Enable/disable the spatial indexing:

IfmEnableSpatialIndex (IfmHandle hdl, IfmBool bEnableIndex);

Handle spline-based parametric relationships for unsaturated flow:

IfmGetSplineSaturationFunction (IfmHandle, int, IfmSpline*);
IfmGetSplineConductivityFunction (IfmHandle, int, IfmSpline*);
IfmSetSplineSaturationFunction (IfmHandle, int, const IfmSpline*);
IfmSetSplineConductivityFunction (IfmHandle, int, const IfmSpline*);

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