Research & Development

Definition of Research & Development

Research and Development, or R&D, is a term frequently used in business. Generally speaking, R&D refers to work carried out to address a technical problem or test a scientific hypothesis that cannot be resolved with current knowledge. By its very nature, R&D is uncertain, requires the removal of a technical or fundamental obstacle, and relies on an experimental approach to obtain reproducible results.

There are 3 types of R&D:

• Fundamental research, i.e. experimental or theoretical work aimed at acquiring scientific knowledge with no specific a priori application or use.
• Applied research, similar but with a concrete application or use in mind.
• Experimental development, which concerns the development of new processes, systems or products based on knowledge gained from research – whether fundamental or applied.

R&D costs are a major expense for companies and public authorities. In France, it represents a volume of 55.5 billion euros in 2021, or around 2.2% of GDP. On an EU scale, France is on a par with the 27-nation average, but lags far behind Sweden (3.4%), Germany (3.15%) or Austria (=).

Our CFD expertise at your disposal

As we have seen, R&D requires cutting-edge knowledge and skills. As industrial projects are often multi-disciplinary in nature, it is common practice to seek this expertise from specialized subcontractors. This is the primary reason for outsourcing projects. Another reason is to find the necessary equipment that the company does not have. Flexibility is the last major reason why companies outsource part of their R&D activities.

OptiFluides, as a consultancy specialized in numerical simulation and experimental measurements for Fluid Mechanics, meets all these criteria. Since 2011, our activities have been focused exclusively on CFD simulation and physical modeling, enabling our team of PhDs and engineers to develop cutting-edge skills in this field. Equipped with an HPC cluster of 2700 CPUs, as well as numerous industry-specific software packages, we put our resources at your disposal to ensure the success of your project. Our responsiveness means we can quickly mobilize human resources and meet your scheduling challenges.

Development of numerical models

Among the types of project for which we are solicited, the development of numerical models and even software holds a strong position.

For complex applications and specific problems, existing computing codes do not always provide a complete answer.

OptiFluides therefore develops numerical models, integrating all the aspects of physics required to solve the problem, then tests and validates these models on reference cases or by comparison with experimental measurements. Physical couplings (acoustics, structure, etc.), complex rheologies and thermodynamic phase transitions are just some of the applications of our know-how.

These developments can take the form of code portions included in existing software, or of new code to be executed by the customer.

Our developments include, for example:

• Automated free-surface reconstruction,
• Construction of multi-parameter topological optimization algorithms,
• Coupling of solvers from different calculation codes,
• Coding of additional equations (equations of motion, tribological laws, phase changes, etc.) or boundary conditions in existing CFD software,
• Automation of post-processing,
• Development of codes for surface wave propagation,
• Coupling module modeling interactions between rocket thrusters and propellant movement in tanks,
• Complete software development for business tools.

Development of industry-specific calculation tools

Some of the recurring problems you encounter can be solved quickly and efficiently, provided you have the right calculation tools.

OptiFluides can help by developing industry-specific tools tailored to your needs, providing you with the resources you need to ensure your projects run smoothly. Here are just a few examples of our expertise:

• Specific convergence procedures for similar geometric configurations,
• Development of simplified codes for predicting flow or pressure drop in distribution networks,
• Development of spreadsheets for predicting natural convection cooling in electronic cards,
• Recalibration of simplified models or behavior laws (spreadsheets) based on numerical simulation and in-depth case studies.