Background:The analysis and prediction of pancreaticobiliary reflux(PBR)play a crucial role in planning surgical interventions for hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases,considering the uncertain mechanism behind it.Howev...Background:The analysis and prediction of pancreaticobiliary reflux(PBR)play a crucial role in planning surgical interventions for hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases,considering the uncertain mechanism behind it.However,current practices are limited by fragmented clinical observations,making it challenging to visualize the complex phenomenon in the pancreaticobiliary junction(PBJ)through imaging and radiography experiments.This study aimed to comprehensively describe the retrograde flow characteristics in various PBR scenarios and assess the factors leading to PBR using simulations based on idealized geometry and boundary conditions.Methods:By Cadence Pointwise,we developed a computational fluid dynamics(CFD)model using an idealized PBJ system.Standard parameters such as pressure and viscosity were applied,along with typical assumptions relevant to fluid dynamic modeling.Subsequently,based on the aforementioned basic idealized model,we analyzed 8 hypothetical PBR conditions,covering a range of high(shorter)and low(longer)values or different positions for each specific parameter,at a representative stage of a peristaltic propagation cycle of the Oddi's sphincter.Results:We modeled a two-dimensional PBJ with the propagation of a peristaltic wave.These findings demonstrated that the shortened septum,the extended ampulla,the increased wavelength and enhanced amplitude of the Oddi's sphincterial peristalsis,the widened diameter difference and the increased pressure difference between the common bile duct(CBD)and the main pancreatic duct(MPD),as well as the gravitational effect(position),strongly impacted PBR,while the viscosity of bile and pancreatic juice had a weaker influence.Additionally,an inequality incorporating these risk factors was developed for the evaluation of whether reflux occurs.Conclusions:Numerical simulation can be used to describe the reflux flow field,offering the possibility to visualize and analyze PBR,which has the potential to significantly revolutionize the understanding of PBR and improve clinical decision-making.Future work should focus on bridging the gap between CFD and clinical practice.展开更多
Tidal waves,intermittent rainfall,and fluctuations in water levels,which create cyclic hydraulic gradients,can exacerbate the migration of fine particles within soils and lead to deterioration in stability.However,mac...Tidal waves,intermittent rainfall,and fluctuations in water levels,which create cyclic hydraulic gradients,can exacerbate the migration of fine particles within soils and lead to deterioration in stability.However,macroscale experimental methods struggle to capture the microscopic deformations that occur during seepage-induced erosion.Therefore,this study,which is based on the coupled computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method(CFD–DEM)coupling method,investigates the contact mechanical mechanisms that induce macroscopic deformation under cyclic hydraulic gradients by considering the effects of different amplitudes and frequencies.The results show that the erosion mass of fine particles increases in a stepwise manner,with a multipeak variation in the erosion rate,and both the erosion amount and intensity are greater under constant gradient conditions.Fine particles erode primarily near the contact surface and,after migration,accumulate mainly in the coarse particle layers close to the contact surface.Increasing the amplitude and frequency of the cyclic hydraulic gradient leads to more fine particle blockages within the coarse particle layer.The cyclic hydraulic gradient causes the contact force chain network to repeatedly break and reorganize,reducing the shear strengths of the soil and resulting in more pronounced anisotropy in the contact force distribution.展开更多
Predicting pressure drop in structured packed beds is critical for the design of industrial chemical reactors and heat exchangers.While particle-resolved Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)offers high fidelity,its prohi...Predicting pressure drop in structured packed beds is critical for the design of industrial chemical reactors and heat exchangers.While particle-resolved Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)offers high fidelity,its prohibitive computational cost for large-scale systems necessitates efficient modeling strategies.This study introduces a novel pathway analogy for fluid flow through structured packed beds in a simple cubic arrangement.The approach deconstructs the complex interstitial flow field into a finite set of discrete,hydraulically independent pathways—classified as full,half,or quarter based on their proximity to the container walls.High-fidelity CFD simulations confirm that cross-flow between these pathways is negligible(<1%)both in laminar and turbulent regimes,justifying their treatment as independent flow units.Universal correlations for the friction factor and a normalized pressure drop are derived for each pathway type as a function of Reynolds number,demonstrating negligible dependence on particle diameter.These foundational correlations are synthesized into a mechanistic engineering model that reconstructs the total pressure drop for a bed of any dimension by summing the weighted contributions of all individual pathways.The model is rigorously validated against experimental data from the literature,showing strong agreement across a wide range of Reynolds numbers and bed configurations.This pathway analogy provides a robust,physics-based framework for drastic computational domain reduction,offering a valuable tool for the efficient design and scaling of structured packed bed systems.展开更多
This review provides a comprehensive and systematic examination of Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)techniques and methodologies applied to the development of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWTs).Although VAWTs offer si...This review provides a comprehensive and systematic examination of Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)techniques and methodologies applied to the development of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWTs).Although VAWTs offer significant advantages for urban wind applications,such as omnidirectional wind capture and a compact,ground-accessible design,they face substantial aerodynamic challenges,including dynamic stall,blade-wake interactions,and continuously varying angles of attack throughout their rotation.The review critically evaluates how CFD has been leveraged to address these challenges,detailing the modelling frameworks,simulation setups,mesh strategies,turbulence models,and boundary condition treatments adopted in the literature.Special attention is given to the comparative performance of 2-D vs.3-D simulations,static and dynamic meshing techniques(sliding,overset,morphing),and the impact of near-wall resolution on prediction fidelity.Moreover,this review maps the evolution of CFD tools in capturing key performance indicators including power coefficient,torque,flow separation,and wake dynamics,while highlighting both achievements and current limitations.The synthesis of studies reveals best practices,identifies gaps in simulation fidelity and validation strategies,and outlines critical directions for future research,particularly in high-fidelity modelling and cost-effective simulation of urban-scale VAWTs.By synthesizing insights from over a hundred referenced studies,this review serves as a consolidated resource to advance VAWT design and performance optimization through CFD.These include studies on various aspects such as blade geometry refinement,turbulence modeling,wake interaction mitigation,tip-loss reduction,dynamic stall control,and other aerodynamic and structural improvements.This,in turn,supports their broader integration into sustainable energy systems.展开更多
This paper investigates the capabilities of large language models(LLMs)to leverage,learn and create knowledge in solving computational fluid dynamics(CFD)problems through three categories of baseline problems.These ca...This paper investigates the capabilities of large language models(LLMs)to leverage,learn and create knowledge in solving computational fluid dynamics(CFD)problems through three categories of baseline problems.These categories include(1)conventional CFD problems that can be solved using existing numerical methods in LLMs,such as lid-driven cavity flow and the Sod shock tube problem;(2)problems that require new numerical methods beyond those available in LLMs,such as the recently developed Chien-physics-informed neural networks for singularly perturbed convection-diffusion equations;and(3)problems that cannot be solved using existing numerical methods in LLMs,such as the ill-conditioned Hilbert linear algebraic systems.The evaluations indicate that reasoning LLMs overall outperform non-reasoning models in four test cases.Reasoning LLMs show excellent performance for CFD problems according to the tailored prompts,but their current capability in autonomous knowledge exploration and creation needs to be enhanced.展开更多
Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulations are adopted to investigate rectangular microchannel flows with various periodic micro-structured wall by introducing velocity slip boundary condition at low Reynolds num...Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulations are adopted to investigate rectangular microchannel flows with various periodic micro-structured wall by introducing velocity slip boundary condition at low Reynolds number. The purpose of the current study is to numerically find out the effects of periodic micro-structured wall on the flow resistance in rectangular microchannel with the different spacings between microridges ranging from 15 to 60 pm. The simulative results indicate that pressure drop with different spacing between microridges increases linearly with flow velocity and decreases monotonically with slip velocity; Pressure drop reduction also increases with the spacing between microridges at the same condition of slip velocity and flow velocity. The results of numerical simulation are compared with theoretical predictions and experimental results in the literatures. It is found that there is qualitative agreement between them.展开更多
Configuring computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulations typically demands extensive domain expertise,limiting broader access.Although large language models(LLMs)have advanced scientific computing,their use in automat...Configuring computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulations typically demands extensive domain expertise,limiting broader access.Although large language models(LLMs)have advanced scientific computing,their use in automating CFD workflows is underdeveloped.We introduce a novel approach centered on domain-specific LLM adaptation.By fine-tuning Qwen2.5-7B-Instruct on NL2FOAM,our custom dataset of 28,716 natural language-to-OpenFOAM configuration pairs with chain-of-thought(CoT)annotations enables direct translation from natural language descriptions to executable CFD setups.A multi-agent system orchestrates the process,autonomously verifying inputs,generating configurations,running simulations,and correcting errors.Evaluation on a benchmark of 21 diverse flow cases demonstrates state-of-the-art performance,achieving 88.7%solution accuracy and 82.6%first-attempt success rate.This significantly outperforms larger general-purpose models such as Qwen2.5-72B-Instruct,DeepSeek-R1,and Llama3.3-70B-Instruct,while also requiring fewer correction iterations and maintaining high computational efficiency.The results highlight the critical role of domain-specific adaptation in deploying LLM assistants for complex engineering workflows.Our code and fine-tuned model have been deposited at http://gffzz188fe103f8f1460aswq9cqkcbq65o65u6.ffgz.tsg.suse.edu.cn/YYgroup/AutoCFD.展开更多
Conventional oncology faces challenges such as suboptimal drug delivery,tumor heterogeneity,and therapeutic resistance,indicating a need formore personalized,andmechanistically grounded and predictive treatment strate...Conventional oncology faces challenges such as suboptimal drug delivery,tumor heterogeneity,and therapeutic resistance,indicating a need formore personalized,andmechanistically grounded and predictive treatment strategies.This review explores the convergence of Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)and Machine Learning(ML)as an integrated framework to address these issues in modern cancer therapy.The paper discusses recent advancements where CFD models simulate complex tumor microenvironmental conditions,like interstitial fluid pressure(IFP)and drug perfusion,and ML enhances simulation workflows,automates image-based segmentation,and enhances predictive accuracy.The synergy between CFD and ML improves scalability and enables patientspecific treatment planning.Methodologically,it coversmulti-scalemodeling approaches,nanotherapeutic simulations,imaging integration,and emerging AI-driven frameworks.The paper identifies gaps in current applications,including the need for robust clinical validation,real-time model adaptability,and ethical data integration.Future directions suggest that CFD–ML hybrids could serve as digital twins for tumor evolution,offering insights for adaptive therapies.The review advocates for a computationally augmented oncology ecosystem that combines biological complexity with engineering precision for next-generation cancer care.展开更多
Electrocatalytic oxidation is a promising technology for wastewater treatment,but poor mass transfer and low current efficiency impaded its engineering applications.To address these issues,researchers have developed f...Electrocatalytic oxidation is a promising technology for wastewater treatment,but poor mass transfer and low current efficiency impaded its engineering applications.To address these issues,researchers have developed flow-through electrochemical reactors(FERs)primarily based on porous electrodes,where the pore structure significantly impacts the electrochemical reaction.Therefore,this study systematically investigated the impact of different pore sizes on the fluid dynamics,current potential distribution,mass transfer processes,and degradation performance of FERs.Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)results indicated that smaller pore sizes(10μm,30μm,and 60μm)significantly enhanced convective effects within the fluid,reduced short fluid paths and dead volume regions within the microchannels,and facilitated mass transfer processes.Additionally,smaller pore sizes were conducive to a uniform distribution of current density.Furthermore,Fe(CN)64−oxidation experiments revealed that the current density at a pore size of 160μm was notably lower than that at 10μm,indicating slower mass transfer of Fe(CN)64−within larger channels.Calculations based on experimental results demonstrated that the mass transfer rate at a pore size of 10μm was six times than that at 160μm,further confirming the enhancing effect of smaller pore sizes on the mass transfer process.Lastly,experiments on tetracycline degradation showed that at a residence time of 90 s,the removal efficiencies of tetracycline were 80%and 39.1%for porous electrodes with pore sizes of 10μm and 160μm,respectively,demonstrating the superior removal efficiency of smaller pore sizes for tetracycline degradation.展开更多
The main ideas in the development of the solvent extraction mixer settler focused on achieving clean phase separation,minimizing the loss of the reagents and decreasing the surface area of the settlers.The role of baf...The main ideas in the development of the solvent extraction mixer settler focused on achieving clean phase separation,minimizing the loss of the reagents and decreasing the surface area of the settlers.The role of baffles in a mechanically agitated vessel is to ensure even distribution,reduce settler turbulence,promote the stability of power drawn by the impeller and to prevent swirling and vortexing of liquid,thus,greatly improving the mixing of liquid.The insertion of the appropriate number of baffles clearly improves the extent of liquid mixing.However,excessive baffling would interrupt liquid mixing and lengthen the mixing time.Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) provides a tool for determining detailed information on fluid flow(hydrodynamics) which is necessary for modeling subprocesses in mixer settler.A total of 54 final CFD runs were carried out representing different combinations of variables like number of baffles,density and impeller speed.CFD data shows that amount of separation increases with increasing baffles number and decreasing impeller speed.展开更多
Computational fluid dynamics(CFD)provides a powerful tool for investigating complicated fluid flows.This paper aims to study the applicability of CFD in the preliminary design of linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dam...Computational fluid dynamics(CFD)provides a powerful tool for investigating complicated fluid flows.This paper aims to study the applicability of CFD in the preliminary design of linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers.Two fluid viscous dampers were designed based on CFD models.The first device was a linear viscous damper with straight orifices.The second was a nonlinear viscous damper containing a one-way pressure-responsive valve inside its orifices.Both dampers were detailed based on CFD simulations,and their internal fluid flows were investigated.Full-scale specimens of both dampers were manufactured and tested under dynamic loads.According to the tests results,both dampers demonstrate stable cyclic behaviors,and as expected,the nonlinear damper generally tends to dissipate more energy compared to its linear counterpart.Good compatibility was achieved between the experimentally measured damper force-velocity curves and those estimated from CFD analyses.Using a thermography camera,a rise in temperature of the dampers was measured during the tests.It was found that output force of the manufactured devices was virtually independent of temperature even during long duration loadings.Accordingly,temperature dependence can be ignored in CFD models,because a reliable temperature compensator mechanism was used(or intended to be used)by the damper manufacturer.展开更多
This paper presents a time-efficient numerical approach to modelling high explosive(HE)blastwave propagation using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD).One of the main issues of using conventional CFD modelling in high e...This paper presents a time-efficient numerical approach to modelling high explosive(HE)blastwave propagation using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD).One of the main issues of using conventional CFD modelling in high explosive simulations is the ability to accurately define the initial blastwave properties that arise from the ignition and consequent explosion.Specialised codes often employ Jones-Wilkins-Lee(JWL)or similar equation of state(EOS)to simulate blasts.However,most available CFD codes are limited in terms of EOS modelling.They are restrictive to the Ideal Gas Law(IGL)for compressible flows,which is generally unsuitable for blast simulations.To this end,this paper presents a numerical approach to simulate blastwave propagation for any generic CFD code using the IGL EOS.A new method known as the Input Cavity Method(ICM)is defined where input conditions of the high explosives are given in the form of pressure,velocity and temperature time-history curves.These time history curves are input at a certain distance from the centre of the charge.It is shown that the ICM numerical method can accurately predict over-pressure and impulse time history at measured locations for the incident,reflective and complex multiple reflection scenarios with high numerical accuracy compared to experimental measurements.The ICM is compared to the Pressure Bubble Method(PBM),a common approach to replicating initial conditions for a high explosive in Finite Volume modelling.It is shown that the ICM outperforms the PBM on multiple fronts,such as peak values and overall overpressure curve shape.Finally,the paper also presents the importance of choosing an appropriate solver between the Pressure Based Solver(PBS)and Density-Based Solver(DBS)and provides the advantages and disadvantages of either choice.In general,it is shown that the PBS can resolve and capture the interactions of blastwaves to a higher degree of resolution than the DBS.This is achieved at a much higher computational cost,showing that the DBS is much preferred for quick turnarounds.展开更多
To find out and improve the flow characteristics inside the intake system of cylinder head,the application of computational fluid dynamics(CFD)in the evaluation and optimization of the reconstructed intake system base...To find out and improve the flow characteristics inside the intake system of cylinder head,the application of computational fluid dynamics(CFD)in the evaluation and optimization of the reconstructed intake system based on slicing reverse method was proposed.The flow characteristics were found out through CFD,and the velocity vector field,pressure field and turbulent kinetic energy field for different valve lifts were discussed,which were in good agreement with experimental data,and the quality of reconstruction was evaluated.In order to improve its flow characteristic,an optimization plan was proposed.The results show that the flow characteristics after optimization are obviously improved.The results can provide a reference for the design and optimization of the intake system of cylinder head.展开更多
Instantaneous flow field and temperature field of the two-phase fluid are measured by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and steady state method during the state of onflow. A turbulent two-phase fluid model of stirred...Instantaneous flow field and temperature field of the two-phase fluid are measured by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and steady state method during the state of onflow. A turbulent two-phase fluid model of stirred bioreactor with punched impeller is established by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), using a rotating coordinate system and sliding mesh to describe the relative motion between impeller and baffles. The simulation and experiment results of flow and temperature field prove their warps are less than 10% and the mathematic model can well simulate the fields, which will also provide the study on optimized-design and scale-up of bioreactors with reference value.展开更多
The airflow mechanics in adult nasal airways,whether healthy or abnormal,are extensively studied and investigated,but the flow mechanics in child nasal airways remain underexplored.This study investigates the airflow ...The airflow mechanics in adult nasal airways,whether healthy or abnormal,are extensively studied and investigated,but the flow mechanics in child nasal airways remain underexplored.This study investigates the airflow mechanics in the child’s nasal upper airway with adenoid hypertrophy,with an adenoid nasopharyngeal ratio(AN of 0.9),under cyclic inhalation and exhalation.An inlet respiratory cycle with three different flow rates(3.2 L/min calm breathing,8.6 L/min normal breathing,and 19.3 L/min intensive breathing)was simulated by using the computational fluid dynamics approach.To better capture the interaction between airflow and the flexible airway tissue,fluid-structure interaction analysis was performed at the normal breathing rate.Comparing the airflow dynamics during inhalation and exhalation,the pressure drops,nasal resistance,and wall shear stress show significant differences in the nasopharyngeal region for all different flow rates.This observation suggests that the inertial effect associated with the transient flow is important during exhalation and inhalation.Furthermore,the considerable temporal variation in flow rate distribution across a specific cross-section of the nasal airway highlights the critical role of transient data in virtual surgery planning and data for clinical decisions.展开更多
Many fishes use undulatory fin to propel themselves in the underwater environment. These locomotor mechanisms have a popular interest to many researchers. In the present study, we perform a three-dimensional unsteady ...Many fishes use undulatory fin to propel themselves in the underwater environment. These locomotor mechanisms have a popular interest to many researchers. In the present study, we perform a three-dimensional unsteady computation of an undulatory mechanical fin that is driven by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). The objective of the computation is to investigate the fluid dynamics of force production associated with the undulatory mechanical fin. An unstructured, grid-based, unsteady Navier-Stokes solver with automatic adaptive remeshing is used to compute the unsteady flow around the fin through five complete cycles. The pressure distribution on fin surface is computed and integrated to provide fin forces which are decomposed into lift and thrust. The velocity field is also computed throughout the swimming cycle. Finally, a comparison is conducted to reveal the dynamics of force generation according to the kinematic parameters of the undulatory fin (amplitude, frequency and wavelength).展开更多
Journal bearings are important parts to keep the high dynamic performance of rotor machinery. Some methods have already been proposed to analysis the flow field of journal bearings, and in most of these methods simpli...Journal bearings are important parts to keep the high dynamic performance of rotor machinery. Some methods have already been proposed to analysis the flow field of journal bearings, and in most of these methods simplified physical model and classic Reynolds equation are always applied. While the application of the general computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-fluid structure interaction (FSI) techniques is more beneficial for analysis of the fluid field in a journal bearing when more detailed solutions are needed. This paper deals with the quasi-coupling calculation of transient fluid dynamics of oil film in journal bearings and rotor dynamics with CFD-FSI techniques. The fluid dynamics of oil film is calculated by applying the so-called "dynamic mesh" technique. A new mesh movement approacb is presented while the dynamic mesh models provided by FLUENT are not suitable for the transient oil flow in journal bearings. The proposed mesh movement approach is based on the structured mesh. When the joumal moves, the movement distance of every grid in the flow field of bearing can be calculated, and then the update of the volume mesh can be handled automatically by user defined function (UDF). The journal displacement at each time step is obtained by solving the moving equations of the rotor-bearing system under the known oil film force condition. A case study is carried out to calculate the locus of the journal center and pressure distribution of the journal in order to prove the feasibility of this method. The calculating results indicate that the proposed method can predict the transient flow field of a journal bearing in a rotor-bearing system where more realistic models are involved. The presented calculation method provides a basis for studying the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a general rotor-bearing system.展开更多
Turbulence in the wake generated by wind flow over buildings or obstacles may produce complex flow patterns in downstream areas.Examples include the recirculating flow and wind deficit areas behind an airport terminal...Turbulence in the wake generated by wind flow over buildings or obstacles may produce complex flow patterns in downstream areas.Examples include the recirculating flow and wind deficit areas behind an airport terminal building and their potential impacts on the aircraft landing on nearby runways.A computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulation of the wind flow over an airport terminal building was performed in this study of the effect of the building wake on landing aircraft.Under normal meteorological conditions,the studied airport terminal building causes limited effects on landing aircraft because most of the aircraft have already landed before entering the turbulent wake region.By simulating the approach of a tropical cyclone,additional CFD sensitivity tests were performed to study the impacts of building wake under extreme meteorological conditions.It was found that,in a narrow range of prevalent wind directions with wind speeds larger than a certain threshold value,a substantial drop in wind speed(>3.6 m/s) along the glide path of aircraft was observed in the building wake.Our CFD results also showed that under the most critical situation,a drop in wind speed as large as 6.4 m/s occurred right at the touchdown point of landing aircraft on the runway,an effect which may have a significant impact on aircraft operations.This study indicated that a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of building wake on aircraft operations should be carried out for airport terminals and associated buildings in airfields to ensure safe aviation operation under all meteorological conditions and to facilitate implementation of precautionary measures.展开更多
The computational fluid dynamics(CFD) code, FLUENT, was used to simulate the liquid-phase FCC diesel hydrotreating tubular reactor with a ceramic membrane tube dispenser. The chemical reaction and reaction heat were a...The computational fluid dynamics(CFD) code, FLUENT, was used to simulate the liquid-phase FCC diesel hydrotreating tubular reactor with a ceramic membrane tube dispenser. The chemical reaction and reaction heat were added to the model by user-defined function(UDF), showing the distribution of temperature and content of sulfides, nitrides, bicyclic aromatics and monocyclic aromatics in different parts of the reaction bed. When the pressure was 6.5 MPa, the amount of mixing hydrogen was 0.84%(m), the space velocity was 2 h-1 and the inlet temperature was 633 K, the temperature reached a maximum at a height of 0.15 m, and the range of radial temperature reached its maximum(2.5 K) at a height of 0.15 m. It indicated that the proper ratio of height to diameter of catalyst bed in the tubular reactor was 5-6. The increase of inlet temperature, the mixing hydrogen and the decrease of space velocity led to the decrease in the content of bicyclic aromatics, sulfides and nitrides, and the increase in monocyclic aromatics content, while the high temperature increased. The results were in good agreement with experimental data, indicating to the high accuracy of the model.展开更多
According to the recently developed single-trough floating machine with the world's largest volume(inflatable mechanical agitation flotation machine with volume of 320 m3) in China, the gas-fluid two-phase flow in...According to the recently developed single-trough floating machine with the world's largest volume(inflatable mechanical agitation flotation machine with volume of 320 m3) in China, the gas-fluid two-phase flow in flotation cell was simulated using computational fluid dynamics method. It is shown that hexahedral mesh scheme is more suitable for the complex structure of the flotation cell than tetrahedral mesh scheme, and a mesh quality ranging from 0.7 to 1.0 is obtained. Comparative studies of the standard k-ε, k-ω and realizable k-ε turbulence models were carried out. It is indicated that the standard k-ε turbulence model could give a result relatively close to the practice and the liquid phase flow field is well characterized. In addition, two obvious recirculation zones are formed in the mixing zones, and the pressure on the rotor and stator is well characterized. Furthermore, the simulation results using improved standard k-ε turbulence model show that surface tension coefficient of 0.072, drag model of Grace and coefficient of 4, and lift coefficient of 0.001 can be achieved. The research results suggest that gas-fluid two-phase flow in large flotation cell can be well simulated using computational fluid dynamics method.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the Key Specialty Construction Project of Shanghai Pudong New Area Health Commission(PWZzk2022-17)the Featured Clinical Discipline Project of Shanghai Pudong District(PWYts2021-06)+2 种基金the Fund from Shanghai East Hospital(DFLC2022019,DFRC2018014 and 2024-DFZD-005DS)Hutchison Research Fund(2025HH-015)the Science and Technology Development Project of Medical and Health of Shandong Province(202010000131 and 202104070065)。
摘要Background:The analysis and prediction of pancreaticobiliary reflux(PBR)play a crucial role in planning surgical interventions for hepato-biliary-pancreatic diseases,considering the uncertain mechanism behind it.However,current practices are limited by fragmented clinical observations,making it challenging to visualize the complex phenomenon in the pancreaticobiliary junction(PBJ)through imaging and radiography experiments.This study aimed to comprehensively describe the retrograde flow characteristics in various PBR scenarios and assess the factors leading to PBR using simulations based on idealized geometry and boundary conditions.Methods:By Cadence Pointwise,we developed a computational fluid dynamics(CFD)model using an idealized PBJ system.Standard parameters such as pressure and viscosity were applied,along with typical assumptions relevant to fluid dynamic modeling.Subsequently,based on the aforementioned basic idealized model,we analyzed 8 hypothetical PBR conditions,covering a range of high(shorter)and low(longer)values or different positions for each specific parameter,at a representative stage of a peristaltic propagation cycle of the Oddi's sphincter.Results:We modeled a two-dimensional PBJ with the propagation of a peristaltic wave.These findings demonstrated that the shortened septum,the extended ampulla,the increased wavelength and enhanced amplitude of the Oddi's sphincterial peristalsis,the widened diameter difference and the increased pressure difference between the common bile duct(CBD)and the main pancreatic duct(MPD),as well as the gravitational effect(position),strongly impacted PBR,while the viscosity of bile and pancreatic juice had a weaker influence.Additionally,an inequality incorporating these risk factors was developed for the evaluation of whether reflux occurs.Conclusions:Numerical simulation can be used to describe the reflux flow field,offering the possibility to visualize and analyze PBR,which has the potential to significantly revolutionize the understanding of PBR and improve clinical decision-making.Future work should focus on bridging the gap between CFD and clinical practice.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52425805 and U2569208)Development Fund of Tunnel and Underground Engineering Research Center of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.2021-SDJJ-04).
摘要Tidal waves,intermittent rainfall,and fluctuations in water levels,which create cyclic hydraulic gradients,can exacerbate the migration of fine particles within soils and lead to deterioration in stability.However,macroscale experimental methods struggle to capture the microscopic deformations that occur during seepage-induced erosion.Therefore,this study,which is based on the coupled computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method(CFD–DEM)coupling method,investigates the contact mechanical mechanisms that induce macroscopic deformation under cyclic hydraulic gradients by considering the effects of different amplitudes and frequencies.The results show that the erosion mass of fine particles increases in a stepwise manner,with a multipeak variation in the erosion rate,and both the erosion amount and intensity are greater under constant gradient conditions.Fine particles erode primarily near the contact surface and,after migration,accumulate mainly in the coarse particle layers close to the contact surface.Increasing the amplitude and frequency of the cyclic hydraulic gradient leads to more fine particle blockages within the coarse particle layer.The cyclic hydraulic gradient causes the contact force chain network to repeatedly break and reorganize,reducing the shear strengths of the soil and resulting in more pronounced anisotropy in the contact force distribution.
摘要Predicting pressure drop in structured packed beds is critical for the design of industrial chemical reactors and heat exchangers.While particle-resolved Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)offers high fidelity,its prohibitive computational cost for large-scale systems necessitates efficient modeling strategies.This study introduces a novel pathway analogy for fluid flow through structured packed beds in a simple cubic arrangement.The approach deconstructs the complex interstitial flow field into a finite set of discrete,hydraulically independent pathways—classified as full,half,or quarter based on their proximity to the container walls.High-fidelity CFD simulations confirm that cross-flow between these pathways is negligible(<1%)both in laminar and turbulent regimes,justifying their treatment as independent flow units.Universal correlations for the friction factor and a normalized pressure drop are derived for each pathway type as a function of Reynolds number,demonstrating negligible dependence on particle diameter.These foundational correlations are synthesized into a mechanistic engineering model that reconstructs the total pressure drop for a bed of any dimension by summing the weighted contributions of all individual pathways.The model is rigorously validated against experimental data from the literature,showing strong agreement across a wide range of Reynolds numbers and bed configurations.This pathway analogy provides a robust,physics-based framework for drastic computational domain reduction,offering a valuable tool for the efficient design and scaling of structured packed bed systems.
基金funded by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS/1/2024/TK10/UKM/02/7).
摘要This review provides a comprehensive and systematic examination of Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)techniques and methodologies applied to the development of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWTs).Although VAWTs offer significant advantages for urban wind applications,such as omnidirectional wind capture and a compact,ground-accessible design,they face substantial aerodynamic challenges,including dynamic stall,blade-wake interactions,and continuously varying angles of attack throughout their rotation.The review critically evaluates how CFD has been leveraged to address these challenges,detailing the modelling frameworks,simulation setups,mesh strategies,turbulence models,and boundary condition treatments adopted in the literature.Special attention is given to the comparative performance of 2-D vs.3-D simulations,static and dynamic meshing techniques(sliding,overset,morphing),and the impact of near-wall resolution on prediction fidelity.Moreover,this review maps the evolution of CFD tools in capturing key performance indicators including power coefficient,torque,flow separation,and wake dynamics,while highlighting both achievements and current limitations.The synthesis of studies reveals best practices,identifies gaps in simulation fidelity and validation strategies,and outlines critical directions for future research,particularly in high-fidelity modelling and cost-effective simulation of urban-scale VAWTs.By synthesizing insights from over a hundred referenced studies,this review serves as a consolidated resource to advance VAWT design and performance optimization through CFD.These include studies on various aspects such as blade geometry refinement,turbulence modeling,wake interaction mitigation,tip-loss reduction,dynamic stall control,and other aerodynamic and structural improvements.This,in turn,supports their broader integration into sustainable energy systems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Basic Science Center Program for“Multiscale Problems in Nonlinear Mechanics”(Grant No.11988102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12202451).
摘要This paper investigates the capabilities of large language models(LLMs)to leverage,learn and create knowledge in solving computational fluid dynamics(CFD)problems through three categories of baseline problems.These categories include(1)conventional CFD problems that can be solved using existing numerical methods in LLMs,such as lid-driven cavity flow and the Sod shock tube problem;(2)problems that require new numerical methods beyond those available in LLMs,such as the recently developed Chien-physics-informed neural networks for singularly perturbed convection-diffusion equations;and(3)problems that cannot be solved using existing numerical methods in LLMs,such as the ill-conditioned Hilbert linear algebraic systems.The evaluations indicate that reasoning LLMs overall outperform non-reasoning models in four test cases.Reasoning LLMs show excellent performance for CFD problems according to the tailored prompts,but their current capability in autonomous knowledge exploration and creation needs to be enhanced.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50435030)
摘要Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulations are adopted to investigate rectangular microchannel flows with various periodic micro-structured wall by introducing velocity slip boundary condition at low Reynolds number. The purpose of the current study is to numerically find out the effects of periodic micro-structured wall on the flow resistance in rectangular microchannel with the different spacings between microridges ranging from 15 to 60 pm. The simulative results indicate that pressure drop with different spacing between microridges increases linearly with flow velocity and decreases monotonically with slip velocity; Pressure drop reduction also increases with the spacing between microridges at the same condition of slip velocity and flow velocity. The results of numerical simulation are compared with theoretical predictions and experimental results in the literatures. It is found that there is qualitative agreement between them.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52306126,22350710788,12432010,11988102,92270203)the Xplore Prize.
摘要Configuring computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulations typically demands extensive domain expertise,limiting broader access.Although large language models(LLMs)have advanced scientific computing,their use in automating CFD workflows is underdeveloped.We introduce a novel approach centered on domain-specific LLM adaptation.By fine-tuning Qwen2.5-7B-Instruct on NL2FOAM,our custom dataset of 28,716 natural language-to-OpenFOAM configuration pairs with chain-of-thought(CoT)annotations enables direct translation from natural language descriptions to executable CFD setups.A multi-agent system orchestrates the process,autonomously verifying inputs,generating configurations,running simulations,and correcting errors.Evaluation on a benchmark of 21 diverse flow cases demonstrates state-of-the-art performance,achieving 88.7%solution accuracy and 82.6%first-attempt success rate.This significantly outperforms larger general-purpose models such as Qwen2.5-72B-Instruct,DeepSeek-R1,and Llama3.3-70B-Instruct,while also requiring fewer correction iterations and maintaining high computational efficiency.The results highlight the critical role of domain-specific adaptation in deploying LLM assistants for complex engineering workflows.Our code and fine-tuned model have been deposited at http://gffzz188fe103f8f1460aswq9cqkcbq65o65u6.ffgz.tsg.suse.edu.cn/YYgroup/AutoCFD.
基金supported by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia for the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme[FRGS/1/2023/TK04/USM/03/1].
摘要Conventional oncology faces challenges such as suboptimal drug delivery,tumor heterogeneity,and therapeutic resistance,indicating a need formore personalized,andmechanistically grounded and predictive treatment strategies.This review explores the convergence of Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)and Machine Learning(ML)as an integrated framework to address these issues in modern cancer therapy.The paper discusses recent advancements where CFD models simulate complex tumor microenvironmental conditions,like interstitial fluid pressure(IFP)and drug perfusion,and ML enhances simulation workflows,automates image-based segmentation,and enhances predictive accuracy.The synergy between CFD and ML improves scalability and enables patientspecific treatment planning.Methodologically,it coversmulti-scalemodeling approaches,nanotherapeutic simulations,imaging integration,and emerging AI-driven frameworks.The paper identifies gaps in current applications,including the need for robust clinical validation,real-time model adaptability,and ethical data integration.Future directions suggest that CFD–ML hybrids could serve as digital twins for tumor evolution,offering insights for adaptive therapies.The review advocates for a computationally augmented oncology ecosystem that combines biological complexity with engineering precision for next-generation cancer care.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.U22A20241 and 21876105)Shaanxi“Scientist&Engineer”Team(No.2023KXJ-131)Xianyang Key S&T Special Projects(No.L2023-ZDKJ-QCY-SXGG-GY-007).
摘要Electrocatalytic oxidation is a promising technology for wastewater treatment,but poor mass transfer and low current efficiency impaded its engineering applications.To address these issues,researchers have developed flow-through electrochemical reactors(FERs)primarily based on porous electrodes,where the pore structure significantly impacts the electrochemical reaction.Therefore,this study systematically investigated the impact of different pore sizes on the fluid dynamics,current potential distribution,mass transfer processes,and degradation performance of FERs.Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)results indicated that smaller pore sizes(10μm,30μm,and 60μm)significantly enhanced convective effects within the fluid,reduced short fluid paths and dead volume regions within the microchannels,and facilitated mass transfer processes.Additionally,smaller pore sizes were conducive to a uniform distribution of current density.Furthermore,Fe(CN)64−oxidation experiments revealed that the current density at a pore size of 160μm was notably lower than that at 10μm,indicating slower mass transfer of Fe(CN)64−within larger channels.Calculations based on experimental results demonstrated that the mass transfer rate at a pore size of 10μm was six times than that at 160μm,further confirming the enhancing effect of smaller pore sizes on the mass transfer process.Lastly,experiments on tetracycline degradation showed that at a residence time of 90 s,the removal efficiencies of tetracycline were 80%and 39.1%for porous electrodes with pore sizes of 10μm and 160μm,respectively,demonstrating the superior removal efficiency of smaller pore sizes for tetracycline degradation.
摘要The main ideas in the development of the solvent extraction mixer settler focused on achieving clean phase separation,minimizing the loss of the reagents and decreasing the surface area of the settlers.The role of baffles in a mechanically agitated vessel is to ensure even distribution,reduce settler turbulence,promote the stability of power drawn by the impeller and to prevent swirling and vortexing of liquid,thus,greatly improving the mixing of liquid.The insertion of the appropriate number of baffles clearly improves the extent of liquid mixing.However,excessive baffling would interrupt liquid mixing and lengthen the mixing time.Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) provides a tool for determining detailed information on fluid flow(hydrodynamics) which is necessary for modeling subprocesses in mixer settler.A total of 54 final CFD runs were carried out representing different combinations of variables like number of baffles,density and impeller speed.CFD data shows that amount of separation increases with increasing baffles number and decreasing impeller speed.
摘要Computational fluid dynamics(CFD)provides a powerful tool for investigating complicated fluid flows.This paper aims to study the applicability of CFD in the preliminary design of linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers.Two fluid viscous dampers were designed based on CFD models.The first device was a linear viscous damper with straight orifices.The second was a nonlinear viscous damper containing a one-way pressure-responsive valve inside its orifices.Both dampers were detailed based on CFD simulations,and their internal fluid flows were investigated.Full-scale specimens of both dampers were manufactured and tested under dynamic loads.According to the tests results,both dampers demonstrate stable cyclic behaviors,and as expected,the nonlinear damper generally tends to dissipate more energy compared to its linear counterpart.Good compatibility was achieved between the experimentally measured damper force-velocity curves and those estimated from CFD analyses.Using a thermography camera,a rise in temperature of the dampers was measured during the tests.It was found that output force of the manufactured devices was virtually independent of temperature even during long duration loadings.Accordingly,temperature dependence can be ignored in CFD models,because a reliable temperature compensator mechanism was used(or intended to be used)by the damper manufacturer.
摘要This paper presents a time-efficient numerical approach to modelling high explosive(HE)blastwave propagation using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD).One of the main issues of using conventional CFD modelling in high explosive simulations is the ability to accurately define the initial blastwave properties that arise from the ignition and consequent explosion.Specialised codes often employ Jones-Wilkins-Lee(JWL)or similar equation of state(EOS)to simulate blasts.However,most available CFD codes are limited in terms of EOS modelling.They are restrictive to the Ideal Gas Law(IGL)for compressible flows,which is generally unsuitable for blast simulations.To this end,this paper presents a numerical approach to simulate blastwave propagation for any generic CFD code using the IGL EOS.A new method known as the Input Cavity Method(ICM)is defined where input conditions of the high explosives are given in the form of pressure,velocity and temperature time-history curves.These time history curves are input at a certain distance from the centre of the charge.It is shown that the ICM numerical method can accurately predict over-pressure and impulse time history at measured locations for the incident,reflective and complex multiple reflection scenarios with high numerical accuracy compared to experimental measurements.The ICM is compared to the Pressure Bubble Method(PBM),a common approach to replicating initial conditions for a high explosive in Finite Volume modelling.It is shown that the ICM outperforms the PBM on multiple fronts,such as peak values and overall overpressure curve shape.Finally,the paper also presents the importance of choosing an appropriate solver between the Pressure Based Solver(PBS)and Density-Based Solver(DBS)and provides the advantages and disadvantages of either choice.In general,it is shown that the PBS can resolve and capture the interactions of blastwaves to a higher degree of resolution than the DBS.This is achieved at a much higher computational cost,showing that the DBS is much preferred for quick turnarounds.
基金“Strategic Cooperation of Science and Technology between Nanchong City and Southwest Petroleum University 2018” Special Fund Project,China(Nos.18SXHZ0030,18SXHZ0054)
摘要To find out and improve the flow characteristics inside the intake system of cylinder head,the application of computational fluid dynamics(CFD)in the evaluation and optimization of the reconstructed intake system based on slicing reverse method was proposed.The flow characteristics were found out through CFD,and the velocity vector field,pressure field and turbulent kinetic energy field for different valve lifts were discussed,which were in good agreement with experimental data,and the quality of reconstruction was evaluated.In order to improve its flow characteristic,an optimization plan was proposed.The results show that the flow characteristics after optimization are obviously improved.The results can provide a reference for the design and optimization of the intake system of cylinder head.
基金This project is supported by Provincial Science Technology Committee of Jiangsu China(No.BJ99025).
摘要Instantaneous flow field and temperature field of the two-phase fluid are measured by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and steady state method during the state of onflow. A turbulent two-phase fluid model of stirred bioreactor with punched impeller is established by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), using a rotating coordinate system and sliding mesh to describe the relative motion between impeller and baffles. The simulation and experiment results of flow and temperature field prove their warps are less than 10% and the mathematic model can well simulate the fields, which will also provide the study on optimized-design and scale-up of bioreactors with reference value.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFF0707601).
摘要The airflow mechanics in adult nasal airways,whether healthy or abnormal,are extensively studied and investigated,but the flow mechanics in child nasal airways remain underexplored.This study investigates the airflow mechanics in the child’s nasal upper airway with adenoid hypertrophy,with an adenoid nasopharyngeal ratio(AN of 0.9),under cyclic inhalation and exhalation.An inlet respiratory cycle with three different flow rates(3.2 L/min calm breathing,8.6 L/min normal breathing,and 19.3 L/min intensive breathing)was simulated by using the computational fluid dynamics approach.To better capture the interaction between airflow and the flexible airway tissue,fluid-structure interaction analysis was performed at the normal breathing rate.Comparing the airflow dynamics during inhalation and exhalation,the pressure drops,nasal resistance,and wall shear stress show significant differences in the nasopharyngeal region for all different flow rates.This observation suggests that the inertial effect associated with the transient flow is important during exhalation and inhalation.Furthermore,the considerable temporal variation in flow rate distribution across a specific cross-section of the nasal airway highlights the critical role of transient data in virtual surgery planning and data for clinical decisions.
摘要Many fishes use undulatory fin to propel themselves in the underwater environment. These locomotor mechanisms have a popular interest to many researchers. In the present study, we perform a three-dimensional unsteady computation of an undulatory mechanical fin that is driven by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). The objective of the computation is to investigate the fluid dynamics of force production associated with the undulatory mechanical fin. An unstructured, grid-based, unsteady Navier-Stokes solver with automatic adaptive remeshing is used to compute the unsteady flow around the fin through five complete cycles. The pressure distribution on fin surface is computed and integrated to provide fin forces which are decomposed into lift and thrust. The velocity field is also computed throughout the swimming cycle. Finally, a comparison is conducted to reveal the dynamics of force generation according to the kinematic parameters of the undulatory fin (amplitude, frequency and wavelength).
基金supported by National Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, Grant No. 2009AA04Z413)Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. Y1110109)
摘要Journal bearings are important parts to keep the high dynamic performance of rotor machinery. Some methods have already been proposed to analysis the flow field of journal bearings, and in most of these methods simplified physical model and classic Reynolds equation are always applied. While the application of the general computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-fluid structure interaction (FSI) techniques is more beneficial for analysis of the fluid field in a journal bearing when more detailed solutions are needed. This paper deals with the quasi-coupling calculation of transient fluid dynamics of oil film in journal bearings and rotor dynamics with CFD-FSI techniques. The fluid dynamics of oil film is calculated by applying the so-called "dynamic mesh" technique. A new mesh movement approacb is presented while the dynamic mesh models provided by FLUENT are not suitable for the transient oil flow in journal bearings. The proposed mesh movement approach is based on the structured mesh. When the joumal moves, the movement distance of every grid in the flow field of bearing can be calculated, and then the update of the volume mesh can be handled automatically by user defined function (UDF). The journal displacement at each time step is obtained by solving the moving equations of the rotor-bearing system under the known oil film force condition. A case study is carried out to calculate the locus of the journal center and pressure distribution of the journal in order to prove the feasibility of this method. The calculating results indicate that the proposed method can predict the transient flow field of a journal bearing in a rotor-bearing system where more realistic models are involved. The presented calculation method provides a basis for studying the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a general rotor-bearing system.
基金supported by the Committee for Research and Conference Grants (CRCG) of The University of Hong Kong,China
摘要Turbulence in the wake generated by wind flow over buildings or obstacles may produce complex flow patterns in downstream areas.Examples include the recirculating flow and wind deficit areas behind an airport terminal building and their potential impacts on the aircraft landing on nearby runways.A computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulation of the wind flow over an airport terminal building was performed in this study of the effect of the building wake on landing aircraft.Under normal meteorological conditions,the studied airport terminal building causes limited effects on landing aircraft because most of the aircraft have already landed before entering the turbulent wake region.By simulating the approach of a tropical cyclone,additional CFD sensitivity tests were performed to study the impacts of building wake under extreme meteorological conditions.It was found that,in a narrow range of prevalent wind directions with wind speeds larger than a certain threshold value,a substantial drop in wind speed(>3.6 m/s) along the glide path of aircraft was observed in the building wake.Our CFD results also showed that under the most critical situation,a drop in wind speed as large as 6.4 m/s occurred right at the touchdown point of landing aircraft on the runway,an effect which may have a significant impact on aircraft operations.This study indicated that a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of building wake on aircraft operations should be carried out for airport terminals and associated buildings in airfields to ensure safe aviation operation under all meteorological conditions and to facilitate implementation of precautionary measures.
摘要The computational fluid dynamics(CFD) code, FLUENT, was used to simulate the liquid-phase FCC diesel hydrotreating tubular reactor with a ceramic membrane tube dispenser. The chemical reaction and reaction heat were added to the model by user-defined function(UDF), showing the distribution of temperature and content of sulfides, nitrides, bicyclic aromatics and monocyclic aromatics in different parts of the reaction bed. When the pressure was 6.5 MPa, the amount of mixing hydrogen was 0.84%(m), the space velocity was 2 h-1 and the inlet temperature was 633 K, the temperature reached a maximum at a height of 0.15 m, and the range of radial temperature reached its maximum(2.5 K) at a height of 0.15 m. It indicated that the proper ratio of height to diameter of catalyst bed in the tubular reactor was 5-6. The increase of inlet temperature, the mixing hydrogen and the decrease of space velocity led to the decrease in the content of bicyclic aromatics, sulfides and nitrides, and the increase in monocyclic aromatics content, while the high temperature increased. The results were in good agreement with experimental data, indicating to the high accuracy of the model.
基金Project(51074027)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
摘要According to the recently developed single-trough floating machine with the world's largest volume(inflatable mechanical agitation flotation machine with volume of 320 m3) in China, the gas-fluid two-phase flow in flotation cell was simulated using computational fluid dynamics method. It is shown that hexahedral mesh scheme is more suitable for the complex structure of the flotation cell than tetrahedral mesh scheme, and a mesh quality ranging from 0.7 to 1.0 is obtained. Comparative studies of the standard k-ε, k-ω and realizable k-ε turbulence models were carried out. It is indicated that the standard k-ε turbulence model could give a result relatively close to the practice and the liquid phase flow field is well characterized. In addition, two obvious recirculation zones are formed in the mixing zones, and the pressure on the rotor and stator is well characterized. Furthermore, the simulation results using improved standard k-ε turbulence model show that surface tension coefficient of 0.072, drag model of Grace and coefficient of 4, and lift coefficient of 0.001 can be achieved. The research results suggest that gas-fluid two-phase flow in large flotation cell can be well simulated using computational fluid dynamics method.