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Ansys CFX
Turbomachinery CFD Software

Ansys CFX is the industry leading CFD software for turbomachinery applications. Shorten development time with streamlined workflows, advanced physics modeling capabilities and accurate results.

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FAST, ACCURATE RESULTS

State-of-the-art Technologies for Turbomachinery

Known for its extreme robustness, CFX is the gold standard CFD software when it comes to turbomachinery applications. Both solver and models are wrapped in a modern, intuitive, and flexible GUI, with extensive capabilities for customization and automation using session files, scripting and a powerful expression language. Highly scalable high-performance computing will help speed up simulations including pumps, fans, compressors and turbines.

  • Streamlined Turbo Setup and Post
    Streamlined Turbo Setup and Post
  • Rotor-stator Interaction Models
    Rotor-stator Interaction Models
  • Transient Blade Row Methods
    Transient Blade Row Methods
  • Highly Scalable HPC
    Highly Scalable HPC
State-of-the-art Technologies for Turbomachinery

Quick Specs

Get industry leading accuracy with Ansys CFX. This tool quickly solves turbomachinery problems and provides engineers with more time to focus on their design.   

  • Streamlined Turbo Setups
  • Harmonic Balance Methods
  • Advanced Steam and Real-gas Models
  • Performance Map Automation
  • Expressions
  • Rotor-stator Interaction
  • HPC Scalability
  • Industry Leading Turbulence Modeling
  • Transient Blade Row Methods
  • Blade Film Cooling
  • Blade Design Tool Integration
  • Multi-stage CFD Modeling

Weaving In and Out

Ansys CFX lets engineers investigate thermal properties of new and complex turbine blade geometries.

Weaving In and Out

“Other codes that were tried in this application often did not converge at this node spacing [0.001mm]. The researchers validated the CFD results against a test problem consisting of a planar jet impinging on a flat plate and achieved very good correlation.”

New manufacturing methods have opened the door to more effective turbine cooling channel geometries. The new geometries will lead to better performance and efficiency but are more complex. To achieve highly accurate results, a team of Purdue engineers turned to Ansys CFX.

The engineers executed key computations with little turnaround time. With the extra time, they could perform more in-depth comparisons and run further simulations to fully optimize their product. Ansys CFX gave them the tools to land on a multi-mesh “weave” design. The new turbine design runs with much cooler blades and has been implemented at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

July 2025

What's New

In 2025 R2, Ansys CFX software updates include mixed fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interfaces, generalized model force (beta) and couple CFX and Fluent at flow boundaries via system coupling.

Mixed Fluid/Solid Interfaces

Domain interfaces with mixed fluid-fluid and fluid-solid connections simplify case setup. The turbine blade CHT setup is simplified since the flow passage mesh can connect to both the CHT solid mesh (fluid-solid) and the interior fluid mesh (fluid-fluid).

Aeromechanics – Generalized Model Force (beta)

CFX now includes a built-in calculation of generalized force on boundaries, enabling users to better assess the convergence of the forcing term in a forced response calculation.

Coupling at flow boundaries (beta)

Couple CFX and Fluent at flow boundaries via System Coupling. Supports coupling at inlets, outlets, and opening boundaries. Helpful in connecting turbomachinery components in CFX to upstream/downstream components in Fluent.    

Applications

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Gas Turbines

Gas Turbines

Ansys gas turbine simulation solution enables you to design and optimize the next generation of gas turbines.

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Rotating Machinery

Rotating Machinery

Ansys rotating machinery simulation helps you to improve your designs of fans, pumps, and compressors by increasing efficiency, safety and durability.

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Ansys CFX CAPABILITIES

Ansys CFX is the industry leading CFD software for turbomachinery applications

Ansys CFX’s advanced physics modeling capabilities help engineers solve the most complex challenges in turbomachinery applications. This powerful software has been extensively validated and is renowned for its robustness and accuracy. Streamlined turbo setups and blade design tool integration ensures that you have more time to spend optimizing your design. Whether it’s used for blade design optimization or advanced material modeling, CFX is the reliable tool you can use to save both time and money.

Ansys CFX Capabilities

 

Key Features

Solve a variety of fluids-related problems with high levels of accuracy and unmatched speed

  • Blade design and optimization
  • Aeromechanics
  • Industry leading turbulence modeling
  • Nuclear Wall boiling
  • Advanced material modeling

Streamlined workflows with blade design integration to help optimize your design.

Streamline your workflow starting from our blade design tools or software partner offerings, from design to mesh to a robust result. Design tools and optimization methods are integrated into our turbo workflows for the best design improvements.

Improve safety of rotating components with accurate aeromechanical simulations.

Early aeromechanical simulations help improve safety and durability of rotating components. Transient blade row (TBR) methods are used to reduce geometry from a full-wheel to a single passage.  Problems are solved with time marching or harmonic balance.

A wide range of turbulence models are available, allowing you to choose the best model for your application. CFX also includes the industry leading Generalized k-ω (GEKO) model. GEKO is a revolutionary concept with tunable coefficients that can be adjusted to different flow regimes.

Accurately model wall boiling and calculate the critical heat flux using validated models for bubble growth, phase change, drag and non-drag forces.

Get the most accurate results with real gas and fluids properties

CFX’s advanced material modeling help generate the most accurate results. Real gas and fluid property tables can be created from the REFPROP database using adaptive methods to efficiently resolve changes in material properties (near critical point, for example). Liquid water and steam properties are selectable from the built-in IAPWS database.

FAQs

Ansys CFX is a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool that allows you to design and optimize turbomachinery, including pumps, turbines, compressors, fans, and other rotating machinery. CFX is known for being the gold standard in accuracy for turbomachinery with extensive industry validation. CFX helps you improve your turbomachinery designs by improving efficiency, safety, and durability.

Ansys customers can learn CFX by taking one of our Ansys Training Courses, such as Ansys CFX - Getting Started.

The CEL expression volume()@DomainName will return the volume of the specified domain. A subdomain name or the name of any 3D mesh region can also be used in place of DomainName. You can also calculate volumes defined by solution variable values; for example in CFD Post you can create a Volume location and use the Isovolume option to define a volume where Pressure (or any other variable) is above, below or between specified values. Once that Volume location has been created in CFD Post, you can again use the volume()@LocationName expression to calculate its volume.

Current customers can download Ansys CFX from the Download Center in the Ansys Customer Portal.

To export CFX Solver results to formats such as CGNS, EnSight, FIELDVIEW, MSC.Patran, or another customized format, select Tools > Export Results from the menu bar of CFX Solver Manager. The exported file set consists of either a single file for non-transient results, or multiple files for transient results, each containing a complete mesh and flow solution.

Convergence history plots and user point plots are shown on the monitor tabs. Each monitor tab shows at least one plot of a variable versus a time step, where the variable can be an RMS, maximum residual, or a user-defined variable. The Monitor Properties dialog box is accessed by modifying a monitor in Workspace Properties or by right-clicking the graph area in any CFX Solver Manager tab. Monitor Properties can be used to change basic display settings, such as name and visibility, change the range or scale of the sequence chart, create and modify derived variables or select a variable set and configure specific plot line variables. For additional visualization (plots, streamlines, contours, etc.) and quantitative analysis options for the CFX simulations, it's possible to use CFD Post, a flexible, state-of-the-art postprocessor.

Ansys software is accessible

It's vital to Ansys that all users, including those with disabilities, can access our products. As such, we endeavor to follow accessibility requirements based on the US Access Board (Section 508), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and the current format of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

View VPAT Reports

Let’s Get Started

If you're facing engineering challenges, our team is here to assist. With a wealth of experience and a commitment to innovation, we invite you to reach out to us. Let's collaborate to turn your engineering obstacles into opportunities for growth and success. Contact us today to start the conversation.

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