Last Updated on June 18, 2026
OpenFOAM is a library of C++ routines which facilitate the numerical solution of partial differential equations. Using this library, many different solvers (included with the software) have been built to address many classes of problems in fluid dynamics (and other fields as well).
OpenFOAM is designed to be a flexible, programmable environment for simulation by having top-level code that is a direct representation of the equations being solved.
OpenFOAM includes numerous C++ classes for finite volume, finite element, and Lagrangian particle tracking. OpenFOAM also comes with numerous computational fluid dynamics, combustion, and heat transfer programs that demonstrate the capabilities and usage of OpenFOAM. These solvers are useful for a wide range of scientific and engineering applications and can be customized as needed.
Key Features
- Creating solvers:
- Users have total freedom to create or modify a solver.
- Compiled solvers tailored by a user for a specific need rather than ’bolt-on’ subroutines, making OpenFOAM ideal for research and development.
- All facilities — pre- and post-processing, models and utilities — are compiled using the OpenFOAM C++ library. This ensures consistency across the whole of the OpenFOAM distribution, rather than having a suite of packages compiled from entirely separate source code.
- Transparent solution algorithms which can be viewed by the user, encouraging better understanding of the underlying physics.
- Standard solvers:
- Basic CFD codes.
- Incompressible flow.
- Compressible flows.
- Multiphase flows.
- DNS and LES.
- Combustion.
- Heat transfer.
- Electromagnetics.
- Solid dynamics.
- Finance.
- AdjointShapeOptimizationFoam.
- magneticFoam.
- Block-matrix and solver framework.
- Pre-processing:
- FoamX, a JAVA/C++ graphic user interface (GUI) tool to manage case files
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- Set of utilities that perform specific pre-processing tasks.
- Post-processing:
- ParaFoam, a reader module for OpenFOAM data for the open source visualization application ParaView.
- Reader modules and data converters for post-processing with other third party products, including EnSight, Fieldview and AVS/Express.
- Wide set of utilities that perform specific post-processing tasks.
- Mesh processing:
- blockMesh, a simple mesh generator.
- Mesh conversion:
- Converter utilities for the major commercial mesh generators.
- Mesh manipulation:
- Several utilities that perform mesh checking and manipulation.
- Huge set of libraries: Turbulence, Large-eddy simulation (LES), Transport models, Thermophysical models, Lagrangian particle tracking, and Chemical kinetics.
- Surface film.
- Steady-state VoF.
- Lagrangian modelling.
- Thermophysical modelling.
- Arbitrary mesh interface (AMI).
- Free surface flows can be simulated.
- Physical modelling.
- Thermophysical modelling.
- Multiphase modelling.
- Run-time control.
- Runtime-selectable physics.
Website: www.openfoam.com
Support: Documentation
Developer: ESI Group
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
OpenFOAM is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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