Azore CFD vs. Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) Comparison Chart

Pros

• As a CFD user, one of the most important factors is the accuracy of a solver. The physics that Azore is designed to simulate - laminar or turbulent incompressible flow with options for conjugate heat transfer, steady or transient - are all validated against relevant benchmark cases. Unlike a software like Fluent that can sometimes produce unexpected flow fields (unlikely to represent actual physics), a model that converges in Azore can be trusted with higher confidence. And if a model is set up incorrectly or has discrepancies, the model will reliably diverge and provide helpful messages in the logfiles, that can then be used to troubleshoot. In this way, there is little ambiguity and good repeatability in successful models. With the addition of the k-omega SST model a few years ago, Azore is better able to predict shear stresses at the boundary layer and this has proven useful in cases with flow separation like vortex shedding, for instance. Having run similar cases in Fluent, I consistently feel that model setup is significantly simpler in Azore. The text file format for all inputs and settings makes it straightforward to edit, control and replicate cases. Azore is able to run with meshes from various sources and even provides useful metrics to check the quality before running the model. When you import a new mesh, you can easily replicate an old case’s settings by importing that database (provided you maintain consistent BC naming conventions). Visualizing results and post processing is a breeze in Azore, with thoughtfully crafted options for rendering the model, vectors, scenes and animations. I have sometimes exported a Fluent case and ip solution to Azore just to quickly troubleshoot issues and identify solutions much faster than would be possible in other CFD software. The animate data option also allows you to have access to all variables during the run, so you can inspect output as the run proceeds. This too supports the troubleshooting process. Lastly, the depth of knowledge of the team behind this software and the associated company is rare and largely unmatched. Any technical input received by someone from Azore CFD is likely based on decades of research and application experience. This is a great resource that comes with using the software. The reason you will get targeted help is that Airflow Sciences Corporation employees use this software for modeling a myriad of applications on a daily basis. So Azore is constantly being tested and validated by several engineers, and there is a tight feedback loop with the developers.
• Azore is a simple, easy to use CFD tool that excels at solving general flow fields. Strong post processing abilities; with a small amount of scripting knowledge one can automate creating nicely formatted reports. Customer support is also very good.
• The overall visualization provided by Azore is fantastic. Seeing the flow path in motion helps both technical and non technical colleagues understand a project.
• The solver is very robust. It is also easy to setup an analysis using Azore GUI. The calculation speed is very fast, especially in cases of large models.
• Across the variety of commercial CFD solvers I have worked with over the years, this is the single most intuitive CFD solver I have worked with for every aspect of the entire CFD process. Many CFD solvers spend way too much effort on showing you all of the possible options for tuning the case and solver. Azore very well organizes every aspect of your case, from mesh import and setup to post processing, into a very straightforward linear path, allowing for efficient, direct CFD setup, and a very easy learning curve. It is very easy to find every setting available and to configure and automate your CFD runs with various boundary conditions. This is extended to post-processing CFD results, where every aspect of your solution data is available to be quickly accessed and exported to a multitude of formats.