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BEGINNER → INTERMEDIATE · OPENFOAM

OpenFOAM for Beginners: From Installation to Real Simulation

A practical OpenFOAM learning path from installation and Linux essentials through blockMesh, solver setup, ParaView, turbulence, SALOME meshing and a transient VOF dam-break project.

OpenFOAMblockMeshParaViewRANSSALOMEVOF / interFoam
WHAT YOU WILL BUILD

Learn OpenFOAM by completing real CFD workflows.

Start with installation and Linux essentials, then build cavity, elbow and square-cylinder cases, add turbulence, create meshes in SALOME, and finish with a parallel transient dam-break simulation using interFoam.

Core capability

  • Understand the OpenFOAM case structure: 0, constant and system.
  • Create and refine blockMesh meshes and diagnose mesh quality.
  • Configure numerical schemes, linear solvers, boundary conditions and turbulence models.
  • Run, monitor and post-process simulations in ParaView.

Advanced practical workflow

  • Convert meshes between Fluent and OpenFOAM.
  • Use SALOME geometry, groups, meshing and OpenFOAM conversion.
  • Set up RANS turbulence for engineering flows.
  • Run VOF/interFoam cases in parallel and reconstruct results.
CURRICULUM

8 chapters · 60 lessons · 5h 46m.

The webpage curriculum now follows the same chapter and lecture order as the source Udemy course, while each available lesson is explicitly mapped to its Cloudflare Stream UID.

Chapter 01
Get OpenFOAM Installed & Ready (Linux + Windows)4 lessons
  1. 001
    Meet OpenFOAM: The CFD Workflow You’ll Use Everywhere2:53
  2. 002
    Install OpenFOAM on Linux (Fast, Clean Setup)6:06
  3. 003
    Install OpenFOAM on Windows with WSL (The Reliable Way)6:46
  4. 004
    Linux Command-Line Survival Kit for OpenFOAM5:06
Chapter 02
Project 1: Lid-Driven Cavity (Your First Full CFD Simulation)17 lessons
  1. 005
    Your First OpenFOAM Case (Cavity) — Setup the Workspace6:27
  2. 006
    Create Your First Mesh blockMesh (blockMeshDict Explained)7:31
  3. 007
    Zero Folder Explained (U & p) | Boundary + Initial Condition5:25
  4. 008
    Physical Properties (transportProperties) | Viscosity (nu)2:00
  5. 009
    controlDict Explained | Time Control + Write Interval deltaT4:40
  6. 010
    fvSchemes + fvSolution Explained | Discretization, Solvers6:13
  7. 011
    Run icoFoam + Read the Log | Time Folders, and Residuals6:14
  8. 012
    ParaFoam ParaView Basics | Steps, Slice, Contour, Threshold10:07
  9. 013
    ParaView Glyphs & Stream Tracer (Vectors + Streamlines)4:44
  10. 014
    Mesh Refinement + mapFields (Coarse → Fine) for cavity7:23
  11. 015
    Compare Meshes in ParaView + postProcess + Plot Over Line8:44
  12. 016
    Graded Mesh with blockMesh (simpleGrading + Multi-Block)8:54
  13. 017
    Adjust deltaT for Graded Mesh + mapFields + Run icoFoam4:22
  14. 018
    Change Reynolds Number by Editing Viscosity3:52
  15. 019
    Turbulent Cavity with pisoFoam (k–ε RAS Model)7:50
  16. 020
    Modify Geometry (cavityClipped) + Non-Consistent mapFields7:28
  17. 021
    Post-Processing in ParaView (Feature Edges + Glyphs)4:06
Chapter 03
Project 2: Elbow Internal Flow (Fluent/Ansys Mesh Conversion + Real Results)4 lessons
  1. 022
    Finding the Elbow Tutorial + Importing a Fluent Mesh (fluentMeshToFoam)6:14
  2. 023
    Running the Case Properly: restore0Dir, controlDict, icoFoam, and ParaView6:50
  3. 024
    Understanding OpenFOAM Mesh Files: Inside constant/polyMesh8:18
  4. 025
    Exporting Back to Fluent: foamMeshToFluent + foamDataToFluent (Mesh + Results)3:57
Chapter 04
Project 3: Square Cylinder Flow (blockMesh + Reynolds Setup)13 lessons
  1. 026
    Square Cylinder Flow — Start a Case From Scratch3:22
  2. 027
    BlockMesh Decomposition — 8 Blocks + 32 Vertices3:58
  3. 028
    Write blockMeshDict From Scratch (Vertices + Hex Blocks)5:53
  4. 029
    blockMeshDict Boundaries — inlet/outlet, wall, symmetry, empty10:00
  5. 030
    Run blockMesh + Debug Errors (controlDict, polyMesh, hex fixes)4:45
  6. 031
    Mesh Refinement in ParaView — Grading Toward the Square Cylinder3:50
  7. 032
    Mesh Refinement Using a Grading Calculator (blockMesh + Reload)10:32
  8. 033
    Build Files (fvSchemes, fvSolution, transportProperties) + Set Re6:00
  9. 034
    Set Pressure/Velocity BCs (patch, wall, symmetry, empty)4:33
  10. 035
    Run icoFoam + Fix Patch Errors (symmetryPlane) — Laminar Result4:54
  11. 036
    checkMesh + renumberMesh — Validate Mesh Quality & Speed Up Solves6:48
  12. 037
    Understanding icoFoam Solver Structure (Time Loop + PISO + Files)8:30
  13. 038
    Full Case Checklist — constant, system, mesh, BCs (Square Cylinder)2:40
Chapter 05
Extra General Learning: Must-Know OpenFOAM Skills + Turbulence Made Simple2 lessons
  1. 039
    Must-Know OpenFOAM Skill: The Documentation Trick That Saves You Hours4:52
  2. 040
    Turbulence in CFD Explained in 5 Minutes: RANS vs LES vs DNS (Energy Spectrum)7:00
Chapter 06
Turbulence Made Practical (Square Cylinder: Laminar → RANS)5 lessons
  1. 041
    Build the Turbulent Case: Add turbulence + Start k-ε7:00
  2. 042
    Turbulence Field: k, epsilon, nut Boundary Conditions5:17
  3. 043
    Compute Inlet k-epsilon Turbulence Intensity + Length Scale3:16
  4. 044
    Run pisoFoam for k-ε: fvSchemes/fvSolution + Time Scheme8:20
  5. 045
    Post-Process Improve the Case: Streamlines, Model Switching7:36
Chapter 07
Salome Meshing Workflow (Geometry → Mesh → OpenFOAM)6 lessons
  1. 046
    Know SALOME + Download & Install2:48
  2. 047
    Parametric Geometry: Sketch → Extrusion (3D Solid)7:23
  3. 048
    Python Journals + Automation Inside SALOME3:58
  4. 049
    Boundary Setup: Groups of Faces & Edges for OpenFOAM6:03
  5. 050
    Mesh Generation & Optimization in SALOME (SMESH)6:24
  6. 051
    Export Mesh → Convert to OpenFOAM → Visualize in ParaFoam4:00
Chapter 08
Multiphase CFD Project: Dam Break (interFoam)9 lessons
  1. 052
    Dam Break Case Walkthrough (VOF / interFoam)4:10
  2. 053
    Mesh Generation (blockMesh + checkMesh + ParaView)3:53
  3. 054
    setFields & Initial Conditions (alpha.water!)6:32
  4. 055
    Understand alpha.water (VOF) + interFoam Basics6:08
  5. 056
    Fluid Properties (transportProperties, sigma, gravity g)4:01
  6. 057
    controlDict Time-Step + Output (adjustableRunTime)3:34
  7. 058
    fvSchemes + fvSolution Explained (interFoam)4:46
  8. 059
    Run in Parallel (decomposeParDict + decomposePar)4:05
  9. 060
    Run interFoam in Parallel + reconstructPar + ParaView6:41
Upload reconciliation complete: all 60 videos are mapped in Cloudflare Stream (5h 46m total).
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