Ansys agreement will advance hypersonic research at UTA
A new agreement with Ansys, a global leader in engineering simulation, will significantly boost the research capability of multiscale, multiphysics modeling and computations at The University of Texas at Arlington’s Aerodynamics Research Center (ARC).
Liwei Zhang, an assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department and an experienced researcher in computational science, secured the agreement, which provides software licenses for use in research related to computational fluid dynamics (CFD), electromagnetics and high-performance computing.
“CFD and physical experimentation are both used to understand physics and explore opportunities for innovation. Integrating the two is highly beneficial for both disciplines and can lead to more research opportunities,” Zhang said. “This agreement enables ARC researchers to make major strides in advancing hypersonic research. Learning Ansys software greatly benefits our students, too, because both academia and industry use Ansys simulation solutions, giving them valuable experience when they enter the workforce.”
The licenses will provide ARC researchers dedicated access to Ansys’ software library, which they can then use to help design and validate experiments and carry out numerical investigations. Ansys will also provide on-site training and online resources to ensure that the software is used to its potential.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment for Dr. Zhang and a moment of pride for the entire ARC,” said Luca Maddalena, ARC director and a professor of aerospace engineering. “This valued partnership came about because Ansys recognized the quality of UTA’s research and the ARC’s standing in the scientific community. We are extremely grateful to Ansys, and we are excited to initiate this partnership.”
The ARC boasts low-speed, transonic and supersonic wind tunnels; a hypersonic shock tunnel; and an arc-heated, hypersonic wind tunnel that is one of only a handful in the United States and the only one of its kind at a U.S. university. The center has been a national leader in aerodynamics research for nearly 35 years.
“This partnership is a fantastic recognition of the lasting contributions of ARC and lifts up our overall computational research endeavors,” said Erian Armanios, chair of UTA’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. “The center’s standing hinges upon its people, and Dr. Zhang’s initiative is an eloquent testament to that fact.”