"Czero is one of the best companies I have worked with for analysis and simulation; including dynamic modeling, CFD and FEA. Their deep expertise and comprehensive quality system ensure accurate results. Czero's project management is excellent, providing clean concise information on progress, schedule and budget. Czero is a go-to source for projects ranging from analysis and simulation to prototype product development and testing. They deliver strong solutions to the challenges faced by Offshore and Subsea markets."
CFD Expertise
Czero has extensive CFD expertise and experience on a wide range of problems.
Our team includes engineers with 35+ years experience in CFD simulations using both in-house code and commercial software.
Simulated Detailed Insights
CFD improves productivity by allowing Czero engineers to simulate and analyze fluid flows without the need for physical prototypes, reducing the time and cost associated with traditional testing methods. This leads to faster optimization of designs, enabling quicker decision-making and more efficient engineering workflows.
CFD Modeling Capabilities
Our CFD experience and expertise covers a broad spectrum of physics and different analyses. Some of the physics that can be modeled using CFD software are listed below.
Steady or Transient Flow
- Incompressible
- Slightly compressible - bulk modulus
- Real gas EOS
- Ideal gas EOS
Laminar or Turbulent Flow
- Laminar
- K-epsilon turbulence models
- K-omega turbulence models
- SST turbulence models
- Reynolds stress turbulence models
Single-Phase or Two-Phase
- Single-phase (liquid or gas)
- Two-phase (liquid and gas)
- Eularian models
- Lagrangian models
- Two-phase (gas and solid)
- Lagrangian models
Porous Media
- Isotropic media
- Anisotropic media
- Viscous and dynamic loss characteristic
Some of the key process and applications that can be analyzed in CFD include:
Thermal Analysis
- Steady or transient
- Conduction, convection and radiation
- Thermal storage and heat loss
- Heat exchangers
- Fuel cells
- Engines
- Chemical reactors
Cavitation
- Control valves
- Pumps
- Turbines
- Impellers
Flow in Rotating Machinery
- Rotating frame of reference
- Moving mesh
- Gas turbines
- Wind turbines
- Turbochargers
- Pumps
- Compressors
Reacting Flow Analysis
- Mixing based models
- Chemical kinetics based models
- Commercial power plants
- Gas turbine combustors
- Natural gas burners
- Internal combustion engines
- Fuel cells
- Chemical reactors
Reduce the Need for Physical Prototypes
Our engineers can simulate complex fluid flow patterns, thermal dynamics, and chemical reactions under varying conditions with CFD. This provides a deeper understanding of how fluids interact with surfaces, systems, and their environments, offering detailed predictions that are difficult or expensive to achieve through physical testing. By simulating scenarios and conditions digitally, CFD reduces the need for physical prototypes and testing, saving time and costs during the design phase. Our engineers can rapidly test multiple design iterations without the need to build and modify physical models.
CFD enables the optimization of designs by providing precise data on pressure, temperature, velocity, and turbulence. Czero can tweak designs to enhance performance, improve efficiency, and ensure safety, ultimately leading to innovative solutions that might be harder to achieve through conventional methods. CFD can model extreme or dangerous conditions that might not be easily replicated in real life, such as high-pressure scenarios, extreme heat, or turbulence. This ensures that the design can handle operational stresses and avoid failures, improving safety and reliability.
Analyze and Optimize
Using CFD early in a project allows for smarter, more refined designs while reducing costs and risks, making it an essential tool in modern engineering. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in engineering a project offers several advantages:
Detailed Insights into Fluid Behavior: CFD allows Czero to simulate complex fluid flow patterns, temperature gradients, and chemical reactions under varying conditions. This provides a deeper understanding of how fluids interact with the containment walls both structurally and thermally. The CFD model allows engineers to see “inside” the fluid volume and locate among other things:
- Fluid recirculation zones
- Low pressure regions
- High temperature locations
- High turbulence areas
These are details of the flow that are difficult and expensive or impossible to measure through physical testing.
Cost and Time Efficiency: By simulating scenarios and conditions digitally, CFD reduces the need for physical prototypes and testing, saving time and costs during the design phase. Our engineers can rapidly test multiple design iterations without the need to build and modify physical models.
Optimization and Innovation: CFD enables the optimization of designs by providing precise data on pressure, temperature, velocity, species and turbulence. Czero can tweak designs to enhance performance, improve efficiency, and ensure safety, ultimately leading to innovative solutions that might be harder to achieve through conventional methods.
Risk Mitigation and Safety: CFD can model extreme or dangerous conditions that might not be easily replicated in real life, such as high-pressure scenarios, extreme heat, or turbulence. This ensures that the design can handle operational stresses and avoid failures, improving safety and reliability.
Detailed Data for Dynamic System Models: CFD can provide detailed information about component behavior that can be tabulated and used in higher level system models. Examples include valve loss coefficients vs flow rate and temperature or flow forces on an injector needle as a function of flow rate and lift.
Flexible Services
Czero understands it can be a large investment for a company to develop in-house simulation expertise therefore we offer flexible services to meet all our customers’ needs:
- Standard CFD Consulting
Working closely with our customers, Czero can help you define a simulation approach, solve the problem, and provide you with the analysis results in the form of a report. If the analysis shows that the design passes all the desired requirements, then the problem is solved and is ready for the customer to advance the design. If the analysis indicates possible design issues or areas that can be improved, then we work closely with our customers and provide input to help solve these inadequacies. We can then update the model and provide an updated set of results.
- Design by Analysis
As a general rule, our customers will prescribe the objectives and criteria for a component, product or system to be analyzed. Along with the customer, Czero will determine whether a new approach is needed or if a modification to the existing design is acceptable. We will then use our in-house expertise and software resources to deliver you a new or improved design. This approach usually provides the best return on investment since identifying possible issues early in the design cycle can be made and corrected before extensive design effort and any prototypes have been manufactured. This is often the quickest solution to get a product to market.
- Knowledge Transfer, Mentoring and Training
We can develop a model, provide the model as a learning template, and show/explain to our customers how the model was developed and why certain modeling approaches were used. This option provides a conduit between consulting and mentoring where the customer gets the benefits of the Czero expertise and allowing the customer to engage and learn the simulation process. Czero can offer a range of training courses tailored to your needs.
Czero's Suite of CFD Software
Siemens STARCCM+ and ANSYS Fluent and CFX are the main tools used by Czero for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Czero also uses CONVERGE for in-cylinder combustion CFD modeling. Czero will use the software tool most appropriate for your problem. Choosing the right software includes making sure the tool interfaces with your processes and has the appropriate physics for your product or system.
STARCCM+ is a multi-physics CFD software that enables our engineers to model the complexity and explore the possibilities of products operating under real-world conditions. It includes a fully integrated parallel processing solver platform that allows us to run even the most complex multi-physics CFD simulations quickly and efficiently. It reduces simulation preparation time from a week to hours with pre-processing of complex geometries, automated meshing and post-processing all in a single platform. It allows Czero to leverage powerful end-to-end, code-free workflow automation and fully embedded design exploration.
ANSYS Fluent or CFX CFD tools are also available. ANSYS CFD tools are the preferred software for multi-physics simulations that involve fluid-structure (CFD and FEA) and thermal – structure (Heat transfer + FEA) interactions.
Converge software is used by Czero to model combustion simulations that involve turbulent, reacting, and non-reacting flows including automotive and aerospace applications. Some of its unique features include automated adaptive meshing at every timestep to better capture turbulent flow, chemical kinetics and moving parts.
Ask an Expert
Let our dedicated team help you with your CFD analysis needs. Not only do we provide you with the results, but we also provide you with a full explanation of what was done, why it was done and what your options are and our recommendations. No project is too small or too large, let's talk and determine how we can help.
"Nexceris has been working with Czero since 2018 to develop and demonstrate a 50-kW scale hybrid power system for a government customer (ARPA-E). Czero led system design and controls development, and currently is leading system construction and testing work on the project. Czero engineers are extremely talented, innovative, detail oriented and responsive. I have thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration and provide my highest recommendation."
"PDC Machines- a compression and refueling technology provider to the world’s emerging hydrogen economy has been working with Czero for over 6 years on a combination of greenfield new technology and incremental technology improvements to our product. They have been able to take our napkin sketch frameworks and work with our team to deliver minimum viable product to complete solutions which are efficient, marketable and in many cases patentable. Their clear and simple approach to partnership- working as part of one team PDC staff is why I believe in the growing foundation we started 6 years ago."
"We chose Czero since they have a stellar reputation for innovation and expertise in the automotive industry. They also have a proven track record and prior history with the original inventor [of Onboard Dynamics natural gas refueling technology]—who is on our team—that has already resulted in huge successes in meeting critical milestones and performing to expectations."
"I have a >$1M US Department of Energy research effort for which I was understaffed and lacking specific subject area expertise. Czero was able to engage last minute to displace a well-known automotive engineering company at a fraction of the price. Over a year into the project, Czero has continued to be responsive and trustworthy; their engineering performance has contributed significantly to an increase in project funding from the sponsor. As the project principal investigator, selecting Czero as an engineering services company has been one of the best decisions I have made."
"Czero’s work with us to fully understand the requirements of the end product for the new reactor engine system has been instrumental in developing a completely new, innovative system. From these requirements, they were able to quickly come up with multiple concepts for vetting against the tough project objectives, which include not only technical feasibility but also aggressive cost targets. The in-depth simulation and analysis of the various concepts that Czero did ahead of time has built tremendous confidence we are going down the right path."
"Czero’s ability to work with our engineers in developing innovative, ground-breaking technology has been a great benefit to the SuperTurbo development. We have placed a lot of trust in Czero’s ability to deliver and have not been disappointed. They are a top-shelf organization."
“My initial request to Czero was to develop software and the associated controller needed for a very important competitive assessment of our product. Due to the nature of the project, I needed the work to be accomplished and in my customers hands within 2 months, which was a very aggressive necessary timeline for this level of work. Not only did Czero get the software and ECU requirements done to spec, but the system was delivered to my customer ahead of time to support the testing. The expertise, timeliness, and quality of the Czero solution was outstanding!”
"We’ve had an absolutely fantastic, positive experience with Czero and I wholeheartedly endorse them. They are more than a typical ‘throw it over the fence’ engineering consulting firm, as Czero not only develops a strong understanding on the background of the project, but they also think along the way and offer suggestions and ideas beyond the scope of the simple engineering contract deliverables. And, they deliver, too. They are really solid, outstanding people."
"The engineers on the Czero team were proactive problem-solvers from our first introduction. They quickly applied the full breadth and depth of their engineering team’s impressive intellect to determine the most efficient and cost effective system to maximize the energy-harvesting capabilities of Brown’s concept.
They were remarkably objective in their trade studies to find the best solution, favoring a simpler mechanical solution over their greatest strength: advanced hydraulics. They walked us through potential failure modes of each system, and educated the team about the pitfalls of component scalability. In addition to their technical solutions, Czero did an excellent job conveying their thought process and analysis to the Brown team with clear graphs, diagrams and presentations, which streamlined decision-making.
Czero added tremendous value to the Brown project and was a pleasure to work with. We look forward to putting our heads together on future projects."
"Czero has been an invaluable and integral part of our program. From component and subsystem design to detailed system performance analysis, Czero’s integrated engineering approach has allowed us to develop elements quickly to meet the very ambitious schedule challenges imposed by our U.S Department of Defense contract."
"Czero has been a valuable strategic partner in helping FACTOR[e] startups advance technologies quickly while staying lean during their crucial first two years. We know Czero’s agility, creativity and process. We trust their team. We’ve seen their technology insights and the business value of what they deliver."
"As we move from R&D to commercialization, Czero is providing top-notch engineering support to our team, transforming our ideas and concepts from prototype designs to viable commercial products. Czero really digs into the requirements before starting the design process, enabling us to easily collaborate on design options that optimize our product designs to meet market demand and ensure customer satisfaction. Without hesitation, we recommend Czero to anyone wanting to accelerate R&D and product development."
"Czero understood our test objectives very quickly and communicated systematically to define the test procedure, scale model details, and test fixture that fulfilled all test requirements quickly and safely. They creatively utilized off-the-shelf items in the scale model to keep its cost low and provided a clear, concise report—including useful insight—within a week of test completion. Helix is very pleased with the service provided by Czero."
"With extensive experience in engine systems design, Czero played a vital
role in helping Logimesh expedite concept-to-prototype development and
testing of our award-winning Logimote engine health monitoring platform."
"Czero was the right partner to help us design our custom grist bin and bag intake station. They found the perfect balance between a properly engineered solution, a cost effective solution, and an aesthetic solution."
"The true sign of individual or organizational dynamism is the willingness to take risks. It signals real confidence in capabilities and know-how, the flexibility and creativity to explore and test new solutions, and guts to do what it takes to deliver under real economic and technical uncertainty. Czero epitomizes those characteristics and combines them with old-fashioned integrity and reliability. Needless to say, their engineering and technical capabilities are superb. As a young company commercializing real black-box technology, we've entrusted Czero with taking responsibility for critical design and engineering tasks for which there are no precedents, i.e. it has never been done before. They have delivered, under demanding time and resource constraints, and set a very high bar. Culturally and otherwise, they are an ideal partner for young startups who need deep-dive, blank-slate engineering solutions. I would recommend them to anyone."
"Czero was an insightful and very technically proficient group that were instrumental in helping us develop our technology. They were very quick studies to understand the fundamental challenges we faced and design/build solutions around them. Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Good Value.
"Czero understands technology development from the back-of-the-napkin stage to the product launch stage. I've never met a team who is more capable of keeping the end-product vision in mind during the early stages of engineering."
"Czero provided a custom engineering solution to our need to convey conceptual functionality. Their approach was creative, effective, high quality and fast. Highly endorsed."
"To work with Czero is nothing short of a privilege. Stemming from their excellent credentials and strong analytical aptitude, they consistently translate complex technical situations into plain English to allow multidisciplinary group to function together seamlessly."
"I was extremely impressed with how quickly Czero understood the needs and intent of the bearing housing design and how responsive they were in completing the drawing package."
Reach out to us, schedule a meeting, and let's find your custom solution.
We have in-house CFD expertise to handle your engineering problems. Learn how we can help your team.