FEFLOW 11 is a major release and a new milestone for the software. The release comes with a number of exciting new software features focusing on usability, numerical methods and 3D meshing workflows. The highlights of the release are:
A detailed description of the major software features is presented below.
The new Structural Model Editor enables you to build geological models using the FEFLOW graphical user interface. With the editor, you can compile borehole data, fault networks, and stratigraphic sequences, and use them to create a proper modelling domain in the Supermesh projects that are ready to be discretized into finite elements.
The Structural Model Editor provides an alternative to external third-party geological software and provides a robust workflow from model conceptualization, mesh discretization up to model parametrization within one single interface.
The editor introduces customized workflows using the new Geometric Tools, so we can prepare and build the geometry such as modelling domain or fault blocks without leaving the dialog. The selection of the different geometries within the Structural Model Editor provides a direct visual feedback to the 3D Supermesh View.
Structural Model Editor and FEFLOW views.
Further details about the new workflows can be found in the section Geological Modelling - Getting started.
The Supermesh Preprocessing panel equips you with a new set of Geometric Tools to correct 3D external dataset that are intended as input for a 3D Supermesh. These tools are powered by Geode-Solutions and allow to reset topology, individualize components, compute intersection, remove outer components, remove components below certain size threshold, and more. The tools can be applied selectively you to improve the quality of specific geometric features at any step of the 3D Supermesh preparation.
Example of 3D Supermesh corrected with the new Geometric Tools.
Discover more about the new functionality in the section Geometric Tools.
FEFLOW 11 introduces a new Layered-mesh generator powered by Geode-Solutions for the 3D Supermesh interface. The new mesh generator is intended for projects where the model geometry is suited for by a 2.5 D representation (continuous layers).
Discover more about Geode Layered mesh generator here.
Example of 3D Supermesh (left) and 3D finite-element mesh (right).
FEFLOW 11 brings a much robust workflow for building numerical model with geological pinch-outs. We introduce a new concept of Layers, which do not extend over the full horizontal domain, i.e., that pinch out within the model. These layers can be fully accessed via the 2D Slice view windows. Layer pinch-out can be achieved via the newly enhanced 3D Slice/Layer Configuration dialog, or with the new interactive tool Fuse-Delete Layer.
FEFLOW has now new approach for resolving layer/slice intersection is presented under the option Structured pinching.
3D Slice / Layer Configurator: New Layer Resolution dialog.
You can find further details in the section Layer Resolution Dialog.
FEFLOW 11 comes with new interactive workflows to build better 3D numerical models:
The new Fuse-Delete tool that enables removal of selected elements and automatically closes the gap by connecting the elements below to the ones above. The tool provides the highest flexibility to build FEFLOW models with geological pinch-outs.
The new Split-Layer tool allows to increase the vertical discretization in models with / without geological pinch-outs.
New Tool Fuse-Delete creates geological pinch-outs interactively.
New Tool Split-Layer adds new layers in geological pinch-outs interactively.
Workflows in the Well Manager have been improved. The Well Group creation is now independent of a preliminary well definition. This allows you to define and create the groups and their corresponding settings a priori. Subsequently, groups can be assigned to wells on demand.
The Editor toolbar (commonly used for the parameter assignment) has been extended to support the interactive assignment of well groups. By using existing selection tools, you can now group BHEs, MLWs and Well BCs in Slice and 3D view windows.
New tab in the Well Manager to create groups.
Assignment of Well Manager Groups interactively using the Editor toolbar.
Open Loop Systems (OLS) are geothermal setups that extract water from the groundwater (or reservoir) to exchange heat with, then re-inject this water back into the environment. FEFLOW 11 helps with the dimensioning and evaluation of such systems by providing two possibilities for the open loop systems definition: either defining the temperature difference or defining the total injected/extracted power.
The OLS Editor can be prompt using the Well Manager's Open Loop tab. There, open loop systems may be created, modified and deleted. It is then possible to assign an open loop system to wells by grouping these wells and activating the open loop rule for their group. Multiple groups may point to a single open loop system. In particular, this allow to have both Well BCs and Multilayer Wells coexisting in a single open loop system.
Further details are discussed in the new section Open Loop System Editor.
Well Manager and Open Loop System Editor.
The Observation Data dialog has been extended with a Geothermal section to organize all modelling results related to geothermal closed-loop systems (BHE) and open-loop systems. This enhancement provides higher flexibility for comparing modelled vs. simulated values and control of user-defined chart settings.
FEFLOW 11 introduces multiple new charts that specifically support geothermal applications: BHE Heat Rate, Open-Loop Heat Rate, Open-Loop Flow Rate, Open-Loop Temperature Difference and Open-Loop Inlet/Outlet Temperature. You can discover more details in the section Reporting Geothermal Results.
Example of the new geothermal charts.
Cross-sectional views can now display boundary conditions and observation points. This enhancement improves model interpretation and presentation by showing key elements such as wells in the local context.
Example of the new FEFLOW cross-section view with Multilayer Wells and Observation Points.
Efficiency improvements to the numerical engine and to the treatment of constrained boundary conditions make FEFLOW 11 faster than earlier versions.
FEFLOW 11 includes full-featured scripting capabilities in the graphical interface. The Scripting menu has massively extended with new functionalities such as formatting, encrypting, package installation among others. FEFLOW introduces two new concepts:
Python Scripting Views: the views provide a full Python scripting capabilities including formatting, line numbers and others.
Python Scripting panel: this is a new Python terminal / console within the FEFLOW graphical interface.
Discover more about the new capabilities in the section Python Scripting in the FEFLOW GUI.
New Python Scripting View.
New Python Scripting Panel.
FEFLOW 11 provides full support of the Geometric Tools by the new processSupermesh method of the 3D Supermesh document.
To streamline the integration of sparse data into FEFLOW models, the Python API has been extended by new regionalization methods that enable direct interpolation of external dataset. You can use them to efficiently assign elemental and nodal parameters, such as material properties or boundary conditions, with custom interpolators.
FEFLOW 11 comes together with a new DHI Entitlement License System. Our new licensing system provides additional flexibility to access FEFLOW.
In this release, DHI expands the benefits of Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA). If you have a valid SMA and are entitled to receive the new FEFLOW version, your SMA comes with numerous additional functionalities under FEFLOW Advanced Features package.
FEFLOW Advanced Features is a licensed package linked to the duration of the SMA. In FEFLOW 11, the package has been extended to include:
FEFLOW Advanced Features - Geomodelling: The package gives you access to the new Geomodelling package, Geometric Tools, and advanced 3D meshing.
FEFLOW Advanced Features - Geothermal: The package reveals all the massive functionalities under geothermal.
FEFLOW Advanced Features - Python: The package is an extension to the free FEFLOW Python Interface. Here you have access to Geometric Tools, Supermesh interface and FEFLOW interpolators.
Not sure whether you are entitled to have FEFLOW Advanced Features? Let us check your license type and level, contact now FEFLOW sales.