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MSc in CFD : Cranfield or Leeds? Help !!! Your views on the matter

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Reply 80
I have already started reading about fluid mechanics but failed to understand how to develop the govering equations. I guess these are essential fundamentals so I'm going to find someone who is able to explain it to me. Luckily, I learnt some programming during na final project so I'm familiar with the concept.
I did my BSc on environmental protection so I'm truly new to CFD :smile:
Ok. So, what you need is to brush up the fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics. That will cover almost all of the physical properties related to a fluid in motion. Also in the process you will learn some basic laws and characteristics of flow fields.
Then you move on to the intensive mathematical part of CFD. What you will learn here is convection advection equations, basics of Navier-Stokes, PDEs and numerical methods to solve Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) etc.. turbulent flow and its treatment etc.. it goes on like that..
But, dont get put off .. it is easier that it seems.

I will try and find some books you can go through for this stage.
Reply 82
I am slowly moving forward :smile: It is quite difficult to learn on my own but I find the topic more and more interesting so I am far from getting put off. I wonder if all the students have a broad knowledge of CFD at the beginning of the course? I don't want to be the only beginner! Do you think it is essential to learn how to use any of the CFD software in advance?
Reply 83
Hello,

I would say it's alright and normal if you don't happen to understand stuff now, the 1st week of the course gives you a hands-on on how to use the commercial codes and introduction to fortran programming, and 1st module "Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer", would go through all the basic equations and their different forms. So you need not really panic about it now, but once you start with the course, make sure you follow the lectures and follow the tutorials.
I second dpkn.
There is no need to panic. There is a learning curve to acquire the knowledge of any kind.
As far as the preparation is concerned, along with the basic fluid mechanics and computational methods you are learning through the books, get accustomed with some basic mathematical operations like scalar and vector mathematics, matrix operations, calculus etc. ( Assuming that you have not studied these in your high school or BSc. If you have, brush up the basics, and start learning a bit about differential equations ) These will once again be covered in the course at the University, but, it is good to have an understanding of them beforehand.

You have time untill September - October before you really get into the grove of beginning the actual course.

Lastly, follow the lectures closely, do the assignments on your own. There are a ton of help available - all you need is to just ask. The professors are super helpful, and if you show that you are doing your part putting in the effort, they will hep you out to reach your goal.
Reply 85
What is the fees for doing cfd...?
Reply 86
Dpkn2000, callmejackie, thank you for the answers. They are really helpful and I feel a little more confident.
Having revised differential equations and some mathematics you wrote about I started to understand the basic fluid mechanics.


Only one week to learn how to use a commercial software? It's definitely too short a period of time for me! I had better start learning it now because I won't be able to follow the lectures if the course is so intensive. Could you tell me which of the commercial code you have been using?
Reply 87
Hello,

The commercial code is ANSYS-FLUENT for solver, and ICEM-CFD for meshing. They don't expect you to learn using the code as an expert within one week (in fact no one really can), they would advise you on clicking the "right buttons" for your problem and as you progress through the course, you would know what the "buttons" mean, and which button to click when.

Don't panic about it now!
Reply 88
I keep saying to myself 'don't panic' but... it is better to panic now than in October! :wink:
hehe :biggrin:
I have said this somewhere in this thread before..
But, just for the sake of conversation, here, I quote myself !!! ( another thing you learn at Cranfield : 'Plagiarism'. cite, refer even when you quote yourself. P.S.correcting a mistake I made initially in the quote :biggrin: )

Original post by callmejackie
I never had enough of Cranfield. - my musings
A word of advice to the new students : Never underestimate the capability of the course to take the @#$% out of you. Also never underestimate the importance of the education you are about to receive and how much it will define your future.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 90
Hello seniors,
I need a help regarding accommodation. Today I got a mail that my application for accommodation has been unsuccessful and they put my application in waiting list.

We have held back 10 accommodation applications on our wait list ( your application is included in the 10 we have held) - as from experience in previous years, we would expect to receive some cancellations prior to the start of term and hopefully be able to help the students whose applications we have held back on our wait list.
What are my chances to get an accommodation by the end of September, and if it gets rejected then

1. is it fine to book an accommodation outside cranfield campus before visa process?
2. I heard that, nearest to nearest hostel is 2 miles away form campus. If this is true, I don't want to waste my time in travelling. How is the connectivity between the two?
3. which one is cheaper, campus accommodation or hostel outside campus.

Lastly, one visa related and country specific question
How long I have to wait for visa in delhi, India. Due to incredible speedy process by FCO office I got my ATAS today after whole 3 months due which now I am not able to file for my visa before August end

To
My future classmates
If anyone of you thinking about outside hostel then please PM me
There is a webpage the University maintains, with the contacts of almost all the landlords in the Cranfield village, Marston, Salford, and nearby areas. Get in touch with the accommodations desk if you can not find the page by yourself.

Drop in emails to those landlords asking for
- exact address ( they usually give the postcode which google will use to pin-point the exact house )
- check how far is it from the bus route ( Uno buses if I am right. University will help you out on this )
- rent details ( bills included or not ?)
- furnishings in the house
- some pictures

Make a deal while you wait for the University halls to open up. ( It usually happens that few of the people will reject their offer from the halls, and since the waiting list is just 10, there is a good chance that you might get in. )
Reply 92
Original post by callmejackie
There is a webpage the University maintains, with the contacts of almost all the landlords in the Cranfield village, Marston, Salford, and nearby areas. Get in touch with the accommodations desk if you can not find the page by yourself.

Drop in emails to those landlords asking for
- exact address ( they usually give the postcode which google will use to pin-point the exact house )
- check how far is it from the bus route ( Uno buses if I am right. University will help you out on this )
- rent details ( bills included or not ?)
- furnishings in the house
- some pictures

Make a deal while you wait for the University halls to open up. ( It usually happens that few of the people will reject their offer from the halls, and since the waiting list is just 10, there is a good chance that you might get in. )


Thank you sir for your valuable advice :-)
Reply 93
hey jackie and dpkn2000, amazing thread for explaining almost all of your cranfield experience and thanks for the sharing!
i've won a scholarship in my country to study aerospace engineering abroad, including phd after msc. i'm trying to decide on which degree to study. personally, i'm much more interested in getting deep into cfd because it looks like a demanded expertise in academia and sector. as a person who've finished it, are you satisfied with the course and your post-graduate career?
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/Study/Postgraduate-degrees/Full-time-courses/Aerospace-MSc-degrees
my second question is, courses normally start at october and to wait a whole year looks like a waste of time to me. aerospace propulsion degree is available to start on march and looks like a good option if i'm to start right away. there are also some taught cfd in it but how would it be considered to cfd degree alone? are there anyone you know who studied that degree? i'm also worried if starting my studies in the mid term causes any difficulty to find accomodation in cranfield? does it fill up on october?
Reply 94
have u completed cfd course? How is it , I am planning to join from sept 16.. Is it worth it?
Reply 95
hi can anyone tell what is the career and nature of work and opportunites in india if i do masters in CFD and masters in CAE IN cranfield and which is better of CFD OR CAE?
Original post by teja347
hi can anyone tell what is the career and nature of work and opportunites in india if i do masters in CFD and masters in CAE IN cranfield and which is better of CFD OR CAE?


Hi Teja,

I hope you are fine! I have just seen your question and I will do my best to answer it. I'm currently running a PhD at Cranfield and it has been one of the best experiences in my life, career-wise and academically- and I am an international student. We do have a large number of students from India and they go on to do an MSc in CFD and CAE. If you are keen on a PhD after graduation, they are certainly opportunities in India as CFD and CAE are evolving fields which has uses in aerospace, engineering, energy and even agricultural sciences. I have run into students who have studied an MSc in CFD and CAE that have immediately found career placements in Jaguar Landrover (which is an Indian Company), BAE Systems, European Space Agency and ANSYS (as you learn how to code while learning for your Masters). Between MSc, CFD and CAE which is better? To be frank, both are very, very good. It depends on your career objectives, though. Perhaps if you are very keen on design, CAE may be preferred -but it depends on your goals.
Got busy guys. Still on this forum. Logs in every couple of months or, whenever I get an email notification.
I'd be very happy to continue the conversation.

And now that we have an Official Rep of the University, the queries could be answered quicker.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by callmejackie
Got busy guys. Still on this forum. Logs in every couple of months or, whenever I get an email notification.
I'd be very happy to continue the conversation.

And now that we have an Official Rep of the University, the queries could be answered quicker.



Thanks- but you've been doing a great job, I must say!

I read the thread from the first post to the last. Practical and real. I would try and answer questions concerning Cranfield- but it is always good for others like you to drop by.

Thanks and cheers!

Cranfield TSR Rep
how hard it is to study the specialization in CFD, when compared to bachelors in mechanical engineering. looks like cfd is full of mathematics.

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