Airflow Simulation Resources & Research

Explore our library of CFD case studies, research papers, and tutorials. See how AirSketcher makes airflow design simple, sustainable, and ready for real-world projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

AirSketcher is an easy-to-use 2D airflow tool that delivers fast, practical results without complex CFD setups. Sketch or import a floor plan, press Run, and instantly see where air moves or stalls to optimize window/door placement, fix drafts, or compare layouts. It simplifies advanced features: pulls real wind data for site-specific wind roses and Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) profiles; uses Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) for detailed, fast simulations; models trees, screens, or fans with porous/blower zones; scores comfort with the Qi-Flow Index (QFI), blending CFD and ASHRAE comfort standards; and exports polished PDF/Word reports or AI-ready JSON data. Validated against field data (r² = 0.84–0.98), it’s a powerful, user-friendly way to design ventilation-friendly spaces on a standard laptop.

No. AirSketcher is built for a super-simple, from-scratch workflow: open a blank canvas, sketch or import your floor plan/image, set a wind speed/direction (optionally enable ABL/AMR), press Run, and watch airflow patterns appear in minutes. You don’t need Computer-Aided Design (CAD) prep, meshing scripts, or turbulence know-how—just draw and go. When you’re ready, export a polished PDF/Word report or reuse the data for deeper work. It’s fast, visual, and decision-ready without the complexity of traditional CFD tools.

Yes, you can import images like floorplans or aerial photos, and AirSketcher automatically detects outlines to turn them into simulation zones. For side-view 2D simulations (e.g., vertical cross-sections), you can enable gravity and Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) wind profiles to model realistic wind variation with height. The vegetation drag model is automatically adjusted for side-view 2D, modifying the Leaf Area Index (LAI)-based quadratic drag to suit vertical flow dynamics.

Absolutely. Designing ventilation is one of the most crucial steps in creating a comfortable, energy-efficient home, as poor ventilation can lead to years of discomfort, stuffy air, high energy bills from over-reliance on mechanical cooling, and even health issues due to poor air quality. Most homeowners overlook how site-specific wind patterns affect their spaces, resulting in windows, doors, or layouts that work against natural airflow. AirSketcher simulates your site’s real wind to reveal instant wins: where air enters, stalls, or is blocked. In minutes, you can test window and door placement/size, add cross-ventilation paths, or adjust obstructions like trees or walls, turning your layout into a ventilation-friendly plan tailored to your location, ensuring lasting comfort and efficiency.

AirSketcher’s design philosophy makes CFD accessible to everyone, not just advanced engineers—even school children can use it with its simple “sketch or load and run” workflow. As a CFD tool, it handles most tasks traditional CFD software can, such as analyzing flow over cars, objects, or airfoils, but with unmatched simplicity in setup and a focus on ventilation and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) applications. It excels in rapid screening and iterative design for tasks like optimizing window/door placement for natural ventilation, assessing vegetation-induced wind sheltering (using canopy flow models), evaluating dune shape changes for sand transport, and studying urban canopy effects on wind distribution. Unique features include Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) flow for realistic wind profiles, particle/smoke tracking for pollution visualization, and a tree model for canopy flow, all supporting sustainable design by reducing reliance on mechanical systems. These make AirSketcher ideal for creating energy-efficient, comfortable, and environmentally conscious spaces, accessible to users of all skill levels.

AirSketcher renders engineering-grade 2D CFD slices that capture essential physics—pressure zones, recirculation, and jet paths—for confident decisions on floor plans, façades, ducts, or site wind. It’s validated against field measurements (e.g., multi-height mast velocity data over coastal dunes, r² = 0.84–0.98) and wind-tunnel benchmarks for canopy-induced flows, matching crest speed-up and lee-side recirculation. For cases where the flow is inherently three-dimensional—such as tall atriums, complex roof corner vortices, or twisted multi-level ductwork—a full 3D analysis is recommended. Compared to 3D models with two-equation turbulence closures or large eddy simulations, AirSketcher is less detailed in vertical turbulence structures but excels for rapid, accurate mean flow analysis.

Yes, you can simulate wind coming from different directions and speeds, including real wind data by location via the built-in wind rose locator for realistic setups.

Requires Windows 10 or later (64-bit), dual-core CPU, 4GB RAM (8GB recommended), ~3GB storage, and integrated GPU. Internet needed only for initial license activation.

Yes, after initial online license activation, AirSketcher can be used fully offline without internet connectivity, ideal for secure or remote work environments.

Download the setup executable, run it, and enter the license key for online activation. After activation, the software runs offline. Keep your license key safe.

Absolutely. You can save your projects as .pkl files for post-processing and export reports with easy-to-understand flow maps, ROI statistics, percentiles, POI tables, bar charts, and conclusions to share with architects or friends. Each export includes a PDF/Word bundle and an AI-ready JSON pack for custom AI-driven summaries.

Use drawing tools or import geometry images to define obstacles. Set wind speed, domain size, and boundaries in the Expert Options if needed. Then run the simulation and view results like streamlines, pressure contours, particle tracks, or line probes. Residual plots monitor solver convergence.

Yes, the built-in wind rose locator fetches data based on latitude/longitude and overlays wind direction and speed on the domain for realistic wind setup.

Controls include wind speed, run/stop, results panel with streamline visualization, pressure contours, particle tracking, and line probes for detailed data extraction. Residual plots monitor solver convergence.

Yes, AirSketcher supports blower zones that inject momentum into the domain with specified direction and speed, simulating fans, air vents, or duct outflows within the 2D plane.

Qi-Flow is a special feature that rates how comfortable or balanced airflow is in a room, borrowing ideas from Feng Shui. It shows if air feels too strong, too weak, or just right. The Qi-Flow Index (QFI) combines CFD airflow velocity magnitude and smoothness with ASHRAE Standard 55’s elevated-air-speed method (up to 1.2 m/s with occupant control) to assess air harmony, clarity, and comfort, identifying areas with balanced airflow.

Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) automatically adjusts the grid resolution to balance accuracy and speed. In AirSketcher, the mesh is kept fine within your Region of Interest (ROI) to capture important flow details, while it is coarsened outside the ROI to reduce computation time. This approach provides sharper detail around key features such as jets, wakes, and obstacles, while keeping simulations faster and lighter on memory.

Trees and hedges aren’t just decoration—they change airflow dramatically. AirSketcher models vegetation and porous barriers like screens as “porous zones” using a Leaf Area Index (LAI), converted into porosity and applied as quadratic drag in the flow equations. Denser vegetation equals stronger resistance, enabling tests of how trees, hedges, or screens shape wind patterns, protect outdoor spaces, and improve comfort.

AirSketcher doesn’t run a full sand model, but it provides a reliable proxy for where sand is likely to move. Using the line probe tool, you can measure airflow velocities above the surface, and the software calculates the integral of the u^3 term, which is essential for the Bagnold equation, to highlight areas with high sand transport potential. Larger values indicate more sand movement, helping you compare layouts, test windbreaks, or spot problem zones before committing to detailed design or site work.

AirSketcher lets you set the inlet as a uniform profile or an Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) using a reference speed, height, and shear exponent α (e.g., 0.14–0.16 for open land, 0.30–0.40 for urban areas). Top and bottom walls can use slip walls (Wind-Tunnel Mode), symmetry conditions, or no-slip ground friction with optional buoyancy. Outlets are applied on the opposite side.

Stability is maintained via adaptive Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) time-stepping constraints, automatic refinement of flow parameters, live residual monitoring, and convergence criteria including mass flow balance and residual plateau detection.

The ABL inlet applies a wind profile that changes with height for realistic outdoor conditions. Choose a reference wind speed (Uref) at a height and a shear exponent (α, e.g., 0.14–0.16 for open land, 0.22–0.27 for suburban areas, 0.30–0.40 for urban/forest terrain). Enable ABL for outdoor cases like building sites or ventilation design.

AirSketcher Manual & Tutorials

AirSketcher Manual

Step-by-step guide to getting started with AirSketcher.

Read AirSketcher Manual

AirSketcher Tutorials

Short, practical lessons to help you master airflow simulation.

Watch AirSketcher Tutorials

CFD Research & Technical Insights

Rooftop Solar Array Cooling

See how gap width and leading-edge wind deflectors impact near-panel airflow and electrical efficiency in rooftop photovoltaic channels. Identify the optimal clearance zone to maximize passive cooling without active systems. Technical basis: 2D steady-state CFD simulations.

Read Solar Cooling Paper

Hidden Energy Penalties in VFD Fans

See how variable-frequency drives (VFDs) mask filter clogging, creating a “blind spot” that silently raises energy bills. Quantify airflow collapse (>50%) and maintenance ROI in minutes with a rapid digital twin workflow. Technical basis: 2D CFD solver validated against wind tunnel experimental data.

Read VFD Fan Paper

Sand Transport Sensitivity to Dune Shape

See how small changes in dune shape affect near-surface wind and sand movement. A fast, easy workflow you can run and repeat in AirSketcher. Technical basis: streamlined CFD workflow validated against field data.

Read Sand Transport Paper

Wind Shelter from Trees

Spot where wind slows behind tree lines and compare layouts in minutes. Use it early to test design options. Technical basis: compact 2-D RANS method.

Read Wind Shelter Paper

Airflow Simulation & Ventilation Case Studies

Advancing Healthy Learning Environments through Ventilation Innovation

  • Polar Dynamix representative Dr. Wichai Pattanapol at Rajamangala University for a ventilation design collaboration.
  • Technical presentation of AirSketcher airflow simulation results at Rajamangala University.
  • On-site assessment of campus ventilation and air quality using AirSketcher software.
  • Polar Dynamix and RMUTI faculty discussing ESG principles and sustainable campus development.

The Faculty of Nursing at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan (Sakon Nakhon Campus) recently welcomed Polar Dynamix representative Dr. Wichai Pattanapol to initiate an academic–industry collaboration focused on improving indoor environmental quality.

The project centers on advanced ventilation analysis powered by Polar Dynamix’s proprietary AirSketcher software, enabling data-driven insights that support safer and healthier learning and working environments. By optimizing airflow performance, the initiative helps reduce environmental risks while enhancing occupant comfort and well-being.

This collaboration reflects the university’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and its proactive approach to sustainable campus development.

This project was recently featured on the One Planet Network platform — a global multi-stakeholder partnership advancing sustainable consumption and production and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 12.

Watch University Case Study Read ESG Case Study

Where installation position matters: reducing blower energy use

Move blower inlets closer to ambient pressure to cut required pressure rise and power draw.

Watch Blower Energy Case

Why the neighbour’s house feels fresher

Same winds, flipped layout.
Design Score 632 vs 509 → fresher airflow, higher comfort, lower energy use.

Watch Home Airflow Case

Ever wondered how PM2.5 drifts through streets?

In minutes, see airflow around buildings and likely PM2.5 build-ups you can design around.

Watch PM2.5 Street Case
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