Brian Spalding
Encyclopedia
Dudley Brian Spalding, FRS (born 9 January 1923) was a Professor of Heat Transfer
at Imperial College, London
. He is one of the influential persons in the development of computational fluid dynamics
(CFD). In 1983, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Prof. Spalding was born at New Malden
, Surrey, England. He received his BA degree in Engineering Science from Oxford University in 1944 and PhD from Cambridge University in 1952. He is the founder of the company Concentration Heat And Momentum Limited, (CHAM) specialising in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer processes. CHAMs major product is the widely used PHOENICS CFD
code. Prof. Spalding himself is the main creator and contributor of PHOENICS.
Together with his student Suhas Patankar
he has developed SIMPLE algorithm
, widely used numerical procedure to solve the Navier-Stokes equations.
Between 1969 and 1980, CHAM developed numerous application-specific CFD computer codes for clients across a wide range of sectors, including the aerospace, automotive, defence, chemical, environmental, fire & safety, marine, manufacturing & process, nuclear-power, and fossil-fuel power industries. These CFD codes also provided the means for CHAM to undertake CFD consultancy contracts aimed at solving practical problems and creating design aids for industry. A comprehensive but not exhaustive description of these activities can be found in Artemov et al [2009]. In this pre-PHOENICS era, contracts typically involved adapting a basic, standard CFD code to a specific application for a particular client. These two- and three-dimensional standard codes either handled parabolic systems, partially-parabolic systems, or fully elliptic systems with the option for steady or time-dependent simulations.
Some time in 1978, Prof. Spalding conceived the idea of a single CFD code capable of handling all fluid-flow processes. Consequently, CHAM abandoned the policy of developing individual application-specific CFD codes, and during late 1978 the company began creating the world’s first general-purpose CFD code, PHOENICS, which is an acronym for Parabolic, Hyperbolic Or Elliptic Numerical Integration Code Series. The initial creation of PHOENICS was largely the work of Prof. Spalding and Harvey Rosten, and the code was launched commercially in 1981, and so here for the first time, a single CFD code was to be used for all thermo-fluids problems.
Heat transfer
Heat transfer is a discipline of thermal engineering that concerns the exchange of thermal energy from one physical system to another. Heat transfer is classified into various mechanisms, such as heat conduction, convection, thermal radiation, and phase-change transfer...
at Imperial College, London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
. He is one of the influential persons in the development of computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
(CFD). In 1983, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Prof. Spalding was born at New Malden
New Malden
New Malden is a town and shopping centre in the south-western London suburbs, mostly within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and partly in the London Borough of Merton, and is situated from Charing Cross...
, Surrey, England. He received his BA degree in Engineering Science from Oxford University in 1944 and PhD from Cambridge University in 1952. He is the founder of the company Concentration Heat And Momentum Limited, (CHAM) specialising in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer processes. CHAMs major product is the widely used PHOENICS CFD
Computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
code. Prof. Spalding himself is the main creator and contributor of PHOENICS.
Together with his student Suhas Patankar
Suhas Patankar
Suhas V. Patankar is an Indian-American mechanical engineer. He is a pioneer in the field of computational fluid dynamics and Finite volume method. He is currently an Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He is also president of Innovative Research, Inc...
he has developed SIMPLE algorithm
SIMPLE algorithm
In computational fluid dynamics , SIMPLE algorithm is a widely used numerical procedure to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. SIMPLE is an acronym for Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations....
, widely used numerical procedure to solve the Navier-Stokes equations.
CHAM
CHAM was formed as Combustion, Heat and Mass Transfer Ltd by Prof. Spalding in 1969, and later renamed as Concentration Heat and Momentum Ltd in 1974. From the outset commercial CFD services were provided to industrial and governmental clients based on the pioneering technology that had emerged from Brian Spalding's research group at Imperial College in the late 1960s.Between 1969 and 1980, CHAM developed numerous application-specific CFD computer codes for clients across a wide range of sectors, including the aerospace, automotive, defence, chemical, environmental, fire & safety, marine, manufacturing & process, nuclear-power, and fossil-fuel power industries. These CFD codes also provided the means for CHAM to undertake CFD consultancy contracts aimed at solving practical problems and creating design aids for industry. A comprehensive but not exhaustive description of these activities can be found in Artemov et al [2009]. In this pre-PHOENICS era, contracts typically involved adapting a basic, standard CFD code to a specific application for a particular client. These two- and three-dimensional standard codes either handled parabolic systems, partially-parabolic systems, or fully elliptic systems with the option for steady or time-dependent simulations.
Some time in 1978, Prof. Spalding conceived the idea of a single CFD code capable of handling all fluid-flow processes. Consequently, CHAM abandoned the policy of developing individual application-specific CFD codes, and during late 1978 the company began creating the world’s first general-purpose CFD code, PHOENICS, which is an acronym for Parabolic, Hyperbolic Or Elliptic Numerical Integration Code Series. The initial creation of PHOENICS was largely the work of Prof. Spalding and Harvey Rosten, and the code was launched commercially in 1981, and so here for the first time, a single CFD code was to be used for all thermo-fluids problems.
Selected books
- B. E. LaunderBrian LaunderBrian Edward Launder, FRS is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He is known for his work in the field of turbulent flows in general and turbulence modeling in particular...
and D. B. Spalding, Mathematical Models of Turbulence, Academic Press (1972). - D. B. Spalding and E. H. Cole, Engineering Thermodynamics, 3rd ed., Hodder Arnold (1973).
- D. B. Spalding, Combustion and Mass Transfer, Elsevier (1978).
Honours and awards
- Max Jakob Memorial AwardMax Jakob Memorial AwardThe Max Jakob Memorial Award recognizes an eminent scholarly achievement and distinguished leadership in the field of heat transfer. Awarded annually to a scholar by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers , it is the highest honor in the field...
, 1978 - Fellowship of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, 1983 - Fellowship of the Royal Academy of EngineeringRoyal Academy of Engineering-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
, 1989 - Global Energy Prize, 2009
- Benjamin Franklin Medal in Mechanical Engineering of The Franklin Institute, 2010