KIVA, a transient, three-dimensional, multiphase, multicomponent code for the analysis of chemically reacting flows with sprays has been under development at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for the past several years. The code uses an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) methodology on a staggered grid, and discretizes space using the finite-volume technique. The code uses an implicit time-advancement with the exception of the advective terms that are cast in an explicit but second-order monotonicity-preserving manner. Also, the convection calculations can be subcycled in the desired regions to avoid restricting the time step due to Courant conditions. The range of validity of the code extends from low speeds to supersonic flows for both laminar and turbulent regimes. Arbitrary numbers of species and chemical reactions are allowed. A stochastic particle method is used to calculate evaporating liquid sprays, including the effects of droplet collisions and aerodynamic breakups. Although specifically designed for performing internal combustion engine calculations, the modularity of the code allows it for easy modifications for solving a variety of hydrodynamics problems involving chemical reactions. The code has found a widespread application in the automotive industry.

More information about KIVA and licensing through LANL can be found at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/tt/license/software/10.shtml.

Licensing of the KIVA family of Combustion Modeling Software (KIVA-3V Release 2, KIVA-4 an unstructured grid format version and KIVA-4mpi, the parallel version of KIVA-4).

1) For licensing requests please contact the Technology Transfer Division at software@lanl.gov . The KIVA code is available (for a fee) from the Technology Transfer Software Licensing Team at software@lanl.gov. The mailing address for Technology Transfer is P.O. Box 1663, Mail Stop C333, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545. Note: KIVA-4mpi is available only through the Technology Transfer Division.

2) For government agency licensing requests (and their contractors) please contact The Energy Science and Technology Software Center (ESTSC). The webpage address for OSTI/ESTSC is http://www.osti.gov/estsc/. The email address for ESTSC is estsc@osti.gov .

Samples of KIVA

• KIVA Videos
  KIVA4 slant value
  Cubit scalluped bowl
  4 Valve
  

Technical Information

For technical information about the KIVA family of software please contact Dave Carrington at dcarring@lanl.gov.

Talks and Papers

Current Project Collaborators:
Iowa State University: Dr. Song-Charng Kong
Purdue, Calumet: Dr. Xiuling Wang
UNLV: Dr. Darrell W. Pepper
UNM: Dr. Juan Heinrich

Sponsors and Partnerships

DOE Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Vehicle Technologies Program

DOE EERE Advanced Combustion

Research Partnerships

KIVA manuals and some papers are now available electronically in pdf format:

KIVA-4 Users Manual
KIVA-3V manual (0.4MB, searchable within READER.)
KIVA-3V manual (1.5MB, searchable within READER.)
KIVA-3 manual (2.2 MB, searchable within READER.)
KIVA-II manual (9.0MB, scanned document, not searchable.

Classes / Workshops

Index of classes at UW

IC Engines at UW

For more information about KIVA family of software, contact Dave Carrington at dcarring@lanl.gov.