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Kiva

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.

Samples of KIVA

• Prototype 3D Simulation of an Advanced Diesel Engine
• The Engine Research Center at the University of Wisconsin
• IBM ECSEC (European Centre for Scientific and Engineering Computing)
• IBM EngAGE (Engineering Analysis Gridding Environment)
• Piaggio/ECSEC Collaboration: Designing a Better Scooter
• Development of a Hydrogen-fueled Combustion Engine

Availability of KIVA

The KIVA code is available (for a fee) from Energy Science and Technology Software Center (ESTSC) at (865) 576-2606. The mailing address for ESTSC is P.O. Box 1020, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-1020. The email address for ESTSC is estsc@osti.gov. Distribution of KIVA code from Los Alamos National Laboratory is only to our collaborators.

For established users, there is now a KIVA mailing list. Questions concerning difficulties with KIVA and area of applications should first be addressed to this list.

For more information about KIVA, contact David J. Torres at dtorres@lanl.gov.

Availability of KIVA documentation

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

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.)

Workshops

Multi-Dimensional Modeling Workshop for IC Engines

For more information about KIVA, contact David J. Torres at dtorres@lanl.gov.