Code Saturne

code_saturne is a general-purpose computational fluid dynamics free computer software package. Developed since 1997 at Électricité de France R&D, code_saturne is distributed under the GNU GPL licence. It is based on a co-located finite-volume approach that accepts meshes with any type of cell (tetrahedral, hexahedral, prismatic, pyramidal, polyhedral...) and any type of grid structure (unstructured, block structured, hybrid, conforming or with hanging nodes...).

Its basic capabilities enable the handling of either incompressible or expandable flows with or without heat transfer and turbulence (mixing length, 2-equation models, v2f, Reynolds stress models, Large eddy simulation...). Dedicated modules are available for specific physics such as radiative heat transfer, combustion (gas, coal, ...), magneto-hydro dynamics, compressible flows, two-phase flows (Euler-Lagrange approach with two-way coupling), extensions to specific applications (e.g. for atmospheric environment).

The current production version is 8.0 (2023-06-30).

code saturne install
code_saturne may be installed on a Linux or other Unix-like system by downloading and building it. No system files are changed, so administrator privileges are not required if the code is installed in a user's directory. Packages for code_saturne are also available on Debian and Ubuntu. Alternatively, CAE Linux (latest version ), includes code_saturne pre-installed.

The code also works well in the Windows subsystem for Linux.

Interoperability
code saturne supports multiple mesh formats. The following formats, from open source or commercial tools, are currently supported by Code Saturne:

Supported mesh input formats (source):
 * SIMAIL (NOPO) – (INRIA/Distene)
 * I-DEAS universal
 * MED
 * CGNS
 * EnSight 6
 * EnSight Gold
 * GAMBIT neutral
 * Gmsh
 * Simcenter STAR-CCM+

Supported post-processing output formats
 * EnSight Gold
 * MED
 * CGNS

Alternative software

 * Advanced Simulation Library (open source software AGPL)
 * ANSYS CFX (proprietary software)
 * ANSYS Fluent (proprietary software)
 * Basilisk
 * COMSOL Multiphysics
 * FEATool Multiphysics
 * Gerris Flow Solver (GPL)
 * OpenFOAM (GPL)
 * Palabos Flow Solver (AGPL)
 * STAR-CCM+ (proprietary software)
 * SU2 code (LGPL)