Teaching Computational Fluid Dynamics Using MATLAB

A set of MATLAB modules has been developed for an introductory graduate course on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). These modules can provide a breakthrough in CFD education because they can assist both learning and comprehension, while avoiding analytical mistakes by the CFD learner. With advances in CFD and availability of software, students in upper level fluid mechanics classes have less incentive to learn theory and the tools for abstract thinking. This paper proposes for the first time an alternate approach to teaching and learning of CFD through the use of symbolic computation in MATLAB, while preserving the accuracy and content of abstract analyses.