OpenLB User Guide: Associated with Release 1.6 of the Code

TL;DR

OpenLB is a comprehensive, object-oriented open-source platform for lattice Boltzmann method simulations, supporting complex geometries and parallel computing, with detailed documentation and continuous development since 2007.

Contribution

This paper introduces OpenLB, the first generic, object-oriented platform for LBM, with extensive features, documentation, and ongoing improvements since its initial release.

Findings

Supports complex geometries and parallel execution

Proven efficiency and scalability through code reviews

Open source with detailed documentation and continuous updates

Abstract

OpenLB is an object-oriented implementation of LBM. It is the first implementation of a generic platform for LBM programming, which is shared with the open source community (GPLv2). Since the first release in 2007, the code has been continuously improved and extended which is documented by thirteen releases as well as the corresponding release notes which are available on the OpenLB website (https://www.openlb.net). The OpenLB code is written in C++ and is used by application programmers as well as developers, with the ability to implement custom models OpenLB supports complex data structures that allow simulations in complex geometries and parallel execution using MPI, OpenMP and CUDA on high-performance computers. The source code uses the concepts of interfaces and templates, so that efficient, direct and intuitive implementations of the LBM become possible. The efficiency and scalability has been checked and proved by code reviews. This user manual and a source code documentation by DoxyGen are available on the OpenLB project website.