FiPy: A Finite Volume PDE Solver Using Python
Overview
FiPy is an object oriented, partial differential equation (PDE) solver, written in Python , based on a standard finite volume (FV) approach. The framework has been developed in the Metallurgy Division and Center for Theoretical and Computational Materials Science (CTCMS), in the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory (MSEL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The solution of coupled sets of PDEs is ubiquitous to the numerical simulation of science problems. Numerous PDE solvers exist, using a variety of languages and numerical approaches. Many are proprietary, expensive and difficult to customize. As a result, scientists spend considerable resources repeatedly developing limited tools for specific problems. Our approach, combining the FV method and Python, provides a tool that is extensible, powerful and freely available. A significant advantage to Python is the existing suite of tools for array calculations, sparse matrices and data rendering.
The FiPy framework includes terms for transient diffusion, convection and standard sources, enabling the solution of arbitrary combinations of coupled elliptic, hyperbolic and parabolic PDEs. Currently implemented models include phase field treatments of polycrystalline, dendritic, and electrochemical phase transformations as well as a level set treatment of the electrodeposition process .
Even if you don't read manuals...
...please read the Installation Guide and Chapter 6: "Frequently Asked Questions" of the Manual .
What's new in version 1.2
The significant changes since version 1.1 are:
Download and Installation
Please refer to the Installation Guide for details on download and installation. FiPy can be redistributed and/or modified freely, provided that any derivative works bear some notice that they are derived from it, and any modified versions bear some notice that they have been modified.
Support
You can communicate with the FiPy developers and with other users via our mailing list and we welcome you to use the tracking system for bugs, support requests, feature requests and patch submissions . We welcome collaborative efforts on this project.
FiPy is a member of MatForge, a project of the Materials Digital Library Pathway. This National Science Foundation funded service provides management of our public source code repository, our bug tracking system, and a "wiki" space for public contributions of code snippets, discussions, and tutorials.
Conventions and Notation
FiPy is driven by Python script files than you can view or modify in any text editor. FiPy sessions are invoked from a command-line shell, such as tcsh or bash.
Throughout, text to be typed at the keyboard will appear like this. Commands to be issued from an interactive shell will appear:
$ like this
where you would enter the text ("like this") following the shell prompt, denoted by "$".
Text blocks of the form:
>>> a = 3 * 4 >>> a 12 >>> if a == 12: ... print "a is twelve" ... a is twelve
are intended to indicate an interactive session in the Python interpreter. We will refer to these as "interactive sessions" or as "doctest blocks". The text ">>>" at the beginning of a line denotes the primary prompt, calling for input of a Python command. The text "..." denotes the secondary prompt, which calls for input that continues from the line above, when required by Python syntax. All remaining lines, which begin at the left margin, denote output from the Python interpreter. In all cases, the prompt is supplied by the Python interpreter and should not be typed by you.
Warning
Python is sensitive to indentation and care should be taken to enter text exactly as it appears in the examples.
When references are made to file system paths, it is assumed that the current working directory is the FiPy distribution directory, refered to as the "base directory", such that:
examples/diffusion/steadyState/mesh1D/input.py
will correspond to, e.g.:
/some/where/FiPy-1.0/examples/diffusion/steadyState/mesh1D/input.py
Paths will always be rendered using POSIX conventions (path elements separated by "/"). Any references of the form:
examples.diffusion.steadyState.mesh1D.input
are in the Python module notation and correspond to the equivalent POSIX path given above.
We may at times use a
Note
to indicate something that may be of interest
or a
Warning
to indicate something that could cause serious problems.
