From Multiphase Code Repository by HZDR for OpenFOAM Foundation Software towards a Helmholtz Energy Multiphase Platform?

Open source software has become indispensable for science, in particular with respect to the FAIR principles it is a sufficient requirement. The full access to the source code and the transparency of the open source research software requires completely new concepts and business models between software providers and users, as well as the organisation of the community. This poses a challenge, but on the other side opens up space for new, creative solutions and a new perspectives. Within open source software there is an enormous potential for more effective research and collaboration, which so far has been used only rarely by research organisations.
A very successful open source software for engineering applications is the C++-library OpenFOAM, which is developed for solving non-linear partial differential equations. HZDR has set itself the goal to ensure sustainable software development for our research. The contribution will present the experiences and learnings of HZDR from working with open-source software, exemplary for OpenFOAM, and from an intensive commitment as an OpenFOAM community member and contributor to the OpenFOAM Foundation release. The developers of the HZDR Multiphase Addon for OpenFOAM rely intensively on the Helmholtz Cloud Services, which provide a unique opportunity to foster sustainable software developments and collaboration. Based on the successful development of the HZDR Multiphase Addon and the growing importance of Computational Fluid Dynamics for reactor safety research the Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz finances the OpenFOAM_RCS project, a continuously growing, collaborative platform for qualification of OpenFOAM for nuclear safety research. The OpenFOAM_RCS platform is based on the Helmholtz Cloud Services and coordinated by HZDR in close collaboration with OpenFOAM Foundation.
The idea of the presentation is to present our experiences and to stimulate discussions with the aim to develop the HZDR Multiphase Addon and the OpenFOAM_RCS project into a Helmholtz Energy Multiphase Platform.