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Simulation
Kerf vs OpenFOAM
OpenFOAM solves the Navier-Stokes equations — Kerf wraps it so you describe the flow problem in plain language.
24/25in Kerf today
16/25in OpenFOAM (included)
0behind a paid tier
2026-05-24last reviewed
| Capability | Kerf | OpenFOAM |
|---|---|---|
| CFD — incompressible flowD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — compressible flowD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — conjugate heat transferD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — multiphase flowD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — combustion / reacting flowD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — turbulence models (RANS)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — LES / DES / DNSD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/src/kerf_cfd/les/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — mesh generation (snappyHexMesh)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — Lagrangian particle trackingD4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — dynamic mesh / FSID4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — parallel MPI executionD4 |
partial
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
yes source ↗ |
| CFD — post-processing (ParaView / VTK)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/src/kerf_cfd/vtk_export.py, packages/kerf-cfd/src/kerf_cfd/vtk_tools.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Psychrometrics (moist air)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-hvac/
|
no source ↗ |
| Heat exchanger sizing (LMTD / Bell-Delaware)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-hvac/src/kerf_hvac/sizing.py
|
no source ↗ |
| HVAC duct sizing (SMACNA)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-hvac/
|
no source ↗ |
| Pipe network (Hardy-Cross)D4 |
yes
packages/kerf-hvac/
|
no source ↗ |
| External aerodynamics (vehicle / airfoil)D5 |
yes
packages/kerf-aero/
|
yes source ↗ |
| Wind loading / wind engineeringD5 |
yes
packages/kerf-structural/
|
yes source ↗ |
| Marine / offshore hydrodynamicsD5 |
yes
packages/kerf-marine/
|
yes source ↗ |
| Mold filling / injection simulationD7 |
yes
packages/kerf-manufacturing/src/kerf_manufacturing/moldflow
|
partial source ↗ |
| CAD geometry modellingD1 |
yes
packages/kerf-cad-core/src/kerf_cad_core/brep
|
no source ↗ |
| Unified CAD + simulation projectD1 |
yes
packages/kerf-cfd/
|
no source ↗ |
| Structural FEA (stress / displacement)D2 |
yes
packages/kerf-structural/
|
no source ↗ |
| Open-source licensingD14 |
yes
LICENSE
|
yes source ↗ |
| Python scripting / automation APID14 |
yes
packages/kerf-sdk/
|
partial source ↗ |
- yes shipped
- partial works with limits
- paid tier present, but behind an add-on or meter
- no not available
Corrections welcome. These rows are read off published documentation on the date shown and go stale as products ship. If a row is wrong, open an issue — the source file is public/compare/openfoam.md and every claim in it carries a link.