FEFLOW (Finite Element subsurface FLOW system) is a computer program for simulating groundwater flow, mass transfer and heat transfer in porous media and fractured media. The program uses finite element analysis to solve the groundwater flow equation of both saturated and unsaturated conditions as well as mass and heat transport, including fluid density effects and chemical kinetics for multi-component reaction systems. 

The software was firstly introduced by Hans-Jörg G. Diersch in 1979, He developed the software in the Institute of Mechanics of the German Academy of Sciences Berlin up to 1990. In 1990 he was one of the founders of WASY GmbH of Berlin, Germany (the acronym WASY translates from German to Institute for Water Resources Planning and Systems Research), where FEFLOW has been developed further, continuously improved and extended as a commercial simulation package. In 2007 the shares of WASY GmbH were purchased by DHI. The WASY company has been fused and FEFLOW became part of the DHI Group software portfolio. FEFLOW is being further developed at DHI by an international team. Software distribution and services are worldwide. 

FEFLOW is the only tool you need to simulate all the flow, mass and heat transport processes in the subsurface. Analyse interactions below the land surface by including any manner of underground structures, tunnels and other types of excavation. Extend your model by coupling FEFLOW to other MIKE surface water models to investigate groundwater-surface water interaction. Plus, you can estimate ground subsidence and more accurately predict pumping rates with a hydromechanical coupling plugin. 

FEFLOW is suitable for numerous different applications in flow and transport processes simulation in porous media, ranging from lab scale to continental scale. A few typical examples are listed here:

• Mining - Model groundwater flow, assess seepage amounts and estimate pore pressure profiles to support open pit slope and underground mining design. Create dewatering and worst-case scenarios, assess the hydraulic performance of a tailings storage facility and simulate the fate of contaminants for EIAs.
• Engineering - Assess groundwater mitigation and remediation strategies for construction and tunneling projects. Simulate geometric changes in a tunnel, earth material and other underground features involved in excavations.
• Water Resources - Identify potential groundwater abstraction locations and optimise scenarios of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). Analyse saltwater intrusion in freshwater resources and better understand groundwater-surface water interaction (e.g. by linking to a fully hydrodynamic river or flood model).
• Water Quality - Use the built-in Kinetics Editor to account for transport processes from conservative, reactive and multi-species. Couple groundwater modelling with external models to simulate land use impacts on groundwater quality at the regional scale. Assess the impact and design of nuclear waste storage facilities.
• Geotechnical Engineering - Design and implement a leakage mitigation effort and address related potential dam failure modes. Estimate spatial-temporal changes of pore pressure based on fully 3D Richards-based solution. Estimate ground subsidence and more accurately predict pumping rates.
• Industrial Porous Media - Maximise the efficiency of consumer products and develop innovative technologies and new designs. Create highly detailed 3D visualisation of the infiltration and storage processes, predict absorption behaviour and optimise absorber materials with varying geometry and physical properties.
• Geothermal Energy - Optimise urban shallow geothermal systems. Understand potential conflict between future and existing geothermal installations. Assess the feasibility of artificial freezing, modelling scenarios with permafrost, shallow and deep geothermal systems and the potential thermal impact on an aquifer.

* FEFLOW download link provides demo version of the software.

Fluid System Flow Analysis

CADRE Flow is developed using the basic principles of finite element method as applied to the hydraulics flow field.

Heat and Solute Transport in 3D Ground-Water Flow Systems

The computer program (HST3D) described in this report simulates heat and solute transport in three-dimensional saturated ground-water flow systems.

Model for Saturated-Unsaturated, Variable-Density Ground-Water Flow with Solute or Energy Transport

A model for 2D or 3D saturated-unsaturated, variable-density ground-water flow with solute or energy transport.

Flow & Pressure Calcs on Single Pipes

Pipe Flow Wizard is able to perform four different flow and pressure drop calculations on a single pipe depending on the known information.

Open Channel Flow & Tank Empty Times

Flow Advisor can be used to estimate water flow rates from various open channels, closed channels and differently shaped supply tanks.

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