title: A free and open source computational tool to solve differential equations in the cloud author: German Theler email: [email protected] abstract: | The core of this PhD thesis is a piece of software called FeenoX which is aimed at solving systems of DAEs and PDEs used to model engineering systems in the cloud. It is focused on the finite element method but it can also use a finite volumes scheme. The design basis and its features make it unique among the free and open source fauna. For instance, it follows the UNIX philosophy that essentially reads “do only one thing but do it well.” Problems which can be solved include generic dynamical systems casted as DAEs (including reactor kinetics with xenon and control feedback), transient heat conduction with temperature-dependent conductivities, modal analysis, thermo-elasticity (linear materials so far) and neutron transport and diffusion. Other equations such as electromagnetism can be added by taking these formulations as templates. This presentation focuses on the differences between FeenoX and the approach made by other free programs and libraries. A fictional “Request for Quotation” regarding software requirements specifications for a computational tool is introduced. Then a fictional tender application for FeenoX is submitted, addressing and discussing each of the required specifications to show why the ideas and implementation within this PhD thesis are unique, at least in the free and open source world. lang: en-US colorlinks: true ...