The Company

 
Flow Parametrics, LLC specializes in applying CFD methodology to industrial problems, providing complete solutions through CFD software and consulting. Flow Parametrics has developed the FPVortex flow solver, and has a Space Act Agreement (SAA) with the NASA Glenn Research Center for sharing of advanced technologies. We provide training in FPVortex and have the flexibility to tailor its use to your specific application.
 

Biographies
 
 
Robert C. Ryder, Jr., Co-Founder and President

Robert C. (Rob) Ryder, Jr. has 20 years of experience in the development and application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools for military and commercial jet engine design, industrial design and field problems. He is the author of the baseline solver within the National Combustion Code called FPVortex™. He currently contributes to validation and development of the NASA Glenn Research Center's National Combustion Code and its applications to propulsion systems. Rob received his B.S. and M.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh and has thirteen years experience with the jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. Rob recently received a NASA Group Achievement Award for reducing turbine engine analysis time by a factor of 320:1 through high performance computing and parallelization.

Rob can be reached by e-mail at ryder@FlowParametrics.com and by phone at (860)-767-0050.



Peter H. Smith, Co-Founder and Chairman

Peter (Pete) Smith was President, Chairman and Co-Founder of CADKEY, Inc. In 1981 he helped produce the first commercial based 3D graphics tablet. He played a key role in the creation and marketing of CADKEY, which won 3 PC Magazine Editors Choice Awards. To date, CADKEY has sold over 300,000 systems including more than 1200 seats at The Boeing Corporation. Pete was a finalist in INC Magazine / Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Award. While at CADKEY, he also spearheaded the development of educational programs throughout the world. Pete worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft for nineteen years. While there, he worked and published in the areas of video image processing, inspection systems, transonic flow, heat transfer, numerical methods, acoustics and robotics. He introduced image processing and pattern recognition to United Technologies where he established an Image Processing Lab. Pete was Director of Strategic Planning at the National Center for Manufacturing Science. He received his B.S. in Physics from Bucknell University, M.S. in Physics from Trinity College and an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from RPI.



Peter E. Bryant, Auto Racing Engineering Consultant

Peter works closely with Flow Parametrics, LLC in the capacity of automotive racing engineering consultant. His responsibilities include CAD solid model development in preparation for flow analysis, aerodynamic development work, and liason with auto racing clients. Peter has an extensive background in race car engineering and is a pioneer in the use of aerodynamic ground effects to enhance cornering. He wrote the first definitive paper describing ground effects titled "The CAN-AM Racing Car and Ground Effects", presented at the AIAA 2nd High-Speed Vehicle Symposium, 1973. Before coming to America from a British Formula-1 Team, Peter had been a race car engineer for the Carl Haas Lola CAN-AM Sports Car Team, and in 1969 he designed the Ti22 CAN-AM car, driven by Jackie Oliver. This was the first American CAN-AM car to utilize titanium in its unique monocoque chassis construction. In 1971/72 Peter designed the UOP Shadow CAN-AM cars driven by Jackie Oliver and Carlos Pace. His most recent design programs include the Concept SHELBY SERIES 1 sports car now being made by Shelby America at their Las Vegas, NV factory. In 1999, Peter performed all the suspension analysis design work and chassis packaging for a Baja off-road Trophy Truck for Collins Motorsports of Las Vegas. One of his most recent tasks for Flow Parametrics, LLC was the modeling and study definition for the CFD analysis of the record-breaking "Flatfire" streamlined car tested at the Bonneville Salt Flats.