The set of equations that describe the processes of momentum, heat and mass transfer are known as the Navier-Stokes equations. These partial differential equations were derived in the early nineteenth century and have no known general analytical solution but can be discretized and solved numerically.

Equations describing other processes, such as combustion, can also be solved in conjunction with the Navier-Stokes equations. Often, an approximating model is used to derive these additional equations, turbulence models being a particularly important example.

There are a number of different solution methods that are used in CFD codes. The most common, and the one on which CFX is based, is known as the finite volume technique.

In this technique, the region of interest is divided into small sub-regions, called control volumes. The equations are discretized and solved iteratively for each control volume. As a result, an approximation of the value of each variable at specific points throughout the domain can be obtained. In this way, one derives a full picture of the behavior of the flow.

Additional information on the Navier-Stokes equations and other mathematical aspects of the CFX software suite is available in Basic Solver Capability Theory in the CFX-Solver Theory Guide.