Case Study: Johnson Screens achieves rapid, low-cost airflow verification for architectural radiator grilles with SimScale

Johnson Screens used SimScale CFD to verify airflow through their architectural radiator grille product

Johnson Screens, part of Aqseptence Group, faced a design challenge for an architectural radiator grille destined for a New York skyscraper: ensure the grille delivered a modern look without causing excessive pressure drop in the building ventilation system that would increase blower size and energy use. Johnson Screens’ R&D engineer Daryn Bertelson needed to visualize air velocity contours and quantify pressure drop quickly and accurately, so they turned to SimScale CFD for a virtual airflow analysis.

Using SimScale, Johnson Screens ran incompressible-flow CFD with a k-omega SST turbulence model on a hex-dominant mesh (about 1 million cells), converging in 220 iterations and taking only 18 minutes per run. SimScale enabled multiple parallel simulations, revealed the previously underestimated impact of lower support bars on flow distribution, and produced professional flow visualizations—saving an estimated $7–$15K and several months compared to physical testing—while paving the way for a company-wide expansion of SimScale use.

Johnson Screens

Daryn Bertelson

CAE Engineer