Company

Who We Are

Analytic & Computational Research Inc. (ACRi) is a global leader in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions, providing advanced software tools to address some of the most critical industrial and environmental challenges. With decades of expertise and a commitment to innovation, our tools empower scientists and engineers worldwide to tackle problems such as groundwater contamination, air pollution, and industrial system optimization. Trusted by over 200 clients in 20 countries, including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, ACRi combines cutting-edge technology with proven reliability to deliver impactful solutions.

ACRi was founded by Dr. Akshai Runchal, a key member of the pioneering team led by Prof. D. B. Spalding in the mid-1960s. He played a pivotal role in the invention of the Finite Volume Method (FVM), a fundamental approach that shaped modern Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

Akshai Runchal

Founder and CEO

With over 50 years of pioneering experience in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and numerical simulation, Akshai Runchal is a distinguished expert in flow, heat, and mass transport processes for engineering and environmental sciences. He completed his Ph.D. in 1969 at Imperial College London under the mentorship of Prof. D. B. Spalding. He was a key member of the three-person team led by Prof. Spalding that developed the Finite Volume Method (FVM) for Fluid Dynamics (CFD) starting in 1966, a cornerstone of modern CFD

In 1979, Akshai established the Analytic & Computational Research Inc. (ACRi) group of companies, which now operates from Los Angeles (USA), Nice (France), and McLeod Gunj (India). In 2011, he founded the non-profit CFD Virtual Reality Institute (www.CFDVRi.org) to advance CFD education, training, and research.

His expertise spans industrial design, production, environmental impact assessments, and disaster management, including Tsunamis, industrial fires, explosions, and hazardous material releases. Akshai has authored or co-authored 10 books and over 200 technical publications and regularly serves as a reviewer for technical journals. He has delivered keynote and invited talks at more than 100 international conferences and seminars.

Dr. Runchal is a fellow of both ASME and ASTFE (American Society of Thermal and Fluid Engineers) and a founding member of ASTFE. He has also served as Chairman of the IIT Kanpur Foundation Board and as a member of the IIT Gandhinagar Advisory Board.

For more details, please use the link below to visit Dr. Runchal's Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akshai_Runchal

Dr. Madhukar M. Rao

Dr. M.M. Rao is a distinguished expert in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) with over three decades of experience in research, software development, and consulting. He holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Madras (1988) and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Dr. Rao began his career as a Project Engineer at ACRi’s Cincinnati office in 1996 and currently serves as the Technical Director of ACRi India. He has played a leading role in the development and implementation of unstructured mesh algorithms in the commercial finite volume CFD software ANSWER® as well as the implementation of advanced turbulence models including Reynolds Stress Models (RSM), non-linear k–ε models, RNG, and k–ω variants.

At ACRi, Dr. Rao leads R&D efforts involving CFD solver development (commercial codes: ANSWER, PORFLOW, TIDAL), adaptive mesh refinement, simulation of complex reacting flows, environmental flow modeling, and subsurface transport. His work extends to the numerical modeling of aerosol transport and dynamics, including applications in air quality.

He is also closely associated with the CFD Virtual Reality Institute (CFDVRi), where he guides education, training, and research activities. Dr. Rao is actively involved in extending CFD through Machine Learning techniques, with a particular focus on Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) to enhance predictive capabilities and computational efficiency.

Dr. Rao has co-authored the book Computational Fluid Dynamics with Moving Boundaries and has published extensively in reputed journals and conferences.

Mission

At Analytic & Computational Research Inc. (ACRi), our mission is to provide advanced CFD tools that help scientists and engineers solve complex industrial and environmental challenges. These include improved design of industrial devices and efficient management of our environment and ecosystem. As environmental issues such as groundwater contamination, air pollution and impact of extreme weather events like hurricanes and Tsunamis becomes more critical, the need for innovative solutions is greater than ever. Population growth and intensified industrial activities are placing an increasing strain on our natural resources and ecosystem leading to climate change, increased economic burden, and worsening health crises. ACRI has assisted over 200 clients that include Fortune 500 companies, governments and research organizations in 20 countries to analyze and understand such challenges and design better industrial devices and manage environmental issues in a cost-effective way.

Our focus is on CFD tools for engineering design that are meshless and auto-adaptive, with integrated ML/AI capabilities.

Vision

Our vision is to become the leading global provider of CFD solutions for environmental and engineering challenges ultimately helping create a safer and more sustainable world. By equipping professionals with the tools to model, predict, mitigate and manage these complex issues, we are working to ensure the long-term safety and resilience of communities and ecosystems around the globe.

To explore job opportunities with Analytic & Computational Research Inc. (ACRi), Please email your CV to jobs@acricfd.com