Parallel processing offers exciting possibilities for computational modeling. This project will develop a general purpose, parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package which can perform large-scale fluid dynamics calculations for NASA and the aerospace and manufacturing industries. This package will ultimately run on advanced parallel MIMD supercomputers such as the Intel Gamma and Paragon series, the TMC CM-5, and next generation Cray based upon DEC's Alpha chips. Phase I activities will develop a parallel CFD code based upon the methods found in the spectral element general-geometry CFD code, NEKTON. This new code will incorporate the innovative features of generalized adaptive meshing, NURBS-based geometry modelling, object-oriented program and data structures, and fast parallel solution techniques. The company will demonstrate these features by solving CFD problems beyond the capability of current CFD technology. In Phase II this new code will serve as a basis for an advanced, comprehensive, parallel CFD tool to be delivered to NASA.
Potential Commercial Applications:A general purpose, accurate, and robust parallel CFD tool is important to airframe manufacturers, material processing industries, and any industries in which fluid flow is important. The advances in efficiency for parallel computation will enable the cost-effective solution of significantly more difficult problems in these industries. This parallel tool will enable industry to shorten their design cycles and improve reliability and competitiveness.
