Gaming industry gives CFD analysis a boost

Advanced graphic cards are being used to enhance the speed and performance of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis. BAE Systems is utilising the hybrid high performance computing system of NVIDIA's Tesla S1070, a massively parallel, many-core architecture offering nearly 1,000 cores in a 1U chassis. With up to 250 times the processing power of a multi-core processor, applications run significantly faster, enabling complex CFD codes to run in minutes rather than hours or days. The development will support BAE Systems aim to have a million fold improvement in the power of fluid mechanics based design processes by 2012. Replacing existing physical wind tunnel testing with high fidelity computer based simulations significantly reduces the time consuming process of model manufacture and tunnel testing, from months to just a few days of complex mathematical analysis. BAE group leader, Dr David Standingford, said: "CFD is used extensively by the BAE Systems Business Units in support of engineering and to ensure high performance in both aerodynamics and hydro-dynamics, for air, land and sea based platforms." Moving from physical testing to virtual testing allows engineers to focus on new designs and innovation. With advanced computer simulation technology the design process becomes revolutionised, dramatically reducing the time it takes for a broad range of products to go from concept stage to market.