Hi, I need some help, I'm trying to model a 3 stage axial flow turbine, and the whole thing will probably be about 6-8 million elements. I am trying to get my advisor to buy a machine that would be able to reasonably handle something like that can anyone give me a idea what kind of machine specification wise would be able to run something like that. The simulation is steady state obviously. Thank you.

Sherif

If I compute 200w elements with single precise and the memory usage will be about 4G,I think your problem needs at least 16G memory, one mainboard with at least two 4-core cpu.

however ,the above mentioned is expensive, since it is related with the concept of server, and the memory-chips would be also of that server kind which is much expensive than normal memory-chips for desktop computer and also xeon server cpus which are also much expensive than normal 4-core cpu for desk use.(eg intel q6600)

I suggest you buy two to four desk computers each with one normal 4-core cpu and 8 G memory(2G*4), in addition a 1000M switch to link them and you can install windows computer cluster system on them to link softly(the system is also supported by CFX11.0 sp1 to carry out parrallel computing ). In my point of view, this plan is much economical than the former one.(I bought one some days ago in China, about 850 dollars.)

Nevertheless, you should be careful that some newlyavailable cpus such as intel q9300 is not recognized well by cfx for parallel calculating until you ask for some help from the ANSYS. I have met such kind of problem but the cpu intel q6600 is free of such problems and I think it is the most appropriate for its low price and relatively high speed(2.4G)

Good luck.