openfoam hangout on air #2 - cloud simulation, presentation by simscale

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SimScale – Browser-based CAE.An online simulation platform in the cloud - including OpenFOAM.

SimScale GmbHLichtenbergstraße 885748 Garching bei München+49 (0) 160 97383156www.simscale.de

© SimScale GmbH, 2014 – www.simscale.de 2

Outline

1) Who are we?

2) The concept behind SimScale

3) Feature overview

a) Pre-processing

b) OpenFOAM solvers

c) Visualization and Post-processing

4) Enabling users

5) Cloud and collaboration


1. Who are we?The team behind SimScale.

● Founded in 2011 as a CAE consultancy

● Started by young TU Munich alumni:Mechanical engineering,Computer science,Mathematics

● Platform development started in 2012

● Platform launch: August 2013

● Based in Garching (near TUM campus)


The ideaA browser-based platform for an easier access to CAE.

CAD Upload Simulation Design decision


2. The ConceptA distributed software system with scalable infrastructure.

● Internet access& modern browser

Users Frontend Web Server CAE Backend

● Completely web-based

● „Desktop look-and-feel“

● JavaScript, WebGL,HTML

● Data management, storage & backup

● Load balancingand cloudmanagement

● On-demand cloud computing resources

● Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)


3.1 Pre-processingGeometry handling and meshing.

● Geometry workflow

● Format support (STEP, IGES, BREP, STL)

● In-browser 3D visualization

● Meshing

● 3D Tetrahedral workflow

● Fully automated● Optional prismatic boundary layers

● snappyHexMesh

● Support for all types of refinements● Automated for internal and external flow

● Quality control

● mesh clip● checkMesh


3.2 CFDUsing OpenFOAM in the backend.

● OpenFOAM and SU2 are supported so far

● OpenFOAM is used as default for most applications

● Currently integrated functionality

Incompressible icoFoam, pisoFoam, simpleFoam

Turbulence laminar, k-epsilon, k-omega, k-omega-SST

Multiphase interFoam, interDyMFoam

Compressible rhoPimpleFoam, rhoSimpleFoam, rhoCentralFoam

Conjugate heat transfer chtMultiRegionSimpleFoam

Buoyancy buoyantPimpleFoam, buoyantSimpleFoam

+ Most other OpenFOAM solvers are accessible via case upload


3.2 CFDWhy OpenFOAM?

OpenFOAM is a very mature framework for fluid mechanics

✔ Brings solvers for many technical problems

✔ Very large user community

✔ Widely used across various industries

✔ Well validated for many use cases

✔ Stringent and modular architecture

● Consistent input file format (dictionaries)

→ OpenFOAM is a sustainable choice for the CFD backend


3.3 Visualization & Post-processingDifferent technologies for client side and remote rendering.

Compute nodes

Remote Post-processing

Client

SSL

Data processing,Rendering

Displaying,interaction

● Pre-processing:

● Client-side visualization for fast and intuitive interaction

● Rendering via WebGL

● Post-processing:

● based on ParaViewWeb

● datasets are loaded remotely

● Rendering via WebGL or image streaming (JPEG/PNG)


4. Enabling usersHow can the access to OpenFOAM be simplified?

● The learning curve for OpenFOAM is somewhat steep

● OpenFOAM provides features which are very powerful but hard to use

● Multi regions (conjugate heat transfer)

● AMI

● snappyHexMesh (≳ 70 settings for a simple mesh)

What can be done?

→ GUI & 3D interaction (e.g. for boundary condition creation)

→ Best-practice settings where applicable

→ Automated features

→ Library projects as template


5. CollaborationNew perspectives by using cloud computing.

● Central data management in the cloud

→ Data is accessible

● from anywhere

● at any time

● by different users

● Project sharing & public links

● Project library

● Advanced features for collaboration

● Interactive, real-time work on the same project

● Interactive post-processing


6. BackendInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS) ensures scalability.

● SimScale owns almost no computing resources

● Computing jobs (meshing / solving) are prepared on the server and sent to the cloud provider.

● The user can specify the hardware on which the computation will be carried out

● Completely scalable, however slower due to multi tenancy and virtualization

● Standard Instances up to 16 cores● Arbitrary connection possible● GPU acceleration possible● 10 Gigabit Ethernet, No Infiniband● Virtualization & Multi Tenancy

effects → Speed down

EC2-

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openfoam hangout on air #2 - cloud simulation, presentation by simscale

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