For many centuries, scientific discovery relied on performing experiments and the subsequent deduction of new theoretical models. However, the advent of powerful computers, coupled with new and ever more efficient numerical algorithms, is making it possible to simulate complex systems with increasing realism, decreasing the need for time- and resource-intensive experimentation.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is one of the most prominent areas that clearly requires, and even motivate exascale computing to be part of the engineering and academic workflows. Given its potential for ever larger scale or higher resolution simulation as well as the availability of highly efficient simulation codes, CFD is one of the few application areas with the potential of demanding the full and efficient use of an exascale system – reaching exascale performance.
This center will implement exascale ready workflows for addressing relevant challenges for future exascale systems, including those procured by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. It will significantly improve the energy efficiency of these simulations through efficient exploitation of accelerated hardware architectures (GPUs) and novel adaptive mixed-precision calculations. Emphasis is furthermore placed on developing new or improved algorithms that are needed to exploit upcoming exascale architectures.
The efforts of the center are driven by a collection of six different lighthouse cases of physical and engineering interest, ranging from aeronautical to atmospheric flows, with the goal of reaching TRL 4 and even 5 for selected cases. All development is done in six European HPC codes which span the entire spectrum of CFD applications, including compressible, incompressible and multiphase flows.
