Finite-element analyses of problems in electromagnetic launch using a PC-based Beowulf cluster with high-speed networks

Finite-element (FE) analyses in electromagnetic launch usually involve coupled electromagnetic, thermal, and structural equations. The number of unknowns to be solved could range up to a million and beyond. Parallel solution using massively parallel processing systems (MPPs) is an obvious approach toward reduction of computation times. Beowulf clusters are inexpensive parallel platforms compared with the supercomputing MPPs such as the Cray T3E. They could also serve as dedicated systems. The results from parametric analyses of a sliding electrical contact problem using an FE software EMAP3D and a Beowulf cluster are reported here.