Influence of partitioning methods on computational cost of cfd simulations applied to hydrocyclones

Abstract

In simulations, when using multipartitioned computers, the way in which the mesh is partitioned directly affects the average time per iteration, and therefore, the computational cost. This study proposes an analysis of the average time per iteration of 23 different partition methods available for tridimensional mesh in software FLUENT 19.2. For the calculation of the average iteration time, 100 iterations were used. Generally, the best partitioning methods were those in which the mesh division was made perpendicularly to the axis of the equipment. It was stated the choice of an adequate partitioning method can save high costs of computational power. For the hydrocyclone studied, with a computer with 8 cores, approximately 24.56 hours of simulation were saved, representing almost 20% of the total time.