Design tools for electromagnetic-driven multi-physics systems using high performance computing

Purpose The design of electromagnetic systems for a variety of applications such as induction heating, electrical machines, actuators and transformers requires the solution of a multi-physics problem often involving thermal, structural and mechanical coupling to the electromagnetic system. This results in a complex analysis system embedded within an optimization process. The appearance of high-performance computing systems over the past few years has made coupled simulations feasible for the design engineer. When coupled with surrogate modelling techniques, it is possible to significantly reduce the wall clock time for generating a complete design while including the impact of the multi-physics performance on the device. Design/methodology/approach An architecture is proposed for linking multiple singe physics analysis tools through the material models and a controller which schedules the execution of the various software tools. The combination of tools is implemented on a series of computational nodes operating in parallel and creating a "super node" cluster within a collection of interconnected processors. Findings The proposed architecture and job scheduling system can allow a parallel exploration of the design space for a device. Originality/value The originality of the work derives from the organization of the parallel computing system into a series of "super nodes" and the creation of a materials database suitable for multi-physics interactions.