Facilities

The Advanced CFD Group conducts their research in the new Advanced CFD and Immersive Visualization Laboratory. This lab is equipped with the usual PCs (operating under Windows and LINUX) and HP, SGI and Sun UNIX workstations for source code editing, post processing and visualization. Their high-end computing tasks are carried out, primarily, on a 256-processor Hewlett Packard SuperDome SMP, and on a 64-processor HP PC cluster (expected to be upgraded to 256 processors), both operated by the University of Kentucky Computing Center. High-end 3-D immersive visualization is performed in a new facility that when completed will feature a 16-projector system operating in a three-wall plus floor enclosure with a nearly 400 sq. ft. foot print and greater then 600 sq. ft. of wall surface enabling full-scale 3-D visualizations of flow over objects as large as full-size passenger automobiles and small trucks. The system is based on a PC cluster and front projection with real-time shadow-removal capabilities to provide a very cost-effective system utilizing the Open GL graphics paradigm.