A multirate parallel-modular algorithm for dynamic process simulation using distributed memory multicomputers

The use of a distributed memory message-passing multicomputer for dynamic s imulation of chemical processes is investigated. The computational speed-up expected from the parallel implementation of the modular integration appro ach depends crucially on appropriate partitioning of the overall system int o smaller sub-systems (modules), and the need for coordination and synchron ization of module integrations to account for the interaction effects among the sub-systems. In this paper, a coordination algorithm based on a dynami c block Jacobi-like iteration is employed. Sufficient conditions for the fi nite-time convergence of the iterative solution scheme are established. The se conditions are shown to be very useful in quantifying the convergence ra te that can be used as a basis for adjusting the integration time horizon a nd selection of the best process system partitioning strategy. Timing resul ts from simulation of the dynamics of a multicomponent distillation column on a distributed memory message-passing multicomputer demonstrate the poten tial of the proposed implementation. The results suggest that the execution time of modular dynamic process simulation can be reduced very significant ly by distributing the module integrations onto several computing nodes com municating via high-performance communication networks. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.