SC16 — 24-Core, 16 GB CFD HPC Node for Fast Solves on Smaller Cases

The SC16 node puts the fastest cores in our dual-Xeon range behind smaller CFD work. It pairs 24 cores and 48 threads of high-clocked compute with 16 GB of RAM — built to solve compact meshes as fast as the Ivy Bridge platform allows in ANSYS Fluent. As the entry point to our flagship 24-core family, SC16 puts top-tier parallel power behind small-to-moderate cases at a lean spec.

It is the speed-first, compact tier on our flagship CPU platform: maximum cores, a lean memory budget, and a clear path up when your meshes grow.

Specifications

SC16 uses the most capable Ivy Bridge CPUs in the lineup: 24 cores total at 2.7 GHz base (3.5 GHz turbo) with 30 MB of cache per CPU — the highest core count, clock, and cache of the dual-Xeon nodes — on a lean, cost-effective 16 GB memory budget.

What's included with SC16

Every SC16 rental comes with extras to help you get the most from it:

• A comprehensive CFD course, free — a full training course to sharpen your simulation skills, included at no extra cost.

• One month of Claude AI Premium — AI assistance to support your engineering, scripting, and problem-solving.

• One hour of free CFD consultation — direct time with our CFD engineers to help set up, troubleshoot, or optimize your case.

These come standard with the node — practical support alongside the compute.

What this node is built for

SC16 is the maximum-throughput, small-case tier on our flagship CPU platform. The 24 high-clocked cores deliver strong parallel performance, while 16 GB keeps it lean. It suits:

• Smaller meshes solved fast — spread across 24 cores, a compact case converges very quickly.

• 2D and early-stage 3D simulations — light on memory, quick to run, ideal for rapid iteration.

• Parameter sweeps on small cases — more cores means more variants processed per hour.

• Training and learning at top speed — fast results on flagship multi-core hardware.

• Compute-bound small cases — where the bottleneck is solve time, not memory.

With 24 cores at 2.7 GHz (turbo to 3.5 GHz), Fluent partitions the mesh across all of them and exchanges boundary data each iteration via MPI — so a small case finishes fast.

Cores first, memory lean

SC16's headline is cores, not capacity. In CFD, cores determine how fast a case solves, while memory sets the largest mesh you can run — roughly 1 GB of RAM per million cells for a typical steady, single-phase case. With 16 GB, SC16 is matched to smaller meshes solved at high speed.

• Your meshes have grown larger? Step up the same flagship platform: SC17 (32 GB), SC18 (64 GB), SC19 (96 GB), or SC20 (128 GB, ~2 TB storage).

• Want even more cores at 16 GB? Our newer 28-core node SC21 uses a later CPU generation for the fastest small-case solves of all.

• Running very large, memory-bound cases? Our 1 TB high-memory node is the right tool.

Tell us your cell count and physics, and we will match you to the tier that fits.

Fast SSD storage

The two 500 GB SATA SSDs deliver responsive read/write for loading case files, writing data, and handling autosaves — keeping a quick solve from stalling on slow disk I/O.

How parallel solving works on this node

When you run Fluent in parallel, the solver partitions your mesh across all 24 cores (using algorithms such as METIS), each core solving its share of cells and exchanging boundary data each iteration via MPI. On a single node, that communication runs through fast on-board channels rather than a network, keeping parallel overhead low — so a well-sized small case is solved very quickly across all 24 cores.

Why rent instead of buy

For the fastest turnaround on smaller CFD cases at a keen price, SC16 gives you flagship cores — plus a free course, a month of Claude AI Premium, and a consultation hour — with an easy path to higher-memory nodes when your meshes grow.

How it works — you're in full control

SC16 is yours to drive directly. You connect to the node over a secure remote desktop connection and run everything yourself, exactly as you would on a local workstation:

1. Connect via remote desktop — you get full remote access to the SC16 node.

2. Set up your simulation — load your geometry and case, configure your solver settings, and run ANSYS Fluent with all 24 cores at your command.

3. Run and monitor in real time — start, pause, adjust, and watch the solution as it progresses, with complete control throughout.

4. Keep your results — post-process on the node or download your solution and data files whenever you're ready.

You have full authority over the node for the duration of your rental: we provide the hardware and the support, and you run the simulations your way.

Frequently asked questions

What makes SC16 fast? The 24-core E5-2697 v2 pair is the highest core count, clock (2.7/3.5 GHz), and cache (30 MB per CPU) of the dual-Xeon nodes — so for small cases that fit in 16 GB, SC16 delivers strong solve speed.

How is SC16 different from SC17? Same flagship 24-core platform, but SC16 has 16 GB of RAM versus SC17's 32 GB. SC16 is the leaner, fastest-on-small-cases option; SC17 gives memory headroom for moderately larger meshes. Pick based on whether your case fits in 16 GB.

How large a mesh can it handle? With 16 GB of RAM, plan for smaller meshes — roughly up to the low tens of millions of cells for simpler steady single-phase cases, fewer for transient or multiphase physics (about 1 GB of RAM per million cells is a good starting estimate). Send us your case for a precise answer.

What if my case needs more memory? Step up the same flagship platform to SC17–SC20 (32–128 GB), or our 1 TB high-memory node for large, memory-bound work. We will recommend the right tier so your case fits — and still solves fast.

Is my data kept confidential? Yes. Your geometry, case files, and results stay private to you, treated as strictly confidential — and because you run everything yourself over remote desktop, your work stays under your control throughout.

Get started with SC16

If you run smaller CFD cases and want them solved as fast as possible — with a free CFD course, a month of Claude AI Premium, and a consultation hour included — SC16's 24 flagship cores are built for exactly that.

Contact MR CFD for remote-desktop access to SC16 — and we'll help you confirm it's the right tier for your simulation.