SC5 — 16-Core, 128 GB CFD HPC Node for Large ANSYS Fluent Meshes

The SC5 node is a capacity-focused machine for large CFD work. It pairs a capable 16-core, 32-thread platform with a substantial 128 GB of RAM and 2 TB of SSD storage — the memory and space to load and run large meshes in ANSYS Fluent, with room for the big data files that large and transient simulations produce.

When your simulation is memory-bound — a large mesh that smaller nodes cannot load — SC5 gives you the RAM that actually unlocks the case, on a solid 16-core platform that keeps the solve moving.

Specifications

The headline here is memory and storage: 128 GB of RAM — many times that of the entry and mid nodes — plus ~2 TB of SSD. That combination loads large meshes those smaller configurations reject, with ample space for big case and data files.

What this node is built for

SC5 is the large-mesh, capacity-first tier. It suits cases where memory is the limiting factor:

• Large meshes — into the high tens of millions of cells (and beyond for simpler physics), far past what 16–32 GB nodes can load.

• Multiphase flows — VOF, Eulerian, and particle models (DPM/DDPM) whose extra equations demand more memory per cell.

• Combustion and reacting flows — detailed chemistry and species transport that a small node cannot hold.

• Conjugate heat transfer and thermal models — coupled fluid-solid domains at realistic scale.

• Long transient simulations — many time steps writing many data files, where the 2 TB of SSD keeps the run from filling the disk.

With 128 GB of RAM behind 16 cores at 2.6 GHz (turbo to 3.4 GHz), the large case both fits and runs, then uses every core to solve it.

Capacity over raw cores — and how to choose

In CFD, memory determines the largest mesh you can run — roughly 1 GB of RAM per million cells for a typical steady, single-phase case, more for complex physics — while cores determine how fast it solves. SC5 is built capacity-first: its 128 GB loads large, memory-bound meshes, and its 16 cores solve them at a solid pace.

• Want more cores at the same 128 GB for faster solves on large cases? SC10 offers a 20-core platform with 128 GB and ~2 TB storage.

• Running very large, memory-bound cases — hundreds of millions of cells, or extremely heavy physics? Our 1 TB high-memory node is the next step.

• Working on moderate cases? A 16–64 GB node will serve you for less.

Tell us your cell count and physics, and we will match you to the tier that fits — so you pay for exactly the capability your simulation needs.

Fast, roomy SSD storage

The two 1 TB SATA SSDs (about 2 TB total) give both speed and space: responsive read/write for loading and saving large Fluent files, and enough capacity for long transient runs that write data at many time steps. For large simulations, having room for all that output — without slow disk I/O holding up the solve — is a real practical advantage.

How parallel solving works on this node

When you run Fluent in parallel, the solver partitions your mesh across all 16 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. With 128 GB of memory behind those 16 cores, large cases load comfortably and all cores contribute to the solve.

Why rent instead of buy

A dual-CPU server with 128 GB of ECC RAM and 2 TB of SSD is a significant purchase that depreciates between projects. Renting matches cost to workload:

For teams running large CFD cases periodically, SC5 provides the memory and storage on demand — with a path up to a 20-core node or the 1 TB node when a case calls for more.

How it works — you're in full control

SC76 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 SC76 node.

2. Set up your simulation — load your geometry and case, configure your solver settings, and run ANSYS Fluent with all 6 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

How large a mesh can SC5 handle? With 128 GB of RAM, count on large meshes — into the high tens of millions of cells for simpler steady single-phase cases, with complex physics (multiphase, combustion, many transported scalars) needing more memory per cell and so supporting a somewhat smaller mesh. As a guide, allow about 1 GB of RAM per million cells. Send us your case for a precise estimate.

How is SC5 different from SC10? Both have 128 GB of RAM and ~2 TB of SSD. SC5 is built on a 16-core platform; SC10 uses a 20-core platform for faster solves on large cases. Choose SC5 when capacity matters most and the 16 cores are sufficient; choose SC10 when you want the extra solve speed.

How is SC5 different from the smaller-memory nodes? The entry and mid nodes have 16–32 GB and suit compact-to-moderate cases. SC5 jumps to 128 GB, which is what lets it load large meshes those nodes cannot — plus 2 TB of storage for big output.

When would I need the 1 TB node instead? For very large, memory-bound simulations where even 128 GB is not enough. We will tell you honestly which tier your case needs.

Is my data kept confidential? Yes

Get started with SC5

If you run large, memory-bound CFD cases that smaller machines cannot load, SC5 gives you the 128 GB and 2 TB of storage to run them — on a capable 16-core platform.

Contact MR CFD to run your large ANSYS Fluent case on SC5 — and we'll help you confirm it's the right tier for your simulation.