We propose an efficient algorithm for the immersed boundary method on
distributed-memory architectures, with the computational complexity of a
completely explicit method and excellent parallel scaling. The algorithm
utilizes the pseudo-compressibility method recently proposed by Guermond and
Minev [Comptes Rendus Mathematique, 348:581-585, 2010] that uses a directional
splitting strategy to discretize the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations,
thereby reducing the linear systems to a series of one-dimensional tridiagonal
systems. We perform numerical simulations of several fluid-structure
interaction problems in two and three dimensions and study the accuracy and
convergence rates of the proposed algorithm. For these problems, we compare the
proposed algorithm against other second-order projection-based fluid solvers.
Lastly, the strong and weak scaling properties of the proposed algorithm are
investigated