cli.erl

%% run this on the CLI: 
%% start erlang: erl +K true

c(memory).
%% file size is arbitrary but too big will make the VM crawl with what follows
{ok, Bin} = file:read_file("my_at_least_3MB_file.something"). 
L = binary_to_list(Bin).
Pid = memory:start().

%% keep N low, a value of 100 makes my VM unresponsive in my 16GB of RAM Retina Mac.
N = 10.
[Pid ! {set, Key, L} || Key <- lists:seq(1, N)].

%% use Activity Monitor or similar to check beam.smp memory usage.
%% next line will double memory usage since the dictionary will be duplicaed
%% see: https://github.com/erlang/otp/blob/maint/erts/emulator/beam/erl_process_dict.c#L235
erlang:process_info(Pid, dictionary).

memory.erl

-module(memory).

-export([start/0]).

start() ->
    spawn(fun loop/0).

loop() ->
    receive
        {set, Key, Val} ->
            put(Key, Val),
            loop()
    end.