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At least 199 records · Page 11

High-fidelity multiscale model development for accelerated fuel qualification for high discharge burnup [Poster]

Reactor vendors seek economic benefits associated with increasing nuclear fuel service lifetime in the existing light-water reactors fleet. FFRD phenomena represent a major safety concern which still needs to be addressed. Formation of high burnup structure (HBS) in conjunction with LOCA can lead to relocating fuel to escape the fuel pin and get dispersed into the primary coolant system.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Subsonic and supersonic indicial aerodynamics and aerodynamic transfer function for complex configurations

A general theory for indicial-potential-compressible aerodynamics around complex configurations is presented. The motion is assumed to consist of constant subsonic or supersonic speed (steady state) and small perturbations around the steady state. Using the finite-element method to discretize the space problem, a set of differential-difference equations in time relating the potential to its normal derivative on the surface of the body was obtained. The aerodynamics transfer function was derived by using standard method of operational calculus.

Morino, L.↗

Fully unsteady subsonic and supersonic potential aerodynamics for complex aircraft configurations for flutter applications

A general theory for study, oscillatory or fully unsteady potential compressible aerodynamics around complex configurations is presented. Using the finite-element method to discretize the space problem, one obtains a set of differential-delay equations in time relating the potential to its normal derivative which is expressed in terms of the generalized coordinates of the structure. For oscillatory flow, the motion consists of sinusoidal oscillations around a steady, subsonic or supersonic flow. For fully unsteady flow, the motion is assumed to consist of constant subsonic or supersonic speed for time t or = 0 and of small perturbations around the steady state for time t 0.

Tseng, K.↗

A multi-domain spectral computation of three-dimensional laminar horseshoe vortex flow using incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

Multidomain spectral methods are presently used to numerically simulate a strut-wall intersection's laminar horseshoe vortex flow through direct solution of the three-dimensional, incompressible, time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. Direct expansion in Chebyshev polynomials and spectral element method spatial discretization of flow dependence are used to achieve high-order accuracy, and minimal dispersion errors. Low and moderate Reynolds number results are presented to illustrate the method application.

Tan, C. S.↗

LinAir: A multi-element discrete vortex Weissinger aerodynamic prediction method

LinAir is a vortex lattice aerodynamic prediction method similar to Weissinger's extended lifting-line theory, except that the circulation around a wing is represented by discrete horseshoe vortices, not a continuous distribution of vorticity. The program calculates subsonic longitudinal and lateral/directional aerodynamic forces and moments for arbitrary aircraft geometries. It was originally written by Dr. Ilan Kroo of Stanford University, and subsequently modified by the author to simplify modeling of complex configurations. The Polhamus leading-edge suction analogy was added by the author to extend the range of applicability of LinAir to low aspect ratio (i.e., fighter-type) configurations. A brief discussion of the theory of LinAir is presented, and details on how to run the program are given along with some comparisons with experimental data to validate the code. Example input and output files are given in the appendices to aid in understanding the program and its use. This version of LinAir runs in the VAX/VMS, Cray UNICOS, and Silicon Graphics Iris workstation environments at the time of this writing.

Durston, Donald A.↗

Displacement Models for THUNDER Actuators having General Loads and Boundary Conditions

This paper summarizes techniques for quantifying the displacements generated in THUNDER actuators in response to applied voltages for a variety of boundary conditions and exogenous loads. The PDE (partial differential equations) models for the actuators are constructed in two steps. In the first, previously developed theory quantifying thermal and electrostatic strains is employed to model the actuator shapes which result from the manufacturing process and subsequent repoling. Newtonian principles are then employed to develop PDE models which quantify displacements in the actuator due to voltage inputs to the piezoceramic patch. For this analysis, drive levels are assumed to be moderate so that linear piezoelectric relations can be employed. Finite element methods for discretizing the models are developed and the performance of the discretized models are illustrated through comparison with experimental data.

Wieman, Robert↗

Particle-Based Fiber Models of Woven Materials for Earth Entry Thermal Protection

Applications requiring materials with layer-to-layer strength, from basketry to thermal protection systems, use interlaced, three-dimensional woven materials. NASA is developing and deploying woven material heat shields for missions, including Artemis I (3D-MAT for compression pads) and potentially Mars Sample Return - Earth Entry System. These materials are complex, hierarchical and must protect from extreme environments and phenomena, such as deformation, impact and high-enthalpy heating. Woven material performance depends on microstructure, damage and weave geometry. Therefore, fiber-specific models are needed to simulate fiber contacts within the weave hierarchical geometry (fiber to tow to yarn to weave) and the inherent directionality of fibers. Explicit fiber models can simulate how weave microstructure evolution affects thermal and mechanical properties. We parameterize a discrete element bonded particle models (DEM-BPM) of fibers to capture thermal and mechanical behavior within and between fibers, with bonded and contact forces, respectively. We study the proportion of heat transfer and stress via the contact network, fiber bonds and the weave geometry, for example, with respect to yarn warp-weft identity (whether it interlaces weave layers). Our results demonstrate the importance of explicit fiber modeling for connecting microstructure with thermal and mechanical properties.

woven material↗

Particle-Based Fiber Models of Woven Materials for Earth Entry Thermal Protection

Applications requiring materials with layer-to-layer strength, from basketry to thermal protection systems, use interlaced, three-dimensional woven materials. NASA is developing and deploying woven material heat shields for missions, including Artemis I (3D-MAT for compression pads) and potentially Mars Sample Return - Earth Entry System. These materials are complex, hierarchical and must protect from extreme environments and phenomena, such as deformation, impact and high-enthalpy heating. Woven material performance depends on microstructure, damage and weave geometry. Therefore, fiber-specific models are needed to simulate fiber contacts within the weave hierarchical geometry (fiber to tow to yarn to weave) and the inherent directionality of fibers. Explicit fiber models can simulate how weave microstructure evolution affects thermal and mechanical properties. We parameterize a discrete element bonded particle models (DEM-BPM) of fibers to capture thermal and mechanical behavior within and between fibers, with bonded and contact forces, respectively. We study the proportion of heat transfer and stress via the contact network, fiber bonds and the weave geometry, for example, with respect to yarn warp-weft identity (whether it interlaces weave layers). Our results demonstrate the importance of explicit fiber modeling for connecting microstructure with thermal and mechanical properties.

woven material↗

High-performance finite elements with MFEM

The MFEM (Modular Finite Element Methods) library is a high-performance C++ library for finite element discretizations. MFEM supports numerous types of finite element methods and is the discretization engine powering many computational physics and engineering applications across a number of domains. Furthermore, this paper describes some of the recent research and development in MFEM, focusing on performance portability across leadership-class supercomputing facilities, including exascale supercomputers, as well as new capabilities and functionality, enabling a wider range of applications. Much of this work was undertaken as part of the Department of Energy’s Exascale Computing Project (ECP) in collaboration with the Center for Efficient Exascale Discretizations (CEED).

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Green’s function fast multipole method for computation of micromechanical fields in heterogeneous materials

Computation of micromechanical fields in heterogeneous materials is usually performed using either the finite element method or the Green’s function method based on FFTs. The finite element method allows for accurate discretization and for non-periodic boundary conditions but is computationally expensive. On the other hand, the FFT-based method is computationally efficient but requires discretization on a regular grid of hexahedral voxels. In this paper, a Green’s function method allowing for accurate discretization using tetrahedral elements and for non-periodic boundary conditions is proposed. The convolution is computed using the fast multipole method, which provides good accuracy even for low-order expansion due to the fast decay of interactions between elements. The proposed Green’s function fast multipole method is verified by comparison with analytical and FFT-based solutions. Furthermore, the computational time is analyzed and compared to the FFT-based method for non-periodic convolution. Finally, effective properties of an elastic polycrystalline microstructure containing thin intergranular cracks are computed and analyzed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Methods for analysis of cracks in three-dimensional solids

Various analytical and numerical methods used to evaluate the stress intensity factors for cracks in three-dimensional (3-D) solids are reviewed. Classical exact solutions and many of the approximate methods used in 3-D analyses of cracks are reviewed. The exact solutions for embedded elliptic cracks in infinite solids are discussed. The approximate methods reviewed are the finite element methods, the boundary integral equation (BIE) method, the mixed methods (superposition of analytical and finite element method, stress difference method, discretization-error method, alternating method, finite element-alternating method), and the line-spring model. The finite element method with singularity elements is the most widely used method. The BIE method only needs modeling of the surfaces of the solid and so is gaining popularity. The line-spring model appears to be the quickest way to obtain good estimates of the stress intensity factors. The finite element-alternating method appears to yield the most accurate solution at the minimum cost.

Raju, I. S.↗

A coupled polygonal DEM-LBM technique based on an immersed boundary method and energy-conserving contact algorithm

Here we present a framework of coupling polygonal discrete elements and the lattice Boltzmann method using a direct forcing immersed boundary scheme. In this technique, an energy-conserving contact algorithm is utilized to handle the interactions between convex and concave polygonal particles. The surface of a polygon is represented by discrete boundary points which includes vertices of polygonal particles and/or points interpolated from vertices. The fluid-particle coupling is obtained through the interactions of the boundary points and the imaginary fluid particles using a direct-forcing immersed boundary method. Validations of the proposed technique are made by single particle and multiple arbitrarily-shaped particle sedimentation tests, and the effect of particle shape is illustrated using a drafting-kissing-tumbling benchmark.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Islet: interpolation semi-Lagrangian element-based transport

Abstract. Advection of trace species, or tracers, also called tracer transport, in models of the atmosphere and other physical domains is an important and potentially computationally expensive part of a model's dynamical core. Semi-Lagrangian (SL) advection methods are efficient because they permit a time step much larger than the advective stability limit for explicit Eulerian methods without requiring the solution of a globally coupled system of equations as implicit Eulerian methods do. Thus, to reduce the computational expense of tracer transport, dynamical cores often use SL methods to advect tracers. The class of interpolation semi-Lagrangian (ISL) methods contains potentially extremely efficient SL methods. We describe a finite-element ISL transport method that we call the interpolation semi-Lagrangian element-based transport (Islet) method, such as for use with atmosphere models discretized using the spectral element method. The Islet method uses three grids that share an element grid: a dynamics grid supporting, for example, the Gauss–Legendre–Lobatto basis of degree three; a physics parameterizations grid with a configurable number of finite-volume subcells per element; and a tracer grid supporting use of Islet bases with particular basis again configurable. This method provides extremely accurate tracer transport and excellent diagnostic values in a number of verification problems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

A multigrid method for the transonic full potential equation discretized with finite elements on an arbitrary body fitted mesh

A multigrid method for the acceleration of transonic potential flow calculations based on a Galerkin finite element approach is described. In order to allow the use of arbitrary body fitted meshes it is necessary to introduce nonuniform interpolation and residual weighting. Emphasis is put on the construction of these operators consistent with the finite element approximation, while standard successive line overrelaxation is used as a smoothing step. Substantial convergence acceleration is obtained and results are presented for different transonic flow configurations including shocks.

Deconinck, H.↗

Application of the Finite Element Method to Rotary Wing Aeroelasticity

A finite element method for the spatial discretization of the dynamic equations of equilibrium governing rotary-wing aeroelastic problems is presented. Formulation of the finite element equations is based on weighted Galerkin residuals. This Galerkin finite element method reduces algebraic manipulative labor significantly, when compared to the application of the global Galerkin method in similar problems. The coupled flap-lag aeroelastic stability boundaries of hingeless helicopter rotor blades in hover are calculated. The linearized dynamic equations are reduced to the standard eigenvalue problem from which the aeroelastic stability boundaries are obtained. The convergence properties of the Galerkin finite element method are studied numerically by refining the discretization process. Results indicate that four or five elements suffice to capture the dynamics of the blade with the same accuracy as the global Galerkin method.

Straub, F. K.↗

A mass conservative, well balanced, tangency preserving and energy decaying method for the shallow water equations on a sphere

Here a fully discrete surface finite element method is proposed for solving the viscous shallow water equations in a bounded Lipschitz domain on the sphere based on a general triangular mesh. The method consists of a modified Crank–Nicolson method in time and a Galerkin surface finite element method in space for the fluid thickness H and the fluid velocity u. A finite element space tangential to the sphere at all finite element nodes is proposed to approximate the fluid velocity u. The proposed method has second-order accuracy in time and first-order accuracy in space, and preserves mass conservation, well balancedness, tangency of velocity to the sphere, and energy decay. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the accuracy of the proposed method and the preservation of the physical properties, including mass conservation, well balancedness, and energy decay. A numerical simulation of ocean mesoscale activity on a circular basin with a continental shelf is provided.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗