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At least 235 records · Page 13

Enhanced Control, Optimization, and Integration of Distributed Energy Applications (ECO-IDEA)

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) partnered with Xcel Energy, Schneider Electric, Varentec, and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to meet the goals of the Enabling Extreme Real-Time Grid Integration of Solar Energy (ENERGISE) program. This project developed and validated an innovative data-enhanced hierarchical control architecture that enables the efficient, reliable, resilient, and secure operation of future distribution systems with a high penetration of distributed energy resources like solar energy. The architecture enables a hybrid control approach where a centralized control layer is complemented by distributed control algorithms for solar inverters and autonomous control of grid edge devices. It is fully interoperable and includes all the cybersecurity aspects necessary for reliable and secure system operation. The hybrid approach can seamlessly integrate multiple voltage-regulation technologies, both at central and grid-edge levels, which enables reliable and efficient system operation in the face of unpredictable conditions. The overarching goal of the Eco-Idea project is to develop, validate, and deploy a unique and innovative Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control (DEHC) architecture that comprehensively addresses the formidable challenges associated with proliferation of high penetration of distributed PV such as reverse power flows, transients from variability of PV systems, feeder load balancing, and voltage stability. These issues are exposing the weaknesses of existing grid operations and controls - including, but not limited to, lack of grid situational awareness, heuristic and slow-acting control actions, latency of control for emergency situations, and points of failure in communications. The proposed architecture will comprehensively resolve the deficiencies of current operational settings - where monitoring and control solutions proposed across industry and academia may not be interoperable and may not coexist in the same system - and will enable an efficient, reliable, resilient, and secure operation of future distribution systems with penetration of solar energy well beyond current limits. The DEHC architecture was developed and validated rigorously through hardware-in-loop simulations in the laboratory environment and deployed on the field.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Event Definition for the Automated Detection of Nuclear Proliferation Activities

In FY2020, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in collaboration with the Discovery Analytics Center (DAC) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) began developing a demonstration prototype system that uses multiple machine learning and data analytic methods on largescale open data sources to identify new, developing, or undeclared nuclear programs. One of the most challenging aspects of applying machine learning techniques to such a problem is the high likelihood of extremely sparse data from disparate sources. To overcome this challenge, the current work will use a strategic combination of supervised, semi-supervised, and unsupervised learning techniques to ingest and fuse data streams to make a forecast of nuclear activities in a targeted geospatial location. Identifying potential data sources and training supervised learning algorithms is dependent upon the development of a robust foundation of targeted event domains that fundamentally define the nuclear activities of interest. This report documents the definition of a hierarchical structure for both nuclear activity and event domains that will be used to guide the research team in development or use of existing semantic dictionaries that are instrumental to searching, parsing, and categorizing events for the forecasting system’s use.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

An intelligent robotics control scheme

The problem of robot control is viewed at the level of communicating high-level commands produced by intelligent algorithms to the actuator/sensor controllers. Four topics are considered in the design of an integrated control and communications scheme for an intelligent robotic system: the use of abstraction spaces, hierarchical versus heterarchical control, distributed processing, and the interleaving of the steps of plan creation and plan execution. A scheme is presented for an n-level distributed hierarchical/heterarchical control system that effectively interleaves intelligent planning, execution, and sensory feedback. A three-level version of this scheme has been successfully implemented in the Intelligent Systems Research Lab at NASA Langley Research Center. This implementation forms the control structure for DAISIE (Distributed Artificially Intelligent System for Interacting with the Environment), a testbed system integrating AI software with robotics hardware.

Orlando, N. E.↗

A Novel Data Segmentation Method for Data-driven Phase Identification

This paper presents a smart meter phase identification algorithm for two cases: meter-phase-label-known and meter-phase-label-unknown. To improve the identification accuracy, a data segmentation method is proposed to exclude data segments that are collected when the voltage correlation between smart meters on the same phase is weakened. Then, using the selected data segments, a hierarchical clustering method is used to calculate the correlation distances and cluster the smart meters. If the phase labels are unknown, a Connected-Triple-based Similarity (CTS) method is adapted to further improve the phase identification accuracy of the ensemble clustering method. The methods are developed and tested on both synthetic and real feeder data sets. Here, simulation results show that the proposed phase identification algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in both accuracy and robustness.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Robust Metric-Aligned Quad-Dominant Meshing Using L(sub p) Centroidal Voronoi Tessellation

We introduce a meshing algorithm that can be used to both generate and adapt meshes for bounded domains in an anisotropic manner. This is particularly beneficial when anisotropic flow features like shock waves or contact discontinuities are present in the computational domain. The algorithm presented in this paper is based upon meshing under the imposed Riemannian metric tensor, which controls the orientation and size of the mesh elements. In this way there is no need for user intervention to recognize these features. We demonstrate that the method indeed aligns the elements with the underlying metric and produces right-angled simplices that can be recombined into quadrilateral elements. The aim is to eventually incorporate this meshing strategy in the monolithic high-order spectral element solver that is currently being developed at NASA Ames. This paper has two main contributions: First, we demonstrate that we can generate quad-dominant metric-aligned meshes for bounded domains using a generalized form of L(sub p)-Centroidal Voronoi Tessellation (L(sub p)-CVT). Unlike previous works, we do not rely on a background mesh and discretize the bounded domain in a hierarchical way by first discretizing the boundaries and then the volume using the underlying metric. Second, we present an alternative for clipping the Voronoi cells on the boundary, which is common practice in CVT-based meshing algorithms, by reconstructing the Voronoi cells using the defined metric field. In this way we avoid the geometrical complexity of the clipping procedure and we show that we evaluate the energy and its gradient correctly. We show that the reconstruction of the computational domain is consistent with the Lloyds’ algorithm that is used to compute the L(sub p)-CVT.

Centroidal↗

NETRA: A parallel architecture for integrated vision systems. 1: Architecture and organization

Computer vision is regarded as one of the most complex and computationally intensive problems. An integrated vision system (IVS) is considered to be a system that uses vision algorithms from all levels of processing for a high level application (such as object recognition). A model of computation is presented for parallel processing for an IVS. Using the model, desired features and capabilities of a parallel architecture suitable for IVSs are derived. Then a multiprocessor architecture (called NETRA) is presented. This architecture is highly flexible without the use of complex interconnection schemes. The topology of NETRA is recursively defined and hence is easily scalable from small to large systems. Homogeneity of NETRA permits fault tolerance and graceful degradation under faults. It is a recursively defined tree-type hierarchical architecture where each of the leaf nodes consists of a cluster of processors connected with a programmable crossbar with selective broadcast capability to provide for desired flexibility. A qualitative evaluation of NETRA is presented. Then general schemes are described to map parallel algorithms onto NETRA. Algorithms are classified according to their communication requirements for parallel processing. An extensive analysis of inter-cluster communication strategies in NETRA is presented, and parameters affecting performance of parallel algorithms when mapped on NETRA are discussed. Finally, a methodology to evaluate performance of algorithms on NETRA is described.

Choudhary, Alok N.↗

Passive range sensor refinement using texture and segmentation

Electrooptical sensors provide a covert way of computing range during helicopter flight. The optical flow-based computation of range provides range information only in certain distinguishable parts of the image. The regions where range information is available can be increased by performing texture analysis and object segmentation in the image. This paper reviews some of the literature on texture segmentation methods with a view towards applying them to images containing both man-made and natural objects at varying ranges. Two algorithmic approaches are given and their application to a real image is demonstrated. Results indicate that it will be necessary to combine several different texture measures and methods in a hierarchical way in order to achieve an object segmentation which is useful in enhancing range information.

Sridhar, Banavar↗

Challenges of Future High-End Computing

The next major milestone in high performance computing is a sustained rate of one Pflop/s (also written one petaflops, or 10(circumflex)15 floating-point operations per second). In addition to prodigiously high computational performance, such systems must of necessity feature very large main memories, as well as comparably high I/O bandwidth and huge mass storage facilities. The current consensus of scientists who have studied these issues is that "affordable" petaflops systems may be feasible by the year 2010, assuming that certain key technologies continue to progress at current rates. One important question is whether applications can be structured to perform efficiently on such systems, which are expected to incorporate many thousands of processors and deeply hierarchical memory systems. To answer these questions, advanced performance modeling techniques, including simulation of future architectures and applications, may be required. It may also be necessary to formulate "latency tolerant algorithms" and other completely new algorithmic approaches for certain applications. This talk will give an overview of these challenges.

Bailey, David↗

NAS Applications and Advanced Algorithms

This paper examines the applications most commonly run on the supercomputers at the Numerical Aerospace Simulation (NAS) facility. It analyzes the extent to which such applications are fundamentally oriented to vector computers, and whether or not they can be efficiently implemented on hierarchical memory machines, such as systems with cache memories and highly parallel, distributed memory systems.

Bailey, David H.↗

Decentralized Distribution System Restoration with Grid-Forming/Following Inverter-Based Resources

The high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) in active distribution systems has posed challenges to the centralized distribution system restoration (DSR) strategies in current practice. On the other hand, the advancement in smart inverter technologies enables the bottom-up restoration capability. This paper is motivated to develop a 3-layered hierarchical framework for decentralized DSR, based on the grid-forming (GFM) and grid-following (GFL) grid-edge inverters. The first layer presents the tertiary control, which determines the load pickup schedule and generation dispatch of DERs, using the alternating direction method of the multipliers algorithm. The second layer consists of two control functions: GFM control, which regulates voltage and frequency, establishing a stable grid for GFL inverters to follow; and GFL control, which regulates the real and reactive power. In the third layer, the primary control is proposed to regulate the inverter voltage and current, which is developed based on the virtual oscillator control (VOC). Furthermore, the developed framework is tested in the modified IEEE 13-node test feeder. Two scenarios of grid-connected and islanded operating modes are designed, and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of decentralized DSR strategies for controlling grid-edge inverters to enhance the distribution system resilience.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Beyond the hubble sequence – exploring galaxy morphology with unsupervised machine learning

We explore unsupervised machine learning for galaxy morphology analyses using a combination of feature extraction with a vector-quantized variational autoencoder (VQ-VAE) and hierarchical clustering (HC). We propose a new methodology that includes: (1) consideration of the clustering performance simultaneously when learning features from images; (2) allowing for various distance thresholds within the HC algorithm; (3) using the galaxy orientation to determine the number of clusters. This set-up provides 27 clusters created with this unsupervised learning that we show are well separated based on galaxy shape and structure (e.g. Sérsic index, concentration, asymmetry, Gini coefficient). These resulting clusters also correlate well with physical properties such as the colour–magnitude diagram, and span the range of scaling relations such as mass versus size amongst the different machine-defined clusters. When we merge these multiple clusters into two large preliminary clusters to provide a binary classification, an accuracy of $\sim 87{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ is reached using an imbalanced data set, matching real galaxy distributions, which includes 22.7 per cent early-type galaxies and 77.3 per cent late-type galaxies. Comparing the given clusters with classic Hubble types (ellipticals, lenticulars, early spirals, late spirals, and irregulars), we show that there is an intrinsic vagueness in visual classification systems, in particular galaxies with transitional features such as lenticulars and early spirals. Based on this, the main result in this work is not how well our unsupervised method matches visual classifications and physical properties, but that the method provides an independent classification that may be more physically meaningful than any visually based ones.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Machine-learning-aided cognitive reconfiguration for flexible-bandwidth HPC and data center networks [Invited]

This paper proposes a machine-learning (ML)-aided cognitive approach for effective bandwidth reconfiguration in optically interconnected datacenter/high-performance computing (HPC) systems. The proposed approach relies on a Hyper-X-like architecture augmented with flexible-bandwidth photonic interconnections at large scales using a hierarchical intra/inter-POD photonic switching layout. We first formulate the problem of the connectivity graph and routing scheme optimization as a mixed-integer linear programming model. A two-phase heuristic algorithm and a joint optimization approach are devised to solve the problem with low time complexity. Then, we propose an ML-based end-to-end performance estimator design to assist the network control plane with intelligent decision making for bandwidth reconfiguration. Numerical simulations using traffic distribution profiles extracted from HPC applications traces as well as random traffic matrices verify the accuracy performance of the ML design estimator ( < <#comment/> 9 % <#comment/> error) and demonstrate up to 5 × <#comment/> throughput gain from the proposed approach compared with the baseline Hyper-X network using fixed all-to-all intra/inter-portable data center interconnects.

Chen, Xiaoliang (ORCID:0000000278056237)↗

Hierarchical modelling of mobile, seeing robots

This paper describes the implementation of a hierarchical robot simulation which supports the design of robots with vision and mobility. A seeing robot applies a classification expert system for visual identification of laboratory objects. The visual data acquisition algorithm used by the robot vision system has been developed to exploit multiple viewing distances and perspectives. Several different simulations have been run testing the visual logic in a laboratory environment. Much work remains to integrate the vision system with the rest of the robot system.

Luh, Cheng-Jye↗

Distance between images

Comparing two binary images and assigning a quantitative measure to this comparison finds its purpose in such tasks as image recognition, image compression, and image browsing. This quantitative measurement may be computed by utilizing the Hausdorff distance of the images represented as two-dimensional point sets. In this paper, we review two algorithms that have been proposed to compute this distance, and we present a parallel implementation of one of them on the MasPar parallel processor. We study their complexity and the results obtained by these algorithms for two different types of images: a set of displaced pairs of images of Gaussian densities, and a comparison of a Canny edge image with several edge images from a hierarchical region growing code.

Gualtieri, J. A.↗

Image Segmentation, Registration, Compression, and Matching

A novel computational framework was developed of a 2D affine invariant matching exploiting a parameter space. Named as affine invariant parameter space (AIPS), the technique can be applied to many image-processing and computer-vision problems, including image registration, template matching, and object tracking from image sequence. The AIPS is formed by the parameters in an affine combination of a set of feature points in the image plane. In cases where the entire image can be assumed to have undergone a single affine transformation, the new AIPS match metric and matching framework becomes very effective (compared with the state-of-the-art methods at the time of this reporting). No knowledge about scaling or any other transformation parameters need to be known a priori to apply the AIPS framework. An automated suite of software tools has been created to provide accurate image segmentation (for data cleaning) and high-quality 2D image and 3D surface registration (for fusing multi-resolution terrain, image, and map data). These tools are capable of supporting existing GIS toolkits already in the marketplace, and will also be usable in a stand-alone fashion. The toolkit applies novel algorithmic approaches for image segmentation, feature extraction, and registration of 2D imagery and 3D surface data, which supports first-pass, batched, fully automatic feature extraction (for segmentation), and registration. A hierarchical and adaptive approach is taken for achieving automatic feature extraction, segmentation, and registration. Surface registration is the process of aligning two (or more) data sets to a common coordinate system, during which the transformation between their different coordinate systems is determined. Also developed here are a novel, volumetric surface modeling and compression technique that provide both quality-guaranteed mesh surface approximations and compaction of the model sizes by efficiently coding the geometry and connectivity/topology components of the generated models. The highly efficient triangular mesh compression compacts the connectivity information at the rate of 1.5-4 bits per vertex (on average for triangle meshes), while reducing the 3D geometry by 40-50 percent. Finally, taking into consideration the characteristics of 3D terrain data, and using the innovative, regularized binary decomposition mesh modeling, a multistage, pattern-drive modeling, and compression technique has been developed to provide an effective framework for compressing digital elevation model (DEM) surfaces, high-resolution aerial imagery, and other types of NASA data.

Yadegar, Jacob↗

Using Machine-Learning to Dynamically Generate Operationally Acceptable Strategic Reroute Options

The newly developed Trajectory Option Set (TOS), a preference-weighted set of alternative routes submitted by flight operators, is a capability in the U.S. traffic flow management system that enables automated trajectory negotiation between flight operators and Air Navigation Service Providers. The objective of this paper is to describe and demonstrate an approach for automatically generating pre-departure and airborne TOSs that have a high probability of operational acceptance. The approach uses hierarchical clustering of historical route data to identify route candidates. The probability of operational acceptance is then estimated using predictors trained on historical flight plan amendment data using supervised machine learning algorithms, allowing the routes with highest probability of operational acceptance to be selected for the TOS. Features used describe historical route usage, difference in flight time and downstream demand to capacity imbalance. A random forest was found to be the best performing algorithm for learning operational acceptability, with a model accuracy of 0.96. The approach is demonstrated for an historical pre-departure flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Evans, Antony↗

Using Machine-Learning to Dynamically Generate Operationally Acceptable Strategic Reroute Options

The newly developed Trajectory Option Set (TOS), a preference-weighted set of alternative routes submitted by flight operators, is a capability in the U.S. traffic flow management system that enables automated trajectory negotiation between flight operators and Air Navigation Service Providers. The objective of this paper is to describe and demonstrate an approach for automatically generating pre-departure and airborne TOSs that have a high probability of operational acceptance. The approach uses hierarchical clustering of historical route data to identify route candidates. The probability of operational acceptance is then estimated using predictors trained on historical flight plan amendment data using supervised machine learning algorithms, allowing the routes with highest probability of operational acceptance to be selected for the TOS. Features used describe historical route usage, difference in flight time and downstream demand to capacity imbalance. A random forest was found to be the best performing algorithm for learning operational acceptability, with a model accuracy of 0.96. The approach is demonstrated for an historical pre-departure flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Evans, Antony↗

Jacobian sparsity detection using Bloom filters

Determining Jacobian sparsity structure is an important step in the efficient computation of sparse Jacobians. We introduce a new method for determining Jacobian sparsity patterns by combining bit vector probing with Bloom filters. In conclusion, we further refine Bloom filter probing by combining it with hierarchical probing to yield a highly effective strategy for Jacobian sparsity pattern determination.

Bloom filter↗